It is an American style wheat beer. I've been brewing for about a year and entered this one in competition just to get some feedback on my brewing. I got an email today saying this win qualified me to enter the Masters Championship of Amateur Brewing 2012 in the light hybrid category. So I'm pretty pumped. The recipe is more or less right out of Brewing Classic Styles. I adjusted the hopping slightly. I think the key with this one is that I fermented it at an ambient temperature of about 59 degrees (lower level of my house in winter). That S-05 slowly chugged along for about 2 weeks, but the result was an extremely clean tasting ale.
makes me want to find a contest to get my beer criticized by folks other than friends... they all think I brew gold.. I know better -Though it's pretty f'n good if you ask me.. -maybe a bit biased
I mashed it for 90 minutes at 151, with a mashout. 75 minute boil, with the wort chilled over the course of several hours in a snow pile--topped off with about a half gallon of water.
That is pretty cool. You need to setup a place for awards like over the fireplace or even better the brew cave. Are you thinking of doing the same thing for 2012 or switching it up?
I mashed it for 90 minutes at 151, with a mashout. 75 minute boil, with the wort chilled over the course of several hours in a snow pile--topped off with about a half gallon of water.