Question about BJCP Styles

[Brewitt]

I am considering submitting a couple of brews to a competition for the first time. Neither beer is brewed to style and I'm not sure where they belong because I don't know how much flexibility there is in the style guidelines. Alternatively, since they are not brewed to style should I just not submit them.

Here is a description of the beers. Any advice is welcome.

First, I have an American Wheat Beer (WLP001) that is about 45 IBU but was heavily dry hopped along with kumquats. The kumquat is very subtle but noticeable. So, is this a Fruit Beer (20A) or an American Wheat or Rye Beer (6D)?

Next, I have what I would call a Robust Porter (12B) that is lightly oaked. It is also about 8% ABV. So, its numbers are more like a Baltic Porter (12C) but it doesn't resemble a Baltic Porter in flavor profile. Or is it a Wood-aged Beer (22)?

Thanks in advance.

 

[progmac]

the kumquat beer should be a fruit beer. specify the base style as american wheat if that is how it tastes.

oak beer is the same deal, enter as wood-aged and specify the base style. if you can't decide on a base style, read the style and taste the beer and decide. if you can't really taste the oak, then you could enter it in the base style category.

 

[Homercidal]

Yep, they have special categories for a beer with any flavor additions (Like fruit, oak, bourbon, spices, etc.) that would not be found in the base category.

Having judged some of these "catch-all" categories, I can state that you would be surprised at what, and how many, things people will put in their beers!

One guy submitted a beer he named "Kitchen Sink", but to me it tasted more like, "Garbage Disposal"!

 

[tootal]

I have friends that enter contest and then get mad when they don't win anything. They make great tasting beer but just don't fit a beer style. As long as you're entering to get feed back then that's fine but really, I wouldn't even enter a BJCP competition if you aren't trying to brew to a style. You can have the best beer in the world but unless you want to enter the specialty catagory and roll the dice, you're not going to win.

Our brew club is organising a competition based on gravity and IBU's. With only 6 catagories to enter and the votes are totally subjective since no style guidelines are used. We'll see how it works out!

 

[opiate82]

the kumquat beer should be a fruit beer. specify the base style as american wheat if that is how it tastes.

oak beer is the same deal, enter as wood-aged and specify the base style. if you can't decide on a base style, read the style and taste the beer and decide. if you can't really taste the oak, then you could enter it in the base style category.

Pretty much this. I had a NWPA that I entered recently. I knew it was slightly out of style for American Pale but didn't think it would compete well in either IPA or the Specialty Beer category so I just entered it in APA. Still scored 40 points and took 2nd in the category, but I got dinged pretty good for it being to hop-forward for an APA.

One judge said if I would have entered it in Specialty Beer and noted that I was going for a NWPA I would have had a good shot at BOS, but they had to ding me for wandering too far out of style for an APA. So if you are going for a win, I would make sure the category you choose completely encompasses your beer. If you stray out of the guidelines (even for the better) you will get dinged.

 

[biereblanche]

Well, I'm going to disagree with the previous posts.

You said the kumquat was "very subtle," very subtle fruit characteristics do not do well in cat. 20. If a judge has to guess or wouldn't be able to identify the fruit w/o being told, it's not likely to do well. If someone knowledgeable tasted it as "just an American wheat" and isn't asking "there's fruit in that, right?" it isn't going too far in cat. 20.

Unfortunately most judges are also not expecting 45 IBU in cat. 6D, if it in fact tastes like ~45 IBU, balanced towards moderate bitterness and hops (despite beers like Gumballhead being a commercial example). Most judges will anticipate a fairly light, unassertive, balanced beer, with a bit of a wheaty character = a pretty blah beer. It's an underappreciated and under-represented category.

All told, I wouldn't expect that beer to compete well as you've described. If it could hold up as an APA, 10a, that might be an option, only indicating "wheat" as a special ingredient if it is obvious in aroma and flavor. Otherwise, I wouldn't enter it.

Pretty much same deal w/ the Ro Po - if the oak isn't obvious to anyone who tastes it, it's going to get shorted in cat. 21. Don't worry about the numbers, worry about the profile when tasted next to the guidelines. 8% is probably going to be fine in Ro Po category, judges will expect some heft and robust-ness for the style. The only other spot I'd consider (w/o tasting it) might be American Stout if it is obviously well hopped, bitter, and has significant distinct roast.

 

[stpug]

Pretty much this. I had a NWPA that I entered recently. I knew it was slightly out of style for American Pale but didn't think it would compete well in either IPA or the Specialty Beer category so I just entered it in APA. Still scored 40 points and took 2nd in the category, but I got dinged pretty good for it being to hop-forward for an APA.

One judge said if I would have entered it in Specialty Beer and noted that I was going for a NWPA I would have had a good shot at BOS, but they had to ding me for wandering too far out of style for an APA. So if you are going for a win, I would make sure the category you choose completely encompasses your beer. If you stray out of the guidelines (even for the better) you will get dinged.

Do you happen to know of any kind of description of a NWPA? The only thing I've been able to gleen from the style is "like an APA but towards an IPA and maybe darker too"

 

[Brewitt]

Thanks for the input. Reading these responses I'm becoming convinced that, despite the fact that I think these beers are quite good, they probably wouldn't do well in a competition just based upon style. I should say that, at this point in my brewing experience, I don't have any expectation they would do exceedingly well, even if they were brewed to style, although I could be pleasantly surprised. However, since they weren't brewed to style it is probably best that I hold off for this round.

Regarding the intensity of the fruit and oak, both are noticeable but neither are robust. I had the intent for both to come through more, but my kumquats were not quite ripe enough.

I do brew a couple beers that are entirely to style. I'll hold off until I put a good example of those together.

 

[opiate82]

To me, a NWPA is basically in between an APA and an IPA. In the past the beer I made probably would have been entered as an IPA, but as the IBU arms race has driven the hoppiness of the IPA category towards the extreme end of it (which is why I didn't think it would compete well there, as it was at the low end of hoppiness for an IPA). The hop profile should be a subdued version of a "west coast" IPA, with slightly more malt character. Again, this is just my interpretation, not an official guideline.

Couple of commercial examples are Red Chair by Deschutes and Clinic by Melvin (which I've seen advertised as both an IPA and a "Hoppy Pale").

 

[MagooBrew]

The key I believe is to enter what you taste not what you think you brewed.

 

[Brewitt]

The key I believe is to enter what you taste not what you think you brewed.

I taste a hoppy American Wheat with subtle kumquats and a Robust Porter with subtle oak.

 

[progmac]

I taste a hoppy American Wheat with subtle kumquats and a Robust Porter with subtle oak.

There you go -- those are your specialty beers and base styles.

 

[Homercidal]

Even if you don't think you can WIN the comp. it might be useful to enter and see how the judges taste your beer. There are other things besides how much of the different flavors you added they can notice. They will give it an all-around score and might note some things you never thought much about.

OR, you might get crappy feedback. It's always a possibility.