How to classify blue corn chicha for BJCP competition?

So I made this killer super clean blue corn chicha with cloves, cinnamon and allspice and everyone who has tried it says I need to compete it. As it is, I have a competition coming up in the next few weeks. I figured I may want to enter it but what class? I'm thinking the spice/vegetable/herb category?

Thoughts?

I'm thinking Cat. 23 as is states:

BJCP.org Category 23 said:

•Historical, traditional or indigenous beers..............[snip]

Beers with only one type of fruit, spice, herbs, vegetables, or smoke should be entered in Categories 20-22

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So, it sounds like you've got a indigenous beer with more than one type of spice....

23 sounds OK with me.

Being that it's chica, I'd have to go with Cat. 23 like AZ IPA states. Chica is as historic as it gets. The question I have to ask... did you actually mouth chew your corn?

Are you a spitter? Did you use a hay basket as a filter? I saw this on Chicha Dogfishhead series on Discovery. What a wierd process. I don't think I could stomach something people spit out.

Can you post your recipe? I really want to try and make.

powerfreak said:

Being that it's chica, I'd have to go with Cat. 23 like AZ IPA states. Chica is as historic as it gets. The question I have to ask... did you actually mouth chew your corn?

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No I used amylase and mashed for 2.5 hours

itsme6582 said:

Are you a spitter? Did you use a hay basket as a filter? I saw this on Chicha Dogfishhead series on Discovery. What a wierd process. I don't think I could stomach something people spit out.

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No hay either.

MSOE_HomeBrew said:

Can you post your recipe? I really want to try and make.

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Yeah I can try to recall.

8 lbs cracked blue corn kernels, hard to find but they are out there.

2 lbs 2-row crushed

1.5 quarts/lb

mash for 2.5 hours at 148 with 4 tsp amylase

test for completion with iodophor

sparge then boil for 60 mins

at 10 minutes left in boil add 1 pinoncillo cone (mexican sugar cone, available at most spanish/mexican grocery stores), 4 cinnamon sticks, 2 tsp allspice, 6 whole cloves. I used a hopsack for the spices, but not the sugar.

Chill to 68 F and pitch 1 pk rehydrated Notty.

Ferment at 68 F as usual.

The beer comes out dry and aromatic. It was one of my best batches ever. The color is pink like a white zinfandel (ghey reference I know but this is exactly how it comes out looking).

I've never had this before. Is there a commercial product?

I have to make this. I loved Chicha when I was in Peru.

Brooklyn-Brewtality said:

I have to make this. I loved Chicha when I was in Peru.

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I spent many years in La Paz, Bolvia. I'm going to have to make some chicha too.

itsme6582 said:

I've never had this before. Is there a commercial product?

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DFH does it on occasion but they only sell it at their Rehoboth Beach brewpub.

itsme6582 said:

I've never had this before. Is there a commercial product?

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Aside from DFH which was already mentioned, you can also buy imported chica soft drinks in specialty stores.

Irrenarzt,

How did you crack the corn? run it through a mill? gap setting?

Brooklyn-Brewtality said:

Irrenarzt,

How did you crack the corn? run it through a mill? gap setting?

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My mill was too narrow even at the largest gap so I cracked the grain in a sandwich bag with a rolling pin.