A friendly place for friends who drink

[ChefRex]

All this Boulevard talk and I had one chilled, solid.
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[Qhrumphf]

I think that's true of many styles, honestly. Usually the people most familiar with a style and good examples of it are more likely to be entering that category rather than judging it. I always wonder what would happen sneaking in a classic example of a style in a comp. I think they wouldn't even medal 90% of the time because judges let their own personal preferences outweigh what the guidelines clearly say.

Anything that's not something ubiquitous (most judges seem to know IPAs fairly well), I completely agree. Sometimes the guidelines are crap though. 2015 is an improvement there, but there's still issues. Mild isn't the only category.

Ultimately there's no substitute for actually having real, quality, authentic commercial examples. And therein lies the problem in particular with the English/Scottish session ales, finding an authentic Ordinary Bitter, Dark Mild, or Scottish 60/-, is all but impossible most places in the US (and with the 60/-, even in much of the UK). Few US craft brewers will brew them, and those that do seldom brew an authentic one.

But when I judge, I do my best to get put on the Bitters and English Browns, because I know them. Of course, I always get stuck on Stout and Wheat Beers or something instead.

I've been curious about classics as well, and I suspect you're right. Most classics aren't 50 pointers anyway, but I'd suspect that they'd fall into the same 25-35 range where everything seems to get rammed into because judges are too scared to score a poor beer badly or score a great beer well.

I've seriously considered entering a bottle of water into Spice/Herb/Vegetable just to make sure I don't have to judge it though.

 

[TobyG]

Yes Bluebonnet.

I don't know who that is I'm afraid.

Hopefully you never find out. lol

I hope it's the same Just Dave that plays bass in several bad local bands.

It would make sense.

I'm not sure if he plays bass, but he's the best beer judge you've never heard of. He's judged more beers than you've made. lol He's a nice enough guy before he gets drinking, but I know several people that would rather punch him than listen to him.

 

[Psylocide]

Last of this glorious bastard.



Thanks @geoffey , kickass Wednesday night sippa.





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[Qhrumphf]

Hopefully you never find out. lol



I'm not sure if he plays bass, but he's the best beer judge you've never heard of. He's judged more beers than you've made. lol He's a nice enough guy before he gets drinking, but I know several people that would rather punch him than listen to him.

There's a few around here like that. One in particular, really nice guy, judged a lot, and I mean a LOT, but he needs to know when to shut up. Generally knows his stuff, but makes sure you know he knows his stuff, and unfortunately doesn't know quite as much as he thinks he does.

 

[coyote68]

finsfan's Dreg Party... because it's a day off and that's reason enough to have a party!!

 

[TobyG]

Man... My sulfate levels are so high that I end up having to use up to 85% RO for malty beers and at that point, I might as well just start from scratch.

Yeah, using that much RO you just as soon start from scratch. My water is a blank slate except for the sodium and bicarbonate.

Anything that's not something ubiquitous (most judges seem to know IPAs fairly well), I completely agree. Sometimes the guidelines are crap though. 2015 is an improvement there, but there's still issues. Mild isn't the only category.

I'm not sure they even know IPA that well. Right now, if you submit a NE-style juicy IPA, it will get dinged by the guy expecting a West Coast bitter bomb.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I'm not sure they even know IPA that well. Right now, if you submit a NE-style juicy IPA, it will get dinged by the guy expecting a West Coast bitter bomb.

Part of the reason I bothered getting BJCP certified in the first place is because I don't think a lot of certified judges know what they're doing (let alone recognized/provisional/apprentice, or anything non-BJCP) I've had more consistent results from higher ranked judges, but still not perfect.

 

[wobrien]

Water profile?

Strike (4 gal): CaCl - 3g, Gypsum - 3g, Lactic Acid - 1mL
Sparge (4 gal): CaCl - 3g, Gypsum - 3g

Also, sparge is a great word.

 

[DisturbdChemist]

Having Hardywood virginia blackberry.. meh. If its a fruit beer. I better taste fruit

 

[geoffey]

Guys, is 1.022 a decent FG for a stout that started off at 1.087? I've never done a beer like this before and I'm not sure if I should try to get it lower. It tastes a little sweet but not sure if that edge will go away with carbonation and serving temp.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Having Hardywood virginia blackberry.. meh. If its a fruit beer. I better taste fruit

I have a hard time understanding the blind devotion to Hardywood. Some of their stuff is REALLY F***ING GOOD (Bourbon Barrel Sidamo comes to mind, would stack up against any other BA RIS that I've had). Some of it isn't (I stopped trying any of their fruit beers or similar, they've all been pretty subpar, the Hibiscus Tripel they did with Trader Joe's borders on BAD). Some are good but nowhere near worth the hype that they get (GBS).

Hydrometer sample of my most recent Pale Mild. About as expected, easy drinking but not particularly exciting (it wasn't supposed to be, just wanted a clean prop batch). Would like it to drop another 0.5°P (wanted 2°P, not 2.5°P), but not the end of the world.

 

[geoffey]

Last of this glorious bastard.



Thanks @geoffey , kickass Wednesday night sippa.





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You're welcome! Probably about time I open one of those myself! Somehow I need to make it though two more dry days. Cheated last night because a good buddy came over who I never see much of these days and we've been talking for a year about having darkness together. But need to push through these next two days.

 

[Psylocide]

Guys, is 1.022 a decent FG for a stout that started off at 1.087? I've never done a beer like this before and I'm not sure if I should try to get it lower. It tastes a little sweet but not sure if that edge will go away with carbonation and serving temp.

Grain bill and yeast would help.

 

[wyobrewer1]

Yo....what is FTW? TIA

 

[Psylocide]

Yo....what is FTW? TIA

http://bfy.tw/3xUi

 

[DisturbdChemist]

I have a hard time understanding the blind devotion to Hardywood. Some of their stuff is REALLY F***ING GOOD (Bourbon Barrel Sidamo comes to mind, would stack up against any other BA RIS that I've had). Some of it isn't (I stopped trying any of their fruit beers or similar, they've all been pretty subpar, the Hibiscus Tripel they did with Trader Joe's borders on BAD). Some are good but nowhere near worth the hype that they get (GBS).

Hydrometer sample of my most recent Pale Mild. About as expected, easy drinking but not particularly exciting (it wasn't supposed to be, just wanted a clean prop batch). Would like it to drop another 0.5°P (wanted 2°P, not 2.5°P), but not the end of the world.

It can be just one beer to launch a brewery to popularity. Doesn't have to be much like yellow rose though lone pint has a few more thats decent but they do not days their bottles and only in 750ml

 

[geoffey]

Grain bill and yeast would help.

Good point! But complicated. This was the second runnings of a bcbs clone. Here was the grain bill:

18lbs marris otter
2.5lbs Munich
2lbs chocolate
1.5lbs crystal 60
1.5lbs roasted barley
4oz black patent.

5 gal recipe. Full volume mash, and first drain went to bcbs clone. Then batch sparged the rest for a planned coffee stout. Added 3lbs DME to the boil of this second runnings batch to boost the OG. Pitched a packet of 05 after aerating.

There's a lot of unfermentables in there, one may argue. But in general is that a FG which fits the style?

 

[Psylocide]

One pack of 05 into 1.087 with the unfermentables, I would say it's probably done, depending on how long it has fermented.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Good point! But complicated. This was the second runnings of a bcbs clone. Here was the grain bill:

18lbs marris otter
2.5lbs Munich
2lbs chocolate
1.5lbs crystal 60
1.5lbs roasted barley
4oz black patent.

5 gal recipe. Full volume mash, and first drain went to bcbs clone. Then batch sparged the rest for a planned coffee stout. Added 3lbs DME to the boil of this second runnings batch to boost the OG. Pitched a packet of 05 after aerating.

There's a lot of unfermentables in there, one may argue. But in general is that a FG which fits the style?

~74% apparent attenuation which is in standard "average" range for 05, all malt grain bill, extract is often "average" fermentability if not slightly on the unfermentable side, not sure what your mash temp was, but unless it was on the low side, yeah, that's about where I'd expect it to fall.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

Guys, is 1.022 a decent FG for a stout that started off at 1.087? I've never done a beer like this before and I'm not sure if I should try to get it lower. It tastes a little sweet but not sure if that edge will go away with carbonation and serving temp.

I was going to say too dry, but that's personal preference. Think you should get rid of it. Bottle it and PM me for my address. I'll save you the trouble of draining it yourself...you're welcome!

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

Good point! But complicated. This was the second runnings of a bcbs clone. Here was the grain bill:

18lbs marris otter
2.5lbs Munich
2lbs chocolate
1.5lbs crystal 60
1.5lbs roasted barley
4oz black patent.

5 gal recipe. Full volume mash, and first drain went to bcbs clone. Then batch sparged the rest for a planned coffee stout. Added 3lbs DME to the boil of this second runnings batch to boost the OG. Pitched a packet of 05 after aerating.

There's a lot of unfermentables in there, one may argue. But in general is that a FG which fits the style?

What's the mash temp? How did you oxygenate?

 

[Qhrumphf]

Yeah I'm not going to the gym tonight. Flocc it.

'13 Tripel. Only 3 bottles left after this. And getting my fill of the iceball I was robbed of over the weekend (two games postponed due to blizzard, a game played on ice postponed for snow. rofl)

 

[finsfan]

I think it was time i drank this one. Been hanging onto it too long since Mark sent it to me. Very good.
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[1977Brewer]

American Idol time. Drink until I can stand it time.

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[1977Brewer]

I think it was time i drank this one. Been hanging onto it too long since Mark sent it to me. Very good.
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Damn good stuff.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

Came across this at Whichcraft. Local long time award winning local HBer and Rogness collaboration. Not my goto style, but clean, bit sweet from munich, and not overly yeasty. Nice job!

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[geoffey]

What's the mash temp? How did you oxygenate?

Mashed at 155 and oxygenated for 60sec with pure O2

 

[ChefRex]

American Idol time. Drink until I can stand it time.

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Sounds like a job for bourbon

 

[1977Brewer]

Sounds like a job for bourbon

Eh. Enough J Lo makes anything watchable.