Ballsy competition move?

[nukebrewer]

With the New England Regional Homebrew Competition (NERHBC) just around the corner on October 20th I decided I would brew a beer to enter with the goal of providing the absolute freshest beer possible to the judges. To that end, on Sunday the 16th of September I brewed an IPA and put dry hops and gelatine finings into the primary this past Sunday, the 23rd. I plan on bottling this weekend, so just shy of two weeks total primary time. When I turn my beer in to the drop off location, the beer will have been in the bottle less than a week, but the beer will be judged at about 3 weeks in the bottle. What do you think my chance of success with this plan is?

 

[ludomonster]

I've heard on Brew Strong that timing the beer is a very common practice.

 

[inhousebrew]

Guess you'll find out what your chances are. Have you done competitions before? If so this would be interesting to see if it increases you scores at all. If not, I would start out doing what you normally do just to make sure you have your process down. That said though, I don't normally like touching anything until three weeks.

 

[unionrdr]

As for myself,I'd work at least 1 week fridge time into that equasion. Get some co2 back into solution so the hop flavor pops.

 

[duboman]

As for myself,I'd work at least 1 week fridge time into that equasion. Get some co2 back into solution so the hop flavor pops.

I agree, and I would personally add a tasting in there if there is time so you actually know what you are submitting

 

[nukebrewer]

@ludomonster: My concern isn't with the strategy of timing the beer, it's with the 5 weeks from grain to judging. I feel like it might be cutting it a little close.

@inhousebrew: The only other competition I've entered hasn't been judged yet, so I won't have any scores to compare this to.

@unionrdr: They'll be in cold storage for a few days before the competition, IIRC.

@duboman: I won't be able to do a tasting pre-submission except for bottling day, but I do plan on drinking one on the competition day so I know what the judges are tasting.

Thank you all for your responses and concerns that I didn't consider. I'll be sure to let you know how this goes over at the competition.

 

[bovineblitz]

I think you're fine, that seems well timed to me.

Definitely taste it a few times before, during, and after competition weekend to help you time it even better in the future.

The only concern I have is, at what point do they put beers in the fridge? If it's on arrival, they may be served green tasting beer. If it's a week to a few days before, you're golden.

 

[BuddyWeiser]

I'd say 5 week old IPA is better than 5 week old Lambic! If everything felt good & went smoothly during the brewing, fermenting, and bottling then you're probably in a good place. My main concern would be that the bottles could still potentially be under carb'd/still carbonating, but if the one you try on competition day is carb'd well, then

I never was much of an IPA fan. Then I brewed one. I drank the whole thing myself, and it was gone before it could even finish force carb'ing in the keg.

 

[nukebrewer]

I think you're fine, that seems well timed to me.

Definitely taste it a few times before, during, and after competition weekend to help you time it even better in the future.

The only concern I have is, at what point do they put beers in the fridge? If it's on arrival, they may be served green tasting beer. If it's a week to a few days before, you're golden.

Thanks. It says on the web site that the drop off locations will store the beer at cool temps, so I assume that means decent conditioning temp. They pick up the beer from the drop off locations about a week before the competition and store them cold until the day of the competition. Sounds like I am good shape.

 

[nukebrewer]

I'd say 5 week old IPA is better than 5 week old Lambic! If everything felt good & went smoothly during the brewing, fermenting, and bottling then you're probably in a good place. My main concern would be that the bottles could still potentially be under carb'd/still carbonating, but if the one you try on competition day is carb'd well, then

I never was much of an IPA fan. Then I brewed one. I drank the whole thing myself, and it was gone before it could even finish force carb'ing in the keg.

Yeah, I felt really good about brew day. Everything went smoothly, I hit all my numbers and it was also the first time I attempted to control my fermentation temperature. I did the fermenter in a tub of water with a wet towel and fan trick. I didn't measure the temperature but it seemed to work pretty well. When I put in the dry hops I took a gravity sample and it tasted like it was on it's way to tasting really good.

 

[daksin]

Most competitions I've dropped off beer for ALWAYS store the beer in fridges- it's one of the requirements bigger competitions have for dropoff locations. I'd make sure your beer is carbed before you drop it off just in case.

 

[509inc]

In my opinion the last dozen draws off the keg are the best. So I prefer sending a well conditioned and carbonated beer to the competition.

 

[nukebrewer]

Most competitions I've dropped off beer for ALWAYS store the beer in fridges- it's one of the requirements bigger competitions have for dropoff locations. I'd make sure your beer is carbed before you drop it off just in case.

It says on the web site that they'll be stored at cool temps at the drop off locations until picked up by the competition organizers at which point they will be put into cold storage. Either way, I'll have to trust the beer gods because the drop off deadline is less than a week after my planned bottling day. I am counting on them sticking to what it says on the web site to give the beer enough time to condition.

 

[Yooper]

It says on the web site that they'll be stored at cool temps at the drop off locations until picked up by the competition organizers at which point they will be put into cold storage. Either way, I'll have to trust the beer gods because the drop off deadline is less than a week after my planned bottling day. I am counting on them sticking to what it says on the web site to give the beer enough time to condition.

Oh, a 5 week old IPA (if well made) will be better than a 10 week old IPA, so that's a good strategy if you want to maximize hops flavor and aroma.

My IPAs are almost always gone by 5 weeks, but the ones older that that do NOT improve if left to sit, even in cold storage.

 

[nukebrewer]

Thanks for the reassurance, Yooper. From what I've seen you're our resident IPA expert, so I trust your opinion in this matter. Cheers!

 

[edecambra]

You might want to check on the judging time frame. many competitions close the entry window and judge first round 1-2 weeks after. All judging takes place over 3-4 weeks depending on how much help in judging the organizers have so when the results are released a lot of early round judging has actually occurred 2-3 weeks prior. Something to check in. Cheers and good luck!

 

[kylevester]

I'd say it's dependent on the ABV and IBU if you'll still be green at the tasting. My standard IPAs and PAs are just fine with 2 weeks in primary and then carbing in the keg for a week at room temps. On the high end of IPA and getting into IIPA, you'd be pushing it and with high IBU probably would need more time.

You'll be entering the prime at the contest, but bear in mind that shipping and handling will affect any beer...

If you can, sign up to be a judge or give your beers to a friend who is judging the competition and take your beers in day of rather than shipping. That way you know they've been handled well.

 

[kylevester]

Oh, a 5 week old IPA (if well made) will be better than a 10 week old IPA, so that's a good strategy if you want to maximize hops flavor and aroma.

My IPAs are almost always gone by 5 weeks, but the ones older that that do NOT improve if left to sit, even in cold storage.

Agreed. I've had low end IPAs kegged after only a week in primary and they didn't have that green apple flavor denoting needed aging.

In kegs, IPAs hold well. In bottles, not so much.

 

[Irrenarzt]

I've medaled more than once with this approach. I've also floundered more than once as well. It depends on a lot of factors, such as how flocculant a yeast strain is, if the beer gets refrigerated on pre-competition storage or not, how deep a cold crash you had given it, etc. If you know they won't store it cold, and it will be sitting there for a sufficient amount of time prior to judging, then it's worth a shot if it's a good beer. Worst case scenario, your beer doesn't carb and you are out less than 10 bucks and the time it took to bottle it.

The last time I tried this, the beer didn't carb and I got nicked for it. I just did this last week for an entry, we'll see if it works. I usually do this more for beers I think have a good chance of medaling depending on the final hydro sample. If I don't like a beer all that much in the hydro sample, I'll usually not enter it anyway. A properly carbed and conditioned beer is usually much better.