Ok. So i made a hoppy cream ale I really liked and would like to enter into local competition. It's too hoppy (31 ibu) to enter as a cream ale. Would enter it as a mixed style beer? It's not overboard but i would lose points for being out of catagory.
BJCP catagory
- Thread starter WaltG
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Why not enter it into two categories? You will receive double the feedback. I recently did that with a Wheat Beer I made but it had some tea (from Teavanna) and lemon peel in it. So it would be slightly out of style for the "Wheat Beer" category, but I really want to get feedback on my beers more than receiving a medal for it. That's just a perk right now if I do place in any category.
Call it a cream ale, that's what it is.
Competitions are a crapshoot. It's likely/possible that the judges will love the extra hops. It's equally likely that they'll ding it -- but I'm betting probably not as much as you think. Liberty is a pretty mild hop. They might think it's just fine.
Competitions are a crapshoot. It's likely/possible that the judges will love the extra hops. It's equally likely that they'll ding it -- but I'm betting probably not as much as you think. Liberty is a pretty mild hop. They might think it's just fine.
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The judges wont know that the IBU number is too high according to Beersmith. Does it taste/smell too hoppy for a cream ale?
When entering beers in competitions, its always best to let your perceptions be your guide, compare to the style guidelines, and enter it into the category you think it best fits. What you intended to brew doesn't matter - the judges won't know that, or recipe, etc. So, smell and taste it, read the guidelines and decide where it best fits. From the recipe, I imagine it might fit in the APA category, although Liberty hops don't usually give the citrus aroma and flavor usually associated with an APA. If you don't think it fits any other style, then you can do what you suggested - look at either Mixed Style (mix between a Cream Ale and an APA?) or Experimental Style (Hoppy Cream Ale?).
As tmendick said, let your perceptions of the beer guide you.
As tmendick said, let your perceptions of the beer guide you.
popsicleian
Well-Known Member
What's your motivation for entering the competition? It looks like you have made a beer that's not particularly in line with any of the BJCP styles. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, and it sounds delicious, but the judges will be evaluating your beer against the style guidelines, and not for overall enjoyment. It seems it will have too much hop character for a cream ale, but the two pounds of corn will probably bring it out of style for a blonde or pale ale. No matter how objectively delicious it is, it probably won't score all that well. If you just want general feedback on whether it's good or not, you're probably better off taking it to a homebrew club meeting. If you're determined to enter it, I'd say 34B, Mixed-Style Beer (Cream Ale/Pale Ale), but I don't have much experience with what ends up in that category in competitions.
I work when local club meets. Mostly I enter to get honest feedback. The guys I give money to at my LHBS probably aren't 100% honest or my friends I give free beer to.
Comments
Pre-prohibition Cream Ales were slightly stronger, hoppier (including some dry hopping) and more bitter (25-30+ IBUs). These versions should be entered in the historical category. Most commercial examples are in the 1.0501.053 OG range, and bitterness rarely rises above 20 IBUs.
This is from the BJCP style guide for Cream Ale. So based on this you could enter it into category 27. Historical Beers.
Entry Instructions: The entrant must either specify a style with a BJCP-supplied description from the list below, or specify a different historical beer style that is not described elsewhere in these guidelines. In the case of a style that has changed substantially over the years (such as Porter or Stout), the entrant may specify an existing BJCP style as well as an era (e.g., 1820 English Porter). When the entrant specifies any style not on the BJCP-supplied list, the entrant must provide a description of the style for the judges in sufficient detail to allow the beer to be judged. If a beer is entered with just a style name and no description, it is very unlikely that judges will understand how to judge it. Currently defined examples: Gose, Piwo Grodziskie, Lichtenhainer, Roggenbier, Sahti, Kentucky Common, Pre-Prohibition Lager, Pre-Prohibition Porter, London Brown Ale.
So it looks like you could enter it in Category 27. Call it Historic Cream Ale, higher hopping rate then modern cream ales.
Pre-prohibition Cream Ales were slightly stronger, hoppier (including some dry hopping) and more bitter (25-30+ IBUs). These versions should be entered in the historical category. Most commercial examples are in the 1.0501.053 OG range, and bitterness rarely rises above 20 IBUs.
This is from the BJCP style guide for Cream Ale. So based on this you could enter it into category 27. Historical Beers.
Entry Instructions: The entrant must either specify a style with a BJCP-supplied description from the list below, or specify a different historical beer style that is not described elsewhere in these guidelines. In the case of a style that has changed substantially over the years (such as Porter or Stout), the entrant may specify an existing BJCP style as well as an era (e.g., 1820 English Porter). When the entrant specifies any style not on the BJCP-supplied list, the entrant must provide a description of the style for the judges in sufficient detail to allow the beer to be judged. If a beer is entered with just a style name and no description, it is very unlikely that judges will understand how to judge it. Currently defined examples: Gose, Piwo Grodziskie, Lichtenhainer, Roggenbier, Sahti, Kentucky Common, Pre-Prohibition Lager, Pre-Prohibition Porter, London Brown Ale.
So it looks like you could enter it in Category 27. Call it Historic Cream Ale, higher hopping rate then modern cream ales.
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