Competition question--smoked beer

[climateboy]

Hey all. I'm about to enter the NHC for the first time, and I'm not sure of what category to enter one of my beers in.

It's a smoked beer, with 50% of the grain bill made with malt I smoked myself over cherry wood. I then put cherries in the secondary. I split it into 4 batches to test different yeasts--Belgian and British yeasts--but then blended the batches back together once I made my tasting notes in order to make full kegs.

The result is very tasty, and a lovely red, but it doesn't taste that much of cherries. You wouldn't know there were cherries in there, I don't think, if I didn't tell you.

So, what category to enter it in? It's not a smoked version of any beer, so that would fit into 22B, other smoked beer. However, the guidelines for 22B state "If smoked malts are combined with other unusual ingredients (fruits, vegetables, spices, honey, etc.) in noticeable quantities, the resulting beer should be entered in the specialty/experimental category." So, does that mean it should be in category 23, Specialty Beer? It's not as weird as some of the other entrants into that category are likely to be. As I said, the only really "noticeable" effect of the cherries I added are in the color, perhaps subtly in the flavor.

Any guidance appreciated.


Thanks,

CB

 

[PseudoChef]

If the cherries aren't noticeable like you said, then 22B. And don't mention them in your description

 

[climateboy]

Don't mention at all? It seems to allow fruit if it is not noticeable, if it blends in.

 

[Darwin18]

If you say there cherries and the judges don't perceive it, either in the aroma or score, then your score is going to reflect that.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[climateboy]

Ah, ok, thanks. Yeah, if I told you there were cherries you might be able to discern it, but otherwise not. Thanks everyone.