competition question

[vera]

I am entering 3 of my beers in a competition. I am confused about one of them. It is a Milk Stout with chocolate and vanilla bean additions. Can I enter it to the stout category? Or, since other ingredients were added, should it be entered in the specialty category? Someone told me that the judges can't really give good critiques in the specialty catagory since the beers don't fall under any particular style. Would this be the case even if you called it a stout?

 

[JohnnyO]

You would need to enter it into the specialty category. Those additions will take it out of style IMO. So long as those additions are noticable, that's where it has to be. I think the key for category 23 is that, if you make a specialty beer such as a chocolate vanilla stout, when the judge drinks it, he thinks "Damn, that's a fine chocolate vanilla stout!"

Basically.

 

[scottland]

If the chocolate and vanilla are hardly noticeable, e.g. if the judge would say "hrm... what is that, it's nice but I can't put my finger on it....", you're better off in the Sweet Stout category.

If the chocolate and vanilla are noticeable, you'll need to enter it in category 23. State it's a milk stout with chocolate and vanilla. The judges will be looking for the chocolate and vanilla, and judging the beer based on how well you struck a balance between the added ingredients and the base beer.

 

[AmandaK]

Someone told me that the judges can't really give good critiques in the specialty catagory since the beers don't fall under any particular style.

It makes me sad that someone told you that. Usually only inexperienced judges can't give good critiques. And 23 requires a base style.

In Category 23, you MUST specify a base style. The base style must come through and the special ingredients must meld and balance with the base style (for you to score well at least).

 

[BMan1029]

I just did pretty much the same thing and erroniously submitted it as a sweet stout. Didnt do bad considering wrong style (scored a 26). Talking with several judges after the fact, 3 of them recommended 21A Spice/Herb/Vegetable and a 4th recommended Specialty. I dont quite understand 21A, but I figure they are the experts.

 

[dcp27]

it should be 21, not 23

 

[vera]

Great, thanks for the info. I will be entering it in the Specialty category as a Chocolate Vanilla Milk Stout. Chocolate flavor is obvious and so is the vanilla aroma.