Competition Recipe

[AbsoZed]

I have a competition coming up in about a month and a half (Dec. 20), and I'm trying to decide which recipe to use. I have two choices for brewing before then (Like, Saturday.) and want to know what you guys think would be the best entry based on the recipe.

Recipe 1 - Sextant Holiday Ale:

Title: Sextant Holiday Ale
Author: AbsoZed

Brew Method: Extract
Style Name: Holiday/Winter Special Spiced Beer
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 3 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.116
Efficiency: 35% (steeping grains only)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.063
Final Gravity: 1.017
ABV (standard): 6.06%
IBU (tinseth): 24.97
SRM (morey): 16.7

FERMENTABLES:
6 lb - Liquid Malt Extract - Amber (60%)
1 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Wheat (10%)
2 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Amber (20%)

STEEPING GRAINS:
0.5 lb - United Kingdom - Dark Crystal 80L (5%)
0.25 lb - United Kingdom - Pale Chocolate (2.5%)
0.25 lb - United Kingdom - Crystal 45L (2.5%)

HOPS:
1 oz - Kent Goldings, Type: Pellet, AA: 5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 3.47
0.75 oz - Magnum, Type: Pellet, AA: 15, Use: Boil for 60 min, IBU: 21.5

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
1 oz - Orange Peel, Time: 0 min, Type: Spice, Use: Boil

YEAST:
Wyeast - London Ale III 1318
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 73%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 64 - 74 F
Fermentation Temp: 65 F
Pitch Rate: 0.35 (M cells / ml / deg P)

Recipe 2 - Bloody Sunday Irish Red Ale

Title: Bloody Sunday

Brew Method: Extract
Style Name: Irish Red Ale
Boil Time: 60 min
Batch Size: 5.5 gallons (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 3 gallons
Boil Gravity: 1.102
Efficiency: 35% (steeping grains only)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.056
Final Gravity: 1.015
ABV (standard): 5.33%
IBU (tinseth): 19.81
SRM (morey): 15.22

FERMENTABLES:
2 lb - Dry Malt Extract - Amber (22.2%)
6 lb - Liquid Malt Extract - Light (66.7%)

STEEPING GRAINS:
0.5 lb - United Kingdom - Crystal 70L (5.6%)
0.25 lb - American - Roasted Barley (2.8%)
0.25 lb - United Kingdom - Carastan (30/37) (2.8%)

HOPS:
2 oz - Fuggles, Type: Pellet, AA: 4.5, Use: Boil for 40 min, IBU: 17.11
1 oz - Progress, Type: Pellet, AA: 6.25, Use: Boil for 5 min, IBU: 2.7

YEAST:
Wyeast - Irish Ale 1084
Starter: No
Form: Liquid
Attenuation (avg): 73%
Flocculation: Medium
Optimum Temp: 62 - 72 F
Fermentation Temp: 65 F
Pitch Rate: 0.35 (M cells / ml / deg P)

NOTES:
For LME substitute Maris Otter LME.

Thanks for your input!

 

[ruger988]

Have you brewed both or either before?

 

[AbsoZed]

I've done the Irish Red before, and it turned out good. My problem is that I'm afraid it would be the "safer" of the two options, and thus have more competition. My problem with the Holiday Ale is just that -- it's a specialty and there's a ton of variance in that category.

 

[ruger988]

Unless you're at risk of losing your first born if you don't win... why not have fun and do the one you feel like brewing and drinking yourself? I'm sure they'd both be good, worst case there's one a little better and you don't win... not the end of the world, you still made some good beer and enjoyed doing it.