ESB as 10b American Amber...

[Brewskii]

This is an AHS recipie for an ESB with a few tweaks. The stats of the finished beer are dead center of the 10b American amber ale catagory. I want to enter this as 10b because ESB is not being judged but I want to do it with an idea of what I'm up against.

5 lbs Amber DME
8 oz crystal 90
8oz crystal 40
2.5 lbs pale malt

Partial mash at 152
Add DME to boil @ 20 min

1oz Northdown @ 60 min

1oz Fuggle @ 30 min

1oz Fuggle @ 0 min

The category ( according to the BJCP description) does not require dry hops or American hop varieties and this is a favorite recipe for me...
Does anyone have an idea of where this may fall short as an American Amber ale ?

Edit* Whoops... Forgot-- pitched with US05

 

[AmandaK]

I'm not sure where you are finding that the BJCP does not require American hop varieties...

Low to moderate hop aroma from dry hopping or late kettle additions of American hop varieties.

Moderate to high hop flavor from American hop varieties, which often but not always has a citrusy quality.

While you might not do bad with this beer as a 10B, you should get dinged for not using American hops in an American Amber Ale.

I would save it for another comp that has the category you really need.

 

[Brewskii]

You may be correct about getting dinged. I suspected as much. I was encouraged by this from the guidelines...

"Ingredients: Pale ale malt, typically American two-row. Medium to dark crystal malts. May also contain specialty grains which add additional character and uniqueness. American hops, often with citrusy flavors, are common but others may also be used. Water can vary in sulfate and carbonate content."

 

[AmandaK]

I see what you mean there. As a judge, I read that as "while citrusy American hops are common, piney/renious American hops may also be used". Fuggle is more of an earthy hop, so I may ding it for that.

When I enter or judge comps, I like to look at the overall impression first. I will not know whether or not a beer hit its gravity range exactly, or ABV exactly or even IBUs exactly, so I aim for the overall impression. Any faults or great aspects (intangibles) from that overall impression refer me back to the specific sections for aroma/appearance/flavor/mouthfeel so I can score it appropriately.

 

[Brewskii]

Thanks for the feedback.'I guess I'll keep it I'm my fridge. I was really looking forward to this comp but was unaware there were only certain category's being judged. They didn't post the rules until 7 weeks before the entry deadline ( seemed kinda dumb to me) so I will be enjoying my awesome Doppelbock I brewed for it by myself... (unless I find an open comp to submit to in the mean time that is)