Need help with style - want to enter into HB competition

[hhh2b]

Here is the deal, I attempted to make an IPA and would like to enter this into a HB contest [its a goal of mine to place in a HB contest this year]. However, I am not that happy with the bitterness level for an IPA.

My question, is there another BJCP style that this brew would fit into? Also, I am hoping to find a category that has fewer entries . I am new to "brewing to style" so I am looking forward to learning the styles!

Here is the brew:
DME
OG: 1.58
FG: 1.01
ABV: 6.5%
SRM: 23
IBU: 60
Single Hop Brew: Simcoe, additions @ 60 min, 15, 0, dry hop

 

[chickypad]

Gonna need a little more info on the recipe, specifically what's in it to give an an SRM of 23 because that's brown range. Also what yeast. How does it taste besides not seeming as bitter as an IPA? Are there caramel/chocolate flavors? Might be an American brown.

 

[Bearfoot]

Buy This Book. It's concise, informative, and will be a vital tool in your library. I've won four medals using the recipes, and have my fingers crossed on another 2 or 3 in the next month.

 

[hhh2b]

Sorry I left out the steeping grains and yeast: 1# 10L steeped, WL01 yeast

 

[chickypad]

What about extract then, if you are calculating SRM 23 you must be using something other than light DME or LME. Or is that supposed to be EBC? Still seems dark if all you have in the recipe is C-10.

Does it otherwise taste like a pale ale? With your gravity readings I get 6.3% so a little over target for an APA, I'm not a judge but maybe that would be easier to get away with then entering it as an IPA that is obviously underbittered. It's not going to be ideal for competition though if it's noticeably between styles. Do you have an idea what happened to the bitterness, you think the calculations were off? It looks like it attenuated fine so that shouldn't be it. Was this a partial boil?

 

[hhh2b]

Yeah, I don't know what happened with color but it is pretty dark. I will get a pic up this afternoon. I put all dme at 60 min and feel that added to the darkness. I only have a 4 gal BK (and a 2 gal pot) so I tried using 2 boils to get a full volume boil but I think that messed with the IBU's.

 

[BrewCrewKevin]

What DME? There are several types (dark, amber, golden, wheat, pilsen). That will make a big difference too. I'm thinking either American Pale Ale or American Brown Ale?

 

[hhh2b]

Sorry, it was amber

 

[BrewCrewKevin]

I'd say (although not a perfect fit) your best bet is American Pale Ale.

With as many hop additions as you have, it should have a stronger hop character. Basically it's out of style only because it's too dark- which I think is one of the lesser important criteria. It will be a bit more complex than most, but as long as it's predominantly hop-forward, I think it'd be best accepted there.

Next closest would be Amber or Brown ale, but in both cases it's going to be far too hop-forward.

 

[sweetcell]

did you use a dark DME to get to a SRM of 23? you might be in the area of an american brown ale, but your IBUs are high as is the ABV. although 1.058 --> 1.010 = 6.26%abv according to my calculator so that would put you in the right range. is the beer truly brown in color?

you indicated that you hit (or should have hit) 60 IBUs. that's plenty for an IPA. do you feel that you didn't get that many IBUs?

My question, is there another BJCP style that this brew would fit into? Also, I am hoping to find a category that has fewer entries . I am new to "brewing to style" so I am looking forward to learning the styles!

the problem here is that you didn't brew to style. you brewed first and now you're trying to find a style. that rarely produces good results. while you might technically fall into the category of american brown, you probably don't have the malt character or the balance that the style requires... so it probably won't do well in that category.

 

[hhh2b]

Thanks for the feedback. I need to work on style, it was an IPA recipe but I am afraid the boil volume and technique messed with bitterness/hop character and somehow I missed og by 4 (how do you miss og in extract

Thanks for the feedback, the HB comp is just a fun side note I really asked to begin my style education. I plan to get the aforementioned book soon!

 

[chickypad]

If you used amber DME then that is the issue with color. For an IPA you would want to use all light extract, then steep a little crystal if you want but that way you can control the amount. Late addition should help with the color as well - so boil 1/3 to 1/2 only and then add the rest at flameout. A partial boil will affect your ability to brew a very bitter beer. It's okay to split it but maybe something went wrong on the calculations as you say.

It sounds like recipe-wise this is probably an American amber, as the amber extract is likely made up of base, munich, and C-60. If it's really brown in color that would be a ding in competition. Maybe best to get your processes down first before moving on to competitions.

 

[hhh2b]

Here is a pic for color determination:

 

[BrewCrewKevin]

I'd go with American Brown then. That's pretty dark.

Amber and Brown, I would say, are fairly similar styles. If you get moderate malt sweetness and a copper color, then Amber. If it gives you more complex toasted, chocolaty, or even deep caramel flavors, then go Brown.

 

[sweetcell]

he didn't use any dark malts, so he won't have the malt profile of a brown - although he has the color.

he's dark for an amber but the malt profile is probably closer. since appearance is worth less than flavor, i guess i'd go with american amber and get dinged for color.

your IBUs are probably too high for either category. have a look at http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style10.php#1b

 

[hhh2b]

I still have a gallon in a carboy for bottling. Should I just go IPA and maybe dry hop another oz for more hop presence.

I have some citra, how would that aroma mix with the simcoe?

Regarding taste, this has a sweet upfront flavor with mild bitterness at the end. Some hop presence but not huge.

 

[sweetcell]

dry hopping is always a good idea in my books, but i can't get enough hops. you said the beer wasn't bitter enough, dry hopping isn't going to fix that. also, that color is too dark (for an IPA) so you'll lose points there.

citra and simcoe go very well together. at least, i like the combo

 

[Braufessor]

i would go American Amber. Color is fine for amber. Got the hops. Probably has caramel flavors.

Too dark for IPA or Pale ale. Not gonna be enough roast for a brown.

That color is not 23 SRM - it is lower. More like 15-16-17. 23 is dark..... can't see through it kind of dark.

American Amber Ale 10B

That is probably your best bet. Ulitmately it is about how it tastes. It does not matter what the ingredients are, or what your recipe said, or what you tried to make - the judges will not have any of that information. They are going to look at it, smell it and taste it........ So, go with what it looks like and tastes like.