People's Choice Comp - What to brew?

[vb4677]

Prepping for an early spring "people's choice" competition, and I would like to take 3 or 4 brews. I've decided on my Irish Red, and my pretty fantastic Cream Ale (imho), BUT, I need 2 more... A couple of my leading contenders are a dunkel, or a dubbel, a pale ale or to hang on to my really dark imperial stout that's fermenting right now (for a club comp next month, but I will have a hard time keeping my hands off of this one!)

Last year a lot of the brewers had more of the typical "homebrewer's favorites" - you know, those great, flavor bombs you can't buy - imperial chocolate vanilla chipotle porters or DIPA's with 8 pounds of hops...

I bet the comp will be 2x as big this year and I'd like to hit the attendees with some good, approachable, unique but not weird brews.

I'm all grain brewing nowadays, and have about 2.5 months till the people's choice comp from when I can brew later this month...

So? What would you recommend?
Also, any other cool tips on creating a good showing at one of these events?

 

[microbusbrewery]

What kind of "people"? Are we talking experienced beer people, or is it just open to anyone? If anyone, I'd consider something that's typically more appealing to a broad audience, like a raspberry American wheat. If it's more along the lines of experienced beer people, I think you go with any that you mentioned. I do think there's a natural tendency for people to gravitate towards some of those odd "homebrewer favorites". Especially for people who don't homebrew because they're probably pretty exotic compared to what they normally get.

 

[QuadConPana]

Easy.

A Kolsch.

It's crazy how underrepresented that style is. And, you know the judges are going to be overwhelmed by lots of palate crushing brews. I don't know how the weather is in KC in the early spring, but it's a great style for warm weather.

 

[vb4677]

Yeah, this is open to the general public, so some beer noobs, beer nerds and beer ninjas could all be there...

The Kolsch is an interesting idea, but I'm already doing my Cream Ale, which is a lighter, yellow fizzy...

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

Also wouldn't have to worry about getting that crystal clear beer if you did a Kolsch, not a bad idea.

 

[Brettomomyces]

I would definitely do something a little "out there"...after pouring at a few people's choice events it's clear that the novelty beers do well and stand out in people's memory.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

I would definitely do something a little "out there"...after pouring at a few people's choice events it's clear that the novelty beers do well and stand out in people's memory.

Repeat of this. Novelty tends to do very well in 'peoples choice' competition when its general public, even if beer snobs/nerds/brewers/ninjas are attending and voting. Everyone will always remember the chipotle oaked russian imperial milk chocolate stout, the *only* people that remember the perfectly crafted kolsch are the ultra beer nerds/brewers.

If not novelty, they'll remember the beers that have the biggest flavor punch. Dubbels and Dunkels will have a fantastic flavor punch that will catch peoples attention, dubbels for the alcohol punch, dunkels for the chocolate banana effect (if you are talking about a dunkelweizen).

Are there separate categories for the peoples choice? For example a "Light" category a "Dark" category, and a "hoppy" category? Or is it everyone tries all the beers and only one reigns supreme?

 

[vb4677]

Great feedback!
Yeah this event has several 'flights' of categories... like a flight could be "Lager, Hybrids, English Pale Ale, American Ales"

And yeah, with 2 or 3 "safe" beers a creative one might give a memorable experience !

Any other things to consider?

 

[sputnam]

i did a Ciser (Bee-nektar clone...possibly from this sight) absolutely crushed the competition. I almost felt bad but I've never had a 1rst place trophy before, so that helped ease the pain.