What category for NHC '22

[Rob2010SS]

Putting 2 entries into NHC this year and looking to clarify the categories I should be using.

Entry #1 - Mexican Lager
Vienna, 2 Row, Flaked Corn
Hopped with Tettnang and Motueka
Thinking this one should go in 2A - International Pale Lager

Entry #2 - Breakfast Parfait Sour Ale
Pilsner, Oat Malt, Honey malt, and lactose
Co-pitched sour with US-05 and Lactobacillius
Conditioned on Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Granola, and Vanilla
Thinking this should go in 29C - Specialty Fruit Beer

Entry #2 is the one I'm REALLY unsure on. I was going to do it as 28B Mixed Ferm Sour but that category really doesn't talk about the allowance of fruit. So then I was going to do 29C Specialty Fruit Beer as it allows for fruit and lactose and other specialty ingredients.

What say you, HBT Community? Am I correct on how I'm entering these or should I be looking at different categories?

Thanks.

 

[225]

I wasn't sure either on the stout categories, so I can't tell you if you're right or wrong lol.

This is my first year entering, and I'm just doing a Pilsner. Gonna brew it in a few days since it needs months to condition to be a great Pilsner.

 

[jdauria]

What the SRM on the Mexican lager? If to dark for International Pale, then International Amber. You could consider Vienna Lager also, but if corn is noticeable you would get dinged by judges in that one. Pale is 2-6 SRM range, Amber is 6-14.

As for the sour I think 28C...right from the style guidelines it states "Overall Impression: A sour and/or funky version of a fruit, herb, or spice beer, or a wild beer aged in wood. If wood-aged, the wood should not be the primary or dominant character. " So you have fruit and vanilla would be considered a spice. The 2015 guidelines make no mention to sour beers in 29A, however the new 2021 guidelines do state for 29A that "Fruited sour or mixed fermentation beers without a Classic Style base should be entered in the 28C Wild Specialty Beer. Fruited versions of sour Classic Style beers (e.g., Flanders Red, Oud Bruin, Gose, Berliner Weisse) should be entered in 29A Fruit Beer. Fruit-based versions of Classic Styles where spices are an inherent part of the Classic Style’s definition (e.g., Witbier, Gose) do not count as a Spice Beer for entering purposes'

Not sure which style guideline NHC using, but looks pretty clear that 28C is the category.

 

[Rob2010SS]

What the SRM on the Mexican lager? If to dark for International Pale, then International Amber. You could consider Vienna Lager also, but if corn is noticeable you would get dinged by judges in that one. Pale is 2-6 SRM range, Amber is 6-14.

As for the sour I think 28C...right from the style guidelines it states "Overall Impression: A sour and/or funky version of a fruit, herb, or spice beer, or a wild beer aged in wood. If wood-aged, the wood should not be the primary or dominant character. " So you have fruit and vanilla would be considered a spice. The 2015 guidelines make no mention to sour beers in 29A, however the new 2021 guidelines do state for 29A that "Fruited sour or mixed fermentation beers without a Classic Style base should be entered in the 28C Wild Specialty Beer. Fruited versions of sour Classic Style beers (e.g., Flanders Red, Oud Bruin, Gose, Berliner Weisse) should be entered in 29A Fruit Beer. Fruit-based versions of Classic Styles where spices are an inherent part of the Classic Style’s definition (e.g., Witbier, Gose) do not count as a Spice Beer for entering purposes'

Not sure which style guideline NHC using, but looks pretty clear that 28C is the category.

Looks like they're using the 2015 style guidelines.

We're at 4 on the mexican lager, pretty light. So I think that one is OK where it's at.

Good call on the 28C. For some reason, I saw the mention of wood and thought it had to be aged on wood to go in that category. Upon re-reading it, you're right, it doesn't HAVE to be aged on wood so I think that's it!