The Bluebonnet Brewoff competition is one of the largest in the USA, with entries from coast to coast, and many brew clubs participating from outside of Texas.
Nearly 1,300 entries total. The awards presentation was at 1pm, CDT, today.
Two of my lager entries won 1st Place:
Munich Helles - BJCP 4A
Oktoberfest - BJCP 6A Marzen
My brewing partner, R.J., was awarded 3rd Place:
English Porter - BJCP 13C
The above were brewed with 100% Ireks malt. The water was 100% city tap water, filtered, but no treatments.
The yeast for the Helles was Saflager W-34/70. The Oktoberfest was Wyeast Oktoberfest Lager Blend.
Congratulations!
Bluebonnet was the first competition I entered when back from Germany.
Haven’t entered again because of timing, but always follow how my Texas friends do.
W34/70 makes a great beer if your treat it right.
I’m not a competition person but I imagine those are some pretty competitive categories you took first in.
You seem like a very earnest brewer, I am happy that all your hard work was recognized. I think the best thing to say is “Prost!”
Thanks so much for the kind words! I am humbled, and feel very lucky.
I take it quite seriously, but at the same time have fun! Getting a 1st Place award in two categories, and my brewing partner getting 3rd Place is just icing on the cake.
The event organizers were saying how difficult their job was, because there were so many very good entries. I am anxious to get my actual score sheets.
My Festbier, and my APA, British Golden Ale, and English Porter did not place.
My APA was a dead ringer for a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
Here is the Munich Helles. This was fermented in the Genesis Plastic Fermenter.
Thanks! Yes, R.J. and I were commenting on that. It should have been at the DFW Sheraton. That would have been a real hoot for us. Can’t wait until next year!
Most of the awards were taken by brew clubs, or members of brew clubs. Not many independent types there.
Winning is fun…because in my case it was so unexpected. Total surprise. Now the pressure is already building for next year. R.J. and I were saying, we set the bar pretty high for ourselves, it’s going to be a challenge to do much better.
The odd thing is the beers entered that were actually the “best” of my entries did not place. My APA was by far the best single beer that I entered. But it was a perfect middle-of-the-road beer. Dry hopped with Cascade Hops. I would have thought this beer would have done well. I did not push the style envelope at all. Maybe that’s why it did not place.
But all of my friends are celebrating, and asking when they can come over to sample some award winning beers!
We will set our goals high for the next go-around, and do better!
SN Pale Ale would not win in the APA category if SN entered it. A wonderful beer, but many APAs now use more of the distinctive proprietary hops, and stand out.
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