# "Chopped" beer competition.....calling it "Skunked" **URL:** \ **Category:** General Homebrew Discussion\ **Created:** [September 10, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623 "2013-09-10T14:36:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ewpert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/839c29/32.png) [@ewpert](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/ewpert)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/1 "2013-09-10T14:36:15Z")
Recently someone on the forum gave me the idea for doing a beer “Chopped” competition.  A basket of mystery ingredients that we must use to make a beer.  My friends and I are calling our version “Skunked.”  (Trademark pending…) So I’m throwing this out to the Forum for the list of ingredients.  They should be ingredients you would ACTUALLY want to make a beer with, but challenging enough to throw us some curves.  Ultimately the goal of the show “chopped” is to make a dish that’s incredible…so we should have something in our “baskets” to give us some blueprints for an incredible beer. All ingredients welcome…we’ll probably have a base malt of pale ale, but all hops, fruits, yeasts, styles, etc are up for you all to decide.  We’re looking for 4-7 different ingredients! Thanks all! ---
**Author:** ![kylekohlmorgen](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/kylekohlmorgen/32/7926_2.png) [@kylekohlmorgen](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/kylekohlmorgen)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/2 "2013-09-10T15:03:39Z")
Chile spiced dried mangoes Breakfast cereal (Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Count Chocula, Trix?) Oatmeal Cream Pies Girl Scout Cookies Rose water/rose petals (tough to make this ingredient noticeable in the final product) Fresh herbs: cilantro, thyme, basil, rosemary, fennel, marjoram Cucumber Limeade Dried beans or lentils Corn tortillas or those weird ‘wrap’ shells Spices: Curry powder, turmeric, Pink peppercorns, cayenne, cumin pods, cardamom pods, fennel seed, or just have the nice ladies at Penzey’s pick something at random. Or just go to an ethnic market (Indian, Mexican, and ‘Asian’) and pick stuff up that smells good. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/original/1X/f1a2211dcb353b921ed70873794a31db2031eccc.png) [@system](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/3 "2013-09-10T15:10:44Z")
I have tried to mash breakfast cereal before back in my stupid, stupid youth.  Please don’t. ---
**Author:** ![denny](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/denny/32/13092_2.png) [@denny](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/denny)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/4 "2013-09-10T16:03:04Z")
> [@narvin](#): > > I have tried to mash breakfast cereal before back in my stupid, stupid youth.  Please don’t. It was the secret ingredient at one of our Iron Brewer comps a few years back.  I’ll never forget the color of a Froot Loops mash… ---
**Author:** ![dmtaylor](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/dmtaylor/32/9644_2.png) [@dmtaylor](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/dmtaylor)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/5 "2013-09-10T16:23:59Z")
We made a club brew a few years ago with Frosted Flakes and an entire German chocolate cake.  It was one of the worst beers I ever tasted.  Dumped it all down the drain. However now I just made a batch of pale ale with Grape Nuts about 10 days ago.  Tasted it a couple days ago.  It needs more hops, but it tastes very good.  I don’t taste any Grape Nutty flavor, but it tastes just fine as a regular pale ale.  I think I used around 15 or 20% Grape Nuts for the total grist, and I really don’t taste it in the final beer at all.  Next time I’ll have to try a higher percentage.  Of course, Grape Nuts is kind of like cheating – unlike most other cereals, its primary ingredients are wheat and malted barley. ---
**Author:** ![bluesman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@bluesman](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/bluesman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/6 "2013-09-10T16:25:06Z")
Skunked might be a good title…but interesting would be a good descriptor. I recommend sticking with ingedients that will make remotely drinkable beer (maybe even “good” beer)…otherwise it will be a skunkfest for sure. ---
**Author:** ![jrdunne](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/jrdunne/32/4550_2.png) [@jrdunne](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/jrdunne)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/7 "2013-09-10T16:26:35Z")
> [@kylekohlmorgen](#): > > Cucumber I just had a sample of a Goose Island beer this past weekend called Cucumbersome. I believe they said they dry cucumbered it, though it may also have gone into the kettle. The beer tasted like cucumber.  I’m not sure if that’s good, but it was pretty wild. FWIW, I did not go back for a second sample. ---
**Author:** ![AmandaK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@AmandaK](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/AmandaK)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/8 "2013-09-10T16:27:15Z")
> [@denny](#): > > > [@narvin](#): > > > > I have tried to mash breakfast cereal before back in my stupid, stupid youth.  Please don’t. > > It was the secret ingredient at one of our Iron Brewer comps a few years back.  I’ll never forget the color of a Froot Loops mash… Hahaha. I love homebrewer ‘war stories’. ---
**Author:** ![erockrph](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/erockrph/32/13330_2.png) [@erockrph](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/erockrph)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/9 "2013-09-10T16:42:22Z")
Radishes Parsnips/Carrots Prickly Pear Cactus Lychee Persimmon Garam Masala (or any other spice blend ) Basically walk through the produce and/or spice and/or granola section of Whole Foods or any other good supermarket and grab whatever looks interesting. ---
**Author:** ![tomsawyer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tomsawyer](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/tomsawyer)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/10 "2013-09-10T17:26:30Z")
Jelly, jam or marmalade. Oatmeal raisin cookies, the dry kind that should have less oil in them. Wild rice. Beets. Instant mashed potatoes. Or do something with a babyfood theme: dry cereal (oats or rice or wheat) canned babyfood (fruit and/or veggies). ---
**Author:** ![jonhughey\_att.net](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/jonhughey_att.net/32/6277_2.png) [@jonhughey\_att.net](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/jonhughey_att.net)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/11 "2013-09-10T17:48:30Z")
> [@bluesman](#): > > Skunked might be a good title…but interesting would be a good descriptor. > > I recommend sticking with ingedients that will make remotely drinkable beer (maybe even “good” beer)…otherwise it will be a skunkfest for sure. +1 to ingredients that might make good beer. ---
**Author:** ![vista](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/vista/32/754_2.png) [@vista](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/vista)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 7:47pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/12 "2013-09-10T19:47:16Z")
If this happens…can we at least all agree Sam needs to be involved somehow?! (Crickets) ---
**Author:** ![slowbrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/slowbrew/32/8927_2.png) [@slowbrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/slowbrew)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 9:44pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/13 "2013-09-10T21:44:14Z")
How about bird seed?  See how may folks would try to malt it first.  8^) Paul ---
**Author:** ![morticaixavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@morticaixavier](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/morticaixavier)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/14 "2013-09-10T22:27:22Z")
> [@slowbrew](#): > > How about bird seed?  See how may folks would try to malt it first.  8^) > > Paul yeah, that’s me. :🙂 ---
**Author:** ![brewblogger](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/brewblogger/32/8318_2.png) [@brewblogger](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/brewblogger)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/15 "2013-09-10T22:45:13Z")
My club has been doing something similar for a few years now called “Iron Buddy Brew” as a way for brewers who are newer to the club to pair up with club veterans. The teams collaborate and come up with a brew that must incorporate 3 of 10 ingredients drawn randomly from a hat. Ingredients range from wood to breakfast cereal to cookies to spices. This year we had to incorporate three or more of the following: cumin, Rice Krispy treats, oranges/orange peel, pomegranate juice, cherries, maple syrup, zingers, doughnuts, nutmeg, or raspberries. We’re having our annual Iron Buddy Brew Challenge Thursday at our meeting. I’ll post back what crazy s\*\*t people came up with. > **[Iron Buddy Brew – Ingredients Announced | Rock Hoppers Brew Club](https://rhbc.co/iron-buddy-brew-ingredients-announced/)** > > If you missed the last meeting on May 9th, we sent out a sign up sheet for the Iron Buddy Brew competition where we randomly pair up new members and veteran members to coolaborate on a beer to brew for a people's choice style of competition to be... Here’s a link to the list of possible ingredients we used: [https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1329979/rhbc/Iron\_Buddy\_Brew\_Ingredients.pdf](https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/1329979/rhbc/Iron_Buddy_Brew_Ingredients.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![reverseapachemaster](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/reverseapachemaster/32/19_2.png) [@reverseapachemaster](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/reverseapachemaster)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 2:25pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/16 "2013-09-11T14:25:28Z")
> [@slowbrew](#): > > How about bird seed?  See how may folks would try to malt it first.  8^) > > Paul At the last local club meeting somebody was telling me the club did a wal-mart competition where people could only brew with stuff they bought at wal-mart. One guy bought bird seed. Apparently the beer wasn’t too bad but I wonder whether it was a good beer in its own right or a good beer among the others in the competition. ---
**Author:** ![reverseapachemaster](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/reverseapachemaster/32/19_2.png) [@reverseapachemaster](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/reverseapachemaster)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 2:29pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/17 "2013-09-11T14:29:14Z")
The local club also does an Iron Mash competition. We get a box of the key ingredients–hops, grain and yeast–and brew at one of the local breweries so there’s hot and cold water already available. Then there’s a second box of special ingredients that contains four spices/fruit/who knows. You have to use all of one of the special ingredients and at least a small amount of the other three. I haven’t decided whether to compete this year (and it would be my first) but I’m interested in seeing what ingredients they give out and what kinds of beer people are making. ---
**Author:** ![denny](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/denny/32/13092_2.png) [@denny](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/denny)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/18 "2013-09-11T15:55:43Z")
> [@AmandaK](#): > > > [@denny](#): > > > > > [@narvin](#): > > > > > > I have tried to mash breakfast cereal before back in my stupid, stupid youth.  Please don’t. > > > > It was the secret ingredient at one of our Iron Brewer comps a few years back.  I’ll never forget the color of a Froot Loops mash… > > Hahaha. I love homebrewer ‘war stories’. I received many death threats that day.  I never realized homebrewers could be so vindictive! ---
**Author:** ![bluesman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/97f17d/32.png) [@bluesman](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/bluesman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/19 "2013-09-11T16:37:04Z")
> [@denny](#): > > > [@AmandaK](#): > > > > > [@denny](#): > > > > > > > [@narvin](#): > > > > > > > > I have tried to mash breakfast cereal before back in my stupid, stupid youth.  Please don’t. > > > > > > It was the secret ingredient at one of our Iron Brewer comps a few years back.  I’ll never forget the color of a Froot Loops mash… > > > > Hahaha. I love homebrewer ‘war stories’. > > I received many death threats that day.  I never realized homebrewers could be so vindictive! Beer IS serious business! ;)🙂 ---
**Author:** ![slowbrew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/slowbrew/32/8927_2.png) [@slowbrew](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/slowbrew)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/chopped-beer-competition-calling-it-skunked/14623/20 "2013-09-11T19:00:20Z")
I used GrapeNuts in a beer once.  A brown ale, I think.  The beer was good but I can’t really say the cereal did anything other than increase the batch cost.  It made people think twice about drinking it though. Paul