Correct BJCP category for Imperial Stout with Bourbon, Oak, and Vanilla beans.

General Homebrew Discussion
1

I brewed a RIS back in February that was aged in secondary with Oak cubes, vanilla beans and Maker’s Mark Bourbon.  I want to enter it in a homebrew competition next month.  I was wondering if it would be more correct to enter it as a 13F (Russian Imperial Stout), or a 22C (Wood aged beer), or maybe even category 23 (specialty beer)?

I do not want to lose points based on entering the beer in the incorrect category.  The base beer fits the RIS category pretty well, except the IBU’s are just a little on the lower end of the scale.  It is 9.5% ABV, black as midnight, and about 57 IBU.  Any thoughts about where this beer would best fit are greatly appreciated.

2

Take your pick.  I personally think the wood aged category might be best, as its a solid recipe and there are fewer beers in that category.  23 is a crap shoot, and it might just get dinged in 13F for the extra ingredients.

3

If all those additions are evident in the aroma or flavor, then you should list the extra ingredients and put the beer into Cat 23, Specialty. 
If only the wood came through and only a slight vanilla flavor, then wood-aged beer would be more appropriate, as a bourbon-bbl aged beer.  Judges may be fooled into thinking the vanlilla came from the barrel aging, but I don’t really believe that. 
It definitely will not do well as an Imperial Stout (13F).

4

Thanks for the info.  I was leaning towards the “wood aged” category, but the Bourbon flavor is fairly prominent. I think I will go with “specialty” instead.  It sounds like that would be a better fit.

5

I say enter it in 22C and just say it was aged in a whiskey barrel.

6

You can (and I would) enter it in multiple categories.  Any of the one’s already mentioned.

7

Does this mean that I would need to enter 2 bottles for each category?

8

Yes, you would need to send 2 bottles for each category and also you will have to pay a separate entry fee for each entry.  I have entered the same beer, a cream ale, that won as both a cream ale and a kolsch.  The beer will be judged against the category you say it is.

9

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Yes, you would need to send 2 bottles for each category and also you will have to pay a separate entry fee for each entry.  I have entered the same beer, a cream ale, that won as both a cream ale and a kolsch.  The beer will be judged against the category you say it is.

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I will consider that option.  I don’t know why I had not really thought of entering multiple categories with each beer.