That’s pretty cool 
And really, who cares what others think?
The only problem with that approach is that if you hit gold, you never know exactly how to recreate your recipe. I hope that you keep notes as you go along!
Actually, I was sort of ripping off Gordon Strong, although I’ve got some strong opinions of my own about how specialty beers should be entered and judged. Basically, if you enter a beer as a specialty, you want to give the judges as few places to look for faults as possible, and you want to tell them what they should be looking for rather than making them hunt for it.
Only if you’re Sam Caligione, a Belgian craft brewer, or can brew beers as good as theirs. Otherwise, it makes you look like a pretentious idiot.
I think of brewing “to style” as being like the foundation courses in drawing (that used to be) taught in art school, or learning to play scales on a musical instrument before you learn to improvise. Mastery of traditional forms, tools and techniques gives you the grounding needed to develop your own personal style.
Well said, Thomas! How can you hit a target if you don’t aim at a target? Brewing to style gives you the foundation in techniques and ingredients that allows you to brew better beers and the beer you intend to brew when you don’t brew to style.
I keep pretty exacting notes to the gram and to the minute for everything I do (as well as after pitching and tasting notes). I’ve done this brew several times now and tweaked one thing or another (tried a different hops or a slight modification of the grain bill) but each time the base is pretty much the same so I can ascertain what the small differences are.
When I mentioned not following recipes, I was referring more to following others recipes. I’ve brewed this Amber about 5 times now and I’d say each was pretty close the the previous but unfortunately, the prior batch is always gone so I have nothing to compare to ;). For the one-off brews, I keep the same notes just so that I can try to do it again if I hit on something I like as I did here.
Just send them in anyway - you don’t have to be there, just your beer. I sent in 3 entries, but I’m certainly not making the 17+ hour drive just for the awards ceremony. I just want the judging sheets (though I’d happily accept any prizes or medals).
Another strategy to employ when entering an elusive beer that you can’t quite put your finger on as far as style goes is to enter the beer in a few categories that closely resemble the beer. So in gmac’s case, entering the beer in the 7B, 7C, 10B and 10C would cover the potential possibilities. This will hopefully narrow down the beer to a particular style. Again, this is the hope.
That’s getting expensive, both in money and beer! If he wants the feedback, one cat should be plenty. If he wants a ribbon, then…
I often find myself writing “this would score a lot better as a suchandsuch style” in the overall impression section of the score sheet. If he entered one category and it had a comment like that, then the problem is solved for the next competition.
That is, assuming the judges in the next competition think along the same lines as you do . . . But, generally, good advice.
How about American Porter?
Yes please!
Good luck. Thing is, I was away at work and wasn’t going to get any bottled and conditioned in time to send. I thought about asking if I could send them late and be disqualified from the contest simply to get the judges feedback. Had I been home I would have made it but work has a way of creeping up on me unannounced. I’ll be more prepared next year for this.
Regarding American Porter, I think the roast character is too subtle to really fall into the porter category. Plus, I don’t think that there is an Amercian porter category is there? Could be a good one though.