Where would you enter this?

Events & Comps
1

I have a recipe that I’ve brewed a few times - it’s a pretty simple American wheat, about 50% wheat malt, 40% 2-row, 10% dextrine malt, and a couple pounds of honey in secondary. Sometimes I’ll add a little coriander in the whirlpool; this time I’m going to try cardamom, and if it comes out well I’m going to enter it in the NHC.

I’m wondering where, though. SHV would be the logical choice, but I don’t know if something this delicate would just get muscled out. (Not that I expect to place, but if anyone tastes it after a chile beer I’m not getting feedback at all.) I know with the honey and spice it shouldn’t be in American Wheat/Rye (but would it actually get thrown out?), and I already have something going in Specialty Beer. So I guess I have to suck it up and enter it in SHV, or just not enter it at all.

Hopefully some judges with more experience than I can comment. Thanks!

2

It could be entered either as an American Wheat (if the spice isn’t to dominate), a SHV Beer listing the dominant spice(s) or Specialty listing only the honey. I’d wait until it’s finished and simply decide for yourself. Good luck!  :wink:

3

When judging SHV, entries are usually judged in order of delicate to more extreme.  So your beer probably would be judged after a pepper beer.  I’d recommend SHV.

4

Presuming the cardamom is evident, I’d say to go with SHV.