Orange County Fair Homebrew Competition

[BrewMasterBrad]

http://www.ocfair.com/competitions/guid ... online.pdf

Online entry deadline is May 27. Drop off deadline is June 4.

[bwarbiany]

Guess I need to figure out what style to enter my lawnmower beer as... Certainly not expecting to win, but I want to go to the party

Any idea on classification? It doesn't taste quite as bitter as it looks below. I'd say it tastes more like 15 IBU since it was older hops. I'm guessing a cream ale (6A) or blonde (6B). Thoughts?

Recipe (~10 gal)
13.5# Pilsner
8# 2-row
4.8 oz Saaz (2.7% alpha) @ 60 min, 21.9 IBU
2 oz Tettnang (1.5% alpha) @ 60 min, 5.1 IBU
2 oz Saaz @ flameout
Nottingham yeast

OG: 1.052
FG: 1.012
3.4 SRM
26.9 IBU

[brahn]

I'd go with a blonde ale.

[BrewMasterBrad]

I would say Blonde ale as well. Or, you could enter it in both categories to see how it does.

[bwarbiany]

I'm almost thinking of trying it in both Blonde Ale and Kolsch. The more it clears, the better it tastes, and it might have a shot.

[rex]

Man, missed it again! Definitely won't have a batch that I want to enter ready in time. Need to put the date on my calendar for next year.

[BrewMasterBrad]

I'm probably not entering this one either. I have never entered before and pretty much all my bottles are spoken for already between Hangar 24, SD Fair, and IEB.

[StarRaptor]

I've got three beers ready to go

601 Light Lager Class: C
Costa del Sol is a Premium American Lager brewed with Mexican Lager Yeast and with Northwest hops

614 India Pale Ale (IPA) Class: B
Description: SNB is Furious, a tribute to my favorite beer Surly Furious

621 Spice/Herb/Vegetable Class: A
Description: Deathfire, a restrained pepper porter brewed with Habaneros and Anaheim peppers and a touch of smoke

[bwarbiany]

So I decided to enter both in Cream & Blonde Ale categories.

I'm also entering my barleywine (the stuff not submitted for barrel-aging). Anyone else entering the category?

[ScottK]

I have entered a mead, however upon checking my inventory I realized I only had this particular mead in wine bottles and 6 oz. bottles. I will have to open a wine bottle and fill three 12-oz bottles with it. I know with beer this is a no-no due to oxidation. Should I expect the same with mead? Any suggestions?

[lexuschris]

I am not sure how long oxidation takes, but I imagine it would take longer than the few weeks until judging. I would be more concerned with keeping the carbination level good. If the mead is still, then no worries.

Oh, and I would also be sure to let the sanitized bottles air dry upside down ... I've introduced medicinal flavors into my beers when doing quick transfers to 'wet' bottles.

Good luck!
--LexusChris

[BrewMasterBrad]

Oh, and I would also be sure to let the sanitized bottles air dry upside down ... I've introduced medicinal flavors into my beers when doing quick transfers to 'wet' bottles.

Chris, what sanitizer are you using? I use StarSan and have never picked up any medicinal flavors from it even when I fill while the bottles are still wet.

[nico soze]

My first brew day brad taught me not to fear the foam. I've never thought twice about it. I still have heavy amounts of foam in my bottles when I bottle. I'm at 6 batches now and no medicinal flavors.

I'm entering 3 beers into the comp.
12a brown porter. Supposed to be a stout, but something went wrong. Luckily it fits brown porter perfectly.

14b American ipa. An all grain collaborations with another brewer.

20a fruit beer. A German hefeweisen with strawberry extract. The ladies love it.

Good luck gentlemen..

[ScottK]

Thanks Chris. It's a still mead, so carbonation won't be an issue. I've never had an issue with bottling on starsan foam, but I think for the competition it won't hurt to let them dry.

[lexuschris]

Well, I am not even talking about foam .. (Use SaniClean, which is a low foam StarSan I believe)

All I know, is that with my 1st run with my bottling gun, I've had that comment on a couple of score sheets. Not all of them, but a couple. I just figured I had a bottle that wasn't dripped out properly .. I know a little foam in a 5-gal bucket is no biggie, but in a small 12oz bottle... was just guessing that was the cause. I can't really explain it, as I don't have that taste from the keg or from other bottles..

I suppose the judges could have been 'whack' ... Not sure where else they are getting a medicinal flavor from. They speicifically call out improper use of sanitizer..

<foam on>
--LexusChris