Homebrewers that enter or participate in competitions likely know that the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) released new Beer Style Guidelines in May. I had the opportunity to test run the new guidelines a few weeks ago in a “summer beer” competition associated with the county fair. Here are my thoughts. Continue reading
This spring, my local homebrew club, DC Homebrewers, is hosting its first homebrew competition to be recognized by the American Homebrewers Association (disclosure: I currently serve as club vice president).
It started as a one-category, member-only, best-of-show type event. Now, the club is growing it to 24 different beer-style categories and opening registration to the public. As you can imagine, this size of event takes a team to organize, run, and judge. So I’m lending my expertise to help with the PR strategy and volunteer management. I’ll say more about this in the coming weeks, but here’s some information from the press release (entry registration is open until March 15):
This first annual DC Homebrewers Cherry Blossom Competition provides an opportunity for amateur brewers to show off and test their skills against other homebrewers in the area and across the region. Although not officially associated with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the competition will be held on March 29 to coincide with the festival activities happening around Washington.
Once a small competition open only to club members, this year’s competition is recognized by the American Homebrewers Association (AHA). The judging team is certified through the AHA’s Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP).
Brewers can enter their beers into 24 different beer-style categories, including a special category for beers containing a flower or its derivative, such as blossoms, fruit, or honey. Beers will be evaluated on elements such as aroma and flavor as well as relevance to the category and overall drinkability.
“I’m excited to offer a competition to homebrewers outside of DC Homebrewers and sanctioned by the AHA,” Competition Organizer Peter Jones says. “I can’t wait to see the creativity inspired by our cherry blossom category from local brewers. Go easy on the lavender!”
Homebrewers who wish to enter have until March 15 to register online at http://www.dchbcompetition.com (limit of two entries per person) and to submit three bottles of each entry.
Three local sponsors are serving as drop-off locations – MyLHBS (Falls Church, Va.), DC HomeBrew Shop (Washington, D.C.) and Maryland Homebrew (Columbia, Md.).
Entries can also be mailed to the DC HomeBrew Shop, but they must arrive by March 15 to be considered. See the competition website for details.
The judging event, sponsored by Meridian Pint, will occur on March 29, although it will not be open to the public.
Follow the club on Twitter (@dchomebrewers) for live tweets of the winners.
About DC Homebrewers
DC Homebrewers is a not-for-profit club comprised of homebrewers of all levels of experience in the Washington DC area. The goal of the club is to provide a forum for area homebrewers to exchange ideas, expand their knowledge of beer and brewing, and enjoy some homebrew. The club meets monthly in metro-accessible locations around the city and holds other events throughout the year including group brewing days, the annual Cherry Blossom Homebrewing Competition each spring, and an annual summer barbecue. DC Homebrewers has been supporting the local homebrewing scene since 2008. Visit dchomebrewers.com to learn more and sign up to receive updates. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@dchomebrewers).
Last weekend, I not only repeatedly relayed the story of how I become interested in brewing, I also had the opportunity to celebrate it at a “real ale” homebrew club meeting hosted by Brewer’s United for Real Potables (BURP).
Years ago I lived in the UK where I discovered cask-conditioned beers (referred to as “real ale”). This traditional brewing style challenged what I thought I knew about beer at the time. Clearly, I needed to better understand the whole brewing process. Within a year, I was brewing my own beer.
Quick tutorial on real ale: Real ale is beer allowed to ferment in the vessel from which it’s served, and it naturally carbonates itself in the process. It should be stored at cellar temperature and allowed to settle before serving (agitating it will shake up the yeast and other ingredients, which will affect the appearance and flavor of the beer). Because it’s unfiltered and unpasteurized, it’s a living product. Once open, it needs to be drunk quickly before it becomes oxidized. You can learn more through the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), a UK organization committed to preserving this style of brewing.
Oddly enough, even though I’ve been brewing for nearly seven years, I still haven’t explored brewing real ale (beyond an apparent stubbornness to continue bottle conditioning, I guess). Real ales are also still rare in the US, so I haven’t been able to expand my knowledge much beyond what I learned while drinkin…er, living abroad. When I was invited to not only attend BURP’s real ale meeting but also to help steward the preceding competition, I eagerly agreed. Over two days, I sampled and assessed most of the 48 ales submitted and found the whole experience very educational.
What I learned:
The whole event has inspired me want to revisit my “roots”, brew more traditionally British recipes, and experiment with cask-conditioning. Any requests?
If you want to learn more about beer judging or what I get up to in my spare time, read my recent article for DC Beer.
After writing the article, I spent most of Saturday at Mad Fox Brewing Co helping with the Spirit of Free Beer homebrew competition and serving as a steward for a team of certified judges in both the morning and afternoon sessions. It was a fun day of geeking out over beer with fellow brewers. I was in the bar by 7 a.m. to help set up and left after the winners were announced around 5 p.m.
I love to help out at this event because it’s a great opportunity to learn something new about beer and brewing. Not only did the judges pass a certification process to demonstrate what they know, most of them are also experienced brewers.
As a result of this year’s event, I’d like to deepen my understanding of a few different beer styles and practice brewing them. I will also be paying more attention to the fermentation and attenuation of my batches. I currently fit in my brewing chores around my busy schedule, estimating when/if a batch should be racked to a secondary fermenter and when to bottle. As a result, I sometimes let a beer sit longer than necessary until I have time to do something with it. Greater diligence here is one place I believe I can improve my beer.
Enjoy some photos and read the article to learn more.
All entries are labeled and packed according to beer style
Cases of entries filled two pallets, which were stored at a local brewery prior to the event.
All judges grade and share feedback through a score sheet.
Judges and stewards enjoy a bit of breakfast before the morning session begins.
A colorful mini best-of-show round to determine the top three in the specialty category.