Changing the "Homebrew" forum.

Would it be possible to have a 'drop down' when creating the thread that makes you select a style, could be listed by BJCP guidelines? Ie. someone posts an American IPA recipe and selects '14B American IPA' from the list. This function then would automatically pre-fix their thread title to read, '14B: Swampass IPA' and a subtitle that reads 'American IPA' when the thread is opened? Just an idea, don't know if it's possible.

 

Great idea guys. Hope it works out. I don't homebrew (yet), but for those that do, accelerating the learning curve into brewing really good output is always nice, vs. spending alot of time and money in bad experimentation batches to finally get something dialed in and tasty. The more people out there homebrewing good stuff and less bad stuff the better off we are. Power to the people!

 

Wondering if the exact organization of the substyles might want to wait for a few more weeks until the new BJCP guidelines drop @ NHC, there might be some other organization changes to them that might help guide how they are broken up here? As far as break down at this point I like the idea of maybe:

• American / English
• German
• Belgian
• Wild / Sour / Brett
• Historic

Leave out the Lager/Ale differentiation. American and English brewing is much more closely related than English to German. American covers both Ales and Lagers (especially with the newish trend of IPLs). German covers both Ales and Lagers. Belgian for non-sour/funky Belgian styles (where to put a Lactic-Wit or Brett Saison would need to be banged out). Wild / Sour / Brett for any soured style: Belgian, German, American. Historic for odd recipes that really don't fit into any other styles (Sahti, George Washington's Spruce Beer, anything that Rob Pattison blows our minds with like hoppy and bitter Scottish beers or 6% ABV English Milds, etc.).

 

I like the format that @Jmitchell3 proposed. I fully support @FATC1TY as a mod, he would do well. See my above post on my thoughts for the breakdown @JohnSnowNW

 

I agree with grouping American and English together.

I think a lager category would be really useful though and I think people tend to have one or the other in mind when they're planning to brew. Especially for people without the fridge capacity to lager, it'd be nice to not have to sift through lager recipes.

 

Also, what are yalls thoughts on adding "Tasting Notes" to the format proposed by @Jmitchell3 , after the "Process"? Just thinking about if I were coming here looking for a recipe for a Porter with low roast, low biscuit, high chocolate, the tasting notes might drive me to choose beer 7 over the other 42, where just grains leaves some guess work on what it tastes like in the end. Thoughts?

 

What about:

• American & English Ales
• Belgian & German Ales
• Wild /Sour / Brett
• Lagers & Hybrids
• Historic

Throw Bavarian Hefe in with Belgians as they all have very expressive yeast character with phenols and esters taking center stage. Put Lagers and Hybrids together as they all lean towards super clean fermentation and cold storage pre-consumption.

 

When we're talking about a format, is the forum product going to enforce it, or is it more of a guideline that people should follow (like I believe the Trading Forums have/had)? I would assume the latter, in which case the tasting notes could be optional (and useful). I would think replies from others trying the recipe might include said notes as well.

 

I agree with @JohnSnowNW that it should be formatted with beer style/substyle as the posting title. I also agree the format should contain any awards the beer has won.

 

I was thinking of something along those lines. People can see a posted recipe, for instance, say my Oatmeal Chocolate Porter.. Decide that they don't want to add as much oats, and add more chocolate malt. Someone who's brewed it, can put in, "I brewed this, it's really good, but I felt that the black patent was too much for me. If you are sensitive to the ashy/burnt notes, it's really nice to replace it with chocolate malt, or the carafa III that I used to tone it down.

Obviously people will bastardize a favorite recipe, and tweak it to be their own. Adding in some variables for others to read and decide to use would be pretty useful, ala keeping it like a running thread.

 

It is dated. The new one with Black IPA, American Wilds, and many others is released at NHC in June.

 

Yeah. I'd say more of a guideline. I like the direction folks are going.

 

Great idea, am on board with whatever breakdown is used, it will be a great benefit no matter how it is designed, or formatted, as the mods will be able to maintain consistency methinks.

 

Cool!

 

I like this set. Best not to combine American with English if we don't have. The Brits certainly wouldn't like it (not to mention the use of ale and lager to being with, hehe).

Is there a reason to use "UK" over "English" though? Is it to cover Irish and Scotch... maybe it's better (and politically correct?) to just say "English/Scotch/Irish Ales", especially since they are all categories here on BA already?