Brewery competition help

How will the winning beer be chosen? People's choice? Judge's panel? Are the judges BJCP?

 

Maybe trying out a NEIPA with a Belgian yeast would be a great way to stand out.

Also, can you submit two beers? If so, I think we'd all like to know how the AP Dubbel does.

 

Month and a half ,,,, you could easy do a Belgian 6% pale, or hoegarden style brew, or witte style also popular. And there are Belgian lagers.

What beers a does this brewery brew

 

KISS . . . everybody's brewing NEIPA, maybe you want to try something very simple. A Patersbier (Trappist Single) can easily be ready in a month. That's been pleasing the Bros (and Fathers) for over 400 years.

 

If it’s people’s choice, get creative/loud.

If it’s judge’s choice, brew traditional and execute the beer well to style, without flaw.

Judges look for adherence to style and lack of flaw. Consumers just want to drink crazy, creative, fun beer. That’s what I’ve found.

 

Beg, borrow, or steal some 3787 FTW . . . and ferm temp should be 72'ish. All pilsner works, maybe a dab of wheat if you feel inclined . . . Sty Golding is perfect.

 

Ardennes (3522) would be my second choice, I regularly use it in addition to 3787 (72 degrees also).

Any competition is a crap shoot, if judges are a bunch of hop-heads that don't understand Belgians this might not work. Also, they aren't likely to pick something that would be technically difficult for them to brew even if it's great. But if they appreciate the magic of Belgian yeast and you deliver the right esters you can go far. Who wouldn't like a beer that keeps this fellow happy?

 

I liked the Fermentis BE-256 yeast, if you have to go dry and its available. The Llalamande Abbaye was decent as well. Both seemed very similar to Chimay.
For a singel, you can go a little heavier on hops than most other Trappist styles. A judicious whirlpool addition of one of the less extreme NZ hops might really set it off. I've used Pacifica in a beer like this before and really liked it.

 

Brew something like an XX Bitter or Taras Boulba... Dry, bitter, highly carbonated beers that are super refreshing and have very slight Belgian character. Awesome summertime drinks and I guarantee you no one will brew anything like them.

XX Bitter is brewed with. BE-256.

Or you could try something like WLp515 or the Omega Version which is Belgian Ale DK. Awesome very clean Yeast with just a touch of Belgian Character. Similar to what De La Senne uses for Taras I believe

Tons of Styrian Golding hops, very low FG.

They’re like Belgian Pilsners. Beer’s that brewers want to drink, which especially if it’s being judged by brewers, might give u a leg up.

If you’ve never had these beers, I’d highly suggest you check them out. They’re unbelievable and really hard to find anything like them in the US. Hoppy Table Beer from Allagash might be close but not really.

 

Ardennes (Wyeast 3522) or Belgian Ale (WLP550) should work for a Single. I've used it/both in BPAs and I think they have great balance between phenolic and estery flavors; recognizably Belgian character, but won't overpower the malt character. I ferment about 68F, but it can certainly go higher. Although these have ben reported to be the same strain, my sense (note: no A/B comparisons) is that 3522 leans a little more toward phenolic and WLP550 leans a little more toward estery. But I'd say the difference (if it actually exists) is subtle.

ETA: I would probably add a little biscuit and/or aromatic to the pilsner, but keep it low enough to not ass much color.

 

Or, ya know, ADD much color. That's what you get for editing right at the 15 minute mark.

 

If they have limited the styles, that suggests they are open to brewing any of these styles. Consider what their current line-up of beers looks like and avoid making anything that feels too close to those beers.