BJCP category question.

I am entering a homebrew competition (finally) in August and need help placing my stout. I made a Russian imperial stout last year and put in oak chips that had been soaked in whiskey to simulate a barrel aged beer. It was only in there for a few weeks. It's been bottled for about 15 months. Quite tasty I must say!

The competition is going by 2015 BJCP guidelines. So which category would be best? 20c is RIS. 33A is wood aged. I don't want to mess it up and put it in the wrong category. Because everyone I have given it to loves this beer, including owners of local breweries. A friend finally convinced me to put my toes in the water. I'm entering two other beers but this one I don't know what to do.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

See that's the thing.... We have to submit three bottles and that's all I have left. I haven't drank it in probably 4 months and the character has changed I'm sure. But from what I remember there was a slight whiff of the whiskey and you can definitely taste the oak. That much I know for sure. And some vanilla. So I can't sample anywhere I'm screwed. And I can only enter under one category. This is the dilemma

 

I've already brewed it again. It just will not be ready until late fall. I don't care about losing. I know this beer is phenomenal. I just want to get good feedback

 

Just to let everybody know, I got a silver medal in my category. The bourbon had indeed faded and that was the main complaint. I should have entered it in 33A like @VikeMan said.

Got 4th for my Honey DIPA as well. Thanks to all that has helped me





But I'm ecstatic.

 

Which one????? I don't mind sharing. I have a beer Smith file if you want

 

@skivtjerry @GormBrewhouse
Would you like the beer Smith file? Or print

 

I can do that. I'll do it tomorrow sometime or this weekend. It's a very big beer! It was over a year and a half old when I entered it. I think the bourbon wasn't noticeable anymore so they gigged me and I got second instead of first. This beer goes from grain to glass at 10 months minimum. I've started doing it every winter. I will Brew in January and package in February and then enjoy in the winter time.

 

@GormBrewhouse @skivtjerry @riptorn
Here we go...


"Russian Collusion"
Russian imperial stout
2021 Dominion Cup Silver Medal 33A
5G batch. All grain
66IBU 9.9%ABV
1.091 SG
1.017 FG

Grain Bill
12lb Maris Otter malt
12oz Cholate malt
12oz roasted barley
8oz crystal extra dark 120L
8oz caramel 10
8oz golden naked oats
5.3oz brown malt

Mash in at 151F for 60min
I do an optional protein rest for 10min after

60 minute boil

Hops
1.5oz Nugget Hops (First Wort Hop) 60min
0.5oz Northern Brewer 30min
1lb Belgian Candi sugar (solid) 15min
Whirlfloc tablet 15min
1oz E. Kent Holdings 5min

2packs S-05 yeast to highly oxygenated beer. I use a tank from Lowe's.

Ferment at 66°F for 2 days.
Raise temperature 2° until reaching 70°F.
Add more oxygen after this 4 days.
Ferment for 3 weeks total. This is a big beer so the yeast needs to clean up.

Soak 1.5 pint glass of JD smoking chips in whiskey for 3 weeks. Then add to beer for 2 weeks after PF complete.

Variation 1: skip chips and add 15oz cold steeped coffee a few days before bottling

1/2tsp dry yeast added to bottling bucket. Keep priming sugar the same. I bottle this beer because it has to age. If you have an extra keg, you could rack to that and possibly put the chips in the keg in a bag.

I would wait at least 6months before tasting. It changes with time...for the better.

Cheers!

I will be happy to answer any questions