BJCP Question 33B only or 33B & 17D

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by InVinoVeritas, Jul 7, 2018.

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  1. InVinoVeritas

    InVinoVeritas Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2012 Wisconsin

    Brewed an English Barleywine about six months ago - I'll bottle in about 3 or 4 months. Tasted it last night and I can say this, it's already an amazing beer. I'm sure I'll be enter it into competition. In a 5 gallon batch I've got 1.25 oz oak cubes and 6 oz bourbon. I hate entering it into a wide open class like 33B, which I'll still do being the most fitting. With very soft bourbon notes, is it foolish to also enter into 17D?
     
    #1 InVinoVeritas, Jul 7, 2018
  2. dmtaylor

    dmtaylor Savant (1,149) Dec 30, 2003 Wisconsin

    I haven't tasted it. You say "very soft". Could that mean "nearly non-existent"? Then enter in 17D. Otherwise if you can notice the bourbon or oak, you really can't do anything but 33B.
     
    #2 dmtaylor, Jul 8, 2018
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  3. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    It sounds like a set-up for a scenario that I was fell into with a smoke beer entry. My personal preference on how smoky the beer should be was not in line with judges. If I tried to sell the beer to judges as a straight example of the style, the smoke would stand out like a sore thumb. But when I tried to sell it as a smoke beer, they wanted more smoke. I think there are certain flavors like smoke, wood, and bourbon that I most enjoy in subtle doses that don't fair well in competition.
     
    #3 pweis909, Jul 8, 2018
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  4. dmtaylor

    dmtaylor Savant (1,149) Dec 30, 2003 Wisconsin

    A good judge won't care if the wood, bourbon, or smoke character is subtle. Unfortunately, there are not very many good judges out there.
     
    #4 dmtaylor, Jul 8, 2018
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  5. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I suspect even the best judges struggle with styles that have strong flavors, due to palate fatigue. Finding the nuance in the 8th wood-aged bourbon barrel stout of the tasting session would challenge me, for sure, but I am not a good judge.
     
    #5 pweis909, Jul 8, 2018
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  6. dmtaylor

    dmtaylor Savant (1,149) Dec 30, 2003 Wisconsin

    You're right (at least about the first part). Cheers.
     
    #6 dmtaylor, Jul 8, 2018
    jbakajust1 likes this.
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