Brewing Ideas for A Homebrew fest

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by GetMeAnIPA, Jan 29, 2019.

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  1. GetMeAnIPA

    GetMeAnIPA Pooh-Bah (2,559) Mar 28, 2009 California
    Pooh-Bah

    May 3-4 I will be attending the SoCal’s Homebrewers festival. I would like to brew a beer that I can bring for the festival. I brew pretty basic beers, beers that I like to drink such as iPas, pale ales, stout etc. by far I have brewed iPas the most and have multiple recipes ranging from westcoast to hazy that I feel very confident in. However, I kind of feel that most of the beers that I have brewed and feel confident are sorta boring for a Homebrew fest. I haven’t done much experimenting.

    My question is what are some good styles or ideas that I could brew that outside a “standard” recipe that I can turn around in a month?

    My ideas are as follows:
    -warm fermented hoppy Pilsner kegged in a month. Which, could be fun talking to other brewers about that. I have done this a few times with great success
    -coffee milk stout with hazelnut flavoring. New recipe
    -hazy “juicy” ipa
    -Irish dry stout or low Abv oatmeal stout
    -saison, something dry and drinkable at a fest might be a good option
     
    #1 GetMeAnIPA, Jan 29, 2019
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  2. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    If I were brewing for a festival, I would brew a recipe that I have brewed several times before. Personally, I wouldn't impose an experiment on an unwitting public.
     
    #2 VikeMan, Jan 29, 2019
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  3. GetMeAnIPA

    GetMeAnIPA Pooh-Bah (2,559) Mar 28, 2009 California
    Pooh-Bah

    Haha. Well if it didn’t turn out well I certainly wouldn’t serve it. Bringing a beer is optional.
     
    #3 GetMeAnIPA, Jan 29, 2019
  4. Dave_S

    Dave_S Crusader (429) May 18, 2017 England

    Yeah, I generally agree with VikeMan - take something good and people will appreciate it. Try something totally new and there's a risk that it'll go badly and you'll either take nothing or spend the whole thing feeling a bit embarrassed. Speaking from experience here.

    Maybe if you want a bit more of a talking point with a bit less risk then try brewing your favourite and most reliable hoppy pale but subbing the usual late hops for a promising looking new / experimental variety? That way you're pretty likely to get something nice, but also something that people will be quite interested to try.
     
    #4 Dave_S, Jan 29, 2019
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  5. OntheLambic

    OntheLambic Initiate (0) Jan 9, 2015 Connecticut

    I actually take a somewhat similar tact as you when it comes to making/bringing beer to a homebrew fest. I enjoy making something a bit different for fests, nothing too far out of the box or overly complicated, but unique enough to hopefully stand out a bit in a crowded field. The last couple festivals I went to I brought a Blood Orange Wit, Blackberry Saison, and an Imperial Brown ale aged on rum soaked cherries.

    Personally, I don't think you can go wrong bringing a saison, the hoppy pils sounds great as well. Worst case, try it before the festival and if it doesn't meet your standards, just leave it behind.
     
    #5 OntheLambic, Jan 29, 2019
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  6. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    How about a hoppy Saison along the lines of a Boulevard Tank 7? If you are interested in this idea I can PM you a recipe for the Hoppy Saison I made a few years ago.

    Cheers!
     
    #6 JackHorzempa, Jan 29, 2019
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  7. MrOH

    MrOH Grand Pooh-Bah (3,995) Jul 5, 2010 Virginia
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Hoppy saisons are a "go-to" quick extract brew for an unexpected brewday for me. 3# pils DME 3# wheat DME, hops as I see fit, whatever saison yeast I have on hand.
     
    #7 MrOH, Jan 29, 2019
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  8. lovepea

    lovepea Initiate (0) Oct 2, 2009 California

    I have been attending the same festival for many years and as long as your beer is tasty, don't worry about the complexity factor. There will be SO many beers there, not everything has to be crazy and complicated. Bring what you know is good to drink. Any of the ideas you mentioned would be great.
     
    #8 lovepea, Jan 29, 2019
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