Project Idea: Averagely Restricted ___________ Beer

In.

 

#1

 

3

 

Good with any of them.

 

To clarify, I like 3. No added ingredients. I have my recipe. On your mark. Get set. Go.

 

Wonderful !!

 

Sure

 

#3 sounds like a fresh new idea...I would honestly like to see the group do both #2 and #3 this year if I had my 'drothers. Any chance for both?

#2...There's something fun about all of the voting and concept that the final recipe was created by sort of a drunken democracy. I would personally rather pick a new style and just do it as the past 5 have though. The original concept is unique and I look forward to it every year!

#3...I think this is a great idea and would be a fun annual event to look forward to, it's different than the Averagely Perfect series, would draw more homebrewers that like competitions and encourage others to try a competition.

So I guess I'm voting #4...all of the above

 

Someone posted here (I forgot who) that when making decisions on brewing, the question to ask is "will this make my beer better". The Forum has done #1 & #2 several times (without the ingredient limits which is nothing but a gimmick). It can be fun and if participants put in the effort it's a good tutorial on recipe creation. But the nature of a group-based recipe is to make it more complicated rather than simple. The beers that I submit to competition that win gold medals are all painfully simple . . . just the opposite of what we create here.

IMO, most brewers aren't too keen on co-mingling yeast at various stages of fermentation, or adding 13+ ounces of hops, or having a hop addition every five minutes. How big a benefit is really achieved by a blending crystal malts or toasting ingredients? Sure it's fun to talk about, but simplicity has served me better than what this group will create.

That said, #3 is a means to validate a brewer's process and I would be in favor. But why have a limit on previous ingredients or add one ingredient only? Does this make the beer better? Personally I think the recipes could be improved upon by withdrawing some ingredients but would be happy to add anything new if it made tastier beer. I like the idea of "bragging rights" . . . this would definitely provide that.

 

This is a pretty cool idea. If I could scrape the time together so as to meet whatever deadline there may be, I'd be in for #3. Option #1 sounds good, too.

Cheers

 

3 would be a lot of fun.

Question though... If we were to use one additional ingredient outside of the previous averagely perfect ingredients, would it be an ingredient that we all vote on and everyone has to use, or would this additional ingredient be unique to each brewer? Could be cool if we each add our own, as long as we specify what it is.

 

I really like the idea of a competition consisting of ppl from this forum. I've learned a lot in the last 18 months from the posters on this site (regular posters and sporadic posters), I would love to see some competition recipes, judging critiques, pics, and maybe even where my beer would measure up.

 

If we were to do option 3, instead of adding 1 new ingredient what about making an ingredient or two from the Averagely Perfect series required in the recipe? It would follow the idea of iron chef but would be far less restricted depending on the required ingredient(s). Obviously, if a yeast strain were required that'd be far more restrictive that using Caramel 40L, for example.

 

#2 for sure amd #3 absolutely!

 

Count me in.

 

3 sounds fun. I'm in.

 

Building off this premise, an interesting variation on #3 could require producing the same style as a previous APA recipe, and only allowed to use ingredients previously used for that APA recipe. Essentially who can improve the recipe the most by simplifying it (presumably you could complicate the recipe without being allowed more ingredients).

 

I like 3 but would propose to not restrict it from being one of the styles already done. Rather declare your style and pick your recipe from all the ingredients.

Does the yeast count as an ingredient? I assume it does.

 

I like the idea for option 3. Don't think the ingredients need to pay homage to previous recipes tho.

Or, if we go the route of selecting a new beer style, how about a porter but with one catch: it is a non alcohol beer. That would certainly be a challenge and I think would generate good discussion among the group.