red IPA's and bjcp competitions

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by SFACRKnight, Jan 14, 2014.

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  1. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    So lately I have been hitting the competitions up with a few of my beers. All of the beers I have entered up until now have been pretty cut and dry as far as falling into a bjcp recognized category. Well, as most of you know, I push things and don't really care about what a beer is stylisticly as long as its "tasty beer". Now I have an issue. I have a big american red / red ipa that tastes pretty awesome, but I am wondering which category to enter it in. As far as og and fg it fits the american ipa category, except the color is way off. The srm's are right on for the american amber category, except the gravity is way off. I was jsut going to throw it in the specialty category and hope for the best. I am sure others here have had this issue and would like to hear how you handled it.
     
  2. CASK1

    CASK1 Pundit (951) Jan 7, 2010 Florida

    Your beer seems a bit like Bear Republic Red Rocket, listed as a classic example of the Specialty Category in the BJCP guidelines.
     
  3. epic1856

    epic1856 Initiate (0) Aug 11, 2006 California

    Be as descriptive as possible when you enter your beer in the competition. I've had the opportunity to judge a couple of these "open" categories and some brewers don't give the judges enough info to judge the beer effectively. If allowed I would include grain and hop bill along with you intent like "An American IPA meets an American Amber".
     
  4. VikeMan

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

    How 'way off' is the gravity/ABV? Judges can't measure it, and there's a tendency (not all the time, but a tendency) for higher gravity examples to do better than low. However, how is the hop aroma/flavor? Does it fit the upper end of the amber description?

    The specialty category is a tough place to compete with something as simple as a hoppy amber, IMO.

    But there's nothing to stop you from entering your beer in both categories, unless your particular competition has an entry limit (rare).
     
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  5. udubdawg

    udubdawg Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2006 Kansas

    to add to VikeMan's question, how "way off" from 14B is the color? Sounds like flavor is NOT off? Does it taste caramelly?
    since it is obviously not black, I'd not take much off if the color is too dark while the flavor is on point.

    depending on how big/bitter it is, there's a good chance it would do the best in 10B, though I'd expect an experienced BOS judge to kick it early if out of style. I've pretty much given up on competing in 10B, as judges keep asking for a beer that sounds like what you made.

    [obligatory "send me a bottle and I'll tell you what it is!"] :grinning:

    cheers--
    --Michael
     
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  6. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    My dilemma exactly...except mine could not be confused with an Amber:slight_smile: at 7.5% ABV...going to enter it in 14B & 14C...I figure appearance is only worth 3 points anyway...as long as it smells, tastes, and satisfies like an IPA
     
  7. DrewBeechum

    DrewBeechum Pooh-Bah (1,954) Mar 15, 2003 California
    Pooh-Bah

    change is coming
     
  8. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    To answer everyones question, its amber in color alone. Og was 1.070, no carmel or toffee, a bit of a malt backbone from munich, but its pretty dry and as hop forward as they come. I had a fellow homebrewer tell me its the hoppiest beer he has had. Ever. It's two months old and starting to really come into its own :grimacing: . It is, for all intensive purposes, a red ipa or possibly an imperial red ale. I used strictly american hops, magnum, citra, amarillo, and chinook. A person could say its an american red, but the hop levels and gravity say nay.
     
  9. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Even though the SRM guidelines are the same on the high end (15), I think some judges might be a little more forgiving on an Imperial IPA. It's just a really well made 10% one that I'm afraid of :grimacing:
     
  10. udubdawg

    udubdawg Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2006 Kansas

    I'd go 14B. It's one point in Appearance, none in Flavor if the judge knows what they are doing.

    good luck!
     
  11. DrewBeechum

    DrewBeechum Pooh-Bah (1,954) Mar 15, 2003 California
    Pooh-Bah

    Most judges will still look at the beer and go "this is out of style - it can't place" and thus score the beer down.
     
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  12. MMAJYK

    MMAJYK Initiate (0) Jun 26, 2007 Georgia

    Enter it as an American Amber and specialty. I've had my hoppy Ambers medal many times in 10B.
     
  13. AlCaponeJunior

    AlCaponeJunior Grand Pooh-Bah (3,452) May 21, 2010 Texas
    Society Pooh-Bah

    How can it be an India PALE ale if it's RED? I am highly offended and I'm calling the PALE ALE police. Sheesh! You and those pesky black IPA folks ... :rolling_eyes::rolling_eyes::rolling_eyes::rolling_eyes:
     
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  14. telejunkie

    telejunkie Savant (1,107) Sep 14, 2007 Vermont

    don't hate the playa...

    specialty...although guess it wouldn't hurt to try amber and hope for a hop-head panel.
     
  15. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I only have 2 bottles that don't have markings, the rest are silkscreened stone and new belgium bottles. I'm going specialty and hoping for the best. Thanks for the input guys.
     
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  16. udubdawg

    udubdawg Initiate (0) Dec 11, 2006 Kansas


    I disagree (see NHC Category 10 Gold Medal winner, circa 2012 and 2011), but considered adding a sarcastic remark about how it was likely that a judge would "detect" some caramel flavors based on the color. :rolling_eyes:
     
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  17. CASK1

    CASK1 Pundit (951) Jan 7, 2010 Florida

    I'm a little surprised at this statement. I've been judging for >20 years and have met VERY few judges (good AND bad) who would disqualify a beer from placing based on appearance alone. A black Pils should raise some red flags and eyebrows (and initiate a discussion with the competition director), but a red IPA can still score well as an IPA.
     
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  18. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    I don't know if I want to give up 3 bottles of IPA and $10 just to enter another contest. :rolling_eyes:

    The Black Pils is really a Schwartzbier...torpedo the bastard who says otherwise! :slight_smile:
     
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  19. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    My problem too...now I only bottle with 12 oz used SN...my screen print/painted bottles are getting pretty rare.
    One more bottling of an Old Ale and a Flanders Red and they'll be all gone...except for some nice flip top 750s and Growlers.
     
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  20. AlCaponeJunior

    AlCaponeJunior Grand Pooh-Bah (3,452) May 21, 2010 Texas
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Black pils, black IPA, dark pale ale, imperial session... next thing St Patty's day will arrive and they'll have a RED ale as the green beer*...:rolling_eyes:

    head. going. to. asplode. :grimacing:

    must. consume. malted. barley. beverage. :sunglasses:

    *btw, I've had exactly ONE green beer so far that was any good, and that was Freetail's "spirulina wit" from last year. Awesome witbier, colored with spirulina. The brewer there gave me the jist of how they did it (and how I could replicate it, if ever necessary). Pretty cool stuff as it wasn't just crappy beer with food coloring in it.
     
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