Category for Competition, or Keep This One at Home?

[AlexKay]

• Sour and hoppy.
• Hops are Citra and Nectaron, so tropical-fruit forward. Not quite at IPA levels, but pushing it.
• Grist is 45%/45%/10% pale ale/white wheat/caravienne.
• OG 1.047/FG 1.015/4.2% ABV.
• Fermented with Sourvisiae to a pH of 2.8, so quite sour

It's one of my more delicious beers, and I'm curious to see what judges would think of it, but it's not easily characterized. 28B, Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer, base style 18B American Pale Ale? It's not mixed-fermentation ("the contribution of non-Saccharomyces microbes should be noticeable to strong"), but the judges will deal with that? Also, "acidity should be firm yet enjoyable, but should not be biting" ... pH 2.8 is getting into "whoa!" territory; one could call it biting.

Have I finally found a 34C Experimental?

Or do I mutter "nobody understand me" and drink it by myself?

 

[jdauria]

I would say 28D Straight Sour could be an option also. The beginning of 28B states: Intended for beer fermented with any combination of Sacch, Lacto, Pedio, and Brett (or additional yeast or bacteria), with or without oak aging (except if the beer fits instead in 28A or 28D)" So the yeast is saccharomyces, but produces lactic also, but if it fits in 28D, which it does, it should be in the category. 28D is a new addition to the 2021 style guidelines, so the comp would need to be using that and not 2015 guideline...though I think most are moving to the new one now.

 

[AlexKay]

I looked at Straight Sour, but it says “no hop flavor,” and I have rather a lot.

 

[IslandLizard]

How about 21B. Specialty IPA?

Entry Instructions:
Entrant must specify a strength (session, standard, double); if no strength is specified, standard will be assumed. Entrant must specify specific type of Specialty IPA from the list of Currently Defined Types identified in the Style Guidelines, or as amended by Provisional Styles on the BJCP website; OR the entrant must describe the type of Specialty IPA and its key characteristics in comment form so judges will know what to expect.

Enter in 21B: Sour IPA
Now not all competitions may allow this entry style, or may include your entry to be judged in a style or group that they see fit (without tasting it first).
If there are no other entries in that subgroup (Sour IPA) it could/should be judged by itself, but many competitions won't just do that, from what I've heard.

I looked at Straight Sour, but it says “no hop flavor,” and I have rather a lot.

I'd say your chance of getting a reasonably justified score should be higher in Specialty IPAs (21B) than in Sours.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

topic title: Category for Competition, or Keep This One at Home?

Keep it at home Share it with friends.

 

[jdauria]

I would say 28D Straight Sour could be an option also. The beginning of 28B states: Intended for beer fermented with any combination of Sacch, Lacto, Pedio, and Brett (or additional yeast or bacteria), with or without oak aging (except if the beer fits instead in 28A or 28D)" So the yeast is saccharomyces, but produces lactic also, but if it fits in 28D, which it does, it should be in the category. 28D is a new addition to the 2021 style guidelines, so the comp would need to be using that and not 2015 guideline...though I think most are moving to the new one now.

I looked at Straight Sour, but it says “no hop flavor,” and I have rather a lot.

Hmm...missed that, so guess back to 28B or that other suggestion of 21B Sour IPA? You could also bring to a homebrew shop and have the staff try it and give you feedback, ditto with a local homebrew club. Mine has a National ranked judge, so he's our resident taster and will give us suggestions to tweak the beer to make it even better.

 

[AlexKay]

My local homebrew club is full of great folks who are sadly too nice to tell me when my beer isn’t making the grade. And no judges among our ranks…. I do have some friends I can ship to, but I think I’ll have this one sit out from competition for now.

 

[kmontoya]

Same situation now, but probably taking the option 21B.

 

[kmontoya]

I found this similar suggestion of BJCP:

Italian/Hoppy Pilsner

34B. Mixed Style Beer

German Pilsner + dry hopping.

https://www.bjcp.org/style-entry-suggestions/
Thinking on that example this could be 28D (straight sour beer bjcp 2021) + dry hopping, since it is not as bitter as an IPA.

What do you think?