One month to brew an IPA for Competition

[Homercidal]

I am attending a music and microbrews festival in TC next month. I just remembered they are hosting a homebrew competition at the same time.

They expect you to bring a 1/6 barrel (corny) of beer to share with the festival goers, and the rest of the keg system to serve it.

In any case, it's happening in 1 month. So plenty of time to get an IPA ready if I brew very soon.

What hops should I use? I like Centennial, Amarillo, Cascade, Chinook...

I'm a bit hesitant to step outside the norm and try some newer hops, but I'm kind of intrigued by them at the same time.

Or should I do an IPA and add something like Habanero? I'm kind o f a fan of Oddside chili beers, but I've never used them. If I tried it I'd probably go with a little more malty beer like Two Hearted as a base, and use some melon or fruity hop to balance the pepper.

I kind of want to step outside the norm.

 

[martyjhuebs]

One of my favorite brews that I made was a roasted green chile pale ale. I love Chile beer so I would personally going with a citrusy IPA with Roasted Habanero and Jalapeno. Big hopping deserves a big spice. I would use Cascade and Amarillo and a malt that would give a nice Orange color.

 

[ricshayne]

I'd use a mix of newer fruity hops with some good ol Columbus to add the dank. Everyone has had a thousand C hop IPAs before. Half Acre makes a Columbus/Simcoe/Nelson Sauvin IPA that is one of the best I've had

 

[m00ps]

1 month is plenty of time if you get started in the next week. Here's my latest IPA hop schedule. its outside the norm in that it has an immesne hop flavro with negligible linger bitterness. it also has a very unique hop character like strawberry apricot and blueberry which is far from the typical citrus and ;pine


@60: 1 oz apollo
@15: 1 oz Belma / 1 oz Huell Melon
@0: 1 oz Belma / 2 oz Huell Melon / 2 oz Pac gem
*hour long hopstand*
@30 min after flameout: 1 oz Belma / 1 oz Huell Melon / 2 oz Pac gem
@dry: 1 oz Belma / 1 oz citra
@2nddry: 1 oz citra
@keg: 1 oz citra

 

[stpug]

While the "C" hop IPA has been played out exhaustively by craft brewers, most folks don't/can't get a truly fresh example. By the time customers are buying commercial IPAs, they are usually already fading in terms of hop character. This is not to say you can't get a great commercial example but I'd bet that "great example" was once better at a previous date. I would personally play the safe card and brew what you know (standard, hoppy IPA) even if you include some New World hops (Mosaic and Galaxy mix well with C hops) in the mix, as opposed to the pepper idea (I've only had a few but haven't liked a single one yet).

 

[Homercidal]

While the "C" hop IPA has been played out exhaustively by craft brewers, most folks don't/can't get a truly fresh example. By the time customers are buying commercial IPAs, they are usually already fading in terms of hop character. This is not to say you can't get a great commercial example but I'd bet that "great example" was once better at a previous date. I would personally play the safe card and brew what you know (standard, hoppy IPA) even if you include some New World hops (Mosaic and Galaxy mix well with C hops) in the mix, as opposed to the pepper idea (I've only had a few but haven't liked a single one yet).

Well, that's the thing: People like different things. Some don't like pepper beers, some like citrus, some like dank, some like fruit or melon...

And I'm a serious undecider.

 

[stpug]

Well, that's the thing: People like different things. Some don't like pepper beers, some like citrus, some like dank, some like fruit or melon...

And I'm a serious undecider.

You should change your screen name to:
Homerundecidal

 

[iijakii]

Well in my eyes the perfect IPA is just a super dry basic 2row grain bill and a metric ****tonne of Centennial. Whether or not to just do a really good IPA, or something more unique, would be hard to decide. Maybe add some zest to that, or do a 100% Vienna with some peppers. I also had an IPA last year that had a 2-row base with 15% flaked corn and a small percentage of aromatic. It finished really dry but had a touch of the corn on the aftertaste as well as the upfront aromatic maltiness. It was a really good experience. I've been meaning to mess around with it myself.

 

[kombat]

I am attending a music and microbrews festival in TC next month. I just remembered they are hosting a homebrew competition at the same time.

They expect you to bring a 1/6 barrel (corny) of beer to share with the festival goers, and the rest of the keg system to serve it.

Hang on a second - is nobody else going to jump on this???

Jim: "How's everything looking for the music festival?"

Bob: "Great, we've got our permits for the venue, we've got the musical acts all booked, found a place to rent the stages, lined up some food trucks to be on site for some grub, everything's great."

Jim: "What about beer?"

Bob: "What about it?"

Jim: "Did you find someone to sell beer?"

Bob: "Oh, crap! I thought YOU were taking care of the beer!"

Jim: "Dammit Bob, it's too late to get a liquor permit to sell beer now! People will be expecting beer, what are we going to do???"

Bob: "Well what if we buy some beer and just give it away, that's not illegal, is it?"

Jim: "Are you crazy!?! Do you know how much that would cost? And we'd still have to rent all the kegging hardware, the CO2 tanks, find a way to get it all to the site and then clean up afterwards - we'd basically be losing any profit we were on track to make. You really screwed up here, Bob."

Bob: "Uhm... what about ... what about a homebrew competition?"

Jim: "I'm listening ..."

Bob: "This festival is popular with hipsters, right? Surely some of these bearded, vest-wearing freaks brew their own beer. What if we say we're having a 'Homebrew Competition' and get some of them to bring kegs of beer to give away. Tell them they have to bring all their own stuff for serving it. We'll randomly pick a 'winner' and give them a vintage Toad the Wet Sprocket t-shirt or something, it won't cost us a thing."

Jim: "Bob, you're a genius. You may have just saved this festival."

 

[Homercidal]

Hang on a second - is nobody else going to jump on this???

Jim: "How's everything looking for the music festival?"

Bob: "Great, we've got our permits for the venue, we've got the musical acts all booked, found a place to rent the stages, lined up some food trucks to be on site for some grub, everything's great."

Jim: "What about beer?"

Bob: "What about it?"

Jim: "Did you find someone to sell beer?"

Bob: "Oh, crap! I thought YOU were taking care of the beer!"

Jim: "Dammit Bob, it's too late to get a liquor permit to sell beer now! People will be expecting beer, what are we going to do???"

Bob: "Well what if we buy some beer and just give it away, that's not illegal, is it?"

Jim: "Are you crazy!?! Do you know how much that would cost? And we'd still have to rent all the kegging hardware, the CO2 tanks, find a way to get it all to the site and then clean up afterwards - we'd basically be losing any profit we were on track to make. You really screwed up here, Bob."

Bob: "Uhm... what about ... what about a homebrew competition?"

Jim: "I'm listening ..."

Bob: "This festival is popular with hipsters, right? Surely some of these bearded, vest-wearing freaks brew their own beer. What if we say we're having a 'Homebrew Competition' and get some of them to bring kegs of beer to give away. Tell them they have to bring all their own stuff for serving it. We'll randomly pick a 'winner' and give them a vintage Toad the Wet Sprocket t-shirt or something, it won't cost us a thing."

Jim: "Bob, you're a genius. You may have just saved this festival."

Superlike

 

[Homercidal]

Hmmm... I was actually going to brew an IPA for myself, but now if I brew an IPA it would go to the festival.

So.... I think I might have to brew twice. Two different recipes and the best one either goes to festival, or stays at home, I haven't decided yet.

Oh God, there I go again!

 

[hifidelity]

I'd brew something I've done before that was good rather than try something new. Maybe I'm just conservative that way...

 

[ricshayne]

We'll randomly pick a 'winner' and give them a vintage Toad the Wet Sprocket t-shirt or something

Bahahahahaha

 

[Homercidal]

I've been to the LHBS twice in the past week. I had no intention of brewing an IPA with new hops, but now I think I might have to make yet one more trip.

And I need to hit up a brewery near me and pick up some brewers malt.

Maybe take a day off tomorrow... My boss is off, so shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Thanks_Yeasties]

+1 to nelson sauvin hops

I also really enjoy an ipa heavy in galaxy hops.

 

[Peruvian802]

Does it have to be an IPA? Is it a competition with rules or something?

That being said, I'm bringing a keg of Black IPA to a comp. in a few weeks.

 

[fantomlord]

I just bottled up an American Barleywine that I added Amarillo, Chinook, and Galena to at flameout, and dryhopped with the same combo...the nose on it is fantastic. might be a good combo to use...maybe with something similar to the grain bill for AB.

 

[erick0619]

Hang on a second - is nobody else going to jump on this???

Jim: "How's everything looking for the music festival?"

Bob: "Great, we've got our permits for the venue, we've got the musical acts all booked, found a place to rent the stages, lined up some food trucks to be on site for some grub, everything's great."

Jim: "What about beer?"

Bob: "What about it?"

Jim: "Did you find someone to sell beer?"

Bob: "Oh, crap! I thought YOU were taking care of the beer!"

Jim: "Dammit Bob, it's too late to get a liquor permit to sell beer now! People will be expecting beer, what are we going to do???"

Bob: "Well what if we buy some beer and just give it away, that's not illegal, is it?"

Jim: "Are you crazy!?! Do you know how much that would cost? And we'd still have to rent all the kegging hardware, the CO2 tanks, find a way to get it all to the site and then clean up afterwards - we'd basically be losing any profit we were on track to make. You really screwed up here, Bob."

Bob: "Uhm... what about ... what about a homebrew competition?"

Jim: "I'm listening ..."

Bob: "This festival is popular with hipsters, right? Surely some of these bearded, vest-wearing freaks brew their own beer. What if we say we're having a 'Homebrew Competition' and get some of them to bring kegs of beer to give away. Tell them they have to bring all their own stuff for serving it. We'll randomly pick a 'winner' and give them a vintage Toad the Wet Sprocket t-shirt or something, it won't cost us a thing."

Jim: "Bob, you're a genius. You may have just saved this festival."

Best comment ever.

 

[erick0619]

Double post...

 

[Jim311]

I don't really know where you live but this is an outdoor music festival I think I'd shy away from anything high ABV and brew something a little more "sessionable" especially since session beers are so hot right now.

 

[Homercidal]

Does it have to be an IPA? Is it a competition with rules or something?

That being said, I'm bringing a keg of Black IPA to a comp. in a few weeks.

The rules say they are to be IPA.

First and foremost I want to brew a nice IPA. But people are likely to have to use a token to taste it, so I'd like to advertise it as something unusual to get them to give it a taste. Some people may be rationing tokens and might not try all the homebrew entries.

 

[Firewalker11]

Hang on a second - is nobody else going to jump on this???

Jim: "How's everything looking for the music festival?"

Bob: "Great, we've got our permits for the venue, we've got the musical acts all booked, found a place to rent the stages, lined up some food trucks to be on site for some grub, everything's great."

Jim: "What about beer?"

Bob: "What about it?"

Jim: "Did you find someone to sell beer?"

Bob: "Oh, crap! I thought YOU were taking care of the beer!"

Jim: "Dammit Bob, it's too late to get a liquor permit to sell beer now! People will be expecting beer, what are we going to do???"

Bob: "Well what if we buy some beer and just give it away, that's not illegal, is it?"

Jim: "Are you crazy!?! Do you know how much that would cost? And we'd still have to rent all the kegging hardware, the CO2 tanks, find a way to get it all to the site and then clean up afterwards - we'd basically be losing any profit we were on track to make. You really screwed up here, Bob."

Bob: "Uhm... what about ... what about a homebrew competition?"

Jim: "I'm listening ..."

Bob: "This festival is popular with hipsters, right? Surely some of these bearded, vest-wearing freaks brew their own beer. What if we say we're having a 'Homebrew Competition' and get some of them to bring kegs of beer to give away. Tell them they have to bring all their own stuff for serving it. We'll randomly pick a 'winner' and give them a vintage Toad the Wet Sprocket t-shirt or something, it won't cost us a thing."

Jim: "Bob, you're a genius. You may have just saved this festival."

Bwwwwaaaaaahhhhhaaaaaa! Way too funny man!

 

[AndytheBeave]

Bob: "This festival is popular with hipsters, right? Surely some of these bearded, vest-wearing freaks brew their own beer. What if we say we're having a 'Homebrew Competition' and get some of them to bring kegs of beer to give away. Tell them they have to bring all their own stuff for serving it. We'll randomly pick a 'winner' and give them a vintage Toad the Wet Sprocket t-shirt or something, it won't cost us a thing."

Jim: "Bob, you're a genius. You may have just saved this festival."

I am so glad that I did not have a mouthful of coffee when I read this.

As for the original question, if it were me, I would do something a little weird and throw some Sorachi Ace along with the Columbus in there just to mess with people. The hint of dill would be interesting...

 

[Homercidal]

I don't really know where you live but this is an outdoor music festival I think I'd shy away from anything high ABV and brew something a little more "sessionable" especially since session beers are so hot right now.

It's a beer festival with like 3 stages and a silent disco. Local and regional bands from here and there come to play.

So, not so much a music festival and a beer festival AND a music festival combined. I have always had a good time there. I usually find 1-2 bands that I like and get to buying albums, follow them on FB. It's sometimes "Indie", but usually not the pop stuff.

Not sure I want to do a session IPA. I've never brewed one and I'm hesitant to break from the basic recipe that far.

I think I need to call some club members and see what they have for hops. This is going to be a crazy weekend if I'm brewing 2 batches plus the other things I need to do.