RAB Homebrew Competition

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Reading Amateur Brewers are holding a national homebrew competition and registration will open today at mid-day for anyone interested.

Note that for this competition you have to brew a Spruce Beer - sounds interesting. Judging is mid-August. To register or just have a look…

https://www.readingamateurbrewers.co.uk/competitions/spruce/

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I’m in.

I’ve never brewed a beer using spruce but I guess this gives me an opportunity to learn!

 

[Sadfield]

And the winner is..... the person who didn't brew a Spruce NEIPA.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Maybe if I “dry hop” with one of those pine air fresheners used in cars I won’t need to bother with the spruce

 

[AJA]

Yeah, I can see the winner of this contest as the one who forgot to put in the spruce, as their beer is the only one which doesn't taste like turpentine!

I've had the tea before, and didn't enjoy it one bit.

 

[Sadfield]

I'd be using it with or instead of Juniper as an infusion and mash filter to make an authentic Kveik, then name it Pining for the Fjords.

 

[YeastFace]

I'm a bit confused how it can be both BJCP and require spruce as an ingredient?

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I'm a bit confused how it can be both BJCP and require spruce as an ingredient?

You may have a point there! The BJCP guide is for the base beer you then ruin by adding toilet cleaner.

 

[Sadfield]

I'm a bit confused how it can be both BJCP and require spruce as an ingredient?

Because BJCP is about judging beer, not determining what it should consist of. They have catagories that cover whatever a brewer presents them.

Covered in catagory 23. Speciality Beer.

• Historical, traditional or indigenous beers (e.g., Louvain Peetermann, Sahti, vatted Porter with Brettanomyces, Colonial Spruce or Juniper beers, Kvass, Grätzer)

 

[YeastFace]

This is where my confusion lies, thet say they are accepting all beer styles and not just those entries under 23 though.

How can the base style be judged against the guidance if the spruce also needs to be perceptible? In some styles it may be appropriate (WCIPA, BIPA etc) but in others wildly inappropriate.

Then again it's just a bit of fun and I doubt people will enter Spruce Kölsch, but we will see.

 

[Sadfield]

How can the base style be judged against the guidance if the spruce also needs to be perceptible? In some styles it may be appropriate (WCIPA, BIPA etc) but in others wildly inappropriate.

If it works, you'll score well. That's the skill of the brewer, using it in the right context and getting it to work with the other ingredients. Not really any different to selecting the right hops for the style, you could make the same point over Chinook, great in an ipa, difficult to work into a Kolsch.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

This is where my confusion lies, thet say they are accepting all beer styles and not just those entries under 23 though.

How can the base style be judged against the guidance if the spruce also needs to be perceptible? In some styles it may be appropriate (WCIPA, BIPA etc) but in others wildly inappropriate.

Then again it's just a bit of fun and I doubt people will enter Spruce Kölsch, but we will see.

Go for it and try to brew a beer that is enhanced by the spruce if you can. That’s what I hope to do (I may very likely be over-estimating my knowledge/skills here!).

 

[Sadfield]

If it's anything like Juniper branches it comes out nicely citrus in beer, with as expected, piney notes. I joked about Neipas, but anything where Simcoe works would be a start point.

 

[Broken Toe]

The tips are currently hardening... (Never thought I'd type that...)

Got a small handful. I don't know about you lot but I have no intention of letting this touch my beer directly. Vodka tincture brought up to 80°C for 15 mins to make sure I've really done a number on any nasties and then add to my base at packaging...

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

They look beautiful

 

[Alastair70]

I'm going to sit this one out, although I would like to name a beer 'Spruce Waine'. I remember being given an 80-shilling a few years back with a load of heather in it, and not for the right reasons.

 

[James_turney]

Spruce springreen coming up.

 

[Sadfield]

Spruce Lee if you are doing something with a bit of a kick to it.

 

[MickDundee]

Steve Spruce for a stout

 

[Sadfield]

Follow the German tradition of adding woodruff syrup to a glass if Berliner Weisse, turning it green and call it Spruce Banner.