Hoptacular

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Jeff W
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Hoptacular

Are we participating in this year's Hoptacular?

http://www.beerhoptacular.com/homebrew/

StevenLane
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Head judge Marty Nachel just

Head judge Marty Nachel just called us out on Facebook. I placed third one year with James Lewis. Chuck has held down second place a few times, there's a bad joke in there ...

Jeff W
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Haha! Yeah, that's what made

Haha! Yeah, that's what made me post. 

Anyone interested in taking the lead on this? We normally do it as a group brew.

Canuck
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How much is needed? i'm

How much is needed? i'm guessing 19ltrs?

The emperor is not as forgiving as i am

Jim Vondracek
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I've participated before, but

I've participated before, but not interested this year.  I don't find it that interesting, but if others do, godspeed. 

Jeff W
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Bill, we get 12 lbs of grain

Bill, we get 12 lbs of grain to use. Then can use whatever hops and yeast we want. They also allow the use of fruit, spices, etc.

Jim Vondracek
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You can also concentrate the

You can also concentrate the wort with a longer boil to make a bigger beer.  

If someone(s) want to do this on behalf of the club, let me know what you need for yeast, hops, etc. and the club will pay for it - I can order them for you, also, usually takes one or two days from the online source I use, Farmhouse Brewing, so we can get you what you need quick.  

Boollish
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The website doesn't yet

The website doesn't yet stipulate what kind of malt we are getting. I'd be fine taking the lead on it, but the current competition page, outside of the bottling rules, seems rather short on specifics...

krisblouch
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There are a couple Ipa's and

There are a couple Ipa's and Dipa's that have been around the club that I would love to see in this. Maybe James's East Coast? Has that ever been in competition?

StevenLane
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This is kind of like an iron

This is kind of like an iron chef thing, make due with what they give you. The grain bill tends to be simple. Chuck took it to the next level a couple of years: once smoking the grain, another time barrel aging the beer. James Lewis and I submitted a hopless gruit one year, took third place for the strong notes of irony and fuck all attitude. However, I learned after the fact the judging that year was led astray by marketing people and score cards were useless.

First place has often gone to very conventional but dead on to style beers. My dream team would be Kyle, Boollish, and Jim V; it takes a village.

 

JimChochola
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I think we placed or showed

I think we placed or showed every year there was a Hoptacular that we were in existence. Not baf! But, it would be cool to take the title this year.

Jeff W
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Okay, we got one of the last

Okay, we got one of the last two spots left. Part of the competition is not knowing what the grain is until it arrives by shipment. 

Should I just have it shipped to the brewhouse, or, James, would you like it shipped directly to you?

ChuckMac
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Being true to style takes it

Being true to style takes it in this comp.

So whatever ya guys brew make sure it is dead on.

Also the brewers get 2 free tickets to the afternoon event.

Boollish
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BH would be best. We can

BH would be best. We can store it along with the Tuesday brewsday stuff as this is a beer for the club.

We will not be doing East Coast IPA for this project. As much as I love that style, if the competition is being graded even in the same neighborhood of "true to style", the East Coast IPA would score zeroes on appearance and mouthfeel, and probably at most 5 on overall impression.

Maybe it will be malted wheat and we can make a gose...

Jeff W
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Sounds good, I'll have it

Sounds good, I'll have it shipped to the brew house!

Rich
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Come on James, be bold, give

Come on James, be bold, give them some of that Hop Slop! It is, after all, a Hoptacular.

Jeff W
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Beer Hoptacular Homebrew Club

Beer Hoptacular Homebrew Club Challenge

Hello, Beer Hoptacular Homebrew Club Challenge participants!

We have a full roster of 20 homebrew clubs from around the greater Chicagoland area -most of whom are returning from previous Beer Hoptacular Challenges.

For 2016, we've opened the competition to allow more club/brewer control over the final product, and, presumably, more creativity. In this year's grain kit you will find 12 lbs. of Canada Malting Superior Pale Ale malt, generously donated by Mid Country Malt Supply/The Country Malt Group.

Reminders:

You may use as much or as little of this grain as you choose, but you may not add any other grains to your recipe. You may alter/manipulate this grain in any way you choose, i.e., toast, roast, smoke, etc. Batch size is not stipulated.

All other non-grain adjuncts and/or flavorings are allowed (no malt extract). The choice of hop varieties and yeast types are all up to the clubs/brewers. Wood aging is welcomed.

Each club must submit (1) six-pack of 12-oz bottles to the competition. Your entry must be shipped to, or dropped off at Hailstorm Brewing Co (Tinley Park, IL), no later than 5:00pm on Friday, October 28th.

All entries will be judged on Saturday, November 5th and the winners will be announced at the afternoon session of Beer Hoptacular later that day. Two (2) complimentary tickets will be held for each competing club at "Will Call".

NOTE: new this year is the opportunity for each participating homebrew club to serve the remainder of their competition beer at Beer Hoptacular. Clubs that choose to participate in this will be provided with a space (including 8' table and 2 chairs) from which to serve their beer and promote their club.

Contact me with any further questions...

Cheers and good luck!
Marty Nachel
BHHBC organizer

Jeff W
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Beer Hoptacular Homebrew Club

Beer Hoptacular Homebrew Club Challenge

Hello, Beer Hoptacular Homebrew Club Challenge participants!

We have a full roster of 20 homebrew clubs from around the greater Chicagoland area -most of whom are returning from previous Beer Hoptacular Challenges.

For 2016, we've opened the competition to allow more club/brewer control over the final product, and, presumably, more creativity. In this year's grain kit you will find 12 lbs. of Canada Malting Superior Pale Ale malt, generously donated by Mid Country Malt Supply/The Country Malt Group.

Reminders:

You may use as much or as little of this grain as you choose, but you may not add any other grains to your recipe. You may alter/manipulate this grain in any way you choose, i.e., toast, roast, smoke, etc. Batch size is not stipulated.

All other non-grain adjuncts and/or flavorings are allowed (no malt extract). The choice of hop varieties and yeast types are all up to the clubs/brewers. Wood aging is welcomed.

Each club must submit (1) six-pack of 12-oz bottles to the competition. Your entry must be shipped to, or dropped off at Hailstorm Brewing Co (Tinley Park, IL), no later than 5:00pm on Friday, October 28th.

All entries will be judged on Saturday, November 5th and the winners will be announced at the afternoon session of Beer Hoptacular later that day. Two (2) complimentary tickets will be held for each competing club at "Will Call".

NOTE: new this year is the opportunity for each participating homebrew club to serve the remainder of their competition beer at Beer Hoptacular. Clubs that choose to participate in this will be provided with a space (including 8' table and 2 chairs) from which to serve their beer and promote their club.

Contact me with any further questions...

Cheers and good luck!
Marty Nachel
BHHBC organizer

Jeff W
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James, I had the grain

James, I had the grain shipped to the brew house under your name. Maybe you and Mike can do this for October's Tuesday Brewsday? Might be a good hook for trial members from Harvest Fest.

And, of course, you and Mike get to represent us at Hoptacular.

Boollish
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October Tuesday brew day is

October Tuesday brew day is pushing time for anything that's not fermented with Fullers yeast, but we can make it on September Tuesday brews day.

I'm thinking to make either an adjunct lager or a wheat-less Gose. The rules stipulate no grains but we could use rice syrup to get something fitting category 1b.

Kyle or Jim or Jeff, what happens to a gose bier without wheat? Would the flavor difference be that noticeable?

ChuckMac
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Rice syrup is considered a

Rice syrup is considered a grain and a no go.

Kyle N
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There's a huge difference

There's a huge difference without wheat, IMO. 

I would be on board for the Lager - it could be BJCP 1B. In fact, I was planning on brewing the day of Sept. Tues Brews, and could rack a lager I have off WLP833. Assuming I didn't infect my batch, we'd have a nice, huge healthy pitch. 

 

 

Jeff W
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I like the lager idea, too. A

I like the lager idea, too. A wheatless gose would be weird and not a gose.

StevenLane
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Stein Bier? We're getting

Stein Bier? We're getting better at it...

Boollish
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Chuck says rice syrup is

Chuck says rice syrup is considered a grain extract and therefore a no-go. Guess we need another source of sugar then. Light candi sugar would probably work just as well.

 

I was planning on taking a share of the grains and cooking it in an oven to make my own "vienna" malt to make a slightly darker, maltier lager. Has anyone actually attempted to do this before?

StevenLane
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I think they have changed the

I think they have changed the rules since Chuck and I competed. I have no recollection of any extra fermentables being allowed outside the grain they give you, but rule #2 leaves the door wide open.

2). You may add herbs, spices and miscellaneous flavoring such as fresh fruits or fruit flavorings, as well as add any fermentable sugars -malt extract, candi syrup, invert sugar, honey, apple juice, molasses, treacle, etc. Oak chips and barrel aging are allowed.

Also, you do not need to use all of the grain they give you...

1). Each competing club must brew its beer using the provided grain only. You may use as much or as little of this grain as you choose, but you may not add any other grains to this bill. You may also alter these grains (toast, roast, smoke, etc.) if you choose.

 

ChuckMac
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They have changed the rules!

They have changed the rules! In the past comps no other fermentables were allowed.
Toasting a pound and roasting another pound and going with some Belgian Candi sugar, ya could do a Belgian Brown.
It really comes down to what grain we get to work with.

Jeff W
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Just got this from Hoptacular

Just got this from Hoptacular:
It has been brought to my attention that there is an error in the rules and regulations.

No brewer/brewclub may use malt extract as part of their beer recipe. Repeat: malt extract is NOT allowed.

Cheers!
Marty

Jeff W
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Just got this from Hoptacular

Just got this from Hoptacular:
It has been brought to my attention that there is an error in the rules and regulations.

No brewer/brewclub may use malt extract as part of their beer recipe. Repeat: malt extract is NOT allowed.

Cheers!
Marty

StevenLane
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Thank goodness, what

Thank goodness, what challenge is there in malt sugaring your way to any style?
You can get the stuff in any color... duh!?!

StevenLane
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STEIN IT!

STEIN IT!

Jeff W
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From Hotacular:

From Hotacular:

Just a reminder to all that Beer Hoptacular takes place three weeks from this coming Saturday...that means your beer must be submitted for judging two weeks from this Friday (October 28th)

 

Please review these pertinent details from this year's Rules & Regulations:

 

 5). Six 12-ounce brown (amber) bottles must be submitted for judging.  All six of the bottles must have a label affixed to them with rubber bands.  Labels must be clearly and completely filled out.  Use this label:  http://www.bjcp.org/docs/SCP_BottleID.pdf

 

6). Competing bottles must be shipped to, or dropped off at, Hailstorm Brewing Co. (see address below) no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, October 28th.   ***NO EXCEPTIONS!!!***

 

7). All competition beers will be judged by Professional and BJCP judges on Saturday morning, November 5th, 2014.  The sole winner will be announced at the Beer Hoptacular Saturday afternoon session.  The judges’ decision is final!

 

 

Hailstorm Brewing Co.

8060 186th St

Tinley Park, IL

60487

ATTN: Beer Hoptacular

 

 

The bottle label can be found here:

 

http://www.bjcp.org/docs/SCP_BottleID.pdf
 

Cheers!

Marty Nachel

 

Jeff W
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CHAOS will officially have a

CHAOS will officially have a booth and will be serving our competition beer at the Hoptacular afternoon session. 

James/Mike, has the beer been bottled? Please note that we have to ship to or drop it off at Hailstorm by next Friday. Also, do both of you plan to man the CHAOS booth?