COMPETITION: Super High Gravity Brewing 2017

[Zorco]

Rev B for final comments all

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High gravity brewing is favoured by many brewers; styles include Russian Imperial Stouts and Barley Wines.

There exists a dimension above these which requires a level of effort, ingredient selection and control that makes for an interesting challenge.

This is the AHB Super High Gravity Brewing Competition. Anyone can enter at any time, their submission is to be peer reviewed by a nominated person listed below and all you need to do is brew within The Rules:

The winning submission will be determined by midnight on the 12th of December each year and all results will be posted on this original post. Your submission must be peer reviewed by at least 1 of the nominated reviewers prior to the 12th.



The Rules:
1: Qualifying ABV ≥20.00%
2: Allowable Ingredients:
2.01:- Water
2.02:- Hops
2.03:- Yeast
2.04:- Barley
2.05:- Wheat
2.06:- Rye
2.07:- Oats
2.08:- Glucose
2.09:- [SPARE]
2.10:- Candi Syrup
2.11:- Water Chemistry Salts
2.12:- Brewing Enzymes
2.13:- Yeast Nutrients
2.14:- Clearing agents (Whirfloc etc)
2.15:- Other Flavour and Aroma Ingredients ≤ 0.5 % by total ingredient mass

3: Final Gravity of beer ≤1039
4: NO partial distillation
5: NO pressure reduction on fermenter
6: NO freezing ferment for ethanol separation
7: Any Safe Yeast Strain permissible
8: Malt based fermentables to contribute a minimum of 67% of your beer's final ABV.
9: ABV to be determined by the brewer if possible otherwise reviewer's results will stand as final.
10: [SPARE]
11: Wort must be created and fermented on a non pro system. Use of a commercial system is not allowable.
12: Brewing method to be included with your submission. Your own AHB blog is a good option.
13: The submission must ultimately be recognisable as beer that is intended to be consumed for enjoyment.



Active participants:
01: Cosdog
02: Yob
03: Manticle
04: Grainer


Nominated ABV Reviewers [2017]:
01: Lyrebird_Cycles [Industry Standard Measurement Technology]
02:
03:


Prize Money [2017]:
$60 for Highest ABV
$40 for Best Beer


Best Super High Gravity Beer Competition [2017]:
Following the exceptional achievements of all the participants, a bottle of each participant's beer may be sent for judging by a nominated beer judge. Aging and conditioning periods are up to the discretion of the participant and their beer may be submitted in any of the following years' competitions.


Results Table [12th December 2017]:
01:

 

[Bribie G]

eis?

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

I'll volunteer to do the ABV measurements for all participants.

I *think* I've found a way to make the "method of differences" work for beer and I will be doing some validation trials as part of this. It looks like I'll have access to an Anton Paar ALEX 500 for the trials, including some super high gravity brews would be useful.

This means I won't be competing.

 

[Yob]

Adjuncts, simple sugars such as dex, Candi Syrup I think should be included, there are definitely benefits in allowing. Should create an allowable ingredients list.

Adjuncts such as corn and rice I feel should be excluded, aim for mostly barley, water, Hops and yeast (sugars aside) should provide a 'level field'

 

[Zorco]

I'll volunteer to do the ABV measurements for all participants.

I *think* I've found a way to make the "method of differences" work for beer and I will be doing some validation trials as part of this. It looks like I'll have access to an Anton Paar ALEX 500 for the trials, including some super high gravity brews would be useful.

This means I won't be competing.

Edit:

Thanks LC

 

[Grainer]

A few initial comments.

1. Having done this before..many times .....maybe you are thinking too high.. these types of beers need 2-3 years to settle out to reach their prime drinkability..maybe try for 15% .. a suggestion.... 15% is still challenging to get right..this should be somewhat drinkable within a year.

Above 20% is a huge investment beer that takes a very long time to ferment out, multiple cultures, feeding regimes etc..that take up to at least 4 months or so before you actually get it to settle in the secondary. If at 15% you may also get more people willing to participate.

Maybe consider 2 ranges.. 15%-20% and a 20%+ category - although I would expect you probably won't see much of the second category.

2. How may people would actually have the facilities or access to a distillation unit, when it can easily be achieved by a dilution in the initial wort, which is also a very sound process to determine OG. People could provide photos of the dilutions if you wish..but I really see no point as regardless I think you have to take peoples word for it as per all competitions. It is better to give them a sound method of quantification that is accessible by all, at least then all beers are measured the same way. Fractional distillation is difficult, time consuming and expensive, unless you are offering this as a service? ..food for thought... (EDIT: when writing this there was only one post!)

3. Eisbock: A simple way to achieve high ABV without really worrying about fermentation.. This is a real easy way to achieve high ABV.. but do you want this as it removes the challenge that you have suggested about fermentability etc.. "There exists a dimension above these which requires a level of effort, ingredient selection and control that makes for an interesting challenge." I take it you are excluding Eisbock from this comment? .. I would agree if you are trying o challenge people Eisbock should be excluded.

4. Brewing Method.. I am doing a 27% Barleywine at the moment the brewing method is about 4 pages long!.. is this practical to include this or better to get the moderators to put up an extra section in the receipes especially for this purpose of Super ABV beers? or perhaps on a personal blog?

5. Enzymes should be allowable, it is a sound method and allows for the much higher beers to ferment out simple sugars.. they also will have different qualities.

6. Adjucts.. I say go to town on that.. what ever you want, provided it is a beer..hmm then what happens when you add honey? It becomes a braggot!

7. Given the huge ABV. I think a 330ml submission is more than enough to judge.

8. If this is in AHB.. "Aussie Home Brewer" I would suggest it must be done by a home brewer.. i.e. not on a commercial system or linked to one.. it should be done in your back yard/shed. If you are commercial it should be done on a home brew the setup and fermented at home etc.. this levels the playing field somewhat.

9. Unsure why you are asking of evidence that you brewed it given here are very low amounts of these on the market. If you are brewing this type of beer I am sure there are people aware you are doing it. Photos don't do much to be honest..and in a thread you will get a heap of confusing posts that jump between receipes..and when someone actually wants to ry a receipe they will be confused by different threads. Maybe a suggestion is each contestant should run a blog on the beer in their profile?

cheers and good luck.

Edit: comment on #2.

 

[Zorco]

Thanks for plenty of info and ideas Grainer!. Will be definitely taking points on board.

1: I'm looking for feedback on target. No worries
2: Distillation only mentioned for the final beer. Not the wort. Too easy. LC has offered to find a solution for final ABV. OG can be whatever, not constrained.
3: yep, eis already away.
4: Yeah, I was thinking just your brewer's log (maybe 4 pages, didn't have that in mind but cool - a blog is a smarter way to go for sure)
5: In
6: Check
7: Agree, LC will advise I'm sure. I imagined 250ml as that's the volume of my round bottom flask for my lab still
8: And that's right of course. I wasn't sure if that would attract enough home brewers and cast wide to start with.
9: In my nature and probably perceived as offensive when verification is what I do in my profession, it was automatic. I'm cool if this drops off if others are.

Really appreciate the time you put in to reply. Would you participate in the comp mate?

 

[Yob]

John, this is all about +20, started in a different thread but it is what it is, %15 issue not a 'real' challenge.


We're testing our limits and I dispute it needs to be aged for years to be good.. Sure, it'll develop and meld, I drink %15 RIS from the FV and it's sensational..

 

[Grainer]

Thanks for plenty of info and ideas Grainer!. Will be definitely taking points on board.

1: I'm looking for feedback on target. No worries
2: Distillation only mentioned for the final beer. Not the wort. Too easy. LC has offered to find a solution for final ABV. OG can be whatever, not constrained.
3: yep, eis already away.
4: Yeah, I was thinking just your brewer's log (maybe 4 pages, didn't have that in mind but cool - a blog is a smarter way to go for sure)
5: In
6: Check
7: Agree, LC will advise I'm sure. I imagined 250ml as that's the volume of my round bottom flask for my lab still
8: And that's right of course. I wasn't sure if that would attract enough home brewers and cast wide to start with.
9: In my nature and probably perceived as offensive when verification is what I do in my profession, it was automatic. I'm cool if this drops off if others are.

Really appreciate the time you put in to reply. Would you participate in the comp mate?

Id consider it.. why not.. but probably wouldn't put in my Barleywine.. every bottle is going under lock and key for about 3 years minimum.

 

[Zorco]

John, this is all about +20, started in a different thread but it is what it is, %15 issue not a 'real' challenge.


We're testing our limits and I dispute it needs to be aged for years to be good.. Sure, it'll develop and meld, I drink %15 RIS from the FV and it's sensational..

Yep, that's right about the ABV target. I'm happy to be open while we are annealing the rules to suit the community.

I would only have my sights on the 20% AVB

This is the thread Yob referred to http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/92530-so-i-fell-asleepduring-a-boil/


I'm going to probably use the wort I've made to get my grounding. The boys here have heaps more high gravity brewing experience than I do so a warm up is a good approach.

 

[Grainer]

knew nothing about another thread..all new to me

 

[Zorco]

Id consider it.. why not.. but probably wouldn't put in my Barleywine.. every bottle is going under lock and key for about 3 years minimum.

It isn't about it being ready to drink mate. You and Yob can cancel that chat. This is about skills to ferment. Whatever you submit is scored on ABV!. What you do to make it magic is totally your call!


This is mainly science and brewing control... And a shit tonne of learning (for me!)

 

[Grainer]

so the point isn't to brew a nice beer..its just to produce as much alcohol as possible? Or am i missing something?

 

[manticle]

knew nothing about another thread..all new to me

See "so I fell asleep.....during a boil'

 

[Grainer]

Tedious but read it.. to give you an idea the receipe I am working on over the last 4-5 months is a 28% All grain without Eisbock etc.. it is all about yeast health and vitality/resurrection. Im not sure if I will be able to get beyond this so this is my target 27-28%ABV.

 

[Zorco]

so the point isn't to brew a nice beer..its just to produce as much alcohol as possible? Or am i missing something?

Yes, in a way. But as I learnt from the boys at the Xmas in July case swap at Winkle's, my barleywine needed age. I immediately brewed an American barleywine and have it under my father in law's house for next year.

I plan to do the same if my super high gravity is ok.


The initial comp is just the ABV.

 

[Zorco]

Tedious but read it.. to give you an idea the receipe I am working on over the last 4-5 months is a 28% All grain without Eisbock etc.. it is all about yeast health and vitality/resurrection. Im not sure if I will be able to get beyond this so this is my target 27-28%ABV.

"Tedious"?

That's the way I roll mang! You're absolutely a welcome contender mate. And please share advice along the way!

AHB had a few grumpy exchanges going on and an essence of tedium was a byproduct of the community environment. But the weather has changed at AHB now and top blokes and brewing awesomeness is raging again!

Now where is my lust for beer emoji in the new iPhone update...

 

[black_labb]

I think there should be a limit on the amount of adjuncts used. Brewing a 1.050 beer and then constantly feeding it dextrose, yeast nutrients and fresh yeast to get it to 20% is probably going to be an easier method but won't really be in the spirit of the challenge. What about limiting unmashed adjuncts to say 30% max of gravity points?

Edit: Actually, what about a minimum gravity that is achieved from malt. You don't want to reach your unmashed adjunct limit and feel that you could have pumped it up a bit stronger.

I'd be interested in entering the comp but won't. I love a good high gravity belgian or RIS as much if not more than the next brewer but I have enough trouble fitting in time to enjoy my 4-6% beers.

 

[Zorco]

Top ideas here. Yob, Grainer, a percentage constraint on Dex won't devastate your approach to super high gravity?

 

[malt junkie]

Oats?