The Golden Can Opener, Competition Discussion

[chiller]

Many good ideas, and some not so good germinate with the spontaneity of a wild yeast in a fermentation assistants kitchen -- or as in this case over a glass or two of "The Knowledge"

I have often toyed with the idea of where kit brewing needs to go in the future so about two years ago a couple of my close friends and I formulated the idea of a kit only national competition. A very serious endevour considering the complexity and diversity of approach taken by many here on this list.

At the outset I need to be up front and confess two things -- [1] This is only a proposal for discussion and [2] My lack of knowledge of making kit beers is legendary so most of what I have to contribute can be held in a very small bag.

Anyway here goes.

The guidelines for any competition would need to be very strict. This is a skills based comp that will certainly identify those able to adhere to the stricture of such a tight request.

Cans only no bags

Manufacturers additions only no fancy bits.

And regardless, the yeast supplied with the product.

Probably 3 categories -- and these would need to be based on finished beer colour Light, Medium and Dark

Because kit beers are unlike any other form of beer making, and I do understand this is a bit prejudicial this comp should not be open to partials and certainly not All grain beers.

I'll leave this open for discussion, as I indicated I'm unable to offer any help getting this to krausen but if you shake it long enough and try some good natured heat through discussion I'm certain it will be ready for bottling one day.

With the right commitment this has the potential to explode as a national comp.

Steve

 

[Adamt]

I think the main hurdle to overcome will be enforcing the necessarily strict ingredient rules, especially as these beers will be brewed in the privacy of the competitor's home.

What cans will be allowed? What about unhopped extract? Is part-volume or full-volume boiling allowed? What about hops? Specialty grains? These decisions need to be made (and can be made, this isn't the problem), but how will these rules be enforced?

 

[Jazman]

Good idea chiller a strict rules so where temp control and sanitation skills will be very important a good starting point for all new brewers and a chance to see who can ferment the best

 

[Leigh]

All the kits I've bought contain two yeasts...one under the lid of the concentrate, and the other loose in the box...

The idea has great merit, but I think the rules will have to be quite thorough and not open to interpretation. Honesty is going to play a large part in this too!

 

[dr K]

What styles would you be looking at?
Being a National Comp then I would imagine that you include the full gamut of styles available in kit form throughout this wide brown land.
Having established what styles were available to be entered then I guess you would need to suggest some style guidelines, the BJCP being the most common would be an excellent start.
Then I guess you might need some judges (this after all is a National Comp so you would want some reasonable judges for without some credence to the judging the results may be held to be worthless in which case its possibly not worth doing.)
Back to styles, should the beers be entered according the label on the can, If I , for example felt that my fully kitted out Bavarian Pilsener was in fact much more an American Lager then could I enter it as such??
Oh I would be happy to brew a Bi-Lo Jay-Lo Mars Bar Beer and enter by the way and given certain geographic and time constraints may even be available to judge.

K

 

[Fatgodzilla]

I have often toyed with the idea of where kit brewing needs to go in the future so about two years ago a couple of my close friends and I formulated the idea of a kit only national competition. A very serious endevour considering the complexity and diversity of approach taken by many here on this list.

Up there for thinking but you are setting yourself up there for a potentially big job.

Suggestion - tack this on to an existing beer competition eg Tanunda Show and use those results as your results. There are plenty of shows out there who might appreciate the extra entries.

 

[pint of lager]

There are kits, and then there are better kits.

Any decent HBS will have a range of premium kits such as the Brewcraft ultra range, Muntons premium, ESB 3kg tins and Country Brewer Xtract. These have a decent dried yeast under the lid, are all malt and contain hop pellets. The paint tin style don't even need a can opener, just a screw driver to pop the lid. Then, many HBS make up their own kits that contain LME, isohops for bittering, specialty grains, flavour and aroma hops and need a boil on the stove in a pot. They are really extract plus bits style brewing.

These kits will make an all malt beer and it is going to be hard for the Bi-lo kit and kilo to compete against them.

 

[SteveSA]

Up there for thinking but you are setting yourself up there for a potentially big job.

Suggestion - tack this on to an existing beer competition eg Tanunda Show and use those results as your results. There are plenty of shows out there who might appreciate the extra entries.

I agree - adding it to an existing comp would be the way to go but at a national level. It could be set up as a category all of it's own and separate to the rest of the comp. Much in the same way the Mash Paddle has been incorporated into the ANAWBS comp but is still separate to the core categories selected for that year. It could be set up as an exclusive Best Kit Beer in Australia category all of it's own.

Maybe Wee Stu would be willing to put it to the ANAWBS committee?

Question though... if you carry the tin from the shop in a bag does that qualify as a BIAB - effectively disqualifying your entry?

Steve

 

[staggalee]

Good point.
Technically yes, it would
Better to take a cardboard box with you.

stagga.

 

[petesbrew]

If it's a K&K competition, here's a few of questions worth asking

1. can you use any steeped grain? If so, how much as a maximum?
2. what additions can you add? eg, hop teabags, sugar, honey, etc?
3. what yeast can you use? Are you limited to the supplied kit yeast, or can you go all out and use liquid?
again, it's down to honesty of each brewer.

not a bad idea though...

 

[chiller]

Good point.
Technically yes, it would
Better to take a cardboard box with you.

stagga.

Sorry Stagga,

I think the Kyoto protocol insists "by hand".

If Wee Stu is about maybe he could look at it : :icon_drunk:

 

[staggalee]

10/4

stagga.

 

[chimera]

I don't know about the current state of competitions, but at least one AHB award recipe book I have does list best kit as a category.

Perhaps the defining difference would be whether the brewer has mashed grain, or whether they have used all pre-converted ingredients like crystal malts and extracts. Aside from that, if rules stated basic kits only, included yeast, limited specialty grain and fresh hops IMHO it would be a waste of time. bit like an able bodied person cutting off a leg to compete in handicap races.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Maybe find your self a sponsor and limit the comp to their kits and supplied ingredients..

eg Muntons and the only things you are allowed to include as ingredients are the things that atually come with a Muntons tin of goo style kit... OR

if you wanted to be a little more creative...then it could be for instance Coopers and you must base the recipe around a coopers "kit" tin of some description and you can only add as extras Coopers branded homebrew products.

It starts to sound a little commercial.. but I'm thinking of the branding/sponsor thing only as a way of more tightly limiting the ingredients to a certain subset of those possible.

It would have to be Brewers Code on the enforcement though... but its Brewers Code that (mostly) stops people entering a re-bottled Rochefort 10 in the belgian strong dark section at AABC or whatever, so why would it be any different here?

Thirsty

 

[wee stu]

I agree - adding it to an existing comp would be the way to go but at a national level. It could be set up as a category all of it's own and separate to the rest of the comp. Much in the same way the Mash Paddle has been incorporated into the ANAWBS comp but is still separate to the core categories selected for that year. It could be set up as an exclusive Best Kit Beer in Australia category all of it's own.

Maybe Wee Stu would be willing to put it to the ANAWBS committee?

Steve

Sadly, it is now too late in the day to organise a new class for this year's ANAWBS.

However, we do ask entrants to identify the manner in which they have brewed their beer - at least to the extent of full mash, partial, modified kits and unmodified kits.

A special prize - with its own prestigious trophy - is given to the highest scoring kit based beer of show. Best kit beer in a nationally focussed show is something in itself to claim bragging rights for, I would say.

In previous years we have held kit based only classes, but have moved away from this in recent years as the number of entrants in such classes seemed to be in decline.

As a national and open comp ANAWBS invites entries from all interested amateur beer makers.

Watch this space for announcement of ANAWBS 2008 classes and the relaunch of our website.