Where Does A Red Ipa "fit" In Bjcp Guidelines?

[Weizguy]

Who is brewing for shiny baubles? All I wanted to know was if entering slightly out of style was the done thing or not so I could get some feedback on my beer. I think it's very good, but I'd like someone with a better and more experienced pallate than mine to have a crack at it and hopefully agree with me or at least point out what's wrong with it.

In any case, I did not enter any beers in the ESB comp, because the ones I have that are on style I'm not happy with. I will wait for the state comp before losing my competition virginity.

Cheers,

FB

Hey FB, I am one of the judges for the State Comp. Out-of-style beers will still be given relevant feedback, but based on the category entered. The more relevant feedback will be in the overall impression part of the feedback form, and will let you know if the beer was highly drinkable or flawed in some way. Often, if time permits, judges have been known to effuse with enthusiam if they truly enjoy a beer, and occasionally leave their contact details in case a full bottle or more is available for home use.

I believe that's what happens when you put your beer into a show.

How do you judge the merits of a beer? Your idea of a great beer and mine are most likely totally different.

Tooheys new and the like are likely to win the Aussie Lager swill category because that's what they are...

We have a set of written style guidelines, and personal experience to help us judge beers objectively. Judges are individuals and that's why we have two judges for each beer: to allow you to get a couple of unique points of view on your unique beer, but all under the umbrella of the BJCP beer style guidelines, in this case.

Beerz
Seth

 

[katzke]

bjcp scoreing

Good (21 - 29): Misses the mark on style and/or minor flaws.


as I posted earlier, if colour is the only style deviation you'll go ok. But you've put yourself behind the 8 ball slightly. and of course depending on what grain you've used to get your colour it may throw some other 'not to style' flavours in which case if detected you'll loose marks on flavour and aroma as well as overall impression.

now this isnt to say dont enter the beer. by all means enter it. plenty of people enter a beer in more than 1 category even if it doesnt exactly match style. Every point counts in a tightly contested category (esp one like IPA).

Good luck.

Is this not where a beer out of style will fit? If it is not in the style guidlines because of color, it is not to style. I know Judges have answered this, however I doubt very much if a beer not to color will only get 1 point deducted. The only way a red IPA would win in the APA or IPA category is if the other beers were undrinkable.

I had judges taste a perfect Black IPA (not cascadia dark ale) and they thought it was a hoppy Porter because it was black. My wife will not drink Porters, so I know it was not a hoppy Porter.

If you want to get good feedback on your beer, join a brew club or take it into your brew supplier and ask them to taste it. If that does not work I am sure you can find other ways to get feedback from quailfied tasters. Even entering it in the other category will get you feedback. You may do better if you have oit there as they will not judge it against the wrong category.

 

[Parks]

Is this not where a beer out of style will fit? If it is not in the style guidlines because of color, it is not to style. I know Judges have answered this, however I doubt very much if a beer not to color will only get 1 point deducted. The only way a red IPA would win in the APA or IPA category is if the other beers were undrinkable.

Not to style in one section doesn't make the whole beer not to style.

 

[Parks]

We have a set of written style guidelines, and personal experience to help us judge beers objectively. Judges are individuals and that's why we have two judges for each beer: to allow you to get a couple of unique points of view on your unique beer, but all under the umbrella of the BJCP beer style guidelines, in this case.

Sorry mate, my comment was directed at those who are arguing against the BJCP style guidelines.

It was meant to read: if you don't want to judge a beer by the BJCP guidelines how would you like it judged, and how do you propose you score across all different beer types.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

why does one aspect thats outside the guidelines make a beer "out of style" and worth a score in the twenties? It just doesn't.

Out of style is for someone who does something like enter an american wheat into the hefe category. yeah its a wheat beer, yeah its well brewed, but it aint no hefe. No, yeast, no cloves, no banana... It fails to display the characteristics of the style, therefore its out of style.

A bit darker than style is nothing like that and a judge who knocked a beer more than a point or two for that level of style missing is just a twerp. Sure if its black and it should be blonde, then the entrant is an ***** and deserves a score as such, but if its copper instead of amber.. FFS, its ding it a point and get on with it.

Besides, if you fail to actually call it a "Red" IPA, how many judges do you think are going to even really notice that thats what it is?

I've won trophies with beers that were significantly out of colour range for Style - and bitterness - and OG - and FG - and abv and most other things too. The judges dont have a photospectrometer, the worst they have is an ability to mutter "hmmm, that looks a bit dark"

 

[Fat Bastard]

Thanks again for the helpful feedback folks!

Just going through the NSW comp categories and the BJCP guidelines for each and it looks like the closest fit for my Red IPA would be in 13.3 Imperial IPA, but I'm at 18 ish SRM which is over the guideline for colour (15 SRM at the top end)

Specs are as follows:

Original Gravity (OG): 1.083 (P): 20.0
Final Gravity (FG): 1.018 (P): 4.6
Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 8.48 %
Colour (SRM): 18.2 (EBC): 35.9
Bitterness (IBU): 124.1 (Rager)

So do I enter in 13.3 and risk getting pinged and/or annoying the judges or 18.7 Other Specialty and go up against some weird and wonderful creations?

And indeed, I'm taking this one to my first club meet on Saturday night.

Cheers,

FB.

 

[vortex]

Enter it and see what happens. Next time you brew it, brew it differently to fix the colour, you already know that's one area that needs improvement - and you will hopefully also have some other meaningful feedback from impartial judges in other areas that need improvement.

Don't worry about it so much, it's not like you're entering a dry stout in the IPA category What's the worst that can happen?