May 2023 competition - American pale ales / IPA

[Nicks90]

Evening all, this months competition is IPA / American pale ales styles.

Judging will take place 3rd to the 4th june depending on how many entries there are, beers should arrive before end of May so they have time to settle before tasting.

As 'IPA' and 'american pale ale' is such a broad church and the bjcp being so flimsy in defining what's what and so many cross overs, I am welcoming anything that's hoppy. So not ruling out IPA's made with some non American hops, or any other to be honest... So if you have a hop bomb IPA, session IPA, dipa, American cream or red ale burning a whole in your cellar, get it sent in.

This months prize will be a 100gm bag of citra hop pellets
PM me for an address if you have an entry!
Please also state if you have specific serving temps and I will try to accommodate them, otherwise it will be served at 10c which is what my cellar is currently.

Good luck everyone

 

[Nicks90]

Slight alteration, judging will now be 10th+11th June due to some inconsiderate sod having their wedding the weekend I was planning on doing it

 

[SMP Brewery]

I have just this minute kegged a NEIPA which I should be able to send out on the 5th if it’s any good. Would that be OK?

 

[Nicks90]

Yeah that's super, send it in. Pm me for the address

 

[Nottsbeer]

Hi Nick, I've just popped. Rye IPA in the post, plus a bonus bottle of my Belgium Dubble. Enjoy I guess they won't arrive until around Weds.

 

[dave_77]

I have a American pale for this one.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

A bit late to the party but I have a couple I'd like to put forward if you can PM me your address please?

 

[Nicks90]

A bit late to the party but I have a couple I'd like to put forward if you can PM me your address please?

Replied mate. Sorry was spending a couple of days camping with no phone signal!
Does good to disconnect once every so often

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Replied mate. Sorry was spending a couple of days camping with no phone signal!
Does good to disconnect once every so often

No problem. Yep, good to get away from it ALL every now and then

 

[Nicks90]

Hi Nick, I've just popped. Rye IPA in the post, plus a bonus bottle of my Belgium Dubble. Enjoy I guess they won't arrive until around Weds.

just got them in the post.
the dubbel is in the fridge settling and will get sampled this weekend if thats ok?

the other is in the cellar at circa 12C waiting for the big night!

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

My efforts are in the post today

 

[SMP Brewery]

Bit late sorting mine out, I’ll get it in the post tomorrow.

 

[Nicks90]

last chance to get your entries in for this months competition - judging will be next weekend!

 

[Nicks90]

smp and benfleet - bottles all arrived safely!

 

[Nicks90]

And we have a winner!

After a very pleasant weekend of sitting about in the sun and BBQing everything in sight, i had a couple of the beers on Saturday night and the remaining on Sunday night.

Standout beer for this month was @Benfleet Brewery with his "S&C APA"
Congratulations on producing an absolutely cracking beer and you thoroughly deserve a bag of Citra. Would also love to have you post up the recipe on here for others to see/use.

Honourable mention goes to @Nottsbeer for the bottle of Dubbel he sent with his Rye IPA entry. Was scrummy, but obviously didnt judge it.
I will send out comments and marks to each entrant via PM

 

[Nicks90]

I hope @Benfleet Brewery doesnt mind, but I am going to share my scoring comments on his winning beer - it really was good

S+C APA - THE WINNER!!!!!
Aroma: 10/12 - light, fragrant well balanced initial hit of aroma, which carried on throughout the whole pint. Become more complex and pleasurable as the beer warmed up towards room temp
Appearance: 10/12 - beautifully clear and bright, head was small and compact, but head retention was good and nearly laced down the whole glass
Taste: 10/12 Crisp, clean, balanced, no one flavour overpowered the other and it was a beautiful pint of beer. Bitterness was spot on. easy to identify all the elements used in the brew
Finish: 10/12 The maltiness wasnt overpowered by the hops and you got a distinctive yeast profile, you could taste all of the elements from start to finish and it left a very pleasant clean after taste
Overall: 40/44
Notes: very bright and clean and smooth beer, really well balanced. Excellent level of carbonation and head retention. Hop profile worked really well with the malt and yeast profile to give a really balanced level of bitterness and flavours - leaving a refreshing aftertaste.

 

[Nottsbeer]

Congratulations @Benfleet Brewery

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Well, I didn’t expect that reaction. I do enjoy my own beers but even after brewing for a few years now it always amazes me when others do too. I’m made up with this particularly because I know the standard of beer made by people on this forum makes the competition so high. The comments are so flattering, thank you.
Just in case anyone is interested in the recipe, here goes:

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Simcoe and Citra Blonde Ale

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Blonde Ale
Boil Time: 45 min
Batch Size: 23 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 27.4 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.036
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.041
Final Gravity: 1.008
ABV (standard): 4.31%
IBU (tinseth): 31.71
SRM (morey): 4.51
Mash pH: 5.59

FERMENTABLES:
3.5 kg - Extra Pale Ale Malt (81.4%)
250 g - Torrified Wheat (5.8%)
250 g - Cara Malt (5.8%)
300 g - Light Munich Malt (7%)

HOPS:
5 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 5.11
20 g - Citra, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 12, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 9.9
20 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 12.25
20 g - Citra, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 12, Use: Boil for 2 min, IBU: 2.31
15 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 2 min, IBU: 2.14
20 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
0.25 each - Campden Tablet, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
5 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
3 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
3 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
2 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge

YEAST:
Crossmyloof Brew - Five
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 78%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 17.22 - 27.78 C
Fermentation Temp: 19 C

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: American Blonde
Ca2: 143
Mg2: 10
Na: 52
Cl: 86
SO4: 200
HCO3: 100

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Strike, Start Temp: 68 C, Target Temp: 66 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 18.74 L
2) Sparge, Start Temp: 76 C, Target Temp: 76 C, Time: 15 min, Amount: 13.39 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 2.8 L/kg
Starting Grain Temp: 18 °C

WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Strike water volume at mash thickness of 2.8 L/kg
(includes 6.7 L addition), 18.7L
Mash volume with grains, 21.6L
Grain absorption losses, -4.3L
Remaining sparge water volume, 13L
Pre boil volume, 27.4L
Boil off losses, -3L
Hops absorption losses (first wort, boil, aroma), -0.4L
Post boil Volume, 24L
Kettle losses, -1L
Going into fermentor, 23L

Total Water Needed: 31.7L

 

[Mash Monster]

Well, I didn’t expect that reaction. I do enjoy my own beers but even after brewing for a few years now it always amazes me when others do too. I’m made up with this particularly because I know the standard of beer made by people on this forum makes the competition so high. The comments are so flattering, thank you.
Just in case anyone is interested in the recipe, here goes:

HOME BREW RECIPE:
Title: Simcoe and Citra Blonde Ale

Brew Method: All Grain
Style Name: Blonde Ale
Boil Time: 45 min
Batch Size: 23 liters (fermentor volume)
Boil Size: 27.4 liters
Boil Gravity: 1.036
Efficiency: 70% (brew house)

STATS:
Original Gravity: 1.041
Final Gravity: 1.008
ABV (standard): 4.31%
IBU (tinseth): 31.71
SRM (morey): 4.51
Mash pH: 5.59

FERMENTABLES:
3.5 kg - Extra Pale Ale Malt (81.4%)
250 g - Torrified Wheat (5.8%)
250 g - Cara Malt (5.8%)
300 g - Light Munich Malt (7%)

HOPS:
5 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 20 min, IBU: 5.11
20 g - Citra, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 12, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 9.9
20 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 10 min, IBU: 12.25
20 g - Citra, Type: Leaf/Whole, AA: 12, Use: Boil for 2 min, IBU: 2.31
15 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Boil for 2 min, IBU: 2.14
20 g - Simcoe, Type: Pellet, AA: 13.5, Use: Dry Hop for 5 days

OTHER INGREDIENTS:
0.25 each - Campden Tablet, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
5 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
0.25 each - Campden Tablets, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
3 ml - Lactic acid, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge
3 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Mash
2 g - Gypsum, Type: Water Agt, Use: Sparge

YEAST:
Crossmyloof Brew - Five
Starter: No
Form: Dry
Attenuation (avg): 78%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Temp: 17.22 - 27.78 C
Fermentation Temp: 19 C

TARGET WATER PROFILE:
Profile Name: American Blonde
Ca2: 143
Mg2: 10
Na: 52
Cl: 86
SO4: 200
HCO3: 100

MASH GUIDELINES:
1) Strike, Start Temp: 68 C, Target Temp: 66 C, Time: 60 min, Amount: 18.74 L
2) Sparge, Start Temp: 76 C, Target Temp: 76 C, Time: 15 min, Amount: 13.39 L
Starting Mash Thickness: 2.8 L/kg
Starting Grain Temp: 18 °C

WATER REQUIREMENTS:
Strike water volume at mash thickness of 2.8 L/kg
(includes 6.7 L addition), 18.7L
Mash volume with grains, 21.6L
Grain absorption losses, -4.3L
Remaining sparge water volume, 13L
Pre boil volume, 27.4L
Boil off losses, -3L
Hops absorption losses (first wort, boil, aroma), -0.4L
Post boil Volume, 24L
Kettle losses, -1L
Going into fermentor, 23L

Total Water Needed: 31.7L

Well done impressive score

 

[Leon103]

In keeping with rhe usual standard, do we have a top 3?