2026 AL Homebrewer’s Cup

Has come and gone with no jewelry again. Entered Little Sausages and HOLD FAST! with the steam style ultimately doing better. My Vienna gutted a 29 with notes of more complex malt profile and a more drying yeast even though FG was 1.007. Seems pretty dried out to me. HF! toed the line at 34 needing a smidge more NW hop profile. This I figured would be the case but thought those scores would be reversed? Either way both were noted to have clean fermentation profiles so maybe I’ll start bittering HF! with Perle and saving NW for later additions. Alas, my home state is becoming more difficult than all others to medal in. I’ve noticed it’s becoming easier to medal in larger comps with more of the same style than in smaller ones where they may be lumped into general categories ( ie “pale or amber” whatever) where related beers are judged against each other. 

Brew Batch #208 Little Sausages in a Can

Coming in a smidge lighter "abv-wise" than the first batch with FG 1.008-0.001 @52F giving a 4.86%. For the style however, it's almost dead middle. Seems to have a good clear drop from being outside a week during a nice cold snap, but I'll need to make use of Whirfloc moving forward. It's headed for the 2026 AL Homebrewer's Cup. Wish us luck. 

Brew Batch #208 Little Sausages in a Can

 

Since Winter Storm Fern is barreling her way through the Southeast, let's keep the brew day going with some well missed Vienna? Kegged HOLD FAST! this morning, so we went ahead and mashed in on Little Sausages. OG 1.044 +0.00@69F as we pitch a monstrous amount of WL830 on it to chew.  The goal for this year is to brew 20 batches as 25' wasn't a brew friendly year at Beat-12. 

Brew Batch #207 HOLD FAST!

FG came in a bit lower than the last batch but is more in line with the style 1.006+0.00 @64F to make a soft sipping 4.5%. Snatched that thick 1st gen yeast cake off and have it ready for Cherrywood Baltic Porter to come. Funny, thanks to Winter Storm Fern, all I had to do was keg it and put it on the back porch for cold storage and carbing. 

Brew Batch #207 HOLD FAST!

With the 2026 AL Homebrewer's Cup fast approaching, we at Beat-12 want to represent well. So, our quaffable steam style will be on display. OG 1.040+0.000 @67F, which is line with the last batch that yielded a nice 5.4% Anchor nod. HOLD FAST! beer's acoming. 

Brew Batch #206 Drink Me Potion

Drink Me Potion was a bit of a letdown. Unbeknownst to me, GoodBelly changed their proprietary blend away from a heavier L. Bacillus load to a more "prebiotic" mix (whatever DE-111 is). This is turn did not sour the beer effectively nor enough after even 42 hours as 90+F temps. So after all the toiling with puréed blueberries/blackberries, it turned out more like an "off" wheat beer 😐. (Ultimately batch 1 was a dumper, as an update). I think the process was still good, from the 10-minute boil all the way through the edible glitter, just not the twang as past batches. FG 1.010+0.001 @57F for 4.3% (not sure the mega 001 pitch gobbled it up very well either)

Brew Batch #206 Drink Me Potion

It's been since Fidel's Sweat that we conjured up a sour, so what better time than Halloween to knock out another one. I love these recipes simply because pasteurization is really the only thing needed; however, I did let it boil for about 10 mins to allow a good hot break. I'm hoping a good dose of Good Belly mango gets it to a decent sour note. For this one we honor Alice in Wonderland. Drink Me Potion had an OG 1.042+0.000 @66F, inoculated @ approx. 110F. I'm hoping a mega pitch of 001 courtesy of CBB chews it on down to the Impy level for a Berliner. Then the real DMF begins. Let's put it on a few pounds of blueberry/raspberry puree and some edible silver glitter! Should have a nice blue to purple hue that sparkles for the kids.