2019 Grim Reaper Challenge

Tried my hand at my first ID medal and couldn't make it work. Nonetheless, it was a well run competition with great communication from the organizer Bill Baer. I was one of 17 brewers from Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Oregon and of course Alabama with 34 entries. Haven't gotten scoresheets yet but my long distance effort did yield a sweet Salmonid logo'd hat that I will gladly sport like I'm on the spawn. I'll give this one a "go" again next year especially if they drop entry requirements to only 2 bottles. (update: KeeWeePee 31, Octohop 35, not bad all in all)

2019 Hoppy Halloween Challenge XXII

A monster of a competition held in Fargo, ND put on by the Prairie Homebrewing Companions. This well oiled machine had 521 entries with KeeWeePee and Taking a Dunkels as two of them from Beat-12 Brewing Co, Saban Spit from Formation Brewing Co (of which I am half) and Come Sail Away from One True Bine. My first time entering this comp was 2017 with Ikigai (32.5) which oddly enough is on my short brewing horizon right now (spolier). RP@OTB snagged 36 on his mojito blonde while Saban Spit chewed up a 37.5 bronze! I guess that heat was just right as compared to his NSBO beer. Then in a mind awing shocker as I happened to stir in bed this morning at 12:30 and realize scores may actually be posted when a competition said they would be, there it was Taking a Dunkels 30! and KeeWeePee 40 min-BOS and gold. Again, this was one of the most well-run comps from communication about deadlines, to changes in delivery locations and receipt of OK entries. Win or lose, I couldn't ask for a more well-run event. Even though I can mark ND off the map, I may take a swing at a silver next year. 

2019 Old Forge Big Beer and Odd Ale

The adage, "You get what you pay for" fits this comp like a round peg. A BJCP 2015 guidelines comp that needed only delivery to certain addresses per the AHA website to be considered for qualified judging. Email the competition director and let them know if there is anything BIG or ODD about your ale to be put in those categories. I entered Sgt Poo (aka War Dank Eagle's Daddy) and Elvis Snacks. The "awards" were to be up sometime on 10/6 at least ($50, $25 +/- some plaques), but I had to email the comp director to yield a non-public Facebook page. Keep in mind this comp was limited to 50 entries only; however, there were only 20 participants, judges(4) and stewards. Score sheets finally arrived ten days later and had been filled out by drunken first graders with pencils who's stewards (if there were any) inverted my labels upon presenting them to the judges so that they were looking for dank in Elvis and banana, PB and cacao in my NEIPA? John, my national judge, even noted the chocolate in my porter and Ken took the time to write, "Is there actually peanut butter and cocoa in this" at the top of my NEIPA score sheet. So ultimately you spend money to send beer to Ken and Millie Carman for them to sit around like Good'ens and drink/score your beer "with Trolls" as the note said inside the received packet. What a monstrous waste of time and why would the AHA allow comp like this to be posted on their website? I should have known when I was told one of the shipping addresses sometimes didn't know what was going on with regards to receiving of the entries that I should have bailed. Should have sent them to Hans or 32nd So Cal competition where they can actually sort and manage a 6 pack of entries. And hell no, nothing's been posted yet!

Brew Batch #132 Jake's Juice v2.2

I had to go back and figure out why this was my version 2.2. So the 2.0 started with my AG conversion (McNally years), 2.1 was AG with water chemistry changes to match Köln then finally 2.2 I took the honey out and subbed more honey malt. This batch is also on Wyeast 2565 because this yeast seems to be more powdery and gives a more kölsch feel to the beer (though Jake preferred 1010 due to it's crisper finish and attenuation). I guess in essence this is more of a true kölsch because there's no honey and I had to sub Mt Hood on the fly. Maybe I should rename this batch Frank's Juice at this point, yeesh! FG 1.006-0.001@55F for a smooth sippin' 4.8% Even put it on some gelatin. 

2019 Delafield Brewhaus Schnapp Hans Cup

In an odd twist of comps, this one was not going to be able to have their awards ceremony on 10/26 at the Brewhaus so when judging concluded the comp director posted the scores and literally 24 hours later emailed the score sheets. Talk about efficient. So with 161 entries, I waded in with Sergeant Poo (aka War Dank Eagle's Daddy), End Chapter and Octohop. I mainly entered this comp because I have yet to get a darn thing in the state of WI and the medals are sweet ass! Plus there was of course the pull of the nice silver brew cup and ramp up at a pro brewery. But alas, WI is just as aloof as MN. Poo (21B7)  grabbed 37, End Chapter (11A) 36 and Octohop did much better in 22A with 35 than it's last attempt in the hazy category. Even with good feedback and decent scores, no Schnapp Hans bling. But I do plan on entering this one again next year fo sho'! Pics of medals and winners here. 

Brew Batch #132 Jake's Juice v2.2

The only batch brewed almost as much as Reinke's returns as I attempt to perfect it. But to my surprise I had no Vanguard hops, so Mt Hood was subbed on the fly. I also used Wyeast 2565 for as much kolsch character as I could get. Jake enjoys the American 1010 strain but I had to go for the authentic version of this recipe. OG 1.042+0.00@71F. 

Brew Batch #131 KeeWeePee

In an attempt to quash the under pitch quandary, I revisited this mid to upper 30s 1st place winner and attempted to decrease the abv a touch. BUT with an over night mash and a little bump in BE I still ended up with 6.2%. FG 1.002-0.001@55F