My BJCP Classes Have Begun

Last Wednesday was my first BJCP class.  I've been so busy with other things lately that, frankly, it kind of snuck up on me.  I didn't get as much pre-class studying done as I would have liked, so hopefully I'll be able to keep up and do well on the October exam. 

I'm still on the waiting list for the exam, but I believe I have a good chance of getting in, since I'm not too far down on the waiting list.  The agonizing part is that, after testing, it can take 4-6 months (possibly longer) to get my results back.  That's a long time to wait to find out how well I did. 

The October exam will also be the last one given in the current format, which consists of a three-hour written exam along with four different beer taste-tests, which are brought out in half-hour intervals after the first hour and a half of the exam.  So it's important to pace yourself well, and be prepared to take a 10-15 minute 'break' from the written test to evaluate each beer brought out to you. 

In part because getting results takes so long, the BJCP is changing up the format of the exam starting next year.  In the new format, the written portion of the test can be taken online, while the tasting portion of the test must be scheduled at a differnt time, and of course in-person.  Since the new format online test will basically amount to an open-book test, it will be setup so that you have to answer each question quickly (i.e. No time to go 'look up' the answers).  Also, with the new format, 'Recognized' is the highest level you can achieve, even if you score a perfect 100 on the written test.  In the current format, it's possible (though unlikely unless you're just that good) to score a 'Master' rank right out of the gate if you do well enough on the written and tasting portions of the exam. 

It's too early for me to say how I feel I'll do on the exam, but I'm going to be studying hard and looking forward to the practice test we'll have later on in my class.  Week 1 of the class was a basic introduction, including judging procedures, a discussion of malting grains, and we tasted/evaluated some Light Lagers (Style Caterory 1) and Pilsners (Style Category 2). 

This weeks class will focus on preparing better beer scoresheets, the beer faults checklist (what causes 'off' flavors in beer and how to remedy them in the brewing & fermatation process), and we'll be tasting/evaluating some European Amber Lagers (Style Category 3), and some Dark Lagers (Style Category 4). 

We've only just begun and there's a long way to go.  So please excuse me if my posting slows down a bit in the next month or two.  I'll be busy studying all of the material.  Or, who knows, I may find that posting more about what I'm studying each week could help me retain more of the information as I pass it along to you.  I'll have to wait and see. 

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there. 

Brewing An IPA For A Competition

Brewing is an art, and all art has critics. Beer is no exception. Of course, just like art, the way a beer is perceived can vary from person to person. Our taste buds are unique; we don't all experience flavors in exactly the same way. So, when brewing an IPA that must appeal to the masses, what type of malt and hop profile do I shoot for? Do I want more Earthy/Piney hop character or would a more grapefruit/citrusy hop aroma and flavor win over more people? Shuld the hops fully dominate, or do I want a more balanced IPA with a slightly sweet malt character to compliment the hops?

These are the types of things I must consider when crafting my latest IPA recipe; since this beer will be for a competition. However, this will be a non AHA/BJCP-Sanctioned competition. That makes a difference. Why?

BJCP Certified judges must adhere to a strict set of rules when judging in an AHA/BJCP-Sanctioned competition. A beer cannot be judged on personal taste or simply how well you 'like' it over another entry. Each beer in an AHA/BJCP-Sanctioned competition is judged on its own merit by a specific set of criteria and how close the entry comes to meeting the definitions of the particular style category the beer was entered into for each of those criteria.

Also, in an AHA/BJCP-Sanctioned competition, there can be no style variations. For example, you could not enter, for example, an Imperial IPA or a Lavender IPA into the IPA category as defined by BJCP. Imperial has its own separate category and using Lavender would place any entry in the 'Specialty Beer' category, since it would not meet the 'classic' definition of an IPA.

In the competition I'll be entering, there are no such restrictions. Want to make a Cotton-Candy IPA? Go for it. How about an Oaked Honey IPA? That'd work too. So I also need to decide if I'll make a more traditional IPA for this competition, or if I'll get a bit more creative and add one or more special or unusual ingredients.

I'm planning to brew the IPA sometime this weekend, however, so I need to make my decisions and finalize my recipe soon. If I manage to win the competition, my IPA will likely become one of the very first beers to be brewed by the Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery, which is pretty exciting. So wish me luck!

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

IPA Spring Is In The Air

Spring is here (at least on the calendar that is; you wouldn't know it around here by looking or going outside!)  And Spring means IPAs.  I'm a huge IPA fan, so I always love a good IPA, and right now they're in abundance around Seattle.  Here are threee local happenings that highlight IPAs and the northwests Love of them.

Cooper's Alehouse 9th Annual IPA Fest: - April 8 - 29 (8065 Lake City Way NE, Seattle)
If you're a regular reader, then you already know about Cooper's IPA Fest.  64 IPAs will be rotating on Cooper's taps from the start of the event back on April 8th, through April 29th.  For a few reviews and the full list of all the IPAs that either have been on, are on now or will be on during the fest, look HERE. 

Beer Valley Brewing IPAs featured at Brouwer's Cafe: (Brouwer's: 400 N 35th St, Seattle - Beer Valley: - 937 SE 12th Ave, Ontario, OR)
Today only, April 13th, Beer Valley Brewing's head brewer, Pete Ricks, will be on hand to enjoy with you three IPAs from Beer Valley: Rosebud IPA, Leafer Madness Double IPA and Black Madness Double Black IPA.  At only $4 each, you can easily afford to come on down and try 'em all.

Brouwer's also, of course, has plenty of other great beers on tap, including these other IPAs:
-Avery Majaraja Double IPA
-Skagit River Gospel IPA

And the following barleywines currently on tap, if you're still in a barleywine mood:
-Stone Old Guardian '08
-Stone Old Guardian '10
-Hood Canal Breidablik '10
-Mad River Wheatwine '08
-Mad River john Barley Corn '07
-Hales Rudyard's Rare '07
-Elliott Bay Barleywine '10
-Diamond Knot Icebreaker '09
-Stone Belgo Barleywine '10
-Moylan's Old Blarney '10
-Laurelwood Old Reliable '10
-Marin Old Dispsea '10
-Sierra Nevada Bigfoot '08
-Big Sky Old Blue Hair '10
-Lagunitas Gnarleywine '10
-Big Time Bill's Bearded Wonderfulness '10
-Full Sail Old Board Head '08

IPA Throwdown at Full Throttle Bottles: (5909 Airport Way S, Seattle)
Take 8 different IPAs from Washington, Oregon and California and pit them against each other in a no holds barred throwdown to see which one comes out on top.  That's what's going on tonight at Full Throttle Bottles from 5-7PM. 

To quote from Full Throttle Bottles:
"Now we won't be comparing Imperial or Double IPAs, but regular straight up IPAs. It's not about who has the highest IBUS or can make the most extreme beer, but who has the best tasting IPA. These were chosen at random so don't think there aren't hundreds of other top notch IPAs out there!"

This is a free event, pouring 2oz samples.  That means WA state beer & wine sampling laws apply.  You'll only be able to try 4 out of the following 8 IPAs available, so you'll have to chose carefully.  If you find one you like or you'd like to try the others you can, of course, always grab a bottle (or a few!) to take home with you.  You can vote for your favorite and the winner will be 10% off at FTB for the whole month of May. 

The 8 beers in tonights tasting, of which you can chose 4:
-Boundary Bay IPA
-Diamond Knot IPA
-Schooner Exact 3-Grid IPA
-Snoqualmie Wildcat IPA
-Laurelwood Workhorse IPA
-Hopworks Urban Brewery Organic IPA
-Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
-Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA

For a full description of these beers to help you select the 4 you'd like to taste head HERE.  See you there.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there.

My Experience At Brouwer's 9th Annual Hard Liver Barleywine Festival

Yesterday I attended Brouwer's Cafe's 9th Annual Hard Liver Barleywine Festival. It was packed to the gills, as usual, but I made sure I got there early. I know from past experience how fast Brouwer's can fill up during Hard Liver. It's a good thing I did too because, even in the pouring rain, the event, which started at 11:00AM, already had nearly 20 people in line by 9:30AM! I guess next year, I need to get there even earlier.

When the doors opened, they only let a few people trickle in at a time. Brouwer's is usually already 3/4 or more full when the doors open for Hard Liver. This is because of the judges, who arrive and begin their judging around 9:00AM. So, seating can be slim pickings for the general public once the doors open.

Once I made it in the door, just a few minutes after 11:00AM, I spotted a single open seat at the bar. I was attending this year's Hard Liver alone, since the two people who were going to attend with me had to cancel. So I made a beeline for the bar seat, praying that it's occupant wasn't just in the bathroom. But no; I was in luck! I got the LAST bar seat, and within minutes they stopped letting people in from the line outside. They would have to keep waiting out in the pouring rain until some of the judges or other patrons started leaving. For me that definitely wouldn't be anytime soon.

After getting settled at the bar, I began looking over the tap list, and writing down the tap numbers for those I wanted to try on the tasting note sheet I'd brought with me. I usually bring my own paper for tasting notes, since the tap list provides very little space for note taking.

Here are my impressions for each barleywine I was able to try (in alphabetical order):

Anderson Vallley Horn of the Beer '09 - Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville, CA:
-Excellent head retention and lacing throughout.
-Light/Clear amber color.
-Light hop nose.
-Excellent balance - just a bit on the hoppy/bitter side.
-Very smooth and full bodied.

Big Time Bill's Bearded Wonderfulness '09 - Big Time Brewing Company, Seattle, WA:

-Medium head retention. Light lacing.

-Medium amber color.

-Flowery hop nose.

-Nicely hoppy. Good bitterness but still well balanced.

(Note: Big Time's barleywine is usually called 'Old Wooly'. This year was a bit special, since Bill Jenkins is leaving as head brewer at Big Time this month.)

Black Raven Old Birdbrain '09 - Black Raven Brewing Company, Redmond, WA:

-Poor head retention. No lacing.

-Light amber color.

-Hoppy but also sour nose.

-Slightly sour/winey/cidery.

-Not very hoppy.

-Light body.

Dick's '05 - Dick's Brewing Company, Centralia, WA:

-Decent head retention. Some lacing.

-Amber color.

-Very light nose.

-Slightly sour/puckering (a bit cidery).

-Slight warming.

Dogfish Old School '10 - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE:

-Poor head retention. Slight lacing.

-Very light amber color.

-Winey/cidery & slightly astringent.

-Not hoppy.

Firestone Abacus '11 - Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, CA:

-Decent head retention and lacing.

-Deep amber color.

-Woody/malty nose.

-Caramel and very pleasant light cognac notes.

-Not very hoppy.

Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws '10 - Hair of the Dog Brewing Company, Portland, OR:

-Poor head retention. Almost no lacing.

-Medium dark amber color.

-Slightly fruity nose.

-Slightly fruity/sweet.

-Very light hops/bittering.

-Slight cognac notes.

Lagunitas Gnarleywine '10 - Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, CA:
-Good head retention and lacing.
-Light amber color.
-Hoppy nose.
-Good balance.
-Slightly husky/grainy.

Marin Old Dipsea '10 - Marin Brewing Company, Larkspur, CA:
-Medium head retention. Decent lacing.
-Dark amber color.
-Slightly cidery nose.
-Pleasant Belgian and bananna notes. Estery/fruity.
-Not very hoppy / slightly sweet.

Moylan's Old Blarney '10 - Moylan's Brewing Company, Novato, CA:
-Medium head retention. Some lacing.
-Amber color.
-Hoppy nose.
-Nice hop flavor/bitterness.
-Slighgtly astringent.
-Slight warming.

Ninkasi Critical Hit '10 - Ninkasi Brewing Company, Eugene, OR:
-Good head retention. Nice lacing.
-Medium amber color.
-Very light nose.
-Medium hop flavor/bitterness.
-Slightly 'grapey' (not quite winey).
-Slight warming.

North Coast Old Stock Ale '10 - North Coast Brewing Company, Fort Bragg, CA:

-Good head retention. Nice lacing.

-Medium amber color.

-Light body.

-Slight 'band aid' flavor (Phenolic).

-Not very hoppy.

Speakeasy Old Godfather '09 - Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, San Francisco, CA:
-Medium head retention. Some lacing.
-Medium amber color.
-Hoppy nose.
-Good hop flavor/bitterness.
-Slight cognac notes. Very pleasant.
(Note: I had this one at Beveridge Place Pub's Barleywine Bacchanal. It was one of my favorites from that fest. so I decided to have a little more!)

Victory Old Horizontal '10 - Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA:
-Excellent head retention and lacing.
-Very good balance.
-Good hop flavor.
-Slight musty 'old sock' flavor (undesirable).

Out of the nearly 60 barleywines Brouwer's had on tap yesterday, I was able to try 14 of them. Not too shabby. My favorite from the ones I tried was Anderson Valley Horn of the Beer '09. It was exceptionally smooth and well balanced, and very easy to drnik. I'd have to give my personal 2nd and 3rd places to Speakeasy Old Godfather for #2 and Firestone Abacus '11 for #3.

The official winners of the festival, as announced at Brouwer's at around 2:00PM, were:
1. Anacortes Old Sebastes '10 - Anacortes Brewery, Anacortes, WA.
2. Anderson Valley Horn of the Beer '09 - Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Boonville, CA.
3. Glacier Brew House Old Woody '10 - Glacier Brewhouse, Anchorage, AK.

Unfortunately, by the time the winners were announced, I'd already just about had my fill. So, I was only able to try one out of the three 'official' winners, but I'm OK with that. The festival was an amazing experience, as always, and I got to try some truly World Class barleywines.

So, if you're local to Seattle or can get here in mid to late march next year, I urge you to check out the annual Hard Liver Barleywine Festival at Brouwer's Cafe. You won't regret it! Just be prepared to get in line early or to have to wait a bit before you can get in.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there!

BJCP Education

Early today, I downloaded and have been looking over the BJCP Beer Exam Study Guide. It's loaded full of great information including information about the BJCP exam, the BJCP point earning experience and schedule, the beer evaluation and judging process, etc. It even includes extreme detail on all the ingredients used in brewing as well as an outline of the entire brewing process.

Remember in my prevous post how I'd said I wanted my tasting notes to be more precise, consistent and accurate? Well, here is just a short list of some of the terms/tastes I'll be learning to eavluate as part of the BCJP program. This is an overview of the most important beer flavors and flavor flaws that BJCP judges will encounter when judging:

Acetaldehyde:

Has the taste/aroma of fresh cut green apples (also compared to grass, green leaves and even latex paint).

Alcoholic:

A spicy or vinous character in the aroma and taste - often accompanied by a warm or prickly mouthfeel.

Astrigency:

Gives a mouth-puckering sensation, similar to chewing on grape skins or grape seeds.

Bitterness:

'Excessive' bitterness (above desired) is usually perceived as a harsh, dry taste, and is uaually due to over-hopping a beer.

Body:

The 'fullness' or viscosity of the beer on the tongue/palate. Can range from watery to satiating or even thick. Body is a component of 'mouthfeel'.

Dicetyl:

Responsible for an artificial butter, butterscotch or toffee-like aroma and taste. Can also produce a 'slick' feel on the palate. Dicetyl is extremely difficult to percieve as a taster - and a significant number of tasters simply cannot taste dicetyl.

DMS (Dimethyl-sulfide):

Gives the aroma and taste of cooked vegetables (especially corn, celery, cabbage or parsnips). May be reminiscent of shellfish or water shrimp has been boiled in at extreme levels.

Estery/Fruity:

Remeniscent of banannas, strawberries, pears, apples, plums, papaya and/or other fruits.

Grassy:

With a flavor and aroma a freshly cut grass or green leaves.

Head Retention:

Head rentention is the measure of how well a beer holds it's head after being poured. It is measured in terms of the time it takes for the head to collapse to half of it's initial height (should be at least a minute in well-brewed beers).

Husky/Grainy:

With an aroma and/or taste of the flavor of spent grains.

Lightstruck/Skunky:

The 'skunky' scent is due to the presence of the very same mercaptans that are found in the scent glands of skunks. You may have heard that light is the natual enemy of beer(?) Believe it. Light is what causes skunky beer.

Musty:

Musty flavors or generally not desirable, but may be found in some cellared beer styles like Biere de Garde.

Paper/Cardboard:

A papery/cardboard like flavor or aroma are never appropriate - can be a common flaw in many old commercial beers.

Phenolic:

Has an aroma/taste often compared to Band-Aids (tm), medicine chst of disinfectant. Generally never desirable except for a clove-like, vanilla-like or smoky flavors in Bavarian wheat beers and some Belgian ales.

Sherry-Like:

Like the aroma/taste of dry sherry, often accompanied by hazlenut or almond notes. One of the very few positive flavors attributed to oxidation.

Solvent-Like:

An aroma/taste similar to turpentine or acetone - often accompanied by a burning sensation in the back of the mouth.

Sour/Acidic:

High levels of sour or acidic flavors can indicate an sanitation problem, but they are an important part of styles like lambics, Berliner Weiss styles and some Belgian White beers.

Sulfury/Yeasty:

Not to be confused with DMS (See above), with the aroma and taste of rotten eggs, shrimp or rubber.

Sweet:

The appropriate level of sweetness in any beer is dependent on the style. Refer to BJCP Style Guidelines.

Having read over the basics of all of these flavors/flavor flaws, I see several I could have applied to the tastes I experienced at the Barleywine Bacchanal.

In fact, I'm heading back there tonight with my wife to try out a few more and enjoy a few vertical tastings they'll have on tonight (A 'Vertical tasting' is when a single beer is sampled over several, often consecutive, years of production). So if I'm feeling bold, I might try my hand at using a few of these terms to describe the barleywines I'll be trying out tonight.

Drink responsibly and stay safe out there!