Black Box Challenge

[Bowserm]

Also I would like to know how to sour a beer with no souring yeast or probiotics?

Add some un-mashed grain to the wort after the mash is done, and keep the temp warm (100-120F). This provides a good environment for the lacto that's naturally on the grain husk to grow. Read up a bit on "kettle sour" or "sour worting" http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Sour_Worting" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Awesome. I am going to check this out for sure. I had a sour yesterday at Stillwell and it was more of a carbonated lemon juice than a beer, while strange, it was my first sour so now I'm interested in doing a small batch.

I also couldn't figure out how it was done when they announced the honourable mentions.

[wide_awake]

Chiming in to say a big thanks to Henry and the other judges as well as Stillwell + staff. That was a super fun day, it's nice to be able to geek out with fellow brewers.

I'm really curious what everyone else made - if others are watching this forum, I humbly request a one-liner (or more if you want) about it. I'll go first:

Hop Springs Eternal: A White IPA with local spring water.

[GAM]

Mitchell and I entered an American Wheat. He has the details.

We also did a Session APA.

Sandy

[mumblecrunch]

I did an American Porter. In lieu of chocolate malt and to try to reduce the roastiness of the Carafa while still getting as much color as I could, I made a tea with it that I added with 10 minutes left in the boil. I actually did an 8g batch and split it with the two yeasts (I thought if I got clove from the T-58 I'd potentially add the cinnamon). The T-58 version didn't turn out so well, but I was quite happy with the US-05 side, which was dry-hopped.

[CPR]

So many awesome beers yesterday. Ton of talent in the room, that's for sure!

[amartin]

I mixed up some bottled spring water and some tap water to get some moderately hard, alkaline water and did a schwarzbier late hopped with the NZ pacifica.

[josherArmstrong]

I brewed a Brown IPA using spring water, US-05 yeast, columbus/cascade/pacifica for hops.

[Jayme]

We (Delta Force) brewed Agent 15 - a Cinnamon smoked dubbel X mild. We were kind of shooting for something that spanned several historic periods. The smoke character from pre-coke fired kiln days when all beers were a little smokey, the X is a call back to the old classification system for Milds and given our gravity (1.048), would be similar to a single X mild pre WWI, and then modern twist of using a Belgian yeast/the final product was kind of a cross between a mild and a dubbel. Pretty abstract, glad I wasn't tasked with judging it Had a blast coming up with the idea and doing the research.

We also did a version of the beer with US-05 and then a back up beer, which was a belgian session IPA.

[John G]

Congrats Brian! Sounds like it was a fun event too.

[Bowserm]

I ended up doing 3 brews from the ingredients. The one I entered was a Trappist. Probably more of a Belgain single, but because of the changes to the categories this year I had to enter it as a Trappist.

The second beer I did was a Belgain Pale using late Pacifica but somehow they ended up being way too over carbed.

The third one i did was a English Bitter that I mashed high expecting it to get a higher FG using the US-05 and it ended up being too dry for an English Bitter.

I am very interested in seeing the score cards. Being a Brewer that has been doing it for less than 2 years it will be great feedback other than family and the Truro group

[mckay75]

I ended up doing 3 brews from the ingredients. The one I entered was a Trappist. Probably more of a Belgain single, but because of the changes to the categories this year I had to enter it as a Trappist.

The second beer I did was a Belgain Pale using late Pacifica but somehow they ended up being way too over carbed.

The third one i did was a English Bitter that I mashed high expecting it to get a higher FG using the US-05 and it ended up being too dry for an English Bitter.

I am very interested in seeing the score cards. Being a Brewer that has been doing it for less than 2 years it will be great feedback other than family and the Truro group

hey Mark! very interested in talking about this more on Saturday...will you be bringing of the beer you made for this event to the meeting? Very interested in trying them out!

[wide_awake]

My bet-hedging beer was an English Bitter. It turned out a little too sweet (even though FG came down to a reasonable 1.009), I think I used too much Crystal malt. I tried adding cinnamon to that beer, but neither version was as good as the WIPA.

[Bowserm]

I ended up doing 3 brews from the ingredients. The one I entered was a Trappist. Probably more of a Belgain single, but because of the changes to the categories this year I had to enter it as a Trappist.

The second beer I did was a Belgain Pale using late Pacifica but somehow they ended up being way too over carbed.

The third one i did was a English Bitter that I mashed high expecting it to get a higher FG using the US-05 and it ended up being too dry for an English Bitter.

I am very interested in seeing the score cards. Being a Brewer that has been doing it for less than 2 years it will be great feedback other than family and the Truro group

hey Mark! very interested in talking about this more on Saturday...will you be bringing of the beer you made for this event to the meeting? Very interested in trying them out!

Yep, I will be bringing all 3, plus a Styrian Goldings ale.

[LiverDance]

My bet-hedging beer was an English Bitter. It turned out a little too sweet (even though FG came down to a reasonable 1.009), I think I used too much Crystal malt. I tried adding cinnamon to that beer, but neither version was as good as the WIPA.

That is an Epic avatar you have there sir! Can't wait to try that WIPA that you gave us. Thanks again.

[wide_awake]

That is an Epic avatar you have there sir! Can't wait to try that WIPA that you gave us. Thanks again.

Ha! Thanks. Anyone know who the eyes in the background belong to?

[LiverDance]

That is an Epic avatar you have there sir! Can't wait to try that WIPA that you gave us. Thanks again.

Ha! Thanks. Anyone know who the eyes in the background belong to?

We all know who that joker is It's Chalmers aka Chris

[wide_awake]

....is he behind me right now?...

[chalmers]

....is he behind me right now?...

I am.

[MitchK]

I clearly underestimated both the beers other people would be able to brew with the grab bag ingredients and what was expected from the presentation. I was woefully unprepared to present and figured I'd play it safe and brew a normal beer expecting most of the weirder entries to fall flat (it's hard enough to innovate with unlimited access to familiar ingredients). In the end my boring ol' wheat beer was trounced by beers that were both different/unique and ace quality. Congratulations everybody and thank you for a great learning experience - you guys really know what you're doing in a way I can only hope to reach in the years to come. Glad I took the chance on this kind of zany competition even if it was a bit out of my comfort zone (only been brewing for about 8 months and a total of maybe 10 batches now?)

I look forward to being able to pick up a bottle of "where there's smoke, there's fire", even if the song will get stuck in my head as I drink it.

[spickup]

We took the same approach as Mitch, and brewed a 7.9% Black IPA that we called Bickering Black IPA.

[CartoonCod]

I made a table strength dark saison fermented with a mixed culture of US-05 and T-58.

[henry]

Hi guys,

First of all Emily and I want to thank you all for your patience this past Sunday. It was a colossally long day for everyone, but it appeared that everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

We are humbled by the amount of camaraderie that was displayed in the room, and equally humbled by the sheer quality of the beers presented. Well done to everyone. We can be proud to say that the best home brewers in the world live right here in Nova Scotia, and make beers under extremely adverse conditions, in cramped quarters, doing awesome things with their ingredients, RIMS systems, BIAB systems, homemade fermentation chambers, homemade electronic controls, and generally making magic with their setups.

Awesome.

A big shout out of thanks to Chris Reynolds of Stillwell for both judging and hosting the event, kudos to the kitchen and bar staff that kept everyone hydrated and fed, and a big thank you to Jeff Pinhey, Todd Beal and Chris "Photobomb" MacDonald for their help in judging.

And thanks to all of you who spent so much time making the best you could make.

As you may know by now the top three beers were:

3rd place Jason McDougall: Carbon-14 Strong Dark Belgian
2nd place Mark Reid: Hop Springs Eternal White IPA
1st place Brian Harvey: Where There's Smoke, There's Fire Smoked Cinnamon Beer

I am busy organizing all the score sheets and will scan them in and email them all to you in the next couple of days.

Henry

[GAM]

We got our sheets back. Middle of the road.

I am happy with that. Thanks judges.

S

[Jayme]

Good comments/feedback! My only criticism is legibility - can't make out a few words on each sheet. Though, that may also be the scan... or maybe I just can't read!

[Bowserm]

I was quite shocked at my cards and score. I assume that the winners has very high 40's. Either way this was my first competition and the feedback was great. If only they could score every beer I made.....