SA Longshot - Category 23

[bwarbiany]

Longshot is coming up (Entries due by May 28, I think).

They're going a different route this year. There are no style categories. Everything is Category 23.

I've got a few options for this, so I wanted to run it by the group and see which you think is more suited for a Cat 23.

1) Rye Pale Ale - This is a basic Pale Ale with about 20% Rye. Only deviation from style is the Rye, and that's not *that* far of a deviation from 10A.
2) Belgian IPA - Do my standard IPA recipe (6.5%, 10% vienna/10% crystal 20L, 1 lb of Columbus per half barrel), but with Belgian yeast.
3) Lighthouse Belgian Ale - A sort of Belgian "single" -- been entered in 16E in the past. It's about a 4.5% light-colored easy-drinking session ale with Belgian yeast and just enough fruitiness and esters to appeal to the craft beer drinker. Big hit with the ladies too.

I think #3 might be my best option (and it's always good to brew as we come into the hot summer months), but I always worry in comps that a 4.5% session ale will get killed by judges who have palate fatigue in a crazy Category 23 type environment.

Thoughts?

[brahn]

I think #3 sounds great. You may run into a bias towards bigger beer, where your IPA might fare better. I prefer to brew what I like and not worry about the judges.

[bwarbiany]

I'm brewing #1 tomorrow, and will probably follow it up with #3 since I can turn it around in a week or so...

[BrewMasterBrad]

Enter all three. You can enter up to three beers, so why not?

[bwarbiany]

Enter all three. You can enter up to three beers, so why not?

Timing. Not sure I'll be able to get all three done by then.

[lexuschris]

Entries are due before the 28th, so if you are planning to get stuff bottled & mailed in ... here is your reminder!

http://www.samueladams.com/promotions/L ... rules.aspx

--LexusChris

[bwarbiany]

Got my score sheets back.

Light Belgian got a 27 from one judge and a 30 from the other. Rye Pale got a 32 from one judge, 33 from the other.

Each beer had one of the judges AHA national, which was nice. I could definitely tell from the quality of the comments.

Anyone else enter?