It all starts somewhere

wakeskate242 · Pop Shuvit Joined: 31 Dec 2005 Posts: 232 City: OC

So a couple of weeks ago I entered one of my latest beers into a huge homebrew competition & took 1st in the 16 Category - Belgian and French Style Ales.

http://www.thebruery.com/batch50/

Well let me give you an idea of what that competition was all about. A new local brewery (The Bruery) opened in 2008 in Placentia, CA. The owners (Patrick & Rachael Rue), turned to homebrewers to come up with their first batch ever brewed at the new place. They held a competition & a winner was chosen for Batch #1. We'll they're now almost to batch #50 & decided to do the same thing. However, this one would actually be sanctioned though, and the winner would have their beer brewed, bottled, and sold.

So I came up with a recipe that I thought would work for them & even used some of their yeast from the first batch they ever brewed. I figured this would be a good time to experiment with some french oak chips & let a portion of the batch age on some for a while. I knew it came out great, but with over 60 other entries from all around the US, I didn't think I had a chance. Well I won (my class) and got 2nd in best in show...

This is where it starts to get interesting...

The winner was a Gueze (sour beer) which is a blend of 1 and 3 year old Lambic. Here lies the problem. Since the winner gets to go to The Bruery and personally brew it there, the same way, using the recipe as they won with, it's going to take 3 years for this beer to come out.

Well there's this big competition (the biggest in the world basically), The Great American Beer Festival - all the commercials where breweries talk about the medals they win - well that is from GABF.

Last week, I was asked to come over to The Bruery in May & personally brew my beer on their system (with them of course), and let them enter it in the Pro-Am competition at GABF. The best part is that they're going to actually age my beer in oak barrels for 6 months before the competition. I will be going up against other breweries such as Stone Brewing, Sam Adams, Miller, etc... (basically every major brewery) & will represent The Bruery.

So the irony of the story is this...

Had I got 1st place they would have brewed my beer & started selling it this spring. This means that it could no longer be entered to the GABF. Having my beer sold would have been cool, but having the chance to win at GABF is indescribable. This could really open a lot of doors for me and my brewing, as well as establishing clout in the industry.

So I'll be going to Denver in September for GABF - wish me luck[/url]

scott a · "a" is for angel Joined: 17 Feb 2004 Posts: 4126

That is awesome!

Good luck fo sho!

mojo · Posted: Feb 02, 2009 9:31 pm Post subject:

im old enough send me a case when it's done. seriously, pm me if we can do this. rad story

Steven M · Posted: Feb 02, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject:

wakeskate242, if you need help with tasting, feel free to send a six pack my way. Wink

wakeskate242 · Pop Shuvit Joined: 31 Dec 2005 Posts: 232 City: OC

I have until May to perfect my recipe, which means I'll be brewing a new variation of it every-other week. I'll prob have a ton of this stuff!

I plan on bringing multiple cases to the next convergence, so everyone should have more than enough... Speaking of which, I'm going to do a little pole over at norcalwake.com for suggestions on a convergence brew.

mojo, unfortunately 55 bottles were gone in 3 weeks. (I only drank about 5, haha), so as soon as I have more, I'll gladly send out a few bottles to you guys.

Steven M · Posted: Feb 02, 2009 9:42 pm Post subject:

mojo · Posted: Feb 02, 2009 10:03 pm Post subject:

word. i'm a beer conosseuir.

crispy · Posted: Feb 03, 2009 2:34 pm Post subject:

thats insane man, good luck fo sho!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

edrex · Backside 180 Joined: 18 Oct 2006 Posts: 1020 City: NorCal

wakeskate242, thats awesome man! How long you been homebrewing?
Good luck at the Beer Fest, and while you're hanging out there go find the Russian River Brewing booth and talk to Vinnie. That guy makes amazing beer and is super chill.

senorbueno · Backside 180 Joined: 28 Sep 2004 Posts: 1593

wakeskate242, Could you fill up a growler for me? I'll pay for it of course... Love craft brew stuff, was thinking about taking a class at a local craft brew supplier and getting a kit... but I have been really busy lately, so I haven't found the time.

wakeskate242 · Pop Shuvit Joined: 31 Dec 2005 Posts: 232 City: OC

edrex, I've only been homebrewing for just over a year and a half. I did it every other month just using extract kits, but the last 6 months I've been doing all-grain & atleast 2 a month. Russian River is hands down my favorite brewery & Vinnie is cool as hell. He's done a couple tastings down here. Actually, my local place is going to have Pliny the Younger, Pliny the Elder, Blind Pig, and RR IPA on at the same time this Friday. The countdown is on.

senorbueno, I bottle it all (for now), & growlers only hold carbonation for a short period of time (they're all bottle conditioned so it takes a couple weeks in the bottle to build carbonation). I'll add you to the bottle list though. If my botle/keg situation changes, I'll def. be up to sending a fresh growler though. As for learning to brew, just hit up the internet if you can't take a class. I've learned a bunch from searching forums (& I know you have time do to that, haha).

Does anyone have access to any Bells, Founders, Southern Tier, Weyerbacher, or 3 Floyds? I'd totally hook someone up if they could get what I cant.

RUSSIAN · Posted: Feb 03, 2009 11:04 pm Post subject:

wakeskate242, Thats sick man, looking forward to a tasting at NCC!