Classic American Pilsner Ale - What Style?

[JT]

I recently brewed an all extract CAP (I used corn syrup instead of flaked maze) recipe. I'm not able to lager, so I brewed it as an ale. It came out very clean and is quite tasty. I'm thinking of entering it in a local competition, but I have no idea what style I should enter it as. It's too big for a cream ale (1.055 - 1.015 38.7 IBU) and 70% of the malt is pilsen, so I not sure if blonde ale is appropriate either. Does anyone have any idea as to what style I should enter this beer as?

[brewinhard]

Depending on the hop levels (IBU's) I would try and enter it as a blonde ale. If you don't mind parting with another couple bottles on top of that, also enter it into the Classic American Pilsner category. I wouldn't be surprised if it did well in both. If you have time before the comp. put both entries into the fridge to chill them down for as many days as you can before the judging to really clean them up! Good luck!

[ApresSkiBrewer]

like brewinhard said, if you don't mind sparing bottles, and it came out really clean - try any semi related category... CAP, Blonde, Cream, or maybe even Kölsch.

You never know. What yeast did you ferment w/ and at what temp?

[JT]

I cold condition all my beers. As soon as they get done carbonating, the bottles go into the fidge and stay there until they are consumed. It produces really clean, clear beers, and greatly improves the flavor.

I used Wyeast 1338 European Ale, which is a very clean yeast. Fermented at 68° F.

I only have three bottles left (it was a damn good brew), so I'm only going to be able to enter it into one category.

[coffeeman]

i would suggest you enter it as a specialty beer under classic american cream ale.

Good luck.

[Mylo]

I would suggest that you enter it in WHATEVER category it fits in. If it's estery, it won't do well as a CAP. If it doesn't have enough corn flavor (since you used corn syrup), it won't do well as a cream ale. From what you have told us, it probably would do best as a blonde. Read the guidelines and figure out what it resembles the most, if you want a medal. Just because you started with a style in mind, doesn't mean that you ended up anywhere near it.


Mylo

[BDawg]

+1 to what Mylo said.

Enter the beer into the category that's closes to what you actually made, not the one you tried to make.


HTH-