Tue Nov 01, 2005 5:28 pm
Here’s what I though Brian was trying to get across... And it made perfect sense to me. As a long time brewer, a long time comper, I could get where he was coming from... I have a few medals, AHA gold’s and such. Lost many more that I have ever won. Problem is brewing for a competition is harder than it seems. Or I should say brewing to a style, so we can be judged against an SNPA, is harder than it seems. But why SNPA, or Fullers or Guinness? I brew to have the beer I like... Incidentally, many others like it too, but most of my beer would never win a medal round. I mean, where would you put an oaked, vanilla, cocoanut, peppermint, Russian Imperial Stout?
But damn it’s good!
I guess what I took from Brian is this... Is that really brewing beer for beers sake? Or is brewing to style holding back a lot of creativity. Does beer have to be like SNPA or Fullers or Guinness? Apparently yes, to win a medal round...
Say, I’m making this all up as I go along!
You all probably read my goofy 10,000 years of real beer comment in the chat room. So to put style into perspective, born in 1985, how well does the BJCP really stack up against 10,000 years of real beer? Moms and pops, aunts and cousins brewing up a family recipe... It’s almost like beer, and beer style is only 20 years old or something, just because that is what the style sheet is saying beer is supposed to taste like! How well do they represent thousands of years of home made brewski’s? And, I am really not trying to knock BJCP! Really. I have several beers ready for comps. And they taste just like SNPA or whatever. But that’s what it takes to win. And to answer my own question, I think that the BJCP represents style extremely well. For style’s sake that is... But to Brian, and apparently myself, style is not what beer is all about. And that’s not why I brew. No matter what we brew today, it’s going to taste like something. I don’t think the guy is trying to re-invent the beer wheel, cus he realizes with this kinda history, it can’t be re-invented. He’s just trying to do his own thing and make great beer. So what if he calls it black beer instead of stout or porter. I could imagine 7000 years ago when some tribesman came across an accidental recipe that made a black beer, he probably called it... Black beer!
It would be cool to consult a real Belgian in this situation. He would very likely say about our style guidelines; shove it up you’re A hole! Or in his words ; le pousser en haut votre trou d'âne!
Or whatever...
If you would like a hard copy the previous manifesto, email me with your fax number!
It’s all about beer guys!
Great show!
