Style question

Just a quick question on style for competitions. If I have a kolsch, but it is not 100% inside the normal parameters of the style…can it be entered as a kolsch?

Basically, I’ve been messing around with increasing the IBU’s in my recipes and my latest I am really liking a lot. So much so that I have been thinking why not toss it into the ring if I can. :cheers:

I think they’d allow it to be entered but if it’s too far from the style it would obviously not be considered to medal in the category. Maybe checking in on a specialty category might be better. I’m all for doing your own thing with any beer style though! Good luck

Enter it as a German pilsner! I can’t say for certain without tasting it myself, but if it’s clean I would seriously guess it might score well as a German pils if it’s got elevated IBUs. I bet they can’t tell the difference. Either way they might mark you down for one reason or another if it’s in between two or three styles. You could enter it into both categories and see which one scores higher.

Don’t take my word for it… although I am Certified BJCP. :slight_smile:

The parameters are really just guidelines. Like if your OG is higher than the style guideline says it should be it may not necessarily taste like it has too much alcohol in it. Remember when the beer is being judged the judge has no clue that you were a couple points high or low on your OG. Or that you’re 5 IBUs too high etc… Now if you can taste that the bitterness is too high for the style or it tastes a bit warmer than it should… then entering it as a kolsch might not be a good idea.

enter it as a blonde ale or as suggested, a pils.

Sit down with the BJCP guidelines and a glass of the beer. Taste it while you read the guidelines for possible entry categories. Enter it as whatever it tastes like.