What BJCP for my Brown Ale?

Northern Brewer General
1

Hi all,

I was thinking about entering my first all-grain batch into a homebrew comp, but I was unsure of the BJCP category to enter it in. It’s a brown ale-John Palmer’s Elevenses Ale recipe.

Here is the grain bill:
-5.5 lbs Maris Otter

  • 1 lb Briess Caramel 60
  • 1 lb Weyermann Oak-Smoked Wheat Malt
  • 0.5 lbs English Brown Malt
  • 0.33 lbs Flaked Oats
  • 0.25 lbs Chocolate Malt

There is a slightly smoky smell/taste to the beer from the pound of Oak Smokes Malt, so I was thinking 22B would be the right category (Other Smoked Beer), but at the same time it’s also pretty nutty and a little hoppy, so I was wondering if might also be acceptable to put it in 11C (Northern English Brown).

Thoughts? Is any smoke flavor an instant “must be in smoke” category?

Thanks!

2

Yes, if it tastes like smoke at all, you shouldn’t enter it anywhere other than Smoked Beer. Otherwise they might consider it a flaw.

3

I agree with Dave. Here is a good read for competitions

https://byo.com/stories/issue/item/3190 ... on-brewing
4

Thanks guys!