What Category for Wild Rice Pale Ale?

Northern Brewer General
1

I’m planning to enter this in a competition. Any idea what category I should enter it in? I think the 1450 batch is tasting great right now after lagering in a keg for 8 weeks. I can perceive the wild rice taste and aroma, but I think maybe that is just because I know it’s there. I think a judge would be able to perceive it too, but I’m not positive.

Recipe for 10 gallons:

14 lbs. Valley Organic Pale Malt
13.3 oz. Valley Organic Light Crystal
1 lb. Breiss Carapils 1.3L
3.5 lbs. Organic Wild Rice (Lundberg Family Farm, Richvale, CA)
1.5 oz. Glacier pellet hops 5.6% (FWH)
2.1 oz. Glacier pellet hops 5.6% (60 min.)
1 Tbsp Irish Moss (rehydrated) (15 min.)
0.4 oz. Glacier pellet hops 5.6% (0 min.)
Wyeast 1272 American Ale II (Fermenter A)
Wyeast 1450 Denny’s Favorite 50 (Fermenter B)

Grind the wild rice fine and perform cereal mash with 1 1/6 lb of the pale malt. Mash at 158F for 20 minutes and then boil for 1 hour until gelatinized. Add this to the main mash and mash at 153F for 1 hour.

OG: 1.043
FG: 1.011 (Fermenter A)
FG: 1.012 (Fermenter B)
ABV: 4.3% (Fermenter A)
ABV: 4.1% (Fermenter B)

2

II would try entering it in both the base beer category (Is this a pale ale?) and in either 21A spice/herb/veg or 23A Specialty Beer. In 23A you need the flavor of the rice to be “distinctive” in aroma and flavor

3

I would just call it a regular old pale ale unless the wild rice flavor is HUGE, then it would be Category 23. But otherwise, stick with regular pale ale.

4

You may also try 8B Premium Bitter if the Glacier hops shine through. To me Glacier is spicey and peppery like the English hops. :cheers:

5

[quote=“dmtaylo2”]I would just call it a regular old pale ale unless the wild rice flavor is HUGE, then it would be Category 23. But otherwise, stick with regular pale ale.[/quote]+1!

6

Thanks, guys. 10A it is!