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New style selections

wtujcker4

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With the creation of new sub-types such as Imperial Porter (not the same as Baltic Porter), Imperial IPA, and other evolving styles, I'd like to see those styles incorporated into the selections so I know if my recipe at least comes close to the commonly-accepted parameters for the new styles.  I know the AHA/BJCP hasn't defined these styles yet, but this is your chance to get ahead of the field and define the parameters.  You can always make the minor modifications if the BJCP/AHA finally does come up with guidelines for these newer styles.
 
I always just put things like imperial porters and such in the specialty beer (23A).  Gives you prety wide range but i think that is the category they would have to be in for a competition
 
As you put your (American) Imperial Porter in style 23, you can add this description from pg 8 of the BA styles guidelines:
American-Style Imperial Porter
American-style imperial porters are black in color. No roast barley or strong burnt/astringent black malt character should be perceived. Medium malt, caramel and cocoa-like sweetness. Hop bitterness is perceived at a medium-low to medium level. Hop flavor and aroma may vary from being low to medium-high. This is a full bodied beer. Ale-like fruity esters should be evident but not overpowering and compliment hop character and malt derived sweetness. Diacetyl (butterscotch) levels should be absent.
Original Gravity (ºPlato) 1.080-1.100 (19.5-23 ºPlato) ● Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (ºPlato) 1.020-1.030 (4-7.5 ºPlato) ● Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 5.5-9.5% (7-12%) ● Bitterness (IBU) 35-50 ● Color SRM (EBC) 40+ (80+ EBC)

I'm studying for a scheduled BJCP tasting exam and I believe a styles update is way overdue. That means it will come out the week before my exam...
 
ghwren said:
I'm studying for a scheduled BJCP tasting exam and I believe a styles update is way overdue. That means it will come out the week before my exam...

It might be overdue, then again it might not. The emergence of new takes on beer by commercial brewers makes any catalog of flavors almost instantly obsolete. The week that the 2008 guidelines came out, Aussie homebrewers made a solid case for Australian Sparkling Ale. So, we're left with measuring what gets made and entered in homebrew competitions.

Even if new guidelines did come out just before your exam, there would be a transition period of about three months where graders would move from old to new.  A lot more care and thought goes into an update than you might think. There's actually a lot of consequence to updates.
 
As a side not the GABF style guidelines are available as an add-on.  Go to the Add-ons button to download them, and then go to Options->Brewing and change the style guide to the GABF one.

Brad
 
The Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines form the basis for the guidelines at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) and World Beer Cup (WBC). They do say they may issue special notes depending on the competition (which probably allows for the annual changes.)
 
I think I may not have phrased my question well.  What I meant to say was that I'd like to see these emerging styles incorporated into BeerSmith as a style selection so I could see if my recipe met the commonly-accepted parameters of the emerging styles.
 
Well if they are emerging, then by definition they are not in the official list.  However, I think you can add styles yourself to your list.
 
wtujcker4 said:
I think I may not have phrased my question well.  What I meant to say was that I'd like to see these emerging styles incorporated into BeerSmith as a style selection so I could see if my recipe met the commonly-accepted parameters of the emerging styles.

If you're saying that BeerSmith should presume to define what beer is, then shouldn't it define how to make beer?

BeerSmith doesn't define how to make beer, it lets brewers explore that. BeerSmith offers huge flexibility in brewing techniques, equipment and ingredient use. Yet, regularly people post about how they make beer and BeerSmith doesn't fully cover that method.

Beer Styles from both the BA and BJCP are derived from commercial examples. Not the other way around. I don't see any problem with an individual, group or club writing supplemental style descriptions, though. Several clubs already do this for their competitions. However, they will need updating and reposting until a clear reference group is agreed upon (aka commercial examples).

Having written a few style definitions, there are always the outlier examples that distort the range, if they are included. What do you do? Do you include them and therefore everything in between, creating a lot of crossover area? Do you footnote them? Asterisks? Ignore them? What about examples that brand as one style, but clearly taste like something else? What about brewers that use alternative ingredients to get the same flavor?

I'm not condemning the idea. Just pointing out that it is a real task. I'd rather see an enthusiastic person or group tackle it, than a team of programmers working hard on updates and improvements.
 
Thanks to all above who provided input.  I have reasearched and incorporated other style guidelines, and I have now learned how to create a new style in BeerSmith.  In the case of Double IPA, I used Mitch Steele's IPA book to derive a set of style parameters and descriptions based on the beers he describes and/or provides recipes for in the book. 
As a BJCP judge for over 26 years, I know that the new BJCP style guidelines are currently under revision, and they hope to get the newest edition out before too much longer.  It has been over 5 years since the last revision, and the field is changing dramatically, particularly in the strong American styles like Imperial Porters,  Imperial Stout, and Double/Imperial IPA. 
I'm waiting to see if anyone comes out with a Double Czech Pils.  I guess it would be like a doppelbock but with a pilsner character.  ;D

Again, thanks to all for their input.
 
Soooooo.....

Harpoon Brewing has released their "Brown IPA." This goes with their Rye, Black, White, Imperial and "New England Style" IPAs. No doubt these are fine beers, but they deserve a name and style of their own, IMO.

So, it begs the question: How do you define that? Is it forms of IPA? Or are they over hopped, high octane versions of other styles?  From that stand point, isn't that what "Imperial" is?

IPA in this context has nothing to do with India, Pale or even Ale. "IPA" has become Craft's version of "Premium Lager." IPA may as well stand for "Instant Promotional Alias" or "Improves Profit Automatically."

Harpoon is just todays' example. Tomorrow, someone else will introduce a beer and bolt on three letters to help it sell.

My point is that if we're going to all the trouble of "defining" styles, then don't those styles deserve unique names? If not, then they are merely fads.

 
brewfun said:
IPA in this context has nothing to do with India, Pale or even Ale. "IPA" has become Craft's version of "Premium Lager." IPA may as well stand for "Instant Promotional Alias" or "Improves Profit Automatically."

Harpoon is just todays' example. Tomorrow, someone else will introduce a beer and bolt on three letters to help it sell.

My point is that if we're going to all the trouble of "defining" styles, then don't those styles deserve unique names? If not, then they are merely fads.
LOL... exactly!

I'm a stickler for styles.  If it doesn't fit the defined style, it is in error OR you are being creative and drawing outside the lines, which is what I do alot.  But then describe it that way.  Personally, I would want to ban  the India part of any beer made that uses American ingredients.  Americans never sent a beer to India during Britain's occupation.  If you use Pacific Northwest hops, it ain't India Pale Ale.
 
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