First time home brew, in a competition!

él statutorio

Right,

I've gotten roped into a competition in work. We're split into team and we're having a brew off. I'm in a team of 5.
Brewing experience on my part is limited, I've done a few home ciders with varying success. Of the other 4, one has done a fair bit of brewing (and has all the gear), the rest have last years brew off as their only experience.

The competition is pretty intense and I'm looking for suggestions as to what we should brew.

Good people of the home brewing forum, dazzle me with your knowledge!

BeerNut

Depends on the judging criteria, I guess. I've found that a good clean and aromatic pale or blonde ale works well as a crowd-pleaser.

finatron

él statutorio wrote: »

Right,

I've gotten roped into a competition in work. We're split into team and we're having a brew off. I'm in a team of 5.
Brewing experience on my part is limited, I've done a few home ciders with varying success. Of the other 4, one has done a fair bit of brewing (and has all the gear), the rest have last years brew off as their only experience.

The competition is pretty intense and I'm looking for suggestions as to what we should brew.

Good people of the home brewing forum, dazzle me with your knowledge!

What's your time frame and are the
Judges into the beers ?

él statutorio

Competition isn't til mid/late August afaik (dates to be confirmed still).

The judges will be customers of ours (I work for an IT firm). So no professional judges and unlikely to be any out and out picky beer drinkers in the judging panel.

BeerNut

Then deffo a 1.048-ish pale pale ale; low bitterness; neutral yeast; and dry-hopped with something lovely: Galaxy, Amarillo or the like.

Hingo

él statutorio wrote: »

I've gotten roped into a competition in work. We're split into team and we're having a brew off.

If my employers happen to read this - take note. :rolleyes:

Good luck dude. If its just a case of what tastes the nicest - probably worth researching what people are feeling. We had a work night out in alfies and one table (my table) were happy drinking all sorts. but everyone else was drinking erdinger or fischers.

Maybe go for a hoppy wheat beer, try appeal to the masses!

él statutorio

So it looks like we're going to do 2 beers. One will be an Irish Red Ale and the other one has to be decided.

Two beers gives us a decent chance of recovery if we make a complete hames out of one of them.

finatron

él statutorio wrote: »

So it looks like we're going to do 2 beers. One will be an Irish Red Ale and the other one has to be decided.

Two beers gives us a decent chance of recovery if we make a complete hames out of one of them.

I second an American wheat beer perfect beer style for summer and not too challenging as most people will have tried a German wheat beer .

dukeellington

i'd go either one of two ways... belgian dark strong (go mental and top 12 or 13% ABV) because candy is dandy but liquor is quicker.

or go for a citrus-y hopped larger style to appeal....