[blair.streit]

Do you use your tap water? Use campden? Because chlorophenols formed from water that wasn't dechlorinated can cause a phenolic/maybe banana type character.

Yeah our water is pretty heavy in chloramine so slow carbon filtering and Campden are both part of my routine.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[brewinhard]

Maybe a low level infection is a possibility. I've just never known 833 to throw banana. Doesn't make it impossible, I guess.

Yeah I don't pick up the banana in the aroma myself, but as mentioned I do get a "sweet bread" aroma that is at least adjacent in my mind.

I'm pretty sure it's not a contamination issue. I just had a bottle today that was bottled off the keg at the same time as the ones that were judged. At this point the beer is over 6 months old and over 2 months in the bottle. I would think any kind of contamination would be growing in prominence, but everything seems pretty much the same to me. I also still have some in the keg and it tastes pretty much the same as the bottle (though I'm starting to pick up some faint sweetness in the bottle that I'd chalk up to early signs of oxidation).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I was going to ask if this was a repitch for that 833 strain?  I only ask, becuase last year I brewed a series of lagers in a row and by the last one (#6 with the same strain repitched) judges had noted some "strawberry esters" in the last brew (happened to be a marzen too).

Was thinking that maybe you took the strain out to too many repitches and mutations may have gotten the better of it. Just a thought....

[blair.streit]

I was going to ask if this was a repitch for that 833 strain?  I only ask, becuase last year I brewed a series of lagers in a row and by the last one (#6 with the same strain repitched) judges had noted some "strawberry esters" in the last brew (happened to be a marzen too).

Was thinking that maybe you took the strain out to too many repitches and mutations may have gotten the better of it. Just a thought....

Wow, that's an interesting idea. I do repitch 833 quite a bit, but in this particular case it wasn't. Generally I make a 1L starter with 2 packs, then pitch that into Marzen or Vienna Lager (down in the 1.050 OG range). My repitches usually come after that and go into my Dunkles Bock and/or Baltic Porter. There's enough going on in those beers that if I were getting a slight ester contribution from repitching I probably wouldn't notice it.

I know you were probably talking about more generations than that anyway, but it's a really interesting point. I assume there are all kinds of factors that might come into play through successive repitches (i.e. yeast health/nutrition, oxygenation, mutation, etc).

[dsmitch19]

So, before sharing the recipe or anything else, I'm curious about your thoughts on the banana just from this feeedback? Is this where I should focus, or based on the details below do you feel I'm over-emphasizing this one bit of the feedback?

For me, I'd want a larger sample size of opinions if two judges independently perceived a character I wasn't getting in my beer. Sometimes, one judge might mention "hey, are you getting banana?" and the other might start perceiving that through the power of suggestion. They could be overly sensitive to that ester or just had the perception of it. With a score of 38, I wouldn't go changing anything until you get some more opinions and more judges/people also finding banana or other esters too strong for a lager.

[blair.streit]

For me, I'd want a larger sample size of opinions if two judges independently perceived a character I wasn't getting in my beer. Sometimes, one judge might mention "hey, are you getting banana?" and the other might start perceiving that through the power of suggestion. They could be overly sensitive to that ester or just had the perception of it. With a score of 38, I wouldn't go changing anything until you get some more opinions and more judges/people also finding banana or other esters too strong for a lager.

Thanks. Yeah I've got a bit of it left so I'm going to try and get some opinions from some trusted palates (before showing them the sheets) and see if anyone else picks it up. The fact that it's only being cited in the aroma suggests to me that whatever they were picking up on is pretty subtle.

[wv_brewer]

Has anyone received the post-competition packages that were supposed to be available yesterday?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[Andy Farke]

Has anyone received the post-competition packages that were supposed to be available yesterday?

I haven't seen anything here (I was in the San Diego prelims, but didn't medal)...hopefully we'll have an email if things are delayed? [I'm OK if the packages have to be pushed back due to sheer volume, but hope to know if I should or shouldn't obsessively hit "refresh" on the "My Info & Entries" page!]

[Badgerhead]

Has anyone received the post-competition packages that were supposed to be available yesterday?

I haven't seen anything here (I was in the San Diego prelims, but didn't medal)...hopefully we'll have an email if things are delayed? [I'm OK if the packages have to be pushed back due to sheer volume, but hope to know if I should or shouldn't obsessively hit "refresh" on the "My Info & Entries" page!]

Nope, nothing yet.  I laughed when I saw your post - I'm obsessively hitting refresh too.  Also still waiting for San Diego scoresheets. 

[metron-brewer]

Has anyone received the post-competition packages that were supposed to be available yesterday?

I haven't seen anything here (I was in the San Diego prelims, but didn't medal)...hopefully we'll have an email if things are delayed? [I'm OK if the packages have to be pushed back due to sheer volume, but hope to know if I should or shouldn't obsessively hit "refresh" on the "My Info & Entries" page!]

According to the "Post First Round" info it looks like they are targeting May 5.

[Andy Farke]

According to the "Post First Round" info it looks like they are targeting May 5.

It is listed as May 3 in some places (e.g., https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/national-homebrew-competition/ and the email I received on April 27) and May 5 in others (e.g., https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/from-the-director/post-first-round-judging-final-round/).

No matter what, I will continue to speculate endlessly with minimal data, because hey, why not... :-)

[Badgerhead]

My online package just posted - 41 for my best bitter, 34.5 for my blonde.  I'm thrilled!

[Andy Farke]

33.5 for my Munich Helles (first time entering to competition), 30 for my German Pils (which was probably a little past prime anyhow, and scored better in an earlier competition), and 40 (including entry into the mini-Best-of-Show!) for my oatmeal stout. Absolutely thrilled with this, too, even if I didn't medal!

[wv_brewer]

Thanks guys.  Just looked at mine.  36 for APA, 38 for American Porter - mini BOS but no ribbon and 41 for Specialty IPA with 1st place.  Very happy with my scores.

Good luck to everyone in the finals.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

[ynotbrusum]

Congrats to you all for some great entries.  As is sometimes the case, I advanced with a 37 for a light lager in second place and lost out in miniBos with a 39.5 on a Czech Dark Lager.  But I know the competition was steep in light of the winners in my region (perennial high placers in NHC), so that is perfectly fine.  My third entry must not have held up very well - it got an 18, so something bad developed as it sat at the competition-end for about 8 weeks.  No complaints here, though - everybody had the same situation. 

[Badgerhead]

Congrats to you all for some great entries.  As is sometimes the case, I advanced with a 37 for a light lager in second place and lost out in miniBos with a 39.5 on a Czech Dark Lager.  But I know the competition was steep in light of the winners in my region (perennial high placers in NHC), so that is perfectly fine.  My third entry must not have held up very well - it got an 18, so something bad developed as it sat at the competition-end for about 8 weeks.  No complaints here, though - everybody had the same situation.

Congrats and good luck to everyone!

I just noticed my blonde made mini-BoS but didn't advance, whereas my other beer ended up taking first.  Could somebody explain to me a little more about how mini-BoS works?  I think I understand the basic idea, but I'd like to hear more from someone with some firsthand knowledge. 

EDIT - San Diego score sheets arrived today