Beer Styles

[Damon Colbert]

That ages old question, which at some point we all find ourselves asking; what is the most appropriate style category for my beer?

[Damon Colbert]

In my case, it's about this beer  http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/forum/topics/recipe-advice-thread?c...

 

I brewed this a year ago.  Right now it is tasting marvelous (to my palate at least).  And so I want to enter it to NHC this year.  It was my attempt at a Grodzisz/Grodziskie/Gratzer, a smoked wheat beer originally brewed in Poland, up until the 1990's when the last commercial example disappeared.

 

There are several sources of information about the style.  Most indicate it was oak or beech-smoked wheat malt (up to 100% of the grist).  It was a cool-fermented ale, similar to a kolsch.  Straw to golden coloured, highly carbonated with a foamy head.  It has a medium to med-high smoky character, which is typically woody.  Low to medium hop bitterness. 

There is some dispute around the style.  Some say hop notes were low to none, other sources suggest hop character was high.  Additionally there are some sources that identify Grodziskie as a sour beer, exhibiting lactic acid sourness (similar to Weiss), and some say otherwise.

 

Regardless of the argument, I need to choose a category.  The Brewers Association have this year identified Grodzisz as a distinct style (www.brewersassociation.org/attachments/0001/1129/2013_BA_Beer_Style...).  But under BJCP it might fit under Category 22B - Other Smoked Beer, or Category 23 - Specialty Beer (as a Historic style).  So what do we think?  Which is more suitable?

[Jessica Josheph]

LAGER

AMERICAN PALE ALE

INDIA PALE ALE

IMPERIAL OR DOUBLE INDIA PALE ALE

BELGIAN STYLE WHEAT BEER

AMERICAN STYLE WHEAT BEER