Notable judges comments: “Malty-sweet
beer with suppressed spicy noble hops. Dry finish invites more tasting.
Quite clean.”
Home Brew
Challenge Winners:
|
The main judging session at the 2009 Organic Challenge
|
2009 was year three of the homebrew competition.
Entries came from all over the country. We had slightly less entries
from outside of California this year, and more from our own area. This
year entries were judged by 21 judges, nearly all of whom are trained
and registered by the BJCP and included 2 Grand Master and 2 National
ranked judges. Each entry was evaluated by 2 or 3 different judges.
A Best of Show round was held for the top beers of 15 flights, so that
the best beers of the contest could be judged against each other. It
was a very long day filled with lots of great organic beers!
Although the total number of homebrew entries was slightly less (105
entries this year, and 115 last year), the average scores were about
10% higher. Many judges returned from the 2008 session, and quite a
few remarked that the overall quality of beers entered was significantly
higher than the year before. This, more than any other any other detail,
made this competition a huge success in our humble opinion.
The fact that organic brewers as a group have shown significant improvemnet
in such a relatively short period of time is a true measure of the
success of the organic brewing movement. Organic brewers have access
to better quality and selection of ingredients than ever before, and
more experienced brewers are taking an interest in brewing organic..
and it really shows!
|
Best of Show round at the 2009 Organic Challenge
|
Top Scoring Entry (West): “Organifest”,
brewed by J. Mark Hood of Bremerton, WA
Score: 41 out of 50
Prize: Hands on brewing experience at Uncommon
Brewers in Santa Cruz, CA,
plus a 1 year membership in the Organic
Buyers Club*
Notable judges comment: “Nice range of malt aromatics-
biscuity, caramel, light grainy aromas...nice. Light Noble hops (floral)
blend in well.”
Top Scoring Entry (East): “O’Schrefferelli Organic Stout” brewed
by Dan Schreffler of Dunmore, PA
Score: 43 out of 50
Prize: $250 worth of organic ingredients from Seven Bridges
Cooperative, a Seven Bridges T-shirt, plus a 1 year membership in the Organic
Buyers Club*
Notable judges comment: “Dry coffee notes, low sweetness in malt character.
Finish is clean, although some lingering toffee notes. Very slight sourness/tartness
from yeast in finish as well. This is to style in flavor, and can be found
in original Guiness (bottled) versions.”
Best of Show
The best of show is a special non-scoring round of all of the first place
entries in 14 flights (group of beers in 1 judging session). The judges compared
each entry next to the other 14 and selected the 3 they agreed were the best
overall beers.
1st Place: Dan Schreffler of
Dunmore, PA, For his “O’Schrefferelli
Organic Stout” (score 43)
Prize: A 32 quart (10.5 gallon) stainless steel brewpot and stainless
steel spoon from Polarware
2nd Place: Carol Lezin of Santa
Cruz CA, for her “White Paw Stout” American
Stout (score 37.7)
Prize: $100 worth of organic ingredients from Seven Bridges Cooperative
plus a 1 year membership in the Organic
Buyers Club*
Notable judges comment: “Good roasted dark malt flavor, mild
hop taste and aftertaste, good dark malt complexity”
3rd Place: Alan Lindsey of Houston,
TX, for his “Mozo Farmhouse” Belgian
Saison (score 32.7)
Prize: A copper immersion wort chiller from Polarware plus a 1 year membership
in the Organic
Buyers Club*
Notable judges comment: “Orange oil, cinnamon, clove, chamomile.
Brightly carbonated. Fluffy, white head that lingers as lace.”
Honorable Mention: J. Mark Hood
of Bremerton, WA, for his “Bionator” Dopplebock
(score 40)
Notable judges comment: “Malty sweet start with enough bitterness (roasted
malt & hops) to balance. Finish is malty without being cloying.
Some nice dark fruit flavors.”
Category Winners:
3. European Amber Lager- 7 entries
1st Place: J. Mark Hood of Bremerton,
WA for his “Organifest” (score
41)
Prize: A T-shirt & pint glass from Bison
Brewery plus
a 1 year Membership in the Organic
Buyers Club*
2nd Place: Ray Ernenwein of San Jose, CA for his Vienna Lager (score
28.3)
Prize: A copy of Fermenting
Revolution by 7 Bridges Member & Author Chris
O’Brien
3rd Place: Morgan Murphy of San Luis Obispo, CA for his Oktoberfest (score
26)
Prize: A set of 2 pint glasses from Bison Brewing Company
6. Light Hybrid
Beer- 7 entries
1st Place: Ray Ernenwein of San Jose, CA for his Kolsch
(score 34)
Prize: A T-shirt & pint glass from Bison
Brewery plus a 1 year Membership in the Organic
Buyers Club*
2nd Place: Seth Townsend of Erie, CO for his Kolsch
(score 33)
Prize: A T-shirt from Coast Brewing
3rd Place: Mike Persinger/Mike
Smith of Santa Rosa, CA for their “Just
gonna take a drink and let it rye” (score
30)
Prize: Set of 2 pint glasses from Bison Brewing Company
7. Amber Hybrid Beer- 2 entries
1st Place: Richard Lawrence of N. Falmouth, MA for
his “Falling Leaves
Festbier” (score 31)
Prize: A one year subscription to Brew Your
Own Magazine plus a 1 year Membership in the Organic
Buyers Club*
2nd Place: Todd Muchmore of Marina,
CA for his “Coastal Common” (score
29.5)
Prize: A 14 oz. organic hop assortment
8. English Pale Ale- 3 entries
1st Place: Abram Goldman-Armstrong
of Portland, OR for his “No Oast
Bar Bitter” (score 40)
Prize: $30 worth of organic ingredients from Seven
Bridges Cooperative plus a 1 year Membership in the
Organic
Buyers Club*
2nd Place: Carol Lezin of Santa
Cruz CA for her “Lucy’s Very
Extra Special Bitter” (score
38)
Prize: A copy of Fermenting
Revolution by 7 Bridges Member & Author Chris
O’Brien
3rd Place: Richard
Lawrence of N. Falmouth, MA for his “Three Koi Best
Bitter” (score 27.3)
Prize: Set of 2 pint glasses from Bison Brewing
9.
Scottish and Irish Ale- 6 entries
1st Place: Richard Lawrence of
N. Falmouth, MA for his “Burlwood Wee
Heavy” (score 39.3)
Prize: A T-shirt & pint
glass from Bison
Brewery plus
a 1 year
Membership
in the Organic
Buyers Club*
2nd Place: Robert Carlson of
Sacramento, CA for his “Scottish Haze” (score
37.3)
Prize: A 14 oz. organic hop assortment
3rd Place: Michael Enos of
Royal Oaks, CA for his “Elkhorn Red Ale” (score
36)
Prize: Set of 2 pint glasses from
Coast Brewing
10. American Ale- 9 entries
1st Place: John Radcliff of Greenfield,
CA for his “B*tch Slapped” American
Brown Ale (score 39)
Prize: A T-shirt & pint
glass from Bison
Brewery plus a 1 year
Membership
in the Organic
Buyers Club*
2nd Place: Richard
Lawrence of N. Falmouth,
MA for
his “Hop Harvest
Pale Ale” (score
31.5)
Prize: A copy of
Fermenting
Revolution by 7 Bridges
Member & Author Chris
O’Brien
3rd Place: Carol
Lezin of Santa
Cruz, CA for
her “116 Imperial Pale
Ale” American
Pale Ale (score
29)
Prize: An organic homebrew recipe
book and a 4 oz. organic hop assortment
12. Porter- 6 entries
1st Place: Dave Kramer-Urner from
Santa Cruz, CA for his Robust Porter
(score 30.6)
Prize: A gift box selection of
beers from Santa
Cruz Mountain
Brewery plus a 1 year Membership
in the Organic
Buyers Club*
2nd Place: Richard
Lawrence of
N. Falmouth, MA
for his “Hop Harvest
Porter” (score
30.3)
Prize: Seven Bridges T-shirt
3rd Place: Rick Luttropp from Central
Point, OR for his Robust Porter
(score 27.6)
Prize: Set of 2 pint glasses from
Bison Brewing
13. Stout- 11 entries
1st Place: Dan Schreffler of Dunmore,
PA for
his “O’Schrefferelli
Organic Stout” (score
43)
Prize:
A T-shirt & pint
glass
from
Bison
Brewery plus
a 1 year
Membership
in the
Organic
Buyers
Club*
2nd Place: Carol
Lezin
of
Santa Cruz
CA,
for her “White Paw Stout” American
Stout
(score
37.7)
Prize: A 14 oz. organic hop assortment
3rd Place: Troy Bommelaere of
Campbell, CA,
for his “Late Summer Stout” Oatmeal
Stout
(score 37)
Prize: An organic homebrew recipe
book and a 4 oz. organic hop assortment
14. India Pale Ale- 9 entries
1st Place: Daniel Love of Carlsbad,
CA for his “Primordial” (score
40.3)
Prize: $30 worth of organic ingredients
from Seven Bridges Cooperative
plus a 1 year Membership in the
Organic
Buyers Club*
2nd
Place: Richard
Lawrence of
N. Falmouth,
MA for
his “Ikebana IPA” (score
39)
Prize: A T-shirt from Coast Brewing
3rd Place: Dave Kramer-Urner from
Santa Cruz, CA for his India Pale
Ale (score 35.3)
Prize: Set of 2 pint glasses from
Bison Brewing
15.
German Wheat & Rye
Beer- 4
entries
1st
Place: Richard
Lawrence of
N. Falmouth,
MA for
his “Dark Forst
Dunkleweizen” (score
37)
Prize:
A $25
homebrew merchandise
gift certifcate
from Crosby & Baker (redeemable at
any homebrew
shop) plus
a 1
year Membership
in the
Organic Buyers
Club
2nd Place: Rick Luttropp from Central
Point, OR for his Weissbier (score
26)
Prize: A T-shirt from Seven Bridges
Cooperative
(entries scoring under 25 not eligible
for prizes and awards)
16.
Belgian & French
Ale- 10
entries
1st
Place: Mike
Persinger/Mike
Smith
of Santa
Rosa, CA
for their “More
than a Party Parti-Gyle Wit” (Score
35.5)
Prize:
$25 worth of organic ingredients from Seven Bridges Cooperative plus
a 1 year Membership in the
Organic
Buyers Club*
2nd
Place: Alan
Lindsey of
Houston,
TX,
for his “Mozo Farmhouse” Belgian
Saison (score
32.7)
Prize:
A copy
of Fermenting
Revolution by
7 Bridges
Member & Author Chris
O’Brien
3rd
Place: Todd
Muchmore of
Marina, CA
for his “Beach House Ale” Saison
(score 32)
Prize: Set of 2 pint glasses from
Bison Brewing
18. Belgian Strong- 6 entries
1st Place: ***Belgian Style Grand
Prize Winner!!***
Richard
Lawrence
of
N. Falmouth,
MA for
his “Farmhouse Blonde Ale” (score
41.5)
Prize: Richard’s recipe will be made into a certified organic beer
kit that will be available to purchase from Seven Bridges. This kit will
be named “Richard’s Farmhouse Blonde Ale” and
will
be
released
by
December
1,
2009,
just
in time
for
the
holidays!
The
very
first
kit
produced
will
be
signed
by
Seven
Bridges
Founder
Amelia
Slayton
and
delivered
directly
to Richard.
He will
also
receive
$100
worth
of organic
ingredients
from
Seven
Bridges
Cooperative
plus
a 1
year
membership
in the
Organic
Buyers
Club*
and
a Seven
Bridges
T-shirt,
pint
glass,
and
bumpersticker.
2nd
Place: Mike
Forbes
of
Moscow,
ID
for
his
beer “The Arctic Tern” Belgian
Golden
Strong
Ale
(score
39.5)
Prize: A 14 oz. organic hop assortment
3rd Place: Seth Townsend of Erie,
CO for his Belgian Golden Strong
Ale (score 35)
Prize: An organic homebrew recipe
book and a 4 oz. organic hop assortment
19. Strong Ale- 4 entries
1st Place: Joe Cruz of Sacramento,
CA for his “Joe Cruz” English
Barleywine (Score
35)
Prize:
A $25 homebrew merchandise
gift certifcate
from Crosby & Baker (redeemable at
any homebrew
shop) plus a 1 year
Membership in
the Organic
Buyers Club*
2nd
Place: Mike
Persinger/Mike Smith
of Santa
Rosa, CA
for their “Hardy
Bine Barleywine” (Score
34.3)
Prize: A 14 oz. organic hop assortment
3rd Place: Jonathan Botta of Santa
Cruz, CA for his “General Patton” American
Barleywine (score 34)
Prize: Set of 2 pint glasses from
Seven Bridges Cooperative
21. Spice, Herb and Vegetable Beer-
6 entries
1st
Place: Michael
Gordon
of
Boulder
Creek,
CA
for
his “Keith’s
Holiday Ale” (Score
38)
Prize:
A
T-shirt & pint
glass
from
Bison
Brewery plus
a
1
year
Membership
in
the
Organic
Buyers
Club*
2nd
Place: Rick
Luttropp
from
Central
Point,
OR
for
his “Holiday Spiced
Ale” (score
36.3)
Prize: A 14 oz. organic hop assortment
3rd Place: Michael Enos of Royal
Oaks, CA for his “Elkhorn Chamomile
Wheat” (score
35.7)
Prize: An organic homebrew recipe
book and a 4 oz. organic hop assortment
23.
Specialty & Other
Beers-
16
entries
1st
Place: Dan
Schreffler
of
Dunmore,
PA,
For
his “O’Schrefferelli’s
Blackberry Stout” (score
41)
Prize:
A
T-shirt & pint
glass
from
Bison
Brewery plus
a
1
year
Membership
in
the
Organic
Buyers
Club*
2nd
Place: J.
Mark
Hood
of
Bremerton,
WA,
for
his “Bionator” Dopplebock
(score
40)
Prize: A Seven Bridges T-Shirt
3rd Place: Randy
Walsh of Bellevue,
CO for his “Bingham Hill Black” Raspberry
Porter (score 38)
Prize: An organic homebrew recipe
book and a 4 oz. organic hop assortment
*The prize of a 1 year Membership
in the Organic
Buyers Club* does not stack. If a contestant wins multiple catagories
in which this is a prize, they will be awarded one Membership for 1 year.
2009
National Organic Brewing Challenge
Prizes & Official Contest Sponsors
|
|
Prize
List for 2009 Entries:
|
 |
 |
Eastern
Division: $250
worth of organic ingredients from Seven Bridges Cooperative, a
Seven Bridges T-shirt, plus a 1 year membership in the Organic
Buyers Club
This
year our efforts to find an organic brewery located in the Eastern
half of the United States willing to be a major sponsor and host
a hands on brewing experience were not successful. With some help
from our customers and contest participants who live in this region,
we hope to have better luck next year. In fact, we are looking
into setting up an East Coast receiving depot and possibly judging
for Eastern division entries in 2010. If you would like to see
this happen, and would like to help make it happen, please get
in touch with us!
|
 |
Western
Division: Winner
to brew an organic beer at Uncommon Brewers in Santa Cruz CA
The
highest scoring qualified entry from all entries West of the Mississippi
River USA will be invited to brew an organic batch of beer with
the Brewmaster at Uncommon Brewers in Santa Cruz, California. Uncommon
Brewers is a community-oriented organic microbrewery incorporating
traditional Belgian brewing techniques and cutting-edge innovation
from the modern West Coast. Grounded in the principles of sustainability
voiced by the Slow Food Movement, the goal is to make uncommon
beers for uncommon people. Visit online for more information about
the brewery and the beer: http://www.uncommonbrewers.com/index.php
GRAND
PRIZE RESTRICTIONS & LIMITATIONS: The grand prize winner will
have a hands on organic brewing experience at the host brewery,
brewing the beer chosen by the host Brewmaster. The prize winning
brewer must be able to travel to the brewery location at their
own expense to participate in the brewing of the winning recipe.
The grand prize winner will be given a homebrew sized portion of
the batch they particpated in brewing. Further details on the grand
prize will be forwarded to the grand prize winner once the winner
is selected.
|
Best
of Show Prizes: Made possible by our major sponsors:
Thirsty
Bear Brewing Company in
San Francisco California offers seven house standard
beers, all brewed with organic barley and hops. They
also offer two seasonal beers on a rotating basis to
compliment this selection. The first brewery restaurant
in the United States to serve an authentic Spanish menu,
ThirstyBear's Executive Chef incorporates some of the
finest specialty ingredients from Spain.
|
The
Lakefront Brewery has been a Milwaukee craft brewing
institution since 1987. They offered the first bottled
organic beer with a certified organic stamp in the USA
in 1996 with their Lakefront Organic ESB. A brewery truly
dedicated to organic principles Lakefront has always
used organic hops and is now working with local farmers
in Wisconsin to grow both hops and grain directly for
the brewery. Look for new organic beers coming soon from
this award winning organic brewery!
|
Bison
Brewery is located in Berkeley, CA and offers a wide
assortment of finely crafted and unique certified organic
beers. In their own words, Bison brews organic beer to
sync their personal lives with their business pursuits.
The small staff believes that sustainable and ecologically
sound food production is the best way to protect our
environment, save energy and ensure the sustainability
of American farming. Bison is now in its 20th year and
offers bottled beers at many choice locations in 12 states
(and growing).
|
POLAR
WARE is
a USA manufacturer of quality deep drawn products and
custom components in stainless steel and other metals.
They offer a line of top quality stainless steel brew
kettles for home brewers who want the best quality that
will last a lifetime! Polar
Ware brew pots are sold by Seven Bridges and many
other fine homebrew retailers across the country.
|
|
White
Labs Inc. is
a leader in pure yeast and fermentation services. They
serve the beer, wine, and distilling industries on levels
ranging from world-wide producers to home-based enthusiasts.
With a wide range of yeast styles to choose from, White
Labs yeast helps homebrewers to brew virtually any style
of beer they desire. Seven Bridges stocks a complete
selection of White Labs yeast in our store.
|
|
|
|
Best
of Show- 1st Place: A 32 quart (10.5 gallon) stainless
steel brewpot and stainless steel spoon from Polarware,
a 7 Bridges T-shirt, plus a 1 year membership in the Organic
Buyers Club
Best
of Show- 2nd Place: $100 worth of organic ingredients
from Seven Bridges Cooperative plus a 1 year membership in the Organic
Buyers Club
Best
of Show- 3rd Place: A copper immersion wort chiller
from Polarware plus a
1 year membership in the Organic
Buyers Club
Best of show
prizes are awarded to the Best of Show round winners. This is an
extra round of the highest scoring entry from each flight judged
by the top ranking judges of this competition. A flight is a round
in our competition usually made up of one or more categories, each
consisting of 4 to 10 beers. The number of flights in the Best
of Show round will be determined by the total number of entries
received.
|
| |
Category
Prizes: Awarded to the highest scoring entries each
of the 15 categories! Category prizes made possible through
the generous donations of our sponsors:
|
Special
Grand Prize: Top scoring qualified* entry in categories 16 & 18
*Qualified
entry- to qualify for this grand prize the recipe must be brewed
with commercially available certified organic ingredients.
|
Special
Grand Prize: Best Belgian Beer
|
 |
- The winning
Belgian style recipe (top scoring qualified* entry of category
16 & 18) will be made into a certified organic beer kit
that will be available to all homebrew customers of Seven
Bridges.
- This
kit will be named after the prize winning brewer and will
be released by December 1, 2009, just in time for the holidays.
- The very
first kit made will be signed by Seven Bridges Founder Amelia
Slayton and delivered directly to the winner.
- The winner
will also receive $100 worth of organic ingredients from
Seven Bridges Cooperative plus a 1 year membership in the Organic
Buyers Club and a Seven Bridges T-shirt, pint glass,
and bumpersticker.The grand prize will replace the first
prize for that category.
|
|
| 1st
place (all categories): |
All
first place winners of each category will recieve a 1 year membership
in the Organic
Buyers Club plus one of the following:
|
| 2nd
place (all categories): |
All
second place winners of each category will receive one of the following:
|
| 3rd
place (all categories): |
All
third place winners of each category will receive one of the following:
- A set of
2 pint glasses from 7 Bridges or one of our sponsors
- An organic
homebrew recipe book and a 4 oz. organic hop assortment
- A stainless
steel spoon from Polarware
|
| |
|
| The
contest prize committee (consisting of 7 Bridges staff and volunteers)
will determine how 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be distributed
once winners have been determined. To become a first, second, or third
place winner the entry must have a score of at least 25 points (out
of a possible 50) based on the BJCP scoring guidelines. |
| |
|
Prizes & Sponsors
for the Pro-Brew Competitions:
|
|
|
|
Winners
will be published on the 2009 competition winners page and
will be announced in the official press release and e-newsletter
following the competition. Each of the top 3 winners will recieve
a plaque, a Seven Bridges T-shirt, bumperstickers, and the
following:
- 1st
Place: $300 worth of organic
hops from Seven Bridges Cooperative plus 25 lbs of
organic hops from Roy Farms
- 2nd
Place: $150 worth of organic
hops from Seven Bridges Cooperative plus 25 lbs of
organic hops from Roy Farms
- 2nd
Place: $75 worth of organic
hops from Seven Bridges Cooperative plus 25 lbs of
organic hops from Roy Farms
|
|
Other
Competition Sponsors:
Media
Sponsor:
A huge
thank you to The Brewing Network Radio
for helping get the word out about this competition.The Brewing Network
has carved a niche in the homebrewing world by bring a radio voice to the
homebrewing scene which showcases the all good humor, good times, and passion
for brewing that homebrewers have in common. By embracing new technology
like pod and webcasting while also sticking to a classic radio format,
The Brewing Network has help to build a stronger community of brewers that
share a love of craft brewing.
A
very special Thank You for the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant in
San Jose for hosting the judging of this contest!!
Please
visit them the next time you are in San Jose:
Gordon
Biersch Brewery Restaurant
33 East
San Fernando Street
San Jose, CA 95113
phone: 408-294-6785
hours:
Sun-Wed: 11:30 AM - 11:00 PM
Thurs: 11:30 AM - Midnight
Fri-Sat: 11:30 AM - 2:00 AM
http://www.gordonbiersch.com/restaurants/index.php?pg=location&sub=loc&location_id=19
All
of us at 7 Bridges truly thank our sponsors for supporting the growing
organic brewing movement by sponsoring the 3rd Annual National Organic
Brewing Challenge!
The winning craft brews of the 2009 Organic Challenge
