It's a major award!

[The_Bishop]

So, my brewing finally paid off in gold.

http://home.comcast.net/~The_Bishop/medal.jpg

Gold medals, that is. It's pretty damn exciting.

[Blackbirdws6]

Nice!

[Tru2Chevy]

Congrats!

- Justin

[The_Bishop]

Thanks, guys.

[stoney2677]

Hell you say you won it?

[The_Bishop]

Yes sir!

[NastyEllEssWon]

haha congrats man! Awards like that in adult life dont really happen often, you should be proud! Have a beer :mrgreen:

[The_Bishop]

Or several! Thanks!

[sweetbmxrider]

What did you win?

[The_Bishop]

A medal and bragging rights, pretty much. The recognition of my brewing peers.

[69RSZ]

congrats from one brewer to another :) I brewed beer for 33 yrs for the king of beers and I had a blast.

[The_Bishop]

Thank you. Working as a brewer for 33 years must have been very interesting as things changed over the years.

[Jersey Mike]

I'll be the judge of that. PMing address now.

[NJSPEEDER]

I don't believe them. I think a group of us are going to have to get together and do some sampling...say a keg or three. Then we will pass REAL judgement :-P

Congrats on the win. I have talked to my buddy that I brew with about contesting before but never really looked into the rules. How do they run it? How much do you have to submit? Do they restrict to a short list of specific styles or is it wide open?

[The_Bishop]

In all seriousness, if there is a venue when I can bring a keg and I have enough time to brew in advance, I'll bring one. Or, at some point this summer, maybe I'll host an NJFBOA Northwest event.

Depends on the contest, really. This one was a 'SMaSH' bash, which stands for:
S ingle
M alt
and
S ingle
H op

So your grain bill can only consist of one base malt, and only one hop varietal. You can mash any way you'd like and use any hop schedule you'd like. Yeast is wide open. This contest was limited to Pale Ale, IPA and Imperial IPA.

I went with a Pale Ale. Malt was Vienna, hop I chose was Motueka (New Zealand hop).

Recipe was, for those interested:
Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 6.98 gal
Post Boil Volume: 5.88 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.50 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.38 gal
Estimated OG: 1.056 SG
Estimated Color: 6.1 SRM
Estimated IBU: 40.7 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 69.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 70.9 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
12 lbs 8.0 oz Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 1 100.0 %
0.75 oz Motueka [6.70 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 2 19.3 IBUs
0.50 oz Motueka [6.70 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 3 9.0 IBUs
0.50 oz Motueka [6.70 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 4 7.1 IBUs
0.50 oz Motueka [6.70 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 5 4.2 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 5.0 mins) Fining 6 -
0.50 oz Motueka [6.70 %] - Steep/Whirlpool 5.0 Hop 7 1.2 IBUs
1.0 pkg Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US-05) Yeast 8 -
1.00 oz Motueka [6.70 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop 9 0.0 IBUs


Mash Schedule: Recirc, Full Body
Total Grain Weight: 12 lbs 8.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Saccharification Add 18.75 qt of water at 169.1 F 155.0 F 60 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 7 min 168.0 F 10 min

Sparge: Fly sparge with 3.99 gal water at 168.1 F
Notes:
------
Brewing water is 8.7 gallons RO Water.

In Mash water:
2.4 grams Gypsum, 1.9 grams Calcium Chloride, 1.4 ml 88% Lactic Acid

In Sparge water:
2.0 grams Gypsum, 1.6 grams of Calcium Chloride

[Jersey Mike]

In all seriousness, if there is a venue when I can bring a keg and I have enough time to brew in advance, I'll bring one. Or, at some point this summer, maybe I'll host an NJFBOA Northwest event.

Honestly, this bold portion may be your best bet. The summer meets like grilling at Duke Island Park or the September Island Dragway meet would be great for this, but alcohol is prohibited at both, if I recall correctly.
Perhaps some Post-Meet festivities or something unofficial between meets can be coordinated down the line though.

Need a moderator's input on how we can incorporate our members' cool personal offerings into the club's overall portfolio.

[LTb1ow]

Fast cars and beer, what could possibly go wrong??

[Jersey Mike]

BBQ at my new place this summer, in place of one of the South Meets, a la Torreto style. First to reach for the NJHopz has to say grace.

That's a fantastic idea, Smash!

[DaSkinnyGuy]

Cheers

[sweetbmxrider]

Bring yo NJFBOA pint glass!

[Artful Dodger]

Congratulations!

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

...I have yet to receive an invite.

[WayFast84]

Congrats man! Were actually brewing today with some extract. Is anyone doing Boston Beerfest?

[thehazguy]

Nice, congrats again. See you on the H'town forum as well. F-body meet(with award winning beer), drag racing and close to home.

[The_Bishop]

Thanks!

ARG: Invites will be pending once the weather cooperates. Also, you can't get here on a jet ski, which may be problematic for you in the warmer months. :)

Not doing the boston beerfest, too much other stuff going on.

[IROCZman15]

dude, that's AWESOME!

and Im totally in for a sampling and wrenching session. congrats on the win (I know nothing about brewing so I can't chime in there)