Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

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chalmers
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Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by chalmers » Sat Nov 26, 2022 11:58 am

For our 10th annual Home Brew Challenge we are throwing things back to year 1, and asking home brewers to submit their best IPA! (BJCP 2021 categories 21A American IPA, 21B Specialty IPA, 21C Hazy IPA, 22A Double IPA and X2 IPA Argenta). As this category is wide open to all iterations of IPA, yeast can be anything the participant wishes to use. Participants can submit ONE entry in any of the categories, and all entries will be judged against each other in one common pool to produce one winner, one 2nd place and a 3rd place. Jointly brewed entries are permitted with payment of only one entry fee, but if multiple members of a joint entry want a participant t-shirt and/or to participate in the gala, then each joint participant must pay an entry fee.

Please email info@bigspruce.ca to express interest ASAP and you will receive an entry form via return. Entry forms and $25 entry fee must be received and paid before judging day. Entries must be received by February 3rd, 2023 (drop off points for samples TBC). Judging will occur that weekend, and a Winners' Gala will be held at 4pm on Feb 5th, 2022 at the Dartmouth Wooden Monkey. Participants + 1 and judges will all be welcome to attend, and a wide selection of Big Spruce beer will be available to sample.

The top 3 beers will be announced at the Gala. Brewers placing 2nd and 3rd will win a swag/merch and beer box from Big Spruce, and the Best in Show winner will once again brew their beer on Big Spruce’s 7bbl pilot system for sale and distribution across NS (release details to follow).

Get Brewing! Looking forward to seeing the home brew community again on this one! Questions can be sent to the above email if you have any.

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by JamesM80 » Sat Nov 26, 2022 3:04 pm

Looking forward to it, Cheers!

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AnarchistBrewing
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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by AnarchistBrewing » Mon Nov 28, 2022 5:39 pm

Would a white IPA be an acceptable entry?
:headbang: Support a punk, give them a beer :headbang:

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by JamesM80 » Mon Nov 28, 2022 6:27 pm

AnarchistBrewing wrote:Would a white IPA be an acceptable entry?
It falls under 21b specialty IPA so it should be good to go. Just looked at 21b and didn't realize how many different specialty IPAs would be under it.

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by know1 » Fri Jan 27, 2023 12:13 pm

We have offered up our place in Middle Sackville as an entry drop-off location again thus year in addition to Spruce HRM HQ in Hubley.

Spruce will be collecting from us on Saturday afternoon February 4th so our cutoff is 12pm.
We will keep entries cool and have coolers outside for drop off to keep cool/prevent freezing in the interrum if we are out.

Please let us know when you are coming by, (PM for contact details and address if needed).

Cheers and good luck!
Kegged: El Dorado IPA, Rocketfuel 2.0, Wet Hopped Pale, Ryrish Red, Marzen, BN Exchange Dunkel, BN Exchange NEIPA, Lies Lies Lies - Citra <0.5% ale
Fermenting: NZ Pilsner with Enigma, Strawberry brett cider

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by LiverDance » Tue Jan 31, 2023 11:57 am

know1 wrote:
Fri Jan 27, 2023 12:13 pm
We have offered up our place in Middle Sackville as an entry drop-off location again thus year in addition to Spruce HRM HQ in Hubley.

Spruce will be collecting from us on Saturday afternoon February 4th so our cutoff is 12pm.
We will keep entries cool and have coolers outside for drop off to keep cool/prevent freezing in the interrum if we are out.

Please let us know when you are coming by, (PM for contact details and address if needed).

Cheers and good luck!
So I can drop off at your place on Saturday morning?
"Twenty years ago — a time, by the way, that hops such as Simcoe and Citra were already being developed, but weren’t about to find immediate popularity — there wasn’t a brewer on earth who would have gone to the annual Hop Growers of American convention and said, “I’m going to have a beer that we make 4,000 barrels of, one time a year. It flies off the shelf at damn near $20 a six-pack, and you know what it smells like? It smells like your cat ate your weed and then pissed in the Christmas tree.” - Bell’s Brewery Director of Operations John Mallet on the scent of their popular Hopslam.

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by know1 » Tue Jan 31, 2023 1:47 pm

LiverDance wrote:
Tue Jan 31, 2023 11:57 am
know1 wrote:
Fri Jan 27, 2023 12:13 pm
We have offered up our place in Middle Sackville as an entry drop-off location again thus year in addition to Spruce HRM HQ in Hubley.

Spruce will be collecting from us on Saturday afternoon February 4th so our cutoff is 12pm.
We will keep entries cool and have coolers outside for drop off to keep cool/prevent freezing in the interrum if we are out.

Please let us know when you are coming by, (PM for contact details and address if needed).

Cheers and good luck!
So I can drop off at your place on Saturday morning?

Yessir! Cutoff is noon
Kegged: El Dorado IPA, Rocketfuel 2.0, Wet Hopped Pale, Ryrish Red, Marzen, BN Exchange Dunkel, BN Exchange NEIPA, Lies Lies Lies - Citra <0.5% ale
Fermenting: NZ Pilsner with Enigma, Strawberry brett cider

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by Tim Gregory » Tue Jan 31, 2023 1:53 pm

That's my plan too

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by marko » Tue Jan 31, 2023 8:45 pm

I'll also be coming by Saturday morning!

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by Bradbrewsbeer » Tue Jan 31, 2023 10:48 pm

I'll swing by at 11:59 , grab the cooler and make it disappear.
Kegged - Cold IPA, NEIPA, Fieldberry Wheat, Dark Abbey Ale, Apple Pear Cider, American Lager, American Stout, Belgian Wit

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by GCR » Sat Feb 04, 2023 8:35 am

Bradbrewsbeer wrote:I'll swing by at 11:59 , grab the cooler and make it disappear.
Maybe I will stand a chance then! Lol

Good luck folks :)

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by Bradbrewsbeer » Sat Feb 04, 2023 9:29 am

That's what I was thinking
Kegged - Cold IPA, NEIPA, Fieldberry Wheat, Dark Abbey Ale, Apple Pear Cider, American Lager, American Stout, Belgian Wit

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by know1 » Sun Feb 05, 2023 9:17 pm

Congrats to Alex for the black IPA win!!
Kegged: El Dorado IPA, Rocketfuel 2.0, Wet Hopped Pale, Ryrish Red, Marzen, BN Exchange Dunkel, BN Exchange NEIPA, Lies Lies Lies - Citra <0.5% ale
Fermenting: NZ Pilsner with Enigma, Strawberry brett cider

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by Bradbrewsbeer » Sun Feb 05, 2023 9:22 pm

Hats off to the winners and Big Spruce for putting on such a great event. Already looking forward to next year!
Kegged - Cold IPA, NEIPA, Fieldberry Wheat, Dark Abbey Ale, Apple Pear Cider, American Lager, American Stout, Belgian Wit

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by JamesM80 » Sun Feb 05, 2023 10:42 pm

Crazy great event! They put on a great time! Yep, great! Can't wait until the next one!

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by know1 » Sun Feb 05, 2023 11:20 pm

I’d love to have a post tasting for those interested (Feb 11th perhaps) to share and discuss feedback on the idea of constructive criticism so we can all understand how to improve and grow as home brewers
Kegged: El Dorado IPA, Rocketfuel 2.0, Wet Hopped Pale, Ryrish Red, Marzen, BN Exchange Dunkel, BN Exchange NEIPA, Lies Lies Lies - Citra <0.5% ale
Fermenting: NZ Pilsner with Enigma, Strawberry brett cider

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by JamesM80 » Mon Feb 06, 2023 9:08 am

I'm down. Let me know where and when.

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Hey! Here's a selfish classified ad at the bottom of my name...
Party Time Brewing - Check it out. It's Beer! Sometimes available at Battery Park and soon at Real Fake Meats on Gottingen St. PM me if you want to buy some beer or just stop by and check out the brewery.

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Re: Tenth Annual Big Spruce Home Brew Challenge

Post by buddha3004 » Mon Feb 06, 2023 9:39 am

Great event! Loved it. Congrats to the top 3 and everyone else.
On Tap:English Pale Ale(Cone hops for Bittering), Belgian Pale Ale, ESB
Fermenting: American Lager
Planned: Maris/Wheat Pale Ale
Bottled: Cream Ale, Belgian Dubbel, ESB, Pale Ale

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