About a month or more ago one of the Local breweries, Copper State, is holding what they call a “Wort Challenge”. They make a batch of wort, us home brewers each take some home and make a beer out of it. Then bring it back to have it judged and a winner chosen to possibly have it brewed there.
Sounds fun! Been hearing a lot of crazy ideas of what people wanna do. Some of what I heard people doing,, I’m not even sure its beer any more. But whatever sure. That is the current state of beer contests and fests now days. Put as much different stuff in to get it as far away from actual beer as possible, and you win!
But that kind of brewing and the products of it, are not my kind of thing. But since I paid my $25 bucks I might as well go along with it.
Like I said this was announced like a month ago. We pick up the wort 2 days from now (at time of writing) and we know almost nothing about what the work will be. A vague blurb about 2 row wheat and carapills or something,, but no percentages, no gravity. This may throw a wrench in for some people’s planning.
I am gonna plan mine on a style that could a wide range of OG and grain bills.. A Saison. In order to make a simple Saison stand out but stay somewhat beer, I’m gonna add beets.
Yes beets.

But since I don’t yet know what kind of gravity I’m looking at yet, I will need to do some on the fly adjusting of ibu. No biggie.
Since I am using real produce here and not just juice, I need to start prepping ahead of time. Not looking to get a wine must going,, just looking for that color and some of the beet taste. That dirt, earthy thing. I think that will play nice with the Saison.
There is probably many ways to do this, but the day before, I peeled and cut up 2 pounds of beets.

Boiled them till soft in 3 quarts of water. Took like 45 minutes on a slower simmer Drained off the liquid and cooled it.

Added a dose of pectic enzyme to help it stay clear… then we wait for tomorrow.

Ok I have just picked up my wort. They told us that the wort is 88% 2row, 12% Crystal 15 and a gravity of 11.5 brix.

Started everything off to boil and start collecting my ingredients.

.75 oz target hops @60 to bitter and 1oz Saaz at 15 for flavor. I’m trying not to cover much up here. I want the yeast to come out,, and not cover up the wort or beet notes. I debated which yeast for a while.. but because we need to have this done, kegged and brought back to Copper State in 4 weeks, I went with the Belle Saison yeast.

Right at the end I thought some black peppercorns may help the Saison yeast. But just a few.
And to kick it along I’m cranking the heat to 90F

She does look pretty red in the carboy,, but still not sure its gonna be anything in the glass. but we will see in a couple weeks!

This one will need some updates when we get them. Stay tuned