TOPIC:

My question surrounds what is meant by: [i:330ch0yv]"Availability of ingredients must be considered, both from a seasonal point of view and the quantities available to do a full commercial brew."[/i:330ch0yv]

How are we supposed to know what ingredients are and are not available to professional breweries in Ireland??!?
-This is the big thing I'm struggling with.

Is the plan for Trouble Brewing just to brew this as a "one-off" one time brew or are they possibly thinking about making it a permanent addition?
It's an important dileneation as the mass market appeal and cost of the brew would be more important. (AKA a low gravity beer will have this one all wrapped up.)


Adam

"Biertourist":3ru6rpek wrote: the mass market appeal and cost of the brew would be more important.[/quote:3ru6rpek]

"Poc":3ru6rpek wrote: the beer’s ability to appeal to a mass market is [b:3ru6rpek]not[/b:3ru6rpek] a factor.[/quote:3ru6rpek]I think that bit's pretty clear, at least.

"Biertourist":nm5h7jsk wrote: My question surrounds what is meant by: [i:nm5h7jsk]"Availability of ingredients must be considered, both from a seasonal point of view and the quantities available to do a full commercial brew."[/i:nm5h7jsk]

How are we supposed to know what ingredients are and are not available to professional breweries in Ireland??!?
-This is the big thing I'm struggling with.

Is the plan for Trouble Brewing just to brew this as a "one-off" one time brew or are they possibly thinking about making it a permanent addition?
It's an important dileneation as the mass market appeal and cost of the brew would be more important. (AKA a low gravity beer will have this one all wrapped up.)[/quote:nm5h7jsk]

It'll be a one-off, and hence mass-market appeal or the cost [size=75:nm5h7jsk](within reason)[/size:nm5h7jsk] won't be a determining factor.

The seasonal nature of the ingredients would refer to the fact that if you're brewing a beer now, it'll be a Autumn beer, where as the full brew will be in the Spring. Hence a pumpkin beer, to use the most obvious example, would be very seasonal and might not work in 6 months time. It's just something to keep in mind.

I'd imagine that nearly all the ingredients available to home-brewers are available to commercial brewers too, certainly from a grain/hops/yeast perspective anyway.

Also, is this an "Ale only" competition or are they willing and able to leave a lager "lagering" for an extended period of time?

I'm thinking about a malty Oktoberfest/Marzen but I'm not sure if they're up for lagering and I'm uncertain if their equipment can do a decoction or should I stick to an Oktoberfest recipe that just uses infusions?

More detailed guidelines would be nice because I'd hate to brew a beer only to find out that it's ineligible to win because the recipe is incompatible with their equipment...

"Poc":1hlm6fm8 wrote: The seasonal nature of the ingredients would refer to the fact that if you're brewing a beer now, it'll be a Autumn beer, where as the full brew will be in the Spring. Hence a pumpkin beer, to use the most obvious example, would be very seasonal and might not work in 6 months time. It's just something to keep in mind.

I'd imagine that nearly all the ingredients available to home-brewers are available to commercial brewers too, certainly from a grain/hops/yeast perspective anyway.[/quote:1hlm6fm8]

Thanks so much for the clarification! (Note to self: don't brew an Oktoberfest for this one.)


Adam

P.S. This competition is the most exciting news... maybe EVER!

I'm hoping we have a cold September now as my last brew felt the effects of the extra warm Summer........Fruitaaaay! <!-- s:? --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_confused.gif" alt="" title="Confused" /><!-- s:? --> <!-- s:D --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_biggrin.gif" alt="" title="Very Happy" /><!-- s:D -->

&amp;quot;Biertourist&amp;quot;:3goecwt9 wrote: P.S. This competition is the most exciting news... maybe EVER![/quote:3goecwt9]

haha Adam I think you just might be the most excitable homebrewer... maybe EVER! <!-- s:lol: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_lol.gif" alt="" title="Laughing" /><!-- s:lol: -->