No more runner-up; this time he's champ

July in New Jersey doesn't resolve to August without a new state homebrew champion being crowned.

This year Dave Pobutkiewicz lays claim to the title of Best of Show in the New Jersey Sate Fair homebrewer competition, taking home the honor with a helles bock that the Pompton Lakes resident will get to reproduce for the taps at Krogh's brewpub in Sparta as his top prize. (Dave's victory was announced over the weekend on the Facebook page of Sussex County United Brewers and Alchemists homebrew club.)

This bock is a stalwart brew that's taken Dave a few places, notably the Great American Beer Festival in Denver as a finalist in the Samuel Adams LongShot homebrew contest, back in 2007. (That's Dave pictured with Jim Koch from Boston Beer Company.)

Brewed at the start of 2011, Dave says the beer (6.75% ABV) came together perfectly. Not that it hasn't before. Dave's a brewing zealot, meticulously keeping notes on his many brews. (Just this past weekend, he brewed a cream ale and an IPA hopped solely with East Kent Goldings). Members of his beer club, Defiant Homebrewers, also thought Dave nailed it with his latest take on his helles, and they've sampled enough incarnations of the bock to know.

"Everybody was like, 'This is the one,' " Dave says.

Dave's no stranger to the State Fair contest – for years, he's routinely finished somewhere in the winner's circle, including runner-up to the top prize. But this is his first Best of Show, and with the 2011 title under his belt, there's plenty of satisfaction.

"I can mark this one off the list," he says.

Yet, it's the LongShot contest that is sort of a Holy Grail for him. Four of the six homebrews he entered in the State Fair contest also were submitted in this year's LongShot competition. (His helles, an ESB, Oktoberfest, and Belgian strong dark were entered in both contests, while a nearly 2-year-old 12% barleywine and a hefeweizen rounded out his fair contest submission.)

Alas, a chance at LongShot glory, to have his recipe reproduced by Boston Beer for a national release, eluded him this year.

"The LongShot I try really hard for," Dave says. "I've been there before. I gotta get back there; I gotta repeat on that."

Congrats, Peter Kennedy

Bloomfield homebrewer Peter Kennedy, notable for the Web site Simply Beer and his beer prowess in general, gets his 2010 crowning achievement saluted this Saturday during the awards presentation for the New Jersey State Fair homebrew competition.

Peter's Sorachi Patersbier was named 2010 Best of Show during the July 31st fair judging. The grand prize, if you recall, is the winning recipe will be brewed and put on tap at Krogh's brewpub in Sparta. Krogh's is the longtime sponsor of the contest, which is coordinated by the homebrewers club Sussex County United Brewers and Alchemists (SCUBA).

Peter recaps the experience of his first homebrew contest victory in a blog post on his site.

Now in its 14th year, the 2o10 edition of the State Fair homebrew competition marked the first time the event was sanctioned by the American Homebrewers Association and the Beer Judge Certification Program. The contest attracted 162 entries from not just Garden State homebrewers, but New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania as well.

Also at the 1 p.m. awards presentation at the Sussex County fairgrounds, SCUBA will conduct a homebrew demonstration.

Lastly, a shout-out to SCUBA member Ken Sharrock for forwarding the contest results. The categories and winners appear below.

Homebrew rules that suck

What do New Jersey and Oregon have in common regarding homebrewing?

Laws that essentially say you can't take your homemade beer to your club meeting, friends' homes, etc. That's because your beer creations are supposed to be consumed only at the premises where they were brewed.

Sucks, doesn't it? (And yeah, we've groused about this before.)

In the case of Oregon, a hop-producing state with a reputation for good craft beer, it really does: The annual state fair's homebrew competition – a 22-year tradition – got iced this summer because someone discovered the rule. (Read more here.)

New Jersey's state fair homebrew contest was held July 31st as planned, like it was last year and years before that. No hitches. The same goes for Big Brew Homebrew Day observances that unite homebrewers in a day of communal brewing at an expressed location (like the backlot of a homebrew supply shop,, club member's home, or even a brewpub parking lot). That's most likely because in New Jersey's case, the permit limitation apparently goes unenforced, as does the obligation of obtaining the $15 permit itself.

Some folks, however, do bow to the requirement and plunk down their $15; others don't, for a number of reasons, including the fact they don't know the regulation exists. Still others are more defiant, arguing the state has no business telling them what they can do with some hops and the same ingredients that go into making bread, let alone charge them 15 bucks to enjoy a hobby that is essentially cooking.

While it hasn't happened, it's not far-fetched to think that New Jersey's regulators wouldn't ever take a harder line regarding homebrewers. You certainly hope that doesn't happen.

Yet, until the rules are changed – ideally by eliminating the permit completely or at a minimum dumping the language about where the beer may be consumed – Garden State h0mebrewers risk running afoul of the rules.

Just what that means is anyone's guess. But who really wants to find out?

Best of Show 2009

When you mention a beer, some folks want details. Well, here’s the profile for Andrew Meravi’s New Jersey State Fair Best of Show Russian Imperial Stout:

• Malt: Maris Otter, roasted barley, chocolate malt, munich malt (two types), crystal, Special B and flaked barley.
• Hops: Magnum for bittering, a dash of Centennial and East Kent Goldings for flavor and aroma. The brew scrapes the IBU ceiling at 100 (beneath a lot of malt, though).
• ABV: 10.25%

That profile represents a few tweaks Andrew made from a version he brewed last year that won second place in the homebrew competition's Imperial Stout category. (The stout was his sole entry then.) This year, he says, he was just trying to sharpen the stout a little to win the category. “I guess I got that and a little more.”

Andrew, who’s 34, took up homebrewing after a friend in New Hampshire helped broaden his horizons with the wide array of craft beers that are out there. (His palate was practically there, since at that time, he was enjoying beers like Bass.) A pale ale made by friend in New Jersey showed him what could be accomplished by homebrewing.

That was four years ago, and in that time he stepped up from brewing with malt extracts to all grain, turning out 10-gallon batches, unless it’s a big beer (like the imperial stout), in which case he’ll do half that volume.

Andrew took six beers to the 2009 State Fair and did rather well, even if you factor out his Best of Show title. His American pale ale won a gold medal; a breakfast stout made with oatmeal and a light-roast organic coffee took silver, and a Belgian golden ale went bronze.

And now he joins the pantheon of State Fair champs whose bragging rights include reproducing their winning ways for the taps at Krogh's.

And the winner is ...

A Russian Imperial Stout claims the Best of Show title in the 13th Annual New Jersey State Fair Homebrew Competition.

That means, like Best of Show winners before him, Andrew Meravi of Boonton will get to scale up his recipe and brew it on the 5-barrel system at Krogh's brewpub with the help of Krogh’s brewmaster, David Cooper.

Krogh's puts the Best of Show beers on tap when it can squeeze them into its brew lineup, and past winners have seen their beers land tap space over the late winter and mid-spring.

Meanwhile, rounding out the winners list:

• First Runner-up was an American IPA brewed by Robert Giaquinta Jr. of Sparta.
• Second Runner-up was a doppelbock crafted by the 2008 defending champs, Pequannock brewers Mike Wenzel and Steve Moen, joined by Glen Celmer.

Congrats to all.

All's fair in malt and hops

Come Saturday evening, we’ll know the newest beer destined for the tap handle lineup at Krogh’s brewpub.

You probably won’t be able to drink it until sometime next year, but when the Best of Show winner of the New Jersey State Fair homebrewer competition is announced, you’ll know what to look forward to.

The annual summer ritual unites the make-your-own contingent in a quest for bragging rights and that coveted opportunity to strike a mash at the picturesque brewpub by the waters of Lake Mohawk in Sparta (Sussex County) and have that beer served to paying customers.

The contest has grown in size in its decade-plus existence and has made commercial brewers out of a couple of winners (those would be Brian Boak, who contract brews with High Point Brewing in Butler; and Bud Usinowicz, who has helped brew at Krogh’s since his victory in ’06). This year has seen the most entries ever with 106 (up from 65 in 2008), including two-time winners and defending champs Mike Wenzel and Steve Moen; and Dave Pobutkiewicz, who was a 2007 finalist in the LongShot homebrew competition run by Boston Beer Company. On top of that, the quality of the homebrewed beers being entered has surged.

Last year, the contest was opened up to homebrewers anywhere in the country, not just those from the Garden State. Next year, the contest is expected to be sanctioned by the Colorado-based American Homebrewers Association and the Beer Judge Certification Program, a move that's likely to boost the number of entries even more.

Sussex County resident Ken Sharrock is the point guy for the competition. A homebrewer himself and certified beer judge, Ken got involved with the contest eight or so years ago and has helped bring it closer to what beer enthusiasts would recognize as a BJCP-approved event. Besides Ken, the contest has at least two other certified judges, and last spring, Ken administered the BJCP exam to some folks interested in stepping up to the world of accredited beer judges. (They're waiting for their rankings, Ken says.) Most of those people were already serving as contest judges, but in any case, you can expect skilled palates and noses to be crowning the next state champ.

A view from the brewhouse

These are shots from the brewing day Steve Moen and Mike Wentzel had late last month at Krogh’s. That’s Steve at right.

Steve says in a note to us that Turnpike Pale Ale, the best-in-show beer from the 2008 New Jersey State Fair hombrew contest, will be on tap in Sparta in about a month, once Krogh’s can open up a tap handle.

Meanwhile, we caught up with Brian Boak of Boak’s Beer/Boak Beverages at the High Point Brewing open house on Saturday. (FYI, High Point has this seriously good schwarzbier, Project Z, on tap in the visitors area. It's totally worth your growler, just like their maibock, a rich and malty brew with a solid hop balance. Call to check on availability of Project Z.)

This is a shot of the 15-barrel fermenter Brian popped for that will be installed at High Point. It was in transit when this photo was shot.

If you recall, Brian has a business relationship with High Point, which brews his line of Belgian-style beers and an imperial stout. This fermenter is a pretty big deal for Boak’s Beer, representing dedicated tank space for the brews that Brian has found a market for in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Over the past year or so, Brian has had to rely on what tank space would come open around the regular lineup of Ramstein beers and High Point’s other contract brewing obligations.

So consider this fermenter, which at the end of last week made it from China to Michigan where it sat en route to New Jersey, to be the first ring in the tree that is Boak’s growth. Brian expects the tank to be installed within the next 10 days. From there, it’ll be filled with a wheat beer accented with lemongrass that'll wind up in a bunch of new kegs Brian also bought, and ultimately bar taps, perhaps one near you.

Best in show, revisted

Quick update ... Coming soon to a tap at Krogh's brewpub in Sparta: Turnpike Pale Ale.

We got a note today from Mike Wenzel, one half of the duo that took best in show at the New Jerey State Fair homebrew contest.

Mike says Krogh’s is scheduling Tuesday as the day for brewer David Cooper, himself and his homebrewing colleague, Steve Moen, to come in and strike a mash with their winning pale ale.

Turnpike Pale Ale should clock in at 5.8% ABV. Keep an eye out for it.

Speaking of Krogh’s, their 10th anniversary doppelbock was well done, big and malty with a hint of alcohol warmth. We had it back in February on a trip up to Sussex County with friend of the blog Mark Haynie, who covers New Jersey beers for Mid-Atlantic Brewing News.

Best in show

Four years ago, a pale ale put Mike Wenzel and Steve Moen in the winner’s circle of the New Jersey State Fair homebrew competition.

Last month, they proved you can mess with success and walk away champs again, winning best in show in the fair competition with another American pale ale.

The 38-year-olds, buddies since grade school and homebrewers for about a dozen years, will again brew at Krogh’s Restaurant & Brewpub under the supervision of the Sparta establishment’s brewer and chef, David Cooper.

Look for the duo’s Turnpike Pale Ale (5.8% ABV) to go on tap sometime in early 2009. Yeah, that’s quite awhile from now, but it’s probably the earliest David can work Mike and Steve’s brew into the pub’s rotation of seasonal beers.

(FYI: That's Mike at left and Steve below. Download a pdf list of winners here.)

Krogh’s is a longtime sponsor of the state fair homebrew contest, but the grand prize of brewing a beer with the pub’s 5-barrel system to be served to Krogh’s patrons is a recent feature of the competition (more precisely, it’s in its fifth year).

Mike, a Pequannock resident, and Steve, who lives in Jefferson, were the first winners of the grand prize, in 2004, claiming the guest tap handle with their Hay Bale Pale Ale. (Krogh’s, by the way, is their watering hole, when they’re not partaking of their own brews.)

Their 2008 winner – hoppier than its predecessor – was originally brewed for a Fourth of July party. What was left over became a contest entry, Steve says. (The guys, who memorialize their brewing efforts with a Web site, also took first runner-up with an IPA; friend of the blog Dave Pobutkiewicz, an accomplished homebrewer in his own right and one-time Samuel Adams homebrew finalist, was second runner-up with his weizen.)

David says the homebrew contest is good for both the hobby brewers and the bar. When the victory brew goes on tap, it becomes a big draw, as family and friends of the winners pour into the bar to get a taste. Plus, there's a huge pride moment for the homebrewers when they see others enjoying a beer they created. "I'm still amazed to see people drink my beer," David says.

About the Turnpike Pale Ale

• Grain bill, hop profile and yeast: Mike and Steve created a base of pale and pilsner malts, and nuanced those malt flavors and color with some 20-degree Lovibond crystal malt and some munich malt. Amarillo was used as the bittering hop, with Cascade and Centennial in the nose. Another round of Cascade was used for dry hopping. The duo fermented with Wyeast 1056 American Ale yeast.
• The name: In a place like New Jersey, you might think it’s nod to our nationally known toll road ("Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike, they’ve all gone to look for America," sang Simon & Garfunkel). Guess again. Mike and Steve use the name in a more general or historic sense, sort of like Hamburg Turnpike, the moniker of a local road in Wayne. Steve says the two mused that if they opened a brewery it would be called Turnpike Brewery; hence Turnpike Pale Ale.
  
• Recent notable brews: They did a bourbon barrel porter, aging it on top of some oak cubes, with two Madagascar vanilla beans (split) tossed in for some extra flavor.

What’s happening at Krogh’s
David says the pub’s wildly popular Oktoberfest beer will go on tap Sept. 26, a little late this year compared to past years, although David tries to time it to Munich’s Oktoberfest (which starts Sept. 20).

Beware: It goes quickly. The pub sped through 27 kegs of the fest beer in 27 days last year. And when it’s gone, it’s gone until next year. By the by, the fest beer will be followed by a cider ale made with cider from Windy Brow Farms, located in Fredon in Sussex County.

Meanwhile, Krogh’s is helping support veterans with promotions that run through Nov. 11, Veterans Day. (More details here.)

Also, look for the pub to mark its 10th anniversary next February with a doppelbock and some commemorative mugs. The bock has become the pub’s milestone beer, says David. It was brewed to salute Krogh’s fifth anniversary, and to mark the pub's 500th brew about three years ago.

In case you're wondering, Krogh's is now at about 750 brews. And counting.