Category Question...

[truckpoetry]

So I have a question - I have an extract-based Honey Brown - similar to perhaps a J.W. Dundee's Honey Brown, but with a little more bite to it. It is Amber LME, a little bit of Crystal, Black Patent, and Chocolate Malt, has Honey and Willamette hops. It has a little nuttiness, more caramel flavor, and came out a very copper-side-of-brown color.

I am guessing it would fall normally into BJCP category 10C - American Brown Ales, but I am curious if the addition of honey into the equation automatically moves it into the 23 - Specialty Beer category. Then again, it may naturally fit in a different category I'm not even thinking of.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Cameron

[Mike Grover]

The addition of honey wouldn't automatically put it into specialty. The question is, how prominent is the honey aroma and flavor? If it is up front and obvious then it would count against you in either the American or English brown ale categories. If it is suble or not noticeable then you're o.k. If it is somewhere in between then you could always double enter it. Another important question is whether the American hop character is obvious. If it is then you definitely wouldn't want to enter it in any of the English categories.

[Bill Lawrence]

I agree with Mike. If you want a definitive answer to your question however, bring four or five gallons to the next club function and we will be more than happy to do a through tasting.

[truckpoetry]

Would love to, but then I'd run out of stuff to drink here at home. And enter in competitions. And drink.