For the first challenge of the year we were at basement to show off the dark beers the entrants had brewed, with the showcase being judged by Ben the Head Brewer and Owner of Basement Beer.
The Challenge
Entrants were tasked with brewing a dark beer of any style, with an emphasis on it being commercially viable to brew and sell. Ben had agreed to judge the beers, with the winner getting a brewday at Basement and their beer being sold by Basement. Ben had also offered to time it with a canning run, so the beer would also make it into cans and potentially out to trade if there was enough available.
The Showcase
Its safe to say that our brewers certainly have a taste for dark beers, with an excellent range of brews on show. Naturally the club favourite style of Black IPA featured prominently amongst a strong range of beer styles. We had everything from Stouts to a Weizenbock.
Here’s the full list of Beers and their Brewers.
| Brewer | Name | Style |
|---|---|---|
| Luiz & Stan | Sputnik | Stout |
| Paul | Hop Telescope | Schwarzbier |
| Rob | Jaipur Noir | Black IPA |
| Ian | Raiders of the Lost Dark | Czech Dark Lager |
| Luiz & Stan | Ursa Major | Black IPA |
| Ian | The Dirty Secret | Premium London Porter |
| Pete | Black Basement IPA | Black IPA |
| Matt | Forever Batman | Black IPA |
| Will | Uther The Weiss Bringer | Weizenbock |
| Tom | Black as your Hat | Imperial Stout |
| Luiz & Stan | Black Hole | Stout |
Ben took extensive notes on the beers as the individual brewers presented them, along with an explanation of the origins of the beer and the recipe. He’s going to take some time to deliberate and choose a winner, so watch this space for details of the winner and their brewday!