BJCP Benchmark Brew?

[fretlessman71]

I happened to see the thread entitled "American Brown BJCP 10c" or some such thing, and before I opened it, I imagined that it might be referring to a beer that BJCP felt met the guidelines for an American Brown, or a recipe that hit the description on the nose maybe.

Turns out that wasn't the case, but I got to thinking: What would be the merits of brewing a series of beers that hit all the marks? Would it be a useful endeavor, or would it serve simply as a middle ground for each brewer to make his own interpretation from?

Does anything like this exist?

Am I making any sense? :confused:

[HogieWan]

most styles have a good bit of ambiguity to them in that the flavors involved can come from different ingredients and different amount of them. I think every brewer tries to do that with at least a few styles, but publishing such a collection would be misleading to new brewers

[markaberrant]

Actually Jamil and John Palmer are putting out such a book:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=26

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by markaberrant
Actually Jamil and John Palmer are putting out such a book:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=26

I may have to pre-order that one. thanks

[BrewDog]

Funny-

I pre-ordered that earlier this week, and forgot to mention it here.

I listen to Jamil Z's podcasts on the Brewing Network. He gave a little info on the book in last week's podcast. Basically, almost all of the recipes are his, with a few "guest" recipes (including a Brown Ale recipe from the same guy who won the California sectional of the Sam Adams Long Shot.) EVERY recipe is a National level competition medal winner. (And there are 84 or 85 in there. Jamil is arguably the best competition brewer in history)

Palmer gives chapters on the ingredients, sort of along the lines of Daniels' first 4 chapters. Lots of info on things like substitutions, re-formulations, and adapting recipes to what you can get, not what is there in the recipe. Same thing goes for reformulating due to equipment capabilities, etc.

I look forward to getting my copy. It sounds like it's destined to be one of those "must have" books, like Daniels, Noonan, Palmer, Papazian, and Mosher.

[HarkJohnny]

hmmm.....

the front of that book uses the same image as the 07 AHA NHC poster. http://www.beertown.org/events/nhc/poster.html (and the leading and kerning on the book title could use some work! ...sorry, the designer in me.)

anyway, thanks for the link!

[steveh]

Originally posted by HarkJohnny
...sorry, the designer in me.

Man, you really are worse than me. I bet you're fun with movie credits too! ;)

S.

Kerning, or tracking?

[HarkJohnny]

Originally posted by steveh

Kerning, or tracking?

tracking is overall for the word, like when you space out a word to fit a specific distance. kerning is based on equaling the distance between a pair of characters

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerning

sincerely,
type nerd :D

[steveh]

Originally posted by HarkJohnny
tracking is overall for the word...

Um, yeah -- I know. Been a graphic designer for 25 years, 'member? I was asking because it looked like the tracking needed tweaking more than individual kerning to my eyes. Then again, the whole design could use some overall tweaking! ;)

Mystral and that silly broken type? Yech.

S.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by steveh
Then again, the whole design could use some overall tweaking! ;)

It seems like a bunch of designer/beer_geeks would chomp at the bit to get a chance to design a layout for a project like this (for one, to have your name associated with the authors in any way). Why can't they get better designs for these things?

[steveh]

Don't know. Considering Randy Mosher's first career was graphic design, you'd think he'd have a huge following. I've got a few local beerfest logo designs in my own portfolio, be fun to do some more beer-related work. Stan. Lew.

S.

[fretlessman71]

I think your tracking needs more kerning, personally. But that's just me...

[chazwicke]

We'll keep you guys in mind for the next set of Human Head pump clips.