Amateur Winemakers of Canada
2009 BEER AND CIDER CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
Clicking on these shortcuts will take you directly to the general or specific class description. Note that all wine classes are on another page
{A} Aperitif Sherry Class {B} Aperitif Class
White Wine Classes General {C1} Chardonnay {C2} Aromatic White Grape {C3} White Non-Vinifera Grape Wine {C4} Other Dry White
{D} Rosé Wine Class Red Wine Classes General
{E1} Bordeaux Style Dry Red {E2} Red Pinot {E3} Red Non-Vinifera Grape Wine {E4} Red Zinfandel {E5} Red Rhone Style {E6} Other Dry Red
{F} Dessert {G} After Dinner {H} Sparkling {I} Social {J1} Country Off Dry and Medium Dry {J2} Country Off Dry and Medium Dry
Beer Classes General Information {K} Light Lager etc {L} Hop-Focused Styles
{M} Malt-Focused Styles {N} Roasted & Smoked {O} Belgian & Wheat
BEER COMPETITION CLASS DEFINITIONS
PREAMBLE
Judges will be informed of the declared style of each entry, and should have a copy of the style definitions at the judging table for reference. It is recommended that judges use the standard BJCP judging form for their evaluations. Style definitions and judging forms can be obtained at the BJCP web site: http://www.bjcp.org/index.php
Only the BJCP styles listed within the five beer classes will be considered for acceptance into the National Competition. It is up to the entrant to decide which beer style their entry will be judged as, and include the BJCP style number and name, in addition to the associated AWC class letter and name, on their entry form. Beer entries that do not include a declared style on the entry form will be disqualified.
It is recommended that Provincial competitions also use this same structure to simplify the entry selection process. Should a different structure be used, it is up to the Provincial organizers to harmonize their qualifying entries with the National Competition structure, and the overall restrictions on number of entries per class.
K. LIGHT LAGER AND HYBRID BEER STYLES
This class groups styles with the clean malt flavour of Pilsner and other very lightly kilned malts. Some styles call for adjuncts such as corn or rice to reduce the maltiness. Hopping in most styles will be low to moderate, with the stronger hopped styles balanced by residual maltiness. Typical colour will be straw to golden.
BJCP styles included in this class are:
1A. Light American Lager
L. HOP-FOCUSED BEER STYLES
This class groups styles with a toasty malt character, often with nutty or biscuity flavours from the use of more highly kilned base malts such as Pale Ale, Vienna and Munich malts. The beers will generally have a more noticeable caramel character from increased use of caramel/crystal malts. The unifying element to this class will be a noticeable hop presence, even in the maltier styles. Hop bitterness and character can be moderate to extreme. Typical colour will be amber to copper, although some styles can expand the range from golden through brown.
BJCP styles included in this class are:
7A. Northern German Altbier
M. MALT-FOCUSED BEER STYLES
This class groups styles with noticeable malt sweetness, often with toffee notes, from higher finishing gravities and darker caramel malts or kettle caramelization. A light roasted character, similar to chocolate, will also be acceptable in some styles. Hop influence will generally take a back seat to the malts, and never dominate. Typical colour will be copper to dark brown, although some styles can expand the range from amber to black.
BJCP styles included in this class are:
3A. Vienna Lager
N. ROASTED AND SMOKED BEER STYLES
This class groups all beer styles with a moderate to strong roasted grain character. Chocolate, coffee and even some acrid burnt flavours are appropriate. Beers made with smoked grains are also included in this class, although they should probably be judged separately, after the roasted styles, because of their potentially strong and pervasive smokiness. Colour will be very dark brown through opaque black in the roasted styles. Smoked beer colours will vary depending on base beer style chosen.
BJCP styles included in this class are:
12A. Brown Porter
O. BELGIAN AND WHEAT BEER STYLES
This class groups beer styles whose distinctive appearance, flavours and aromas make them seem out of place in the other classes. Styles with a high proportion of wheat will usually have a very hazy appearance. Unusual yeast or bacteria derived characteristics play a prominent role in these beers. Banana, bubble-gum, dried fruit or citrus flavours, clove and pepper phenols, mustiness, Brett (barnyardy), sourness, spiciness (from yeast or spice additions) can all appear in these styles. Generally, these unusual characteristics will play a light to moderate supporting role to the more usual malt and hop character. Judges handling this class should probably not have to do any other classes if there are more than a few entries. Even well made examples of these styles can be a test of judging stamina.
BJCP styles included in this class are:
15A. Weizen/Weissbier
P. SPARKLING CIDER
A sparkling beverage of 6 to 10% alcohol content, dry to medium sweetness, low to medium acidity, made from either or both apple juice (Cider), or pear juice (Perry) or from some combination of one or both of those juices with other fruit (non-grape) juice. The other juice must be less than 50% of the blend and the flavour of the other fruit should not dominate. The difficult-to-define, zesty character of traditional cider must be present and will be a direct reflection of the cidermaker’s skill in selecting ingredients. Any form of carbonation acceptable in the Sparkling Class is also acceptable in the Sparkling Cider Class. Sparkle should be controlled and prolonged. Fine champagne-like bubbles trailing from the bottom of the glass are preferred. Cider may be disgorged or presented on the priming yeast. In the latter case the cider must pour clear to within 3 cm of the bottom of the bottle.
Beer Competition Classes
Beer entries will be judged according to both technical merit and adherence to style definitions. The AWC will always use the current beer style definitions from the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). These style definitions undergo revisions every few years, and the AWC Handbook should be updated accordingly when such changes take place.
1B. Standard American Lager
1C. Premium American Lager
1D. Munich Helles
1E. Dortmunder Export
2A. German Pilsner
2B. Bohemian Pilsner
2C. Classic American Pilsner
6A. Cream Ale
6B. Blonde Ale
6C. Koelsch
6D. American Wheat or Rye Beer
7B. California Common Beer
7C. Dusseldorf Altbier
8A. Standard/Ordinary Bitter
8B. Special/Best/Premium Bitter
8C. Extra Special/Strong Bitter
10A. American Pale Ale
10B. American Amber Ale
10C. American Brown Ale
14A. English IPA
14B. American IPA
14C. Imperial IPA
19A. Old Ale
19B. English Barleywine
19C. American Barleywine
3B. Oktoberfest/Maerzen
4A. Dark American Lager
4B. Munich Dunkel
4C. Schwarzbier (Black Beer)
5A. Maibock/Helles Bock
5B. Traditional Bock
5C. Doppelbock
5D. Eisbock
9A. Scottish Light 60/-
9B. Scottish Heavy 70/-
9C. Scottish Export 80/-
9D. Irish Red Ale
9E. Strong Scotch Ale
11A. Mild
11B. Southern English Brown Ale
11C. Northern English Brown Ale
12B. Robust Porter
12C. Baltic Porter
13A. Dry Stout
13B. Sweet Stout
13C. Oatmeal Stout
13D. Foreign Extra Stout
13E. American Stout
13F. Russian Imperial Stout
22A. Classic Rauchbier
22B. Other Smoked Beer
15B. Dunkleweizen
15C. Weizenbock
15D. Roggenbier (German Rye Beer)
16A. Witbier
16B. Belgian Pale Ale
16C. Saison
16D. Biere de Garde
16E. Belgian Specialty Ale
17A. Berliner Weisse
17B. Flanders Red Ale
17C. Flanders Brown Ale/Oud Bruin
17D. Straight (unblended) Lambic
17E. Gueuze
18A. Belgian Blond Ale
18B. Belgian Dubbel
18C. Belgian Tripel
18D. Belgian Golden Strong Ale
18E. Belgian Dark Strong Ale
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