I would normally think I’m too inexperienced to submit to a brewing contest , but after getting a recently published book, “the botany of beer”, by Guiseppe Caruso , Sideritis was no where’re to be found ! This was published in English just a month ago as an encyclopedia for 500 plant ingredients in fermentation with beer.

After reviewing the guidelines , the only category that my beer would fit into was “experimental “. To be an herbal beer it would need to already conform to a base style , but SMASH ales aren’t a style officially.

I felt conflicted entering for a moment because my bottles are over carbonated, despite waiting 3 weeks to bottle with 4.5 ounces of corn sugar in a 5 gallon batch . The Lops brewery owner reassured me that’s it’s not a big deal, and that he was more concerned that it was under carbonated, and said cooling it for 3 weeks should help.

So if anything, even if I don’t place , I think it’s important to promote a newer ingredient that has a unique result that’s pleasant, if just to start a conversation and meet more brewers.

Just today I made sideritis tea with raspberry tea , and my wife couldn’t stand the aroma. This is why I titled my first post about the magic of fermenting it , because it assumes an entirely different identity and profile after fermenting out , and it’s simply unknown to the masses from anything I can find online outside of pharmacological studies for his medical qualities in fermentation.

The fact that my wife likes the fermented version as a beer , and detests the tea, gives me hope that I’m on to something. What better way then to have experienced brewers judge it ?

The owner let me sample his current beers on draft , and I have to say I really enjoyed his peach habanero beer.

I thought it at least notable that he recognized my beer from my registration, and was like “oh, I was looking for this , interesting “

All in all, the fact that I actually drove to Woonsocket and dropped off my beer is already outside my comfort zone , and I’m happy I did it, the competition finalizes in November 6th.