Inquisition

Inquisition Update:  The 17th "Annual" Austin Zealots Inquisition will be held in 2023!

The results are in!  Congrats to Jeff Oberlin for winning Best of Show!!

NEW WEB LINK

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We will need volunteers on Sat., July 15, 22 and 29.   Sorting will take place from 1-5 p.m. on July 15 at Thirsty Planet Brewing Co.

Judging will take place also at Thirsty Planet on July 22 and 29 from 11-6.  We need all the help we can get, even if you don't want to judge as we need helpers!! (stewards)  

You can sign up to volunteer officially HERE or just show up and we will find something for you to do in all likelihood.    Food will be served to volunteers.

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Austin ZEALOTS Homebrew Inquisition 2023 (17th Annual) - We don't need no stinkin' guidelines!  

Deadline to enter for 2023: July 15.  Go to the Inquisition OpenBrewComp website to enter and pay for your entries between July 1-15.  Take or ship your entries to SoCo Homebrew between July 1-15 (must arrive by July 15 at 2 p.m.).   Category 11: The Crusade - Our categories go to eleven.  This year’s special category is: This Beer Truly Goes to 11.  Make a beer that is 11 SRM and 11 IBU (we will do our best to judge the color and IBU).  Make any style you want and it will be judged on how close it is to those statistics as well as the overall enjoyment of the beer.   We go to 11!      

Awards will be announced at the ZEALOTS picnic on Sat., Aug. 12 at Emma Long Park at approximately 2:30 p.m.   This website will be updated with the winners within a couple of days after the picnic.  Scoresheets will be emailed out within 2 weeks of the picnic.

CONGRATS to David Rogers for winning Best of Show in the 16th Annual ZEALOTS Inquisition (2019) with Zungenbrecher!

1st Runner up was Bradley Janowski with Boris the Lager!

2nd Runner up was Wes and Nancy Sampson with Weiss Bock from Hell!    

Full results are attached on this page below.

See all the results on the bottom of the Inquisition page, or click RESULTS.

Thanks to all who entered!  See you next year!

ZEALOTS Inquisition Beer Categories 2023

1.) Malty or Sweet Beers - Beers for which a malty or sweet flavor is the dominant or co-dominant flavor. Beers in this category are judged on overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), with special consideration paid to the quality of the malty or sweet character of the beer within the context of the beer’s overall sensory profile. Beers are not judged according to their level of maltiness or sweetness. In other words, the maltiest or sweetest beer will not necessarily be the winner. (Scottish ales, milk stouts, beers with lots of crystal malt)

2.) Bitter or Hoppy Beers     2A.) Hoppy Beers - Beers for which hop bitterness, flavor or aroma is the dominant or co-dominant characteristic. Beers in this category are judged on their overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), with special consideration paid to the quality of the hop character of the beer within the context of the beer’s overall sensory profile. The impression of the hop character is more important than the IBU rating of the beer, but we expect most beers in this category to rate between 35 and 60 IBUs. (American pale ales, IPAs)

     2B.) Hop Monsters - Bitter or hoppy beers brewed such that only a hop head could love them. Beers in this category will be judged primarily on the quality of the hop characteristics in the beer as other aspects of the beer may be partially or totally obscured. Although the impression of hop character is more important than the IBU rating of the beer, beers should probably have over 60 IBUs to be entered in this category. Beers are not judged according to their level of bitterness, hop flavor or aroma. The bitterest beer will not necessarily be the winner. (double IPAs)

3.) Balanced Beers   3A.) Session Beers - Beers that exhibit a pleasing balance of beer flavors and aromas and are refreshing and  “drinkable.” There is no gravity restriction on this category, but be aware that there is a strong beer category and that alcohol is a characteristic that needs to be in balance. Session beers — “beers to have when you’re having more than one” — belong in the category. (any good, drinkable style of beer)

         3B.) Lawnmower beers - There are session beers and then there are “it’s 100 °F in the shade and I’ve been mowing the lawn and want something refreshing”-type session beers. Got real thirst-quencher? Enter it in this category.

4.) Strong Beers     4A.) Strong Beers - Beers for which alcoholic strength is the dominant or co-dominant characteristic. Beers within the category are judged on overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), not by alcoholic content. In other words, the strongest beer will not necessarily be the winner. The strong beer category is for beers around 6–8% ABV. (wee heavies, doppelbock, IPA)

         4B.) Big and Boozy - Beers that are not just strong, but positively boozy (at least 8% ABV). As in the strong beer category, the strongest beer will not necessarily be the winner.  (barleywines, imperial stouts)

5.) Dark Beers    5A.) Dark-colored beers - Beers for which dark malt characteristics are the dominant or co-dominant characteristic. (Examples of dark malts include dark crystal malts, chocolate malts, roasted barley, black patent malts.) Beers in this category are judged on overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), with special consideration paid to the quality of the dark grain character of the beer within the context of the beer’s overall sensory profile. Beers are not judged according to their depth of color. In other words, the darkest beer will not necessarily be the winner. Category 5A is for dark colored beers with a small to moderate dark grain character, but without a lot of roast or burnt malt character. (brown ales, bocks, brown porters)

     5B.) Roasty Beers - Dark beers brewed with sufficient amounts of very dark malts (roasted barley, black patent malt) to give a roasty (or perhaps even burnt) edge to them. (robust porters, stouts)

 6.) Yeasty/Belgian Beers - Beers for which fermentation characteristics, other than the usual characteristics of ale and lager yeasts, are a major contributor to the beer’s character — i.e. the “funky” beers. These include beers with a banana, clove or bubblegum elements, such as Bavarian Weissbiers, and Belgian-style ales with phenolic or other characteristics derived from the use of “special” yeast strains. This category also includes beers in which flavors derived from yeast in suspension contribute to the character of the beer. Beers in this category are judged on overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), with special consideration paid to the quality of the yeast-derived characteristics within the context of the beer’s overall sensory profile. Beers are not judged according to their overall yeastiness — i.e. the beer with the “biggest banana” will not necessarily win. (Weissbiers, wits, many Belgian styles)

7.) Lagers - Beers brewed with lager yeast. (Lager beers may be entered in other categories, as appropriate.)  Please describe your beer online as a Helles, Doppelbock, etc.

8.) Flavored Beers - Beers for which a flavor not listed above is a dominant or co-dominant characteristic. Beers in this category are judged on overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), with special consideration paid to the “other” flavor within the context of the beer’s overall sensory profile. Subcategories are:  8A.) Sour Beers 8B.) Smoky Beers  8C.) Fruit Beers  8D.) Spiced Beers  8E.) Other Flavored Beers (please specify what other flavor your beer exhibits)

9.) Meads & Ciders  9A.) Meads - Please note whether you used anything else besides honey (i.e. spices, fruit, etc.).

     9B.) Ciders - Please note whether you used anything else besides apple juice (i.e. spices, fruit, etc.).

10.) Open Category - A free-for-all. A popularity contest. A chance to show your beer can take on all comers. Any beer can be entered in this category for any reason. Although we have made an effort to define broad, inclusive categories, we realize that there are some beers that may fall outside the boundaries of the listed categories. Additionally, some brewers may feel their beer — even if it fits well in another category — is blessed and need fear no other beer. Beers in this category will be judged solely on how well the judges like them.  Include a description.

11.) The Crusade - Our categories go to eleven. This category will be a special, ZEALOTS-mandated mission to any homebrewers who choose to accept. Winners in this category are granted admission to homebrew heaven.  This year’s special category is: This Beer Truly Goes to 11.  Make a beer that is 11 SRM and 11 IBU (we will do our best to judge the color and IBU).  Make any style you want and it will be judged on how close it is to those statistics as well as the overall enjoyment of the beer.   We go to 11!