The Style of the Quarter (SOQ) is a friendly, internal homebrew competition run for and by members of BAM, four times a year. The style is announced usually in the quarter before they are scheduled to be judged to give everyone a chance to craft something to enter.

The entries are judged by a mixture of BAM officers, members, and BJCP certified judges. Beers are judged based on the BJCP styleguide and score sheets.

RULES & ENTRY:

Entries should consist of two, 12oz capped bottles. Make sure they are clean (this is a point category on the BJCP scoring sheet) and labeled appropriately. Here is the official label that you can print and attach to your bottles: http://www.bjcp.org/docs/BJCP_BottleID.pdf 

The drop-off for entries is usually at Oak Barrel Wine Craft in Berkeley unless otherwise stated. Also, please don’t submit any swing top bottles as most likely you won’t get the bottles back from the judging.

PRIZES:

1st place is awarded a $50 gift card to OakBarrel. 2nd place gets a $30 gift card, and 3rd place gets a $20 gift card.

Have a suggestion for an upcoming style? Notify the officers since the chosen styles are based off of the members interests.

Current 2019 4th Quarter SOQ – Limitations Brewing

For this SOQ we have chosen a small selection of ingredients with which to design your recipe. Limitations Brewing is finding creativity within a defined set of criteria. The style or direction you take it is up to you! For Nick’s October presentation, click here.

Malts:
Use only American base malts (2-row, Pale, pilsner, light DME/LME)
Plus Vienna Malt and/or Munich Malt (no caramel malts)
May add flaked maize/corn
May add corn sugar

Hops:
Use only Willamette, Northern Brewer, and/or Cascade

Yeast:
Use only clean-fermenting ale or lager yeasts.
WLP001 American Ale Yeast or equivalent (Wyeast 1056, US-05)
WLP800 Pilsner lager yeast or other clean lager yeasts
WLP029 German Ale/ Kölsh yeast, or WLP080 Cream Ale

This SOQ is a PEOPLES CHOICE competition. To enter you must bring a keg to our annual Holiday party in December. This mean each attendee will vote on what they liked best. You can technically participate without a keg, but you might be limited in your votes if you run out!

And, Robert Ayasse kindly donated his previous winnings to pay out a 4th and 5th place at $15 each. That’s right, 5 chances to subsidize your homebrew costs for this one.

Upcoming SOQ

2020 SOQ1: American Porters and Stouts 

Past SOQs

• • • 2019 SOQ 3 – Extinct Beers and Rarities
    • 2019 SOQ 2 – Amber and Brown American Ales
    • 2019 SOQ 1 – Dark European Lagers and Strong European Beers
    • 2018 SOQ 4 – Spice, Herb & Vegetable Beers
    • 2018 SOQ 3 – Farmhouse Ales
    • 2018 SOQ 2 – European Wheat and Rye Beers (must collaborate with another BAM member)
    • 2018 SOQ 1 – Amber Hybrid Beers
    • 2017 SOQ 4 – Specialty IPA
    • 2017 SOQ 3 – Collaboration Challenge (5SRM or less, use Golden Naked Oats)
    • 2017 SOQ 2 – Hazy IPAs with Sea Salt
    • 2017 SOQ 1 – Select Scottish Ales and Irish Red
    • 2016 SOQ 4 – Old / Stock Ale
    • 2016 SOQ 3 – Fruit Beers
    • 2016 SOQ 2 – Wheat Beers
    • 2016 SOQ 1 – Stouts
    • 2015 SOQ 4 – “Jason’s IPA” (winners)
    • 2015 SOQ 3 – Smoked Beer
    • 2015 SOQ 2 – Rye Beer
    • 2015 SOQ 1 – English Pale Ale
    • 2014 SOQ 4 – Belgians
    • 2014 SOQ 3 – Bocks
    • 2014 SOQ 2 – Black and White IPA
    • 2013 SOQ 3 – Session Ales
    • 2013 SOQ 2 – Extract
    • 2013 SOQ 1 – Irish red ale
    • 2012 SOQ 3 – IPA
    • 2012 SOQ 1 – CA Common
    • 2011 SOQ 3 – Cost Challenge
    • 2011 SOQ 2 – American Brown
    • 2011 SOQ 1 – Dry Stout
    • 2010 SOQ 3 – Belgian Strong
    • 2010 SOQ 2 – IPA
    • 2009 SOQ 4 – Mild
    • 2009 SOQ 3 – Altbier
    • 2009 SOQ 2 – West Coast Pale
    • 2009 SOQ 1 – MaiBock
    • 2008 SOQ 3 – Kolsch