Fung is winning and winning is fung*

Good news from the Schooner Homebrew Championship... Leah and I took second place in the Light Lager category with our Hail Shaft Pilsner Premium Lager! Yeah, it was supposed to be a Pilsner, but as I explained before, I was misinformed as to the alpha acid content of my Hallertau hops, so it ended up way too malty to be a Pilsner. Plus it didn't really have that dry finish either. So I decided to enter it as a Premium American Lager and I guess it was a good call. I'm particularly excited because it's hard to hide flaws in light lagers, and so while I'll need to tinker with the recipe before brewing a Pils again, it appears my technique was solid. I'm also excited because we haven't won any ribbons since going all-grain, and while we don't enter a lot of competitions (and when we do the primary reason is to get constructive feedback), it's always nice to win.

We also entered our Smoke Stack Lightning Rauchweizen which didn't place. However, I'm excited to report that my buddy Ted took second place in the category, and, more impressively, he also took first place in the specialty beer category. Anybody who reads Ted's blog (or has had the pleasure of trying his beer) knows he's one serious brewer, so it's great to see his efforts rewarded. Congrats, Ted!

While I'm posting, I might as well add that the HOPS! Oktoberfest was a great success! I tapped my Altbier and was incredibly happy with the results. Nice malt profile with just a hint of roastiness; wonderful peppery hop bitterness that stands out without being overbearing; nice creamy head and copper/amber color. Look for a final analysis later, but this might be my favorite beer brewed thus far. I only wish I had a fresh bottle of Füchschen (or Uerige or Schumacher or Schlüssel) so I could to a side-by-side tasting.

For anybody in Chicago, hope to see you Thursday at the Rocktoberfest tapping at the Rock Bottom on State and Grand! Prosit!

*Headline explanation here (sort of).