Skip to content

Categories

The Bluebonnet Brew-off will be judging all BJCP Beer, Mead, and Cider styles using the 2021 BJCP style guidelines. However, some BJCP categories have been split. This allows us to award medals in more than the standard 40 BJCP categories. The BJCP subcategory numbers are listed as one of the columns in this table.

Bluebonnet Brew-Off
Style to Medal Categories

Revised 10/31/2022

The 1/19/2023 change:

  • Changed the Medal Category name for 61 from English and Irish Ale to British Bitter since it only had Bitters in it and no Irish styles.

The 10/31/2022 changes:

  • The BJCP “Local” styles were added to the Bluebonnet’s medal categories. These are the X numbered styles in the back of the guidelines.

The 10/26/2022 changes:

  • BJCP moved 27A1 Kellerbier from BJCP Amber Bitter European to BJCP Historic, no change for us, Still in T57 Amber Bitter Euro
  • BJCP Added 21B7 Brut IPA, goes into our T73 Specialty IPA
  • BJCP Added/changed name on New England IPA to 21C Hazy IPA, no change to us, stays in T74 Hazy and Experimental IPA
  • BJCP moved 23G Gose from BJCP Historic to Euro Sour, No change for us, still T87 American Wild
  • BJCP changed Trappist category name to Monastic, no change for us
  • BJCP new 28D Straight Sour, goes in our T87 American Wild
  • BJCP new 29D Grape Ale, goes in our T82 Fruit beer
  • BJCP new 30D Specialty Spice beer (Spiced SHV), goes in our T83 SHV
  • BJCP name change Clone beer to 34A Commercial Specialty Beer

The 7/2/2021 changes: We added the original 17A British Strong Ale back into Strong British Beer so now there is both British Strong Ale and Burton Ale. The description of Burton Ale is listed here: Burton Ale

Rearranged many of the medal categories to add additional medal categories based on entry count trends. Dropped New Entrant.

A note for table 85, Smoke and Wee. We acknowledge that the styles in that medal category seem oddly grouped together. The issue is we get so few entries for Smoke and Wee Heavy, we cannot justify giving either group their own Stein. We will have special procedures for table 85. All judging of the smoke group will occur separately than the Wee Heavy group. A minimum of three entries from the smoke group and three entries from the Wee Heavy group will go to the mini-BoS for the medals. Then it is up to the mini-BoS judges to pick the best three winners for the medal category. We know it is a compromise, but we believe it will work. We will evaluate this medal category following the event to see if we need to make changes.

2022 Mead and Cider entry limit changes

For the 2022 competition, Bluebonnet Brew-off will expand the limit count to 2 for some Mead and Cider Categories where the primary ingredients can be distinctively different.

 

  • Traditional Mead categories M1A, B, C require declaring specific varietal honeys to qualify for 2 entries in the same sub-category.  
  • Specialty categories of Mead and Cider, specialty ingredients must be distinctively different regardless of varietal honey/apple, strength, sweetness, or carbonation.    

In the instance where an entrant submits 2 entries in the same base sub-category that are deemed to be the same, both entries WILL be disqualified and not judged. Please consult with the head judge (email) prior to entering if you have any questions or unsure if your entry qualifies as distinctively different especially if some of the same ingredients are used in both entries. 

 
Categories allowing 2 entries for 2022:
Traditional Meads: M1A, M1B, M1C 
Specialty Meads: M2B ,M2C,M2D,M2E,M3A, M3B, M4A (M4A requires different base beer styles)
Specialty Ciders: C2B, C2E, C2F
 
Examples for Berry Mead (M2C) to help identify the spirit of distinctively
Entry 1 – Raspberry Mead, Mesquite Blossom – OK
Entry 2 – Blueberry Mead, Mesquite Blossom – OK
Not OK is for entry 2 to be Raspberry Mead, Orange Blossom
Reordering the description does not make 2 entries different
Entry 1 – Blackberry and Raspberry Mead – Disqualified
Entry 2 – Raspberry and Blackberry Mead – Disqualified
 
Please consult with the head judge prior to entering if you have any questions or unsure if your entry qualifies as distinctively different.

The 11/30/2019 change: We moved some styles around to eliminate low entered Medal Categories. We dropped the Hop Showcase Medal Category.

The 2/20/2019 change: Changed the BBO Table number to the values starting with 51. By starting the table numbers at 51, we do not have confusion with the BJCP Category numbers.

The 11/29/2018 change: The BJCP style of 17A will be judged as the Provisional style called Burton Ale. The description of Burton Ale is listed here: Burton Ale.

In the table below, an asterisk (*) after the name indicates styles that can have 2 entries in the competition.

Medal Cat NameTable NumberBJCP Style NameStyle Number
Pale Lager51American Light Lager1A
Pale Lager51American Lager1B
Pale Lager51International Pale Lager2A
Light Ale52Cream Ale1C
Light Ale52American Wheat Beer1D
Light Ale52British Golden Ale12A
Light Ale52Australian Sparkling Ale12B
Pale Malty European Lager53Munich Helles4A
Pale Malty European Lager53Festbier4B
Pale Malty European Lager53Helles Bock4C
Pale Bitter European Beer54Czech Pale Lager3A
Pale Bitter European Beer54Czech Premium Pale Lager3B
Pale Bitter European Beer54German Leichtbier5A
Pale Bitter European Beer54German Helles Exportbier5C
Pale Bitter European Beer54German Pils5D
Pale Bitter European Beer54Historic Pre-Prohibition Lager27A6
Pale Bitter European Beer54New Zealand PilsnerLSX5
Kolsch and Blonde55Kolsch5B
Kolsch and Blonde55Blonde Ale18A
Amber Malty European Lager56International Amber Lager2B
Amber Malty European Lager56Marzen6A
Amber Malty European Lager56Dunkles Bock6C
Amber Bitter European Beer57Czech Amber Lager3C
Amber Bitter European Beer57Vienna Lager7A
Amber Bitter European Beer57Altbier7B
Amber Bitter European Beer57Kellerbier27A1
Dark European Lager58International Dark Lager2C
Dark European Lager58Czech Dark Lager3D
Dark European Lager58Munich Dunkel8A
Dark European Lager58Schwarzbier8B
Strong European Beer59Doppelbock9A
Strong European Beer59Eisbock9B
Strong European Beer59Baltic Porter9C
German Wheat Beer60Weissbier10A
German Wheat Beer60Dunkles Weissbier10B
German Wheat Beer60Weizenbock10C
German Wheat Beer60Historic Roggenbier27A8
British Bitter61Ordinary Bitter11A
British Bitter61Best Bitter11B
Strong Pale English Beer62Strong Bitter11C
Strong Pale English Beer62English IPA12C
Brown British Beer63Dark Mild13A
Brown British Beer63British Brown Ale13B
Brown British Beer63Historic London Brown Ale27A4
Scottish and Irish Ale64Scottish Light14A
Scottish and Irish Ale64Scottish Heavy14B
Scottish and Irish Ale64Scottish Export14C
Scottish and Irish Ale64Irish Red Ale15A
Stout and Porter65English Porter13C
Stout and Porter65Irish Stout15B
Stout and Porter65Irish Extra Stout15C
Stout and Porter65Foreign Extra Stout16D
British Stout66Sweet Stout16A
British Stout66Oatmeal Stout16B
British Stout66Tropical Stout16C
Strong British Ale67British Strong Ale17A
Strong British Ale67Burton Ale17A1
Strong British Ale67Old Ale17B
Strong British Ale67English Barleywine17D
Pale American Ale68American Pale Ale18B
Pale American Ale68Dorada PampeanaLSX1
Amber And Brown American Beer69American Amber Ale19A
Amber And Brown American Beer69California Common19B
Amber And Brown American Beer69American Brown Ale19C
Amber And Brown American Beer69Historic Kentucky Common27A2
Amber And Brown American Beer69Historic Pre-Prohibition Porter27A7
American Porter And Stout70American Porter20A
American Porter And Stout70American Stout20B
Imperial Stout71Imperial Stout20C
American IPA72American IPA21A
Specialty IPA73Belgian IPA21B1
Specialty IPA73Black IPA21B2
Specialty IPA73Brown IPA21B3
Specialty IPA73Red IPA21B4
Specialty IPA73Rye IPA21B5
Specialty IPA73White IPA21B6
Specialty IPA73Brut IPA21B7
Specialty IPA73IPA ArgentaLSX2
Hazy and Experimental IPA74Specialty IPA21B
Hazy and Experimental IPA74Hazy IPA21C
Strong American Ale75Double IPA22A
Strong American Ale75American Strong Ale22B
Strong American Ale75American Barleywine22C
Strong American Ale75Wheatwine22D
European Sour Ale76Berliner Weisse23A
European Sour Ale76Flanders Red Ale23B
European Sour Ale76Oud Bruin23C
European Sour Ale76Lambic23D
European Sour Ale76Gueuze23E
European Sour Ale76Fruit Lambic23F
Belgian Ale77Witbier24A
Belgian Ale77Belgian Pale Ale24B
Belgian Ale77Biere De Garde24C
Belgian Blonde and Single78Belgian Blond Ale25A
Belgian Blonde and Single78Belgian Single26A
Saison79Saison25B
Strong Light Belgian Ale80Belgian Golden Strong Ale25C
Strong Light Belgian Ale80Belgian Tripel26C
Strong Dark Belgian Ale81Belgian Dubbel26B
Strong Dark Belgian Ale81Belgian Dark Strong Ale26D
Fruit Beer82Fruit Beer29A
Fruit Beer82Fruit And Spice Beer29B
Fruit Beer82Specialty Fruit Beer29C
Fruit Beer82Grape Ale29D
Fruit Beer82Italian Grape AleLSX3
Spice Herb Vegetable Beer83Spice Herb Vegetable Beer30A
Spice Herb Vegetable Beer83Specialty Spice Beer30D
Autumn Winter Seasonal84Autumn Seasonal Beer30B
Autumn Winter Seasonal84Winter Seasonal Beer30C
Wee Heavy and Smoke85Rauchbier6B
Wee Heavy and Smoke85Wee Heavy17C
Wee Heavy and Smoke85Classic Style Smoked Beer32A
Wee Heavy and Smoke85Specialty Smoked Beer32B
Wood Aged Beer86Wood Aged Beer33A
Wood Aged Beer86Specialty Wood Aged Beer33B
American Wild Ale87Gose23G
American Wild Ale87Brett Beer28A
American Wild Ale87Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer28B
American Wild Ale87Wild Specialty Beer28C
American Wild Ale87Straight Sour Beer28D
American Wild Ale87Catharina SourLSX4
Specialty Beer88Historical Beer27A
Specialty Beer88Historic Piwo Grodziskie27A5
Specialty Beer88Historic Lichtenhainer27A3
Specialty Beer88Historic Sahti27A9
Specialty Beer88Alternative Grain Beer31A
Specialty Beer88Alternative Sugar Beer31B
Specialty Beer88Commercial Specialty Beer34A
Specialty Beer88Mixed Style Beer34B
Specialty Beer88Experimental Beer34C
Traditional Mead89Dry Mead *M1A
Traditional Mead89Semi Sweet Mead *M1B
Traditional Mead89Sweet Mead *M1C
Melomel90CyserM2A
Melomel90Pyment *M2B
Melomel90Berry Mead *M2C
Melomel90Stone Fruit Mead *M2D
Melomel90Melomel *M2E
Spiced And Specialty Mead91Fruit And Spice Mead *M3A
Spiced And Specialty Mead91Spice Herb Vegetable Mead *M3B
Spiced And Specialty Mead91Braggot *M4A
Spiced And Specialty Mead91Historical MeadM4B
Spiced And Specialty Mead91Experimental MeadM4C
Cider And Perry92New World CiderC1A
Cider And Perry92English CiderC1B
Cider And Perry92French CiderC1C
Cider And Perry92New World PerryC1D
Cider And Perry92Traditional PerryC1E
Specialty Cider And Perry93New England CiderC2A
Specialty Cider And Perry93Cider With Other Fruit *C2B
Specialty Cider And Perry93Apple WineC2C
Specialty Cider And Perry93Ice CiderC2D
Specialty Cider And Perry93Cider With Herbs/Spices *C2E
Specialty Cider And Perry93Specialty Cider/Perry *C2F