Bestowed upon the NBA members at the November meeting was a case of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal (CTC) compliments of member Brad. Seven club members decided to figure out a way to brew with the cereal, each participant taking one or two boxes for their brew. Brewers were told beers should be ready by March.
Why brew with Cinnamon Toast Crunch? Why not?! This exudes the spirit of the NBA – experimental and unique!
When designing a recipe, brewers had to keep in mind that the cereal is flavored with cinnamon and sugar in every bite. Not only will it change the flavor of the final product, but it was unknown exactly how it would affect fermentation. Brewers took several different methods of including the CTC. Some added it in the mash, some in the boil, some as a “dry hop” at the end of fermentation.
Participation Guidelines
- Brewer must incorporate the boxed CTC into their beer however they see fit.
- No style restrictions. Beer, mead, cider are all cool.
- Final brews will be tasted by a select panel of CTC experts.
- Brewers must be willing to share a recipe and instructions with the club, so we can all try to recreate this if we want!
The Entrants and their beers
Brad’s CTC Wicked Ale – Biere de Garde w/ CTC in boil
Trevor’s Campfire Mild – Mild w/ CTC in mash and boil
Nick’s Czar Crunch – Sweet stout w/ CTC in mash and dry hop
Tyler’s CTC Milk Brown – Milk Brown Ale w/ CTC in the mash and boil
Nathan’s CTC Oatmeal Stout – Oatmeal Stout w/ CTC in mash and dry hop
Andy’s CTC Breakfast of Champions – Sweet Stout w/ CTC in mash
Michael’s CTC Toasted Brown – Brown Ale w/ CTC in the mash
The Judging
Beers were presented to the panel of judges by the individual brewers with full disclosure about the method used, the recipe and an explanation of the brew. Beer’s were not judged per BCJP guidelines, but they were used as a reference. Judges chose the top three beers based upon their overall favorite and that which exuded the CTC the best..
The Results
Favorite: Tyler’s CTC Milk Brown
Runner up: (TIE) Brad’s CTC Wicked Ale and Michael’s CTC Toasted Brown
While all the beers had noticeable amounts of the cinnamon and varying degrees of sweetness, the judges were able to narrow it down to three. Of these three there Brad’s CTC Wicked Ale highlighted the CTC while complementing the nuances of a Biere De Garde and Michael’s CTC Toasted Brown highlighted the CTC in a rich brown ale while finishing clean. Tyler’s CTC Milk Brown was the most forward with the CTC aroma and finished with a lingering sweetness.
Every beer sampled showed the brewer’s prowess over their craft, and everyone benefited by having the chance to try some very experimental brews.
Thanks to the brewers, the judges and the generous benefactor of the CTC who made this experiment possible!