Being Experimentally "Local"
This year's "Bragging Rights Only" competition for the Southern California Homebrewers Festival is an interesting one - it's open to any beer under 8% ABV that uses a "local" ingredient to put a twist on the style. (And despite the title - there is a big prize to win - the winning club not only gets bragging rights, but they get one of the first picks of campsites for next year's festival)
Given that we're located in the great state of California, that's pretty broad brief - so many ingredients in this breadbasket of ours (even here in parched LA).
There's the easy stuff to do like.... Citrus. Citrus has been used in beer making since days long past because, it turns out, that the bright zippy acidity of an orange or a lemon makes a great counterpart to beer's sweetness.
But stretch your definitions - there are so many plants that grow around us - flowers, sages, wild grasses. Check out the writings of Pascal Baudur He offers monthly classes demonstrating all the edibles that you can forage and use to make wild beers, meads, beverages, vinegars, etc.
So what will you make? Bring examples to the April club meeting for evaluation!
Some examples from our past:
Matt Myerhoff & Andy Ziskin's Sage Lime Wit
Saison du Mai / Saison Figolla (with blood oranges - in season now!)
Rich's Spring Citrus Citra Saison
Eric Mendoza's Golden Sour with Chili Peppers