Pure Water Brew (Sustainable Water Challenge)

Pure Water Challenge 2017 Winners Best of Show: Jon Larson: Saison 2nd: Brian Haslip: American Pale Ale 3rd: Doug Ballou: Belgian Blonde Ale 4th: Will Minderhout: Kolsch 5th: Jake Freshour: German Leichtbeir Round Two Advances Spencer & Kathryn Kennedy- Helles Jeffrey Orr- Helles John Anthony- Pale Ale Mark Anderson- Pale Ale Alex & Caitlin Brehm- American Pale Ale Cameron Norris- Belgian Pale Ale Rick Burnside- American Brown Ale Tim Gazdziak- Light Hybrid-Cream Ale Jeff Roth- Belgian Table Beer George Johnson- Witbeir Mike Stoffregen- Wit Gary Schmirler- Belgian Witbier

Pure Water Challenge 2016 Winners Best of Show: Steve Woods: Cream Ale 2nd: Warren Johnson: Kolsch 3rd: James Koty: Nut Brown 4th: Pat McIllece & Chuck Macaluso: Belgian Wit 5th: Jeff Roth: Belgian Wit Round Two Advances Mike Stoffregen Belgian Pale Ale Jason Barker Czech Pilsner Jon & Jodi Campbell Pale Ale Nick Dahl Kölsch Tim Gazdziak Pale Ale with Rye Jordan Ritchie Pilsner Jon Larson American Pale Ale Michael Jackson Blonde Ale Jeremie Landers German Pilsner Will Minderhout Bohemian Pilsner Spencer Kennedy Belgian Blonde John Kyle Kölsch Brian Haslip American Pale Ale

Pure Water Challenge 2015 Winners Best of Show: Dean Ehnes: German Pilsner 2nd: Jenn McPoland: English Brown Ale 3rd: Douglas Franz: Belgian Pale Ale 4th: Will Minderhout: Munich Helles Honorable Mention (all these made the best of show table): Dylan Van Detta: Belgian Pale Ale Tim Gazdziak: American Amber Ale Joseph Horlacher: Biere de Garde Mark Anderson: American Pale Ale Brian Haslip: American Pale Ale Ale & Caitlin Brehm: American Pale Ale

Pure Water Challenge 2014 Winners Best-of Show $150 prize: Ted Assur - Vox Max Belgian Special Beer 2nd Place $100 prize: Jeremie Landers - Meine Eine German Pilsner 3rd place $100 prize: Mike March - Single Grain Saison 4th place $100 prize: Nick Dahl - Schill Malt Ale Kolsch

www.purewaterbrew.org

The Clean Water Services (CWS) agency in Washington County is partnering with the OBC for a demonstration of their new sustainable water technology program.

In 2014, the winner(s) beer were featured at a gala tasting event hosted by the Water Reuse Foundation at the world’s largest water exposition in New Orleans in October, 2014. This highly-publicized event will bolster Oregon’s reputation as a brewing nirvana where innovators are solving challenging environmental issues with sustainable business practices. The 2015, 2016, and 2017 winners are listed to the right. 

CWS has provided brewing water from their treatment plant in Forest Grove that has been treated to safer-than-drinking-water standards.

Past Competition Details:
Prizes: Similar to our Collaborator competitions with Widmer, there can be multiple winners based on the quality of the beer deemed by the judges. Each winner has received in the past a $100 cash prize from CWS once they provide their keg of beer. An additional $50 cash prize goes to the Best-in-Show winner.

What entrants are committing to: You must use the water provided to you. Winners must donate 5 gallons of their winning beer in their own Corny keg to CWS for them to transport to events. You will get your keg back in the same condition a few weeks later, albeit empty.
How to enter: 

Water: The special water is now available for you to pick up at FH Steinbart.  After you've registered with the OBC, You will get two 5-gallon pails of the water.  This water is ultra-purified so it will benefit from some adjustments on your part to make the best beer.

Beer styles accepted: Since this competition is all about the water, we need to show that excellent beer can be made with sustainable water. So we’re looking for lower gravity beers that can only be made with great water. This isn’t a strict BJCP style competition so you have freedom to make what you like. However, as a guideline, the following BJCP styles are examples of what CWS is looking for: Light lager, Pilsner, Light Hybrid, Amber Hybrid, English Pale Ale, American Pale and Amber Ale, IPA (generally not Imperial IPAs), Belgian and French Ale.

Judging: Judging has traditionally been a group of volunteers and judges from OBC non-entrants. . Judges recieved free lunch and a beer for their efforts so please volunteer!  

Here is the water report, figures in parts per million (mg/L)

Sodium: 0.83

Magnesium: 0.016

Calcium: 0.081

Sulfate: N/A

Chloride: N/A

Hardness as Calcium Carbonate: 0.268