Ohio
4 O.Z.
Thank you to our 2023 sponsors and congratulations the 2023 winners. Planning is underway for the 2024 contest to be held in February or March 2024.
OHIO 4 O.Z. is a homebrew competition focused beers made withOhio ingredients. See the links below for competition information or resources for finding local Ohio ingredients.
Competition Information
This competition is an annual BJCP certified contest aimed at encouraging and recognizing our unique approaches to zymurgy in Ohio using local ingredients.
To enter the competition, register as a volunteer, or see more information about the competition, please visit the competition homepages:
Ohio 4 O.Z.
Facebook
InstagramFor questions about the website or sponsoring contact Paul Klammer
Hops
We recommend the following local hops:
Malt
We recommend the following local malts:
| Malt Producer | Location | Where to Buy | Malt Varieties |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Branch Malts | Brunswick, OH | Cleveland Brew Shop, Grape and Granary, VineNHop | Pale, Vienna, Munich |
| Rustic Brew Farm | Marysville, OH | Website, and coming soon to Cleveland Brew Shop? | Pilsner, Pale, Vienna, Munich, Carapils, Wheat, Rye |
Yeast
There are a few ways of obtaining "Ohio Yeast." Examples of valid yeast would be collecting your own wild yeast or using a house yeast that's been in use continuously for at least 6 brews. If you plan to harvest your own yeast, we recommend utilizing Bootleg Biology which sells Yeast Harvesting Kits (which can be purchased at the Cleveland Brew Shop). They also sell other yeast as well.2023 All Ohio Best of Show Winner's method for yeast wrangling:
"I made a simple 2 gallon batch of 'beer' using pale malt and no hops. This was then distributed into 24 x 22 oz bottles. I gathered small items from around my yard (small leaf, piece of bark, etc.) and dropped one into each bottle. I then stabbed 24 balloons with a thumbtack and secured the balloon around the mouths of the bottles to serve as air locks. I left the bottles alone for a few weeks. During this time some of the balloons would pressurize and then depressurize again indicating that some sort of reaction was occurring. Following this, observed the contents of each bottle in turn (I would not recommend drinking them until you know what's in them). Around 50-60% had some visible mold which need to be tossed. Of the remaining bottles, most smelled (and tasted) sour. I had two bottles that seemed to have produced reasonable beers. I checked the gravity and pH to confirm this. I then made two batches of beer and dumped the contents of the bottles into their respective beers and let them ferment per usual."