Roll-a-Style 10: 29C. Specialty Fruit Beer

If you follow this blog at all, you probably have read that I want to concentrate more on my BJCP Goal this year.

As of the time of this post, if I'm counting correctly, I've brewed 86 of the 108 styles in the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines. Since the beginning of the year, I've already brewed 8 new BJCP styles (9 if you include Tasman Pilsner).

And ... I have ingredients and will probably brew my Roll-a-Style 15: 16C. Tropical Stout soon.

I have my Roll-a-Style list, which helps me keep track of styles that I still need to brew.

The idea is that I use a 20-sided online die to decide which style to brew next. 

In late-ish July, I was killing time one day and thought I'd spend time coming up with a new recipe. 

To figure out what beer I'd brew, I rolled my 20-sided online die, and rolled a 10 ... 

 

... which corresponds to 29C. Specialty Fruit Beer.

"A Specialty Fruit Beer is a Fruit Beer with some additional ingredients, such as fermentable sugars (e.g., honey, brown sugar, invert sugar), sweeteners (e.g., lactose), adjuncts, alternative grains, or other special ingredients added, or some additional process applied. A Specialty Fruit Beer can use any style within the Fruit Beer category as a base style (currently, 29A, 29B, or 29D)."

This style is wide-open for interpretation. I decided to ask ChatGPT for ideas ...

Oh, I love where this is going—29C is the perfect playground for Sheppy Brew's creativity. Since it’s wide open stylistically, the fruit needs to complement (or cheekily contradict) the base beer. You want a concept that’s flavorful and story-driven. Let’s roll through a few paths:

🍑 Classic Twist: “Peach Plunder Pale”

• Base Style: American Pale Ale

• Fruit: Yellow peaches

• Vibe: Light gold, hoppy-fruity balance with West Coast bite

• Story: A pirate gnome raiding orchards for the juiciest loot—sweet fruit meets bitter hops, just like moral ambiguity on the high seas.

🫐 Dark & Mythic: “Gnomeberry Hollow”

• Base Style: English Porter

• Fruit: Blueberries

• Vibe: Smooth roast meets tart berry complexity

• Story: Set in a misty glen where gnomes distill forest magic. Tap handle could feature a gnome alchemist with glowing blueberry beakers.

🍈 Off-the-Wall Tropical: “Cursed Cutlass Melon Gose”

• Base Style: Gose

• Fruit: Honeydew melon

• Vibe: Salty-sweet, with a citrus snap and melon juiciness

• Story: A sea-sour legend involving a sailor who angered Poseidon by misusing fruit rations. Gnome pirates only dare drink it in calm waters.

Looking through the AI's input, I really liked the “Gnomeberry Hollow” name and description.

Ok ... I'm really digging "Dark & Mythic: “Gnomeberry Hollow” .. 29C. Specialty Fruit Beer says ... "A Specialty Fruit Beer is a Fruit Beer with some additional ingredients, such as fermentable sugars (e.g., honey, brown sugar, invert sugar), sweeteners (e.g., lactose), adjuncts, alternative grains, or other special ingredients added, or some additional process applied. A Specialty Fruit Beer can use any style within the Fruit Beer category as a base style (currently, 29A, 29B, or 29D)." ... how does this concept fit in that description?

Absolutely love that you're leaning into Gnomeberry Hollow—it’s oozing with mystique, and 29C is the perfect sandbox for it.

Here’s how your concept lines up with the Specialty Fruit Beer (29C) definition:

✅ Base Style Flexibility

• You’re starting with an English Porter, which fits under 29A (Fruit Beer using a classic style base).

• It gives you the deep roast and chocolate tones that play beautifully with blueberries—enhancing rather than masking the fruit.

✅ Fruit Integration

• Blueberries are front and center, not just a garnish. They contribute aroma, flavor, and possibly some color, which BJCP guidelines expect from fruit beers.

• You can choose whole berries, purée, or concentrate depending on how bold and pulpy you want the gnome magic to feel.

✅ “Specialty” Element

To qualify as 29C rather than 29A, you’ll want to add something extra. A few easy and flavorful pathways:

• 🍯 Fermentable sugar: Add honey to invoke woodland charm and subtly boost ABV.

• 🥥 Lactose: For a creamy “forest fog” mouthfeel—great if you want it to resemble berry cobbler.

• 🌾 Adjunct/Grain: Something like flaked oats for softness or rye for spicy depth.

• 🧙‍♂️ Process tweak: Maybe a second fermentation with fruit or a conditioning spell with vanilla beans or toasted spices for that alchemist’s signature.

🌌 Brand Story + Presentation

The story-driven vibe really enhances its BJCP fit. Judges will note that this isn’t just a fruit beer—it’s a layered experience, intentionally crafted and styled. Between the dark malt base, blueberry infusion, and a touch of something “special,” it checks all the right boxes while staying distinctively Sheppy.

Together, we (mostly me) came up with the recipe at Gnomeberry Hollow Blueberry Porter.

The name "Gnomeberry Hollow" seems Halloween-y to me, so I might wait until October to brew this. It is completely possible I might brew some other Roll-a-Style beer before I brew this one.

Or ... I may just brew this next. Stay tuned on this blog to find out.

Now my Roll-a-Style list looks like this:

Number	Beer Style
1	9B. Eisbock
2	Re-Roll
3	Re-Roll
4	9C. Baltic Porter
5	10C. Weizenbock
6	12C. English IPA
7	13B. British Brown Ale
8	28B. Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer
9	32A. Classic Style Smoked Beer
10	Re-Roll
11	10A. Weissbier
12	Re-Roll
13	33B. Specialty Wood-Aged Beer
14	6B. Rauchbier
15	Re-Roll
16	26C. Belgian Tripel
17	16D. Foreign Extra Stout
18	22D. Wheatwine
19	28A. Brett Beer
20	17D. English Barley Wine

My "Bench" now includes:

• Historical Beer: Roggenbier
• Historical Beer: London Brown Ale
• Historical Beer: Lichtenhainer
• Specialty IPA: Belgian IPA
• Specialty IPA: White IPA
• Specialty IPA: Brut IPA
• SheppyBrew Random Recipe

 

As always, stay tuned on the regular SheppyBrew Channels to see what is happening with beer, barbeque, biking and other things in my life: SheppyBrew's Facebook Page; Sheppy's Twitter Feed; SheppyBrew's Instagram Page; and SheppyBrew's Website.