The Jar of Destiny series keeps rolling with pick number nineteen. We are still working through the 2015 BJCP guidelines, one random beer style at a time. Each pick gives us a style to research, brew, and taste within a few months.

The Jar has been fairly kind to us in past rounds, but it is getting tougher. We have already pulled several familiar styles, so more oddballs remain in the mix. This round gave us two very different beer styles, and neither one feels like a simple brew day.

The goal remains the same: learn the style, brew the best version we can, and see what happens.

What Did The Jar Give Us This Time?

17B – Old Ale

For my pick, I landed on Old Ale from the Strong British Beer category. This is a traditional British style known for rich malt complexity and aging character. Historically, these beers were sometimes called stock ales because they were aged before serving or blending.

That aging piece is the big question for me. We usually give ourselves around three months between the pick and the tasting. Old Ale seems like a style that could benefit from more time, so I may need to get brewing quickly. There may also be some decisions around strength, malt character, and how much aged character belongs in the final beer.

We talked a little about how stock ales may have been used historically. They could be brewed strong, stored, and blended with younger beers. Today, homebrewers can make them as a finished beer, but that history still matters. It gives me plenty to think about before putting a recipe together.

27A – Sahti

Mike pulled Sahti from the Historical Beer category. That one got an immediate reaction from both of us. It is a traditional Finnish farmhouse ale, and it is not something either of us talks about every week. Sahti is known for a thick body, banana and clove fermentation character, and a sharp juniper flavor. It is also traditionally unfiltered, uncarbonated, and unboiled. Once you start hearing those details, you understand why this pick feels like a real challenge.

Mike remembered the traditional process involving juniper branches and a rustic lautering setup. That does not mean he will recreate every historical detail, but it does show how different this style is from a normal ale. He will need to research the style, figure out the juniper piece, and decide how traditional he wants to be.

See You Again In A Few Months

Round nineteen shows how unpredictable this challenge can be. I pulled a strong British beer with aging questions. Mike pulled a Finnish farmhouse ale with juniper, low carbonation, and a very different brewing tradition.

These are the kinds of styles that make the Jar of Destiny worth doing. They force us to learn more, think harder, and brew outside our usual routines. Some rounds are straightforward. This one is not one of those rounds.

We will get these beers brewed and come back for the tasting. By then, we should know whether we have met the Jar’s challenge.

BREW ON!