Deep Ellum Brewing to produce winning amber ale from homebrew competition

Sometimes it can pay off just to keep things simple. It did for local homebrewer Bruce Dean, whose recipe for an American amber ale will be commercially produced by Deep Ellum Brewing Co. next year.

Dean, a lawyer by day, won "best of show" for his Max-C beer at the fifth Labor of Love homebrewing competition and festival hosted annually by the Dallas brewery. More than 80 homebrewers entered 131 recipes for judging, and about 50 served samples at the fest Sunday night. A myriad of awards are handed out by style, but Deep Ellum Brewing offers its brew house to the team with the beer that most impresses. Past winners have gone on to open local breweries, such as Intrinsic Brewery and Smokehouse, which won in 2014.

Deep Ellum Brewing will work with Dean in 2017 to produce a commercial batch of Max-C that will be distributed to bars around D-FW.

What's it like to know that your beer will be served to drinkers beyond your friends?

"Overwhelming," Dean said Sunday, emotion brimming at the eyes.

Dean, who has been homebrewing for three years under the moniker Dallas Brewing Co., was surprised by the win. Max-C, he said, is a simple beer to make. Inspiration for this dry-hopped amber came from a beer he tasted after running the Hood to Coast race years ago — he wanted to make a solid all-day brew that was both easy drinking and flavorful. The result is a 6.7 percent alcohol beer with a residual sweetness from the malts that's balanced by the freshness of the hops.

"It's just clean, easy tasting," Dean said.

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But for every simple brew at Labor of Love, there were equally as many off-the-wall flavors. The Gin Soaked Barroom Queen from Memphis Saison by Lucky Hat Brewing and Engineering Collective, for example, shocked hopheads with its potpourri-like aroma and uber floral taste. Driveway Brewing was even pouring a horchata-inspired malt liquor called ED40, which had a sweetness like honey and cinnamon finish.

I also tried last year's Labor of Love winner, a cucumber tripel, which is now available in Deep Ellum Brewing's taproom. Though the veggie-malt combination sounds leery, the brew was balanced and bold, with subtle cucumber flavors on the back end.

My favorite, however, was the Mali Mosaic from Broken Spoke Brewing Co., which was everything I look for in a pale ale — bright, citrusy, hoppy, and named for one the member's cats.

Tunes from local bands Justin Pickard and Casey Daniels Band blared as attendees milled about outdoor event. And apparently they came thirsty — about half way through the four-hour event, many of homebrew teams ran out of beer. Tip for next year: Get there early if you want to try many of the award-winners.

Click to see the full list of medalists from the 2016 Labor of Love competition.