Coffee Stout

[Amanda660]

What category/sub-category does a coffee stout fall under for a BJCP competition? Maybe I'm not reading the 2015 guidelines correctly but I'm not quite sure where it goes. I'm hoping its obvious to some one who will advise.
Thanks so much!

 

[ceeaton]

30A. Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer

This category explicitly includes all culinary spices, herbs, and
vegetables, as well as nuts (anything with ‘nut’ in the name, including coconut), chile peppers, coffee, chocolate, spruce tips, rose hips,
hibiscus, fruit peels/zest (but not juice), rhubarb, and the like.

Entry Instructions: The entrant must specify a base style,
but the declared style does not have to be a Classic Style. The
entrant must specify the type of spices, herbs, or vegetables
used, but individual ingredients do not need to be specified if a
well-known spice blend is used (e.g., apple pie spice, curry
powder, chili powder).

http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2015_Guidelines_Beer.pdf - see page 78

 

[Amanda660]

I thought I was CRAZY and thought I had missed something obvious! I have a coffee stout and a jalapeno ale and they both fall under 30A. I'm new to the beer competition thing (I really wanted to test the waters and see how I compare outside of family & friends). I can't wrap my head around two completely different beers competing in the same category. Maybe beer competition just isn't for me.

 

[ceeaton]

The categories have only gotten worse with time. Too many beers so they keep making categories. The basics make sense, but once you add a non-traditional item any semblance of logic goes out the window.