BEERFEST 2024

[GrumpyPaul]

Bit slow posting this to this forum, but...

Just a friendly reminder that there is only one week left until the Beerfest entries close.

Here are the important dates to remember:

• Saturday, February 10th - Online entries close.
• Saturday, February 17th - Entries will be picked up from drop-off locations starting at 10 AM.
• Saturday, February 24th - Beerfest judging.

We have received a great response from judges and stewards, but you can still register if you are interested in helping out on the day. Just update your details on the website Beerfest 2024.

 

[malt and barley blues]

Bit slow posting this to this forum, but...

Just a friendly reminder that there is only one week left until the Beerfest entries close.

Here are the important dates to remember:

• Saturday, February 10th - Online entries close.
• Saturday, February 17th - Entries will be picked up from drop-off locations starting at 10 AM.
• Saturday, February 24th - Beerfest judging.

We have received a great response from judges and stewards, but you can still register if you are interested in helping out on the day. Just update your details on the website Beerfest 2024.

Plenty of time to brew the beers to be entered, as per usual. Why not just make it an inter-club comp.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Plenty of time to brew the beers to be entered, as per usual. Why not just make it an inter-club comp.

Agree, I got an email yesterday! The retro beer category is a joke. A member told me they are not even judged just passed around among members at a meeting.

 

[GrumpyPaul]

Plenty of time to brew the beers to be entered, as per usual. Why not just make it an inter-club comp.

As I said - posting a promo here late was my fault - I'm rarely on here these days so didn't give it a thought until recently.

I release it doesn't give people time brew specifically for the comp, and I'm sorry about that, but if you've got something on hand you might like to enter.

This is the 30th year Melbourne Brewers has run BEERFEST, and its always be run at the end of Feb so if you are part of the Melbourne homebrew or comp scene chances are you were aware of it.

Agree, I got an email yesterday! The retro beer category is a joke. A member told me they are not even judged just passed around among members at a meeting

I don't think its fair to call the Retro category a "joke" - yes, it isn't judged to a style and there's no feedback. It is essentially a simple and fun "peoples choice" type of category. It is run in a "knock out" style way - two beers are matched against each other, 5 judges votes for which of the two they like best. The winner advances to the next round. So there is a bit more structure to it than just "passing around among members"

It was a new thing the club tried last year - got plenty of entries, so we assume at least some people liked the idea. If you dont like that concept - dont enter that category - enter the other 6 BJCP judged categories.

For those that are interested there is a HUGE stash of prizes on offer

Two chances to win an opportunity to brew on a commercial scale.

• KILLER SPROCKET is again offering the winner of best brewer the chance to do a collaboration brew with them
• KAIJU are sponsoring the Strong Ale & Lager category with a chance to brew the winners recipe with them under supervision of one of their brewers
• 
  
• BOATTOCKER is giving us a $100 voucher to spend in their Barrel Room
• HARD ROAD BREWERY is donating a sack of Pale ALe malt to the prize pool
• 
  
• We've got prizes from Grain and Grape and Home Make It.
• 
  
• Keg King are offering and Apollo, 20l and 10l Fermenter Kin Junior
• 
  
• Kegland have provided a Ferment-a-saurus, Rapt Pill and Rapt temp controller
• 
  
• Lallemand yeast are putting together a prize pack to the value of $150
• 
  
• Bintani are providing 3 prize packs that include a 25 sack of grain an yeast selections
• 
  
• Beerco has given us a huge prize pack with about 15 kilo of base malt, 10 one kilo bags of speccy malts, yeast and hops
• 
  
• Cryer Malt is giving us 8 sacks of grain for the "Best Club" prize
• 
  
• Inkbird are providing an ITC308 Wifi for every second place getter
• Spiegelau glassware are providing a set of Craft beer tasting glasses for third place getter

So Yes - I was too late to forewarn you to brew specifically for the comp.

But there is plenty of incentive in that list of prizes if you have a beer on hand that fits one of the categories to get it in before entries close online on 10/2 (drop off at a collection point by 17/2)

 

[GoodDuck]

Agree, I got an email yesterday! The retro beer category is a joke. A member told me they are not even judged just passed around among members at a meeting.

Settle down Tony,
The Retro category is a knockout competition, 2 beers will be judged at a time by a panel of 5 club member (which will rotate), and it will come come down to which beer the panel prefers. No, it is not judged in the traditional Style Guide sense, but offers a fun alternative for 1 "category" out of 7.
If you want to have your beer judged traditionally as per style guidelines, there are roughly 44 styles across 6 other categories to enter.
All the necessary information is there, nobody is trying to sneak one past you, Tony.
If the knockout style of comp is not your thing, don't enter.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Settle down Tony,
The Retro category is a knockout competition, 2 beers will be judged at a time by a panel of 5 club member (which will rotate), and it will come come down to which beer the panel prefers. No, it is not judged in the traditional Style Guide sense, but offers a fun alternative for 1 "category" out of 7.
If you want to have your beer judged traditionally as per style guidelines, there are roughly 44 styles across 6 other categories to enter.
All the necessary information is there, nobody is trying to sneak one past you, Tony.
If the knockout style of comp is not your thing, don't enter.

I would have put several beers forward but a month just isn't long enough to brew them.
From what I was told about the knockout last year they were just drunk by the members.

 

[GoodDuck]

From what I was told about the knockout last year they were just drunk by the members.

I guess...
As the format of the knockout category is different, the knockout comp was held on the club night before the BeerFest comp day, and entries were judged by club members.
It was an organised event, with rosters and rounds. Members were not allowed to judge their own beers.
Running this kind of event in parallel with the formal judging on the official comp day would require additional judges, organisation etc.
And would also be quite a distraction to the formal judges.
I'm not sure what your expectations were, or why this was so upsetting.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I guess...
As the format of the knockout category is different, the knockout comp was held on the club night before the BeerFest comp day, and entries were judged by club members.
It was an organised event, with rosters and rounds. Members were not allowed to judge their own beers.
Running this kind of event in parallel with the formal judging on the official comp day would require additional judges, organisation etc.
And would also be quite a distraction to the formal judges.
I'm not sure what your expectations were, or why this was so upsetting.

If it is going to be judged by members with no judging experience why not explain that in the conditions of entry?
Still no explanation of the late categories. If you want to run a fair dinkum comp then let those who wish to enter know at the same time as your members know. Simple.

 

[GoodDuck]

If it is going to be judged by members with no judging experience why not explain that in the conditions of entry?

The knockout specified " No styles. No Rules. Just enter your best <theme> beer and the judges will pick their favourite."
i.e. "judges" taste beer A, then beer B. And then pick their favourite.
It comes down to, do the beers match the brief, then which beer do you prefer.
Totally subjective. Judging experience is irrelevant, here.

Most of the homebrew comps (in Melbourne at least) need to recruit new judges to get enough number either way.
Whether knockout category or not, you are likely to get judges with little or no judging experience anyway.

 

[GrumpyPaul]

If it is going to be judged by members with no judging experience why not explain that in the conditions of entry?
Still no explanation of the late categories. If you want to run a fair dinkum comp then let those who wish to enter know at the same time as your members know. Simple.

WEAL... Why are you upset by this?

BEERFEST had been running for 30 years. All other Vic clubs would know about it.

It's no different from. Bayside Brewers Belgian co, Merri Mashers IPA comp, Westgates Stout comp....

All well known amongst Melbourne clubs. And I'm not aware of any of those that actively promote the comps outside their own comp.

BEERFEST site has been online with categories and entry details for a few months.

If you want to enter, great. If not... Fine but why try run the comp down.

Melbourne Brewers is just trying to run a comp with some really cool prizes.

 

[cb341982]

Melbourne Brewers is just trying to run a comp with some really cool prizes.

Prizes that won't be forwarded to the winners. I placed first in Wheat and Rye beers in the 2018 Melbourne Brewers Beerfest comp. I received an engraved Tankard but I'm still waiting for my prize. I have a mate who placed first in a category the previous year who is in the same boat as me.

 

[GrumpyPaul]

Prizes that won't be forwarded to the winners. I placed first in Wheat and Rye beers in the 2018 Melbourne Brewers Beerfest comp. I received an engraved Tankard but I'm still waiting for my prize. I have a mate who placed first in a category the previous year who is in the same boat as me.

Sorry to hear that.... I'm not sure what happened back in 2018 and before, and I wont try make excuses for it.

Whilst I've been part of the club for a long time, I've only been on the committee and had the role of chasing sponsorship the last two years.

I assure you that we will be making every effort this year to get prizes out to the winners. Obviously some prizes are a bit heavy so we probably wont be posting them, but we will liaise with winners to arrange pickup/drop off somehow.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

WEAL... Why are you upset by this?

BEERFEST had been running for 30 years. All other Vic clubs would know about it.

It's no different from. Bayside Brewers Belgian co, Merri Mashers IPA comp, Westgates Stout comp....

All well known amongst Melbourne clubs. And I'm not aware of any of those that actively promote the comps outside their own comp.

BEERFEST site has been online with categories and entry details for a few months.

If you want to enter, great. If not... Fine but why try run the comp down.

Melbourne Brewers is just trying to run a comp with some really cool prizes.

I am not upset by the lack of communication from Melbourne Brewers. Seems that you having to drag yourself to a forum you don't wish to be on and announce a comp 10 days before it happens is desperation. Same with the emails frantically going out to enter a comp almost on the eve of it closing!
This is constructive criticism, if you don't know what that means it means advice on running a comp. You may have known months before the format of the comp but those not in the club don't know. As for the clubs you mentioned their format is basically the same each year so no need to wait and see what the format is.
I am not running the comp down, I am happy to be involved but not when the format is advertised about 40 days prior! Stop and look at the entries. Had you advertised the categories 3 months prior you would have reached the 150 max entries by now.
Guaranteed most of the entries are from Melbourne Brewers who knew the format months ago. At the time of this post there are 40 paid entries out of an expected 150!
Is there a need for me to say more?

 

[Sidney Harbour-Bridge]

I have entered this comp previously and would have done this year but I have nothing ready to go, I brewed an ordinary bitter last week which I would have entered if it was ready in time, also would have made and entered a fresh hef as the one I am drinking is past it's best.

Hopefully there is a bit more notice next year.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I have entered this comp previously and would have done this year but I have nothing ready to go, I brewed an ordinary bitter last week which I would have entered if it was ready in time, also would have made and entered a fresh hef as the one I am drinking is past it's best.

Hopefully there is a bit more notice next year.

There is not enough exposure and not enough time to get some brews together.

 

[Sidney Harbour-Bridge]

There is not enough exposure and not enough time to get some brews together.

Not this year, if they want people outside of the club to enter, we have given the feedback for them to act on

 

[golfandbrew]

Unfortunately this thread has become an example of how thankless a job putting on comps and judging are. So I'll put it out there.

Thanks to Melbourne Brewers, your sponsors, judges and stewards for another year of Beerfest.

Good on you guys for trying something new too.

Look forward to seeing the results of the comp. Whether posted here or not

 

[TwoCrows]

good luck everybody else, never put forward a beer for a comp.

 

[Sidney Harbour-Bridge]

Unfortunately this thread has become an example of how thankless a job putting on comps and judging are. So I'll put it out there.

Thanks to Melbourne Brewers, your sponsors, judges and stewards for another year of Beerfest.

Good on you guys for trying something new too.

Look forward to seeing the results of the comp. Whether posted here or not

G&B that is a fair comment, I have been involved in sporting clubs in the committee right up to being president a couple of years and agree it is a thankless task, also sucks up time that could be used to participate.

The thing I like about competitions is the feedback which can help improve my beers.

I have made my comments in the hope they will be taken positively and used to improve on how it was done this year.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Unfortunately this thread has become an example of how thankless a job putting on comps and judging are. So I'll put it out there.

Thanks to Melbourne Brewers, your sponsors, judges and stewards for another year of Beerfest.

Good on you guys for trying something new too.

Look forward to seeing the results of the comp. Whether posted here or not

It isn't about being thankless, what it's about is being informed of the format of a comp 5 weeks before the comp entries are shut down!
It certainly gives members of the club a good heads up as Grumpy Paul states, a few months in advance for members, but any else wanting to enter then 5 weeks is enough. Why on earth GP is running the comp is beyond me!