Next Merri Mashers Club Competition?

[Vanners]

I thought I would put it out there to get some early thoughts on the club's next informal competition. I guess it takes 2-3 months from decision on the competition until the tasting

The results and process were great fun the other night.

The hard thing I found the other night was determining what the beers was and if the flavours I tasting were faults or not. I pretty sure I marked a Saison pretty harshly thinking it was something else. It was good just to taste the beer and score it on if I enjoyed it or not but in terms of getting good feedback to refine my skills I think there would be some benefit on getting feedback if the beer is to style or not.

My thoughts on the next competition are it would be great to have a set style or type of beer (e.g dark beers). We could then do the tastings with knowledge of what the style is and using the BJCP guidelines to provide some real good feedback.


Also I was thinking that if another competition is too much hassle, maybe a week before each meeting we could do a shout around on what beers people have “in stock” and if a few people have a similar style kicking around we could to a mini style tasting. That way if 5 attendees have a stout on tap or bottled we make it stout night or APA night or whatever. This way we can really get into some meaty discussion on our beers and help each other improve..

Anyways, just some thoughts and ramblings…

 

[TimT]

Not sure if we need to have a comp almost every session! I don't want to scotch enthusiasm for the club, just saying there's a lot of other events we could have. Get someone in to talk about a particular weird style, have a tasting of Temple Beers or at Carwyn Cellars, get someone round to bring a taint kit like we've been talking about, or do a group brew like folks are suggesting.

Me, I've got a whacky idea for a Tudor-themed night where we can all get our Elizabethan brewer hat on - mainly because I want an excuse to try some buttered beer before it gets too warm

 

[Wolfman]

I agree that style comps would be the way to go in future. We will discuss this at the next committee meeting for sure.

 

[Vanners]

Yeah not suggesting a competition every meeting. Just more of suggestion around a getting a good process for nights that we dont have a "set menu" and people want to bring beers for tasting and feedback. With only a few beers I wouldn't think it would take too long either.

I guess we all have similar but slightly different motivations for being in a brew club. I love the idea of improving my palate and beers through the knowledge and beers of others in the clubs.

 

[Mardoo]

I'm certainly looking forward to seeing what y'all come up with for your first formal, open competition!

 

[going down a hill]

Coffee stout

 

[BreadMurderer]

Dark beers eh? I think I may be slightly interested in that... ;-)

I agree that when we do come round to another wee comp that the style is fixed but we still do the blind tasting (which I really enjoyed by the way!) as we will all know what to expect before we arrive. I'm still holding out for this taint kit...

 

[New_guy]

Dark beers all the way!

Stout, Black IPA, Porter, Imperial Stout

 

[RelaxedBrewer]

What about an all Aussie/NZ Beer? Any type of beer but can only use Aussie/NZ ingredients.

 

[TimT]

Next meeting's in two weeks so there'll be no time to have a brew comp for that, but in July we'll be having a bit of a pale ale session, partly to get a feel for the style in the run up to the Worthogs August competition, Pale Ale Mania. I've put a page for it up here.