NSW State Comp 2016

[kaiserben]

There's a few styles where you could do a re-brew (I'm re-brewing a kolsch because I have none left). But for most styles you probably won't have time.

 

[n87]

My porter was only ~2 months old for judging, im hoping the extra couple of months will give it that bit extra.

 

[Dan Pratt]

The NSW comp had in previous years been closer to the start of August which gave a couple more weeks if brewers wanted to rebrew a beer.

It is certainly what I've done each year when placed at state, brew fresh batches for Nats.

 

[barls]

im not but then again mine is a lambic.
also i wasn't bashing my fellow judges i was just saying that i could guess which ones it was.

 

[Bribie G]

The NSW comp had in previous years been closer to the start of August which gave a couple more weeks if brewers wanted to rebrew a beer.

It is certainly what I've done each year when placed at state, brew fresh batches for Nats.

The QLD comp is positioned closer to the nats so that if you got a placing, then generally you don't need to rebrew.
That cuts both ways I suppose.
A NSW comp earlier - say end of July - would give the benefits of being able to rebrew following helpful comments.

A late August comp doesn't give the benefits of either system. Not knocking the organisers this year, they had to take what was given I suppose considering the situation at the Showgrounds, but maybe worth looking at for future years.

 

[paulyman]

im not but then again mine is a lambic.
also i wasn't bashing my fellow judges i was just saying that i could guess which ones it was.

You aren't using the feedback to help guide your 2018 entry?

 

[Headmeister]

I certainly do appreciate all efforts put in by all concerned, and I'm absolutely thrilled by my first in the Strong Ale category.

I am a bit puzzled by the marks and comments for my robust porter, it was declared 'infected' and very sour, on the scoresheet I could read, the other sheet either did not scan well or was written in something very faint, as it cannot be read.

The porter I submitted was in two separate 330ml bottles, so unlikely both were contaminated, never had a contaminated beer in well over 2000 bottles since I started brewing again in dec 2014, and anyone who has tried this porter does not think it sour as described, including some very experienced beer drinkers. My porter received the lowest mark in the whole competition of 31, which is a bit disheartening. I was wondering if it were somehow mixed up and if there was a way to check this with the entry number?

 

[barls]

have you tried contacting the judges? they may not of asked if there was a second bottle? personally i wasn't one of the judges on that category.
if not try contacting stu about the sheet that didn't scan properly.

 

[Headmeister]

Ok, many thanks barls for the suggestions.

 

[RdeVjun]

Just on beer judge bashing... errr, I mean judging feedback, remember you're dealing with volunteers, often palate- fatigued and sometimes getting tired and emotional after large flights, usually quite cheery, but also generous with their time and effort. Before being a miserable git and whining about your comp judging, maybe ask yourself if you can in fact get off your arse and contribute in any way. Dump on the paid professionals as much as you like, but stop and think about criticism of volunteers, eh?
OTOH I had the good fortune (that's precisely what is involved, I'm convinced of that) to knock off a national gong and when I received the scoresheet, apart from a name and #, it had just six words on it and of course the winning scores. So, here I was chuffed that I'd nabbed a decent gong at last but then eventually I realised that I had next to no idea from this judge of how to brew it again with the comp winning character, what it was that made it particularly good, in fact good enough even to beat all comers. So that was a minor disappointment and my feedback to the organising committee was duly noted, but thankfully there was a second judge involved, his descriptors were excellent, although that was four years ago and TBH it still hasn't helped...
One thing about state comp places, the feedback can also be quite helpful in fine tuning the re-brewed beer for the Nats entry, I've looked at that as a bonus where it was available, but again its never helped me that much as far as improved results in the subsequent comp.
Oh and scribes can be helpful for judging too, if your comp has the luxury of plenty of volunteers.

 

[Fatgodzilla]

I'm torn between using the feedback to change the recipe, or just re-brewing it exactly. Maybe someone with more experience could comment?

If you have good enough brewing ability and equipment to be able to do the same brew time after time, tasting the same every time, you don't need any advice.

I have neither the ability or equipment to do identical copies and with all the other outside influences on a brew, never will. Close enough will do me.

Congrats on your results. If the feedback comments strike accord with you, modify your recipe. In the long run you'll be the only one who will notice.

 

[Fraser's BRB]

^^ well said

 

[Stuster]

I certainly do appreciate all efforts put in by all concerned, and I'm absolutely thrilled by my first in the Strong Ale category.

I am a bit puzzled by the marks and comments for my robust porter, it was declared 'infected' and very sour, on the scoresheet I could read, the other sheet either did not scan well or was written in something very faint, as it cannot be read.

The porter I submitted was in two separate 330ml bottles, so unlikely both were contaminated, never had a contaminated beer in well over 2000 bottles since I started brewing again in dec 2014, and anyone who has tried this porter does not think it sour as described, including some very experienced beer drinkers. My porter received the lowest mark in the whole competition of 31, which is a bit disheartening. I was wondering if it were somehow mixed up and if there was a way to check this with the entry number?

I'll be looking into this and get back to you. Mark, see my email as well.

If others did have issues with scoresheets not being scanned, let me know and I'll see if I can resend those. I wasn't able to check each of the 1,100 sheets but happy to do that so you can read the feedback.

 

[Stuster]

No, it wasn't. But isn't the point of submitting beer for blind tasting is so that we don't get the equivalent of what our mates would tell us at a Saturday BBQ?

The beer placed 3rd, but now i have very little to go on when re-brewing it for the nationals. This feedback in this instance is invaluable for the next step.

Part of me thinks i got 3rd and i should shut up. But part of me thinks that if i were someone else and got a scoresheet like that, it may turn me off entering again.

This really isn't what we want as feedback for you from competitions. It's something we work hard at, and I've been running BJCP judging courses for a while now so people do give more helpful feedback. Since you got 3rd place, I am assuming the judge thought there was not much need for improvement (though you didn't get 1st so there may be something more you could). With many of the judges doing so many beers over the weekend, it was a lot of writing and tasting.The judges though worked really hard over the whole weekend and so a few lapses are understandable I think.

We do need more people getting involved as judges. The more judges we have, the fewer beers each judge needs to cover in a day and so the more time/effort they can put into each one. It's something that anybody can do. It can seem daunting but you don't have to be a super-taster to get involved in judging. If you do the judging course which Brendan and I are running next year, we will cover off-flavours and go through a number of styles with practice of how to fill out the score sheets and so on.

It can definitely help in regard to tasting your own beers as well, and so not only getting feedback from comps but also having a better idea of how to improve your own beers. If anybody is possibly interested, PM me or email me for details.

 

[fungrel]

This really isn't what we want as feedback for you from competitions. It's something we work hard at, and I've been running BJCP judging courses for a while now so people do give more helpful feedback. Since you got 3rd place, I am assuming the judge thought there was not much need for improvement (though you didn't get 1st so there may be something more you could). With many of the judges doing so many beers over the weekend, it was a lot of writing and tasting.The judges though worked really hard over the whole weekend and so a few lapses are understandable I think.

We do need more people getting involved as judges. The more judges we have, the fewer beers each judge needs to cover in a day and so the more time/effort they can put into each one. It's something that anybody can do. It can seem daunting but you don't have to be a super-taster to get involved in judging. If you do the judging course which Brendan and I are running next year, we will cover off-flavours and go through a number of styles with practice of how to fill out the score sheets and so on.

It can definitely help in regard to tasting your own beers as well, and so not only getting feedback from comps but also having a better idea of how to improve your own beers. If anybody is possibly interested, PM me or email me for details.

Thanks for that. I've registered my interest with Brendan earlier in the week for the next course.

 

[Headmeister]

I'll be looking into this and get back to you. Mark, see my email as well.

If others did have issues with scoresheets not being scanned, let me know and I'll see if I can resend those. I wasn't able to check each of the 1,100 sheets but happy to do that so you can read the feedback.

Many thanks for your email and reply here Stuart, and want to get involved with next years comp, keen to try and help out.. Looking at that number of sheets I feel a little silly making a fuss about mine.

 

[kaiserben]

Will winners and place-getters be receiving ribbons? If so, when would we expect those?

I'm a bit worried because mail in my neighbourhood is constantly being stolen - and last year I didn't receive my ribbon (I found the opened envelope with score sheets, but the bastards took the ribbon FFS).

And also, what's the process for receiving prizes for category wins/places? Contact the sponsor directly? Or sit tight and wait for someone to contact me?

 

[boonchu]

Far as i know the sponsors are waiting for Stu to contact them with names and email addresses

 

[Lindsay Dive]

Just a couple of things I observed at this competition considering that I have not attended a competition for quite a few years.

Stuart has stated that you need more judges.

The first thing I think you should to do is to have the stewards becoming more involved with the tasting of the beers and also have a little more interaction with the judges after the judges have completed their score sheets and marks. This is what used to happen a few years ago and it gives the stewards a good stepping stone of being a beer judge. At present, some judges seem to prefer to be isolated from the stewards and have little or no interaction with the stewards at all.

I also feel that the competition should return to using good quality clear plastic disposal cups for the tasting. Good quality plastic can give very good head retention if they are not reused. The stewards at this competition spent more valuable time in the kitchen washing and drying glasses/jugs. I am of the opinion that you will deter stewards from attending future competitions if they have to fill in as glass washers. If plastic was used and disposed of this would speed up the whole process of the competition.

Just my thoughts.

Lindsay now runs off to change into a flame retardant fire suit.

 

[n87]

Hi Stu, or anyone else in the know,
How are national entries handled?
Do you send out the application?
When does this happen?

I realise this is a month away, but I would like to be prepared.
Thanks.