Pouring competition beers

[Brew Matt]

I haven't attended any BJCP beer judging competitions. Just wondering, when the beers are poured, are the glasses tilted at an angle? Also, what other measures are put in place to ensure that each pour is equal?

Any recommendations on what cleaner is used for glasses to ensure they are as clean as possible, so each beer is given equal chance when it comes to head retention.

 

[pommiebloke]

AFAIK the glasses are cleaned in a dishwasher with no cleaning agents, ie. just using hot water.

 

[manticle]

Only bjcp stipulation that I know of is this

Pour in a manner that gives each entry its optimum appearance, keeping in mind some entries may be under- or over-carbonated.

In my experience good stewards attempt to do the above in most cases but it can be variable, particularly when beer foam is so intense it takes 10-20 minutes to settle into the jug and actually get poured.

Despite best intentions, beer may have good retention in one glass and very little in another. Appearance points are only 5 possible out of 50 though.

 

[Charst]

Ive stewarded the AIBA for the past two years and both cases the glass has been a small red wine shaped glass. I would pour a bit over two fingers worth into the glass and aim for a half inch head which given the time it talks to pour 6 beers, walk out to the judges then serve, would still leave a decent head in the glass.

I tend to pour two - three sample from a bottle depending on the bottle size, and keep as far away from the sediment as possible as to keep each beers clarity consistent. if for some reason you poured an inconsistent one compared to your others it is discarded and repoured.

each glass washed through a dishwasher and was only washed in hot water i think.

 

[Degraves]

its a hobby and you should view as such, no there is not any tilt angles, never met a steward yet who cant pour a beer, the day peeps, competitors start whinging about stewards is when competitions are stuffed. Stewards are great people and some I have known are better palate wise than the judges, its just what they chose to do. I was a steward then judged and would be a steward tomorrow.

 

[Florian]

In QLD we had disposable biodegredable clear plastic cups for the last few comps, which seemed to have worked well and were well received by all involved.

New cup for each entry, no probs with cleaning agents, differently clean glasses etc.

 

[Degraves]

i will edit my above post saying at Vicbrew a few years ago, the glasses were hot????? dishwasher, at the time I believed they had a distinct disadvantage. No prizes were taken out on the first either on the AM card.

 

[manticle]

Judges or stewards should have sent them back.

 

[Degraves]

Judges or stewards should have sent them back.

Spare me please.For what? The bottle has been cracked, nobody knows the kitchen. Defunct the beer? Get real Mants. You would fix everything on the spot would you? Hobby brewing is not a grand final .Home and away season exists. If we all had your hard ass attitude you would run competitions to yourself.


edit. suit yourself

 

[manticle]

Pull your your head in. If I, as a judge or a steward got a warm glass, I'd ask for a replacement - to be fair to the entrants. Considering the effect you mentioned it's hardly a big ******* deal. I imagine the conversation would be along these lines:

'Can i have a cool glass please?'

'No worries, they are a bit warm aren't they?'

Of course it's a hobby - you think I don't know that?

Your response is unwarranted and rude. Make sure you buy me a beer if you steward or judge the next Vicbrew (or any of the comps in between - I'm likely to be at most trying to 'fix' everything to my exacting standards). We can talk about grand finals then.

 

[vortex]

It's definitely a hobby - but still most of us take it very seriously and don't want factors out of our control to determine the final result.

Mantickler is the kind of steward I'd want stewarding my beer - from the sound of his response he treats the beers he pours with care and attention, just like it was his own.

 

[Degraves]

Of course you would, YOUR exacting standards. The OP threw it out there. Vicbrew 2010 warm glasses as above, you would stop the whole competition, dictate how beer is served and keep everybody volunteering their time? highly unlikely.

Nobody can be rude i.e another opinion unwarranted, just we do it your way?

You are a tad opinionated and always in search of looking after ones backyard.

 

[Degraves]

I haven't attended any BJCP beer judging competitions. Just wondering, when the beers are poured, are the glasses tilted at an angle? Also, what other measures are put in place to ensure that each pour is equal?

Any recommendations on what cleaner is used for glasses to ensure they are as clean as possible, so each beer is given equal chance when it comes to head retention.

Matt,
No angle, bottle gets poured to a jug, jug to the table, Steward pours equal glasses 50 75 %? Head retention is brewer, yet on most you would not be judged for presentation, this is only a very minimal factor. Its all about the taste!.

 

[jyo]

So, degraves, would you be happy to serve yourself a beer in a warm/hot glass if you were trying to obtain the most out of the beer? I know I wouldn't.

People pay money (albeit a pittance when you take into account the amount of feedback you get) to enter competitions. I like to think my beers are treated with the same respect that I did when brewing them.

Your 'tone' makes you sound pretty arrogant to be honest.



edit-grandma

 

[jaypes]

Anyone who serves beer in a warm glass should be shot, especially in a competition

 

[Degraves]

Anyone who serves beer in a warm glass should be shot, especially in a competition

Vicbrew should be shot? Bigcall jay. Have any of you bigmouths ever been hands on? apart from AHB? I dont think so.
If you had so, there are volunteers then there are forum members then there is minimal hands on. Manticle is way out of line and anyone else to say shut the comp down until conditions suit oneself, maybe a reasonable request yet out of chief steward controls, Practicably no? maybe yes?
The chicken **** hearts whom posted troll above at a HUGEE guess have not participated first hand yet are simply trolling for an argument.
Nothing changes around here, even peas n corn is still as dumb as *******.

 

[Bridges]

Did the stewards know the glasses were hot before they poured? If so it seems pretty poor to me that they didn't stop and request some cooler ones.
All any one wants out of any contest is a level playing field and the opportunity to perform at their best. To suggest thats what you want isn't arrogant, rude, or at all out of line. Thats about fairness.
Also not everyone enters thinking they are going to win, but to get some honest feed back about their brew, so they can improve. It's made hard if your beer isn't presented well. I'd be disapointed to hear that had happened to an entry I'd put in.

 

[jaypes]

Vicbrew should be shot? Bigcall jay. Have any of you bigmouths ever been hands on? apart from AHB? I dont think so.
If you had so, there are volunteers then there are forum members then there is minimal hands on. Manticle is way out of line and anyone else to say shut the comp down until conditions suit oneself, maybe a reasonable request yet out of chief steward controls, Practicably no? maybe yes?
The chicken **** hearts whom posted troll above at a HUGEE guess have not participated first hand yet are simply trolling for an argument.
Nothing changes around here, even peas n corn is still as dumb as *******.

First and foremost the name is jaypes - j-a-y-p-e-s

It sounds more like you have your hand on it

If you were to have a competition and call it a 'fair' one, then the glasses would be chilled - no ifs no buts nothing

Have a couple of panadol and sleep it off mate, 22 posts you must be exhausted

 

[manticle]

Of course you would, YOUR exacting standards. The OP threw it out there. Vicbrew 2010 warm glasses as above, you would stop the whole competition, dictate how beer is served and keep everybody volunteering their time? highly unlikely.

Nobody can be rude i.e another opinion unwarranted, just we do it your way?

You are a tad opinionated and always in search of looking after ones backyard.

Not stop the whole comp.

Not sure how you got that from what I wrote. Just ask if I could have a cold glass. Pretty simple.

You remind me of someone I have previously met. If your initials are DH and you live somewhere near Wolfy, we should have another beer because in person you're a good bloke. Via internet may not be the best way for us to communicate - face to face over beer is. I am opinionated - so probably are you. Happy to share those opinions face to face.

If you're not the bloke I'm thinking of we should still share a beer at the next comp you steward or judge at.

My comment about swapping glasses was simple and not intended to be dictatorial about how comps are run. It's the state comp you were talking about - a judge asking for a cool glass is not the end of the world - no need to stop the whole comp. Judges suggest to stewards that the beer might be coming out a bit cold sometimes for example. No different to that.

Anyway you've misunderstood what I meant in my first statement (by a long shot and yes I have been involved in comps even if only over the last couple of years but on multiple levels - judge, steward, organiser and participant/entrant.

 

[Pickaxe]

I dont want to escalate this argument, but i think there is a failure to communicate going on here. This reads as a typical internet escalation.
I work in a pub serving megaswill to morons and we chill our glasses. At a comp, or anywhere serving beer, I would expect chilled glasses.
****, I know the issues of running a volunteer run operation. I'm an artist, I've run artist run initiatives, I've organised volunteers to run a professional gallery, i've organised events with hundreds of guests with only volunteers. Its not easy, **** ***** up, things get done on the cheap, etc. Lets not send Degraves down here, give the guy a break. Volunteer run programs are a challenge. And in saying the following i do not mean to be sarcastic.

Every art exhibition i ran, i trained my volunteers to work within their skills, but to be professionals. Art was on the wall, well framed, well hung, well catered. I founded an Art prize in the Marrickville Council Area (Sydney). Funded by council, $5000 prize, run by volunteers, high profile judges. Sold a lot of work for the artists too, founded 2007, still running this year.

If it was me, beer was being displayed, i would have chilled glasses, volunteers or not. It's like a gallery with black walls. You can still see the paintings, but it looks like ****. I mean no offense to you degraves, but this is how i feel. dont give yourself a hard time. You've had feedback, but why jump the gun? you don't know how many friends you have here. You appear to be a very aggressive/reactive person from your posts. Chill - we're all friends here. Simmer down.

Yours faithfully,
*******.