Results Nsw 2007 Homebrewing Competition

[floppinab]

I was lucky enough to judge on three flights and tasted the best of most of the other categories and I must say, the standard of brewing in NSW is superb. On with the Nationals!!

My sentiments exactly PoMo. I did two flights (although the PA category could've counted as 2 flights!!!!). 2nd and 3rd PA's your's Mike, hope there's no accusations of bias there!!!

After some prepping from Trev. I was expecting a "reasonable" number of dud beers (i.e. like the ones I make <_< ) but I reckon out of the 40 odd beers I tasted over the weekend only 3 or 4 were in that category (although others had some slightly higher numbers there I think I got lucky with the flights I had), with most being very good beers with others some real standouts.

Well done everyone.

 

[KillerRx4]

I made an attempt to attend yesterday. Never actually found the scout hall in Hopetoun St.. Am I blind or was I in the wrong place? The street was blocked at the end by some construction work?

Ended up in Port kembla for a spot of fishing instead. Not much luck there either though


So will results & placings for those who didnt make 1,2 or 3rd be made available?

 

[PostModern]

I made an attempt to attend yesterday. Never actually found the scout hall in Hopetoun St.. Am I blind or was I in the wrong place? The street was blocked at the end by some construction work?

Ended up in Port kembla for a spot of fishing instead. Not much luck there either though
So will results & placings for those who didnt make 1,2 or 3rd be made available?

Finding the venue was half the fun. It is behind the houses on the South side of Hopetoun St, there are two access ways to the hall: driveway-like easements.

I don't think full results will be published (Ray??) but all entrants will have their score sheets mailed back to them.

 

[mikem108]

My sentiments exactly PoMo. I did two flights (although the PA category could've counted as 2 flights!!!!). 2nd and 3rd PA's your's Mike, hope there's no accusations of bias there!!!

After some prepping from Trev. I was expecting a "reasonable" number of dud beers (i.e. like the ones I make <_< ) but I reckon out of the 40 odd beers I tasted over the weekend only 3 or 4 were in that category (although others had some slightly higher numbers there I think I got lucky with the flights I had), with most being very good beers with others some real standouts.

Well done everyone.

I think with 3 judges per table nothing that is not to style or poorly made will get past, and anyway you don't really know who's beer you are tasting and the good ones just stand out . One of mine was an AIPA, I'm curious as to which one that was.

 

[Paul H]

Looking at the number of entries (150), I would have thought there would have been more support within the NSW brewing community.

 

[Tony]

Well done Tony on best of show. That Old Ale was truly excellent. Tell us, how long was it aged?

My records show it was brewed on 23/4/06 subtract 2 months of no-chilling and firmenting and thats about 16 months.

Might enter it again next year as well to get feedback on its aging. wheather it gets better or worse. Id like to know for future batches and how long to forget them for.

Or is it poor form to re-enter a winning beer?

cheers

 

[Fatgodzilla]

I think with 3 judges per table nothing that is not to style or poorly made will get past, and anyway you don't really know who's beer you are tasting and the good ones just stand out . One of mine was an AIPA, I'm curious as to which one that was.

The most important point I got from the weekend was that the judging was about the best brew - THAT FITTED THE STYLE PREREQUISITES !

There were a number of times where judges agreed that a beer was very good, but simply did not match the requirements set out in the BJCP guideleines. Therefore it had to be marked down not because it wasn't good, just not to style. Capretta knows this point oh so well !!!

That is a brilliant concept. It differentiates between making a bloody good tasting beer and making a beer to the style and be talented enough (or dumb lucky .. no, let's leave it as talent) to have it suit the style requirements. Sure, most of us can make a drinkable product but frankly, most of us won't look at showing at a State then hopefully National level. But to have people attempt to brew to a specific style and to meet those BJCP requirements is a different matter.

So to you mugs out there, as a layman brewer, I tasted many a brew that I thought, I've made better than that. I tasted a few which I would have chucked out as it didn't suit my tastes, yet I recognised how they matched the style requirements and scored highly as such. That was the highlights of my weekend from a learning slant.

Tasting close to 60 or 70 beers was a poor second !!! (and emphasis taste, rather than drink. I had to drive the boys home !!)

That said, no poor beer won any categatory. The winners and place getters were beers that fitted the category - and were bloody good. Well done to all entrants - you can't have a competition without entrants. Well done the judges - it's not easy fronting up at 9.00am on a Sunday morning after a 12 hours drinking session, five hours hours sleep and then be asked to judge dubbels, truppels, strong beer etc and do it well. The boys did it ! It makes you proud to be Australian !!

 

[newguy]

Or is it poor form to re-enter a winning beer?

Not at all. I know of one brewer who has entered the same Strong Scotch Ale for the last 4 years in local competitions and always gets a medal with it. It may be annoying for those entering the same category, but it's not against the rules.

.....Not around here anyway.

 

[Stuster]

Not at all. I know of one brewer who has entered the same Strong Scotch Ale for the last 4 years in local competitions and always gets a medal with it. It may be annoying for those entering the same category, but it's not against the rules.

.....Not around here anyway.

I agree. I can see no reason you can't enter your beer again, Tony. As you say, it'd be fascinating to see how it changes with time. I'd guess the judges would probably appreciate you entering this beer next year too. :chug:

 

[crozdog]

I agree. I can see no reason you can't enter your beer again, Tony. As you say, it'd be fascinating to see how it changes with time. I'd guess the judges would probably appreciate you entering this beer next year too. :chug:

I'm sure POMO & Tony would agree with me that it would be most welcome. Hell I'll volunteer for the Old Ale category now if you do!!

Crozdog

 

[PostModern]

I'm sure POMO & Tony would agree with me that it would be most welcome. Hell I'll volunteer for the Old Ale category now if you do!!

I've already got my hand up and I'm jumping up and down "Me! Me! Me!".

 

[Tony]

consider 3 bottles put away

2008, 2009 and 2010.

Should be an intersesting experiment.

Cheers

 

[oldbugman]

should make it 6..
for the nationals too

 

[AndrewQLD]

Good question Paul.

There would have been many more judges and stewards available except that they were involved in the new Bitter & Twisted competition.

Many of the NSW brewers have become dismayed with the National bodies approach to running competitions. The main problems that we see are:

- restrictive styles (ie there are many beers that are just not included)
- lack of a calibration beer so that all judges are judging to the same standards
- Lack of Best of Show round so that all category winners are fairly treated.
- lack of integration with international brewing standards and competitions ie if you win a category at the AABC there is nowhere to go - there is no support for a National 'team' to compete on the international stage.
David

David, I can't see how/why you would think that 14 categories with 84 different styles is restrictive :blink: ?

Andrew

 

[Fatgodzilla]

Many of the NSW brewers have become dismayed with the National bodies approach to running competitions. The main problems that we see are:

- restrictive styles (ie there are many beers that are just not included)

Won't buy into your other arguments as too new to this game to comment. However, just when I'm like the little boy in the lolly shop seeing all these things I haven't seen before, you make this comment.

I'm game and learning all the time. What styles /beers aren't allowed ?

 

[warrenlw63]

Many of the NSW brewers have become dismayed with the National bodies approach to running competitions. The main problems that we see are:

So they desert their state comp? Little like cutting the nose to spite the face woudn't ya think? :blink:

Edit: Victoria does not appear to show the same dismay. 300 Entries from 75 brewers. Food for thought.

Warren -

 

[Tseay]

I would think that the last thing we need is another AHB slagging contest.

Organising and running a brew comp is a mongrel of a job and we should be celebrating the achievement.
The craft would better served by a separate positive thread on how to grow comp involvement regardless of the state or methodology.

Well done judges and entrants !

 

[AndrewQLD]

The other important point to note is that the National body is made up of representatives from ALL of the states, and they together as a group decide how the AABC is organised. So all States get to input. Things are definately looking up for the AABA run National competition and more improvements will be made each year.
Congrats to all the winners and placegetters in the NSW comp and hoping you do well in the Nationals.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Trent]

Congrats to all the winners, and a big thumbs up to all the the organisers and volunteers for putting in the hard yards. Many of the usual suspects in there, I hope that you all do very well in the AABC. Congrats also to the HAG guys for doing so well, and of course Barry - don't you ever get sick of winning?!? :lol:
As far as the not restrictive thing goes, I know that American Wheats were not included in this years styles, and obviously 11 on top of that. I am quite happy to keep putting beers into the state comps, but I was asked by my representative for my input on how I felt the state and AABC comps should be run, however none of my suggestions (ie exactly how the NSW comp was run last year) were accepted by the committee as a whole. Not that it really matters at the end of the day, as it is still a comp, and a very well supported an respected one, as it should be, but is it REALLY that hard to hold a BOS round? IIRC, it took about 20 mins at the end of last years NSW comp, and it prevented me from taking out Grand Champion Beer - a decision that I was quite happy to accept, given that all the winners were judged against each other. I feel that the highest scoring beer isnt always the best at any given comp, and the BOS round usually proves that. How many of our reps actually voted ot remove BOS round from the comps, or was it just done, and not discussed with the representatives?
Again, big ups to the hard workers that helped make the show a success (especially Ray Mills, who obviously put in ALOT of work - and has to do it all over again in a few weeks), and to all the winners. It's very hard to win these days, you should be very happy with yourselves.
All the best
Trent

 

[mikem108]

So a few styles are missing from the Aussie comps, you need to plan ahead and choose a style that is in the guidelines if you want to enter a comp, get feedback on you beer and be judged alongside other beers, just don't expect there to be too many beer in the speciality category to compete with your Smoked Pumpkin Buckwheat Vanilla Beer!