Vicbrew 2010

[Wolfy]

what a pisser. one of my old full extract beers placed higher than another one of my AG recipes. admittedly is was cat 18 so its a mixed bag of beers.

Cat 18 was lots of ... fun.
Was it your ginger/chilli beer that owes me a new watch?

 

[pk.sax]

Cat 18 was lots of ... fun.
Was it your ginger/chilli beer that owes me a new watch?

Is there a story to that mate? haha.. that ginger/chilli sure smelt nice was a darn gusher too, fun for the steward who poured it from the bottle, hardly managed anything into the bottle

 

[mxd]

Is there a story to that mate? haha.. that ginger/chilli sure smelt nice was a darn gusher too, fun for the steward who poured it from the bottle, hardly managed anything into the bottle

I think it was CM@'s ginger/chilli, was it a bit of a boy was it

 

[HoppingMad]

Thanks for all the kind comments guys

The beer that seems to have done well at show (my Belgian Golden Strong Ale) I've perfecting recipe-wise for two years.

The beer was entered in VicBrew last year with the same grain bill, mash temps and pretty much identical hopping - and it placed exactly in
the middle of the field from memory. I think around 12th or 13th.

Seeing that average placing was annoying - I thought it was a pretty good beer, but I read the judges comments carefully and it gave me valuable clues on how to improve it. Using these comments, and a stack of research on the style - I made three minor adjustments that seem to have improved it out of sight. A comp like VicBrew is a great way to get feedback on what you're doing. Passing the beer around at club also made me realise what was going wrong too. If you're chasing a style to get it right, I would say, don't be afraid to get some feedback on it from experienced brewers if you can. It's daunting and brutal at times, but you can learn a great deal from another person's palate.

To those who didn't go so great this year - I would say if you love a style of beer and enjoy drinking it - don't give up on making it for your next comp regardless of what your judging sheet says, keep making it until you make your best one. Keep perfecting that ******* until all the judges can do is drink it and find very few things to stick a cross against. A tough call I know - but your next batch could be the one.

Cheers & Beers,

Hopper.

 

[Wolfy]

Is there a story to that mate? haha.. that ginger/chilli sure smelt nice was a darn gusher too, fun for the steward who poured it from the bottle, hardly managed anything into the bottle

Smelled nice, tasted Ok too, was just was unexpectedly ... effervescent.
The only story is that my watch still smells like it since it gushed so much it managed to go 1/2 way up my arms when I opened it.

 

[brettprevans]

Yeah it was mine mate.
Crap I just realised why. Fermentation stopped before terminal fg. Which was fine as I was kegging it and it gave it a nice body. But bottling it and sone priming sugar mist have set it off again. Sorry fellas.

And yeah my dark Belgian was also in cat 18 and it was a full extract beer. One of my last before I went ag. It was great in it's prime. And it ranked better than the chilli Ginger beer.

I entered a few just for fun knowing that they had no chance of winning. This year will be my year for brewing for chimps rather than entering stuff ive just brewed for myself.

 

[brettprevans]

not quick enough to edit prev post.

although i did take a bottle up to QLD a few months ago and it was fine. so I figured the rest would be ok also. oh well sorry about smelly arms. betetr than them smelling of fish.

 

[The_Duck]

Hmmm, mediocre placings again, including dead last in one category.

Not discouraged but I guess a bit clueless as to what went wrong. I need to see the score sheets that will hopefully have some intelligible comments and maybe some suggestions.

Previous score sheets in comps have been pretty hit and miss when it comes to comments/suggestions, mostly claiming "temp control" or "sanitation" issues.

Gotta look at brews for BeerFest 2011.

Maybe I should sign up for the tails/4* airforce ?


Bombadier Duck

 

[Fourstar]

Maybe I should sign up for the tails/4* airforce ?

You obviously didnt see where my hefeweizen placed. :blink:

Very interested to see what the issue was. I had a bottle to compare with whats in the keg atm and they are near identical. The only diff was higher carbonation in the bottled example. I sure as hell didnt think it deserved a score that low. All i can assume is some serious bottle infection going on in my vicbrew entry. 2 weeks out of the fermenter to comp day so it should have been perfect.

Not to worry, always next year. :icon_cheers:

 

[WarmBeer]

You obviously didnt see where my hefeweizen placed. :blink:

Very interested to see what the issue was. I had a bottle to compare with whats in the keg atm and they are near identical. The only diff was higher carbonation in the bottled example. I sure as hell didnt think it deserved a score that low. All i can assume is some serious bottle infection going on in my vicbrew entry. 2 weeks out of the fermenter to comp day so it should have been perfect.

Not to worry, always next year. :icon_cheers:

Did all four of you guys put in the same Barleywine you brewed together?

If so, an interesting spread on both the scores, as well as the OG recorded.

That strong stout category was pretty fiercely fought, your score of 110 would have placed first in Category 11. Well done.

 

[brendo]

Did all four of you guys put in the same Barleywine you brewed together?

If so, an interesting spread on both the scores, as well as the OG recorded.

yeah we all entered it into the comp... having tasted them all it is an interesting exercise in the contribution the fermentation aspect makes to the finished beer - both in yeast selection and fermentation management.

Will be interesting to see how they fair in future comps as they are relatively young for the style. Round 1 goes to Forustar :beer:

 

[brettprevans]

Did all four of you guys put in the same Barleywine you brewed together?

If so, an interesting spread on both the scores, as well as the OG recorded.

That strong stout category was pretty fiercely fought, your score of 110 would have placed first in Category 11. Well done.

yup all 4 went in. and yup a big spread. they werent that differant in tasting. 4*'s was kegged and filtered (if i rmember correctly) so it would have improved the aging/taste process a little, but i doubt that they were all so differant to account for such a lareg spread.

 

[Fourstar]

Did all four of you guys put in the same Barleywine you brewed together?
If so, an interesting spread on both the scores, as well as the OG recorded.
That strong stout category was pretty fiercely fought, your score of 110 would have placed first in Category 11. Well done.

sure was the same. everyone seemed to notice a marginal difference in their OG readings, may be the calibration of our hydro's/refrac. i took both and took a reading at FG with hydro and refrac to confirm abv and OG.

Mine managed a few points higher but i have noticed flavour similarities between mine and Daves particulary. Brendos, slightly different and i havnt touched Bretts so i dont know what his is like. As noted, forthcoming competitions will tell the tale as to who reigns supreme! :icon_cheers:

as for the stout, yeah it had a good score although it wouldnt necessarily get the same if lumped in the sweet stout category due to some style differences. Cheers for the kudos. :icon_chickcheers:

 

[The_Duck]

You obviously didnt see where my hefeweizen placed. :blink:

Very interested to see what the issue was. I had a bottle to compare with whats in the keg atm and they are near identical. The only diff was higher carbonation in the bottled example. I sure as hell didnt think it deserved a score that low. All i can assume is some serious bottle infection going on in my vicbrew entry. 2 weeks out of the fermenter to comp day so it should have been perfect.

Not to worry, always next year. :icon_cheers:

Thinking back now, that entry was problematic in the fermenter with colour adjustments needed etc. I think I had at least 2 cracks at getting the right colour and also added some hops. Maybe this is reflected in the scoring....

The other one was left as it was and aged well. Considering it was over 13% and I have about a case left, I should hold it over for a few years/comps and see if it changes character.

Duck

 

[Pennywise]

I just realised that I don't have any bottles left of my IIPA that came 3rd , Spewin I would have loved to have entered the same beer again

 

[big78sam]

woo hoo. Pretty happy with my results. Best I did was a 6th with the other two smack bang in the middle. As a first ever comp I'll take that. Looking forward to the score sheets to see where I might tweak these ones next time. Noticed some familiar names from the swap that I placed above, so that was nice h34r:

I'm the same, first comp and a new brewer so happy with my 6th place in the specialty category for my Rye IPA. This was a bit past its peak as well as some of the hop aroma had started to dissipate. Who would have thought BIAB, no chill could produce a decent beer?

I would say if you love a style of beer and enjoy drinking it - don't give up on making it for your next comp regardless of what your judging sheet says, keep making it until you make your best one. Keep perfecting that ******* until all the judges can do is drink it and find very few things to stick a cross against.

I think I'll have to take that advice. Now it's a matter of waiting until the score sheets come back to see what the comments were.

 

[brett mccluskey]

I'm the same, first comp and a new brewer so happy with my 6th place in the specialty category for my Rye IPA. This was a bit past its peak as well as some of the hop aroma had started to dissipate. Who would have thought BIAB, no chill could produce a decent beer?



I think I'll have to take that advice. Now it's a matter of waiting until the score sheets come back to see what the comments were.

I was one of the judges in specialty and i remember your rye ipa . nice beer and a good effort,congrats,it was deserved :beerbang:

 

[Wolfy]

Crap I just realised why. Fermentation stopped before terminal fg. Which was fine as I was kegging it and it gave it a nice body. But bottling it and sone priming sugar mist have set it off again.

That'd explain it, it was not an infection-type-gusher, so the smell/taste was much nicer than it could have been, it was just .. unexpected.

 

[Fourstar]

That'd explain it, it was not an infection-type-gusher, so the smell/taste was much nicer than it could have been, it was just .. unexpected.

compared to when i had it lastt ime it was driz-a-bone! (assuming its the same product.)

 

[brendo]

I just realised that I don't have any bottles left of my IIPA that came 3rd , Spewin I would have loved to have entered the same beer again

Bummer - have you got something else that fits in the category that you can enter? You do not have to enter the same beer, just something in that category.

If you have nothing to enter - let the Vicbrew comittee know so that they can invite the fourth placed brewer to enter in your place - need to make sure that the Vics are well represented in the Nationals.

Hope you have something you can put in!!

Brendo