VICBREW 2016

[Grainer]

Having trouble copy/paste from pdf on my phone but if you google bjcp 2015 mead, you should get a link to a pdf of guidelines. Section mb4 specifically mentions bouchet. If you can't find it, let me know tomorrow and I'll copy/paste from work pc.

[SIZE=10pt]BJCP Mead Style Guidelines – 2015 Edition [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]11[/SIZE]
[SIZE=11pt]M4B. Historical Mead [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]A [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Historical Mead [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]is a historical or indigenous mead that doesn’t fit into another subcategory (e.g., Ethiopian tej, Polish meads). The BJCP welcomes submissions of writeups of historical or indigenous styles that fit into this category. [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Overall Impression: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]This mead should exhibit the character of all of the ingredients in varying degrees, and should show a good blending or balance between the various flavor elements. Whatever ingredients are included, the result should be identifiable as a honey-based fermented beverage. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]generally follow the standard descriptions, yet note that all the characteristics may vary. Since a wide range of entries are possible, note that the characteristics may reflect combinations of the respective elements of the various sub-categories used in this style. Refer to Category M1 for a detailed description of the character of dry, semi-sweet and sweet mead. If the entered mead is a combination of other existing mead categories, refer to the constituent categories for a detailed description of the character of the component styles.[/SIZE]






[SIZE=9pt]Entry Instructions: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]See [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Introduction to Mead Guidelines [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]for entry requirements. [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Entrants [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]MUST [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]specify carbonation level, strength, and sweetness. Entrants [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]MAY [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]specify honey varieties. Entrants [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]MUST [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]specify the special nature of the mead, providing a description of the mead for judges if no such description is available from the BJCP. [/SIZE]
[SIZE=9pt]Commercial Examples: [/SIZE][SIZE=9pt]Jadwiga, Saba Tej [/SIZE]

 

[manticle]

The one I'm downloading says 'ethiopian tej, bouchet, polish mead'.

 

[MartinOC]

Slap!

 

[Grainer]

mine was from www.bjcp.org

 

[manticle]

Civility will be the dominant order of the day.

 

[mezz94]

So..... When and where do entries for AABC have to be submitted?

 

[MartinOC]

You should've already been contacted about that if you're a contender.

If not, shoot me a PM & I'll get you in touch with the blokes who can sort it out for you.

 

[bullsneck]

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't a JAO a Metheglin? I entered my JAO as that last year with good results.
Just sayin'.

Edit - just checked the guidelines and Metheglin is an 'Other Mead'. My bad. Back into my box.

Yellowbox, that is.

 

[dan@twtr_dan]

You should've already been contacted about that if you're a contender.

If not, shoot me a PM & I'll get you in touch with the blokes who can sort it out for you.

Will be in touch also Martin

 

[NealK]

Any ideas what the prizes are for the category winners?

 

[manticle]

mine was from www.bjcp.org

Here you go.

Admittedly confusing with so many editions - this is from BJCP consolidated guidelines 2015, found here: http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2015_Guidelines_Consolidated.pdf

M4B. Historical Mead A Historical Mead is a historical or indigenous mead that doesn’t fit into another subcategory (e.g., Ethiopian tej, Polish meads, Bouchet). The BJCP welcomes submissions of writeups of historical or indigenous styles that fit into this category. Overall Impression: This mead should exhibit the character of all of the ingredients in varying degrees, and should show a good blending or balance between the various flavor elements. Whatever ingredients are included, the result should be identifiable as a honey-based fermented beverage. Aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel generally follow the standard descriptions, yet note that all the characteristics may vary. Since a wide range of entries are possible, note that the characteristics may reflect combinations of the respective elements of the various sub-categories used in this style. Refer to Category M1 for a detailed description of the character of dry, semi-sweet and sweet mead. If the entered mead is a combination of other existing mead categories, refer to the constituent categories for a detailed description of the character of the component styles. Entry Instructions: See Introduction to Mead Guidelines for entry requirements. Entrants MUST specify carbonation level, strength, and sweetness. Entrants MAY specify honey varieties. Entrants MUST specify the special nature of the mead, providing a description of the mead for judges if no such description is available from the BJCP. Commercial Examples: Jadwiga, Saba Tej

Italics mine.

 

[Grainer]

thank you for the clarification You must have had to search a long time! mine isn't a classical bochet but had that name..mistake on the naming on my behalf then when entering.. should have been "caramelised sweet mead"... it had no additives like a classical bochet.

 

[mxd]

Any ideas what the prizes are for the category winners?

trophies

 

[brianvcskin]

You should've already been contacted about that if you're a contender.

If not, shoot me a PM & I'll get you in touch with the blokes who can sort it out for you.

Still no word on entries when and how to submit. Just curious what's happening.

 

[Black n Tan]

trophies

and glory :beerbang:

 

[MartinOC]

Just a few "small" points for everyone to consider...(& one person in particular...):

1. I (MartinOC) am NOT the official voice of Vicbrew on this forum. I just happen to be more active here than others on the Committee. My opinions & comments are my own & I stand by them 100%. Got a problem? PM me & we can sort it out. Mostly, but not always, amicably....

2. If you have a query about where to place one of your entries in future, I'm more than happy to guide you (as has happened earlier in this thread).

3. Bleating because the Judges didn't think your creation wasn't as good as you thought it was is fruitless. If you put it into the wrong category or sub-style, suck it up, Princess... It's the rules of entry.

4. Personally contacting the BJCP to adjudicate on the matter is fruitless - they defer to the individual competition organiser, as has happened.

5. Contacting Vicbrew, requesting to chastise an individual member of the Committee over personal comments here & demanding a public apology will just make you even MORE of a laughing-stock than you are already. And you already ARE laughing-stock....within the Committee & here amongst the AHB community.

On a personal level, you can GET ****** if you expect an apology from me - privately or publicly.

You know who you are...

Edit: You dug the hole...now you have to lay in it...

Edit #2: Well! No surprises that you've blocked PM's from me - Don't want to hear the bad news, eh? Just bury your head in the sand & make-out you're God's-gift to the brewing community, eh?? If you won't hear it privately, then I guess I'll just have to do it publicly..

 

[Yob]

Rule something or other.. Judges decisions are final... Blah blah..

The end.

Been rather disgruntled at judges comments and descriptions in the past myself..

See rule above.

Gotta admit, my scores got better when I entered the beers correctly

 

[barls]

ok not involved in this comp at all.
saying that your entitled to your opinion but abusing those that did the judging isn't on. as a judge if i stuffed up so be it, if i judged the beer or mead in front of me as i see it, thats it we can only judge what we get with the info that you as the entrant supplies. **** i stuffed mine up this year and didnt do that well. you don't see me calling a commercial mead maker from another country to confirm what i did wrong. no i sucked it up and moved on. maybe you should as well.
if you feel that the other one is far superior then enter it in place of the second place one.
your allowed to enter one in the same category aren't you????
personally if i was one of the judges your vindicating id be pissed off that you chose to air this publicly rather than contacting them as per the contact details on the form.

 

[Grainer]

OK I will respond now… I have given this some thought and time now and of course it is all directed at me everyone knows that.

Yes, you are correct Barls and Yob, I did go about this the wrong way and I should have contacted the judges concerned to get their opinions in the background as per the form via email.. in hindsight that would have been a better approach. Unfortunately, I had posted what was on my mind without giving it too much thought of the ramification of what I was writing at the time, seems to be a common trait of mine but no offence was intended. At no stage did I intend on insulting the judges..that being the case I realise I may have done this and I am sorry to those judges.

I have done my own research into the mead in question through both Vicbrew and BJCP and yes it should have gone into “other meads” but at the time of entry, I thought it should be in “sweet meads” and hence entered it there. This is an honest mistake unlike what I have been accused of.

At no point was I suggesting my scores should be changed and am quite fine with the final scores.. I said was that I was surprised with one mead… and as stated, I should have sent a PM to the judges in question to get their feedback rather than the way I went about it. This is noted for the future and a harsh lesson learnt for me. I had several beers that did VERY badly and have never questioned these, all the comments were great and the feedback spot on.

Just to be clear, at no stage did I abuse anyone all the abuse has been directed to me to date, some called for other not.

I love home brewing and contributing to this forum and think it is a great way to connect. I am a very giving person of my time when it comes to brewing and I am a little bit of a perfectionist/scientist .. I love it.. I am passionate about a lot of things.. and this comes across in my personality.. I am a little full on at times and this is often mistaken for other things, I understand how this is perceived by others.. give it time and maybe you will understand who I really am if you wish.

This is where I will leave it. Hopefully I can apologise to those judges in person at some stage over a beer if they like.

cheers
Grainer

 

[timmi9191]

I believe you dont define a person by their mistakes (we all make them) but by how the person recovers from those mistakes.

Mistake made. Mistake admitted. Apology given. Life goes on...