First BJCP competition

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CoalCracker

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Received my score sheet today for my IPA and received a 37.5. Only real dings were Hazyness and alcohol. It was fermented low 60s and was 6.8abv. None the less I'm happy!
 
Congrats... I know it's not a place but I'm right there with ya... I am eagerly waiting for my score sheets from my first comp. I entered a doppelbock and a wit and a cream ale. None placed but I can't wait to see the score sheets. I really thought the DB would have faired well but the comp I entered was the dominion cup here in VA and it's the largest HB comp in the state. I suppose I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up out of 520 entries but...what the hell, right?
 
This comp had 548 entries and 44 just in the IPA category. I'm currently at the beach and on my iPad. When I get home I'll post the recipe
 
Very well done. I just was in my first comp this summer and I'm dying to do it again.
 
jigidyjim said:
37.5? Awesome! Never scored that high, though I've placed with lower scores. Great job.

Yea that's what was at the top of the sheet. At the bottom it had a 39. Was thinking 37.5 was my final.
 
Yea that's what it said. However I can't detect any of it. Was fermented at 63(wort temp). He said it burnt his throat... I'd be able to detect that. You can taste some alcohol but it's not fussel.
 
37.5 is awesome. I just entered my first comp also (Upper Mississippi Mashout) and I placed second for my American Amber (Scored a 42.5) and I sent in my Helles (didn't place but scored a 29.5)
 
Congratulations on the great scrores CoalCracker & sweetcell.

I was just looking at the results online for my first competition - Midwinter Homebrew Competition in Milwaukee. Hopefully the score sheets will be in my hands in about a week so I can check out the comments.

I placed 3rd in category 9 for my Irish Red Ale (scored a 32)
Did not place with my IIPA (28) or my Altbier (26).

The Altbier actually scored better than I thought it would do. I knew it had a handful of flaws to the style when I sent it in, but I wanted some more feedback. It was the first recipe that I created from the ground up, and Altbier is not a style I drink on a regular basis. It will be interesting to see the comments when I get the score sheets back.

I actually thought my IIPA would have scored better, not that I am complaining about a 28. The beer is incredibly drinkable even though the finish is a touch sweet due to missing my mash temps, but I think it is a well balanced beer. I really hope I have some good constructive comments on this beer as I think it has the potential to become a nice high scoring beer with a few more tweaks (and if I remember to keep the mash temps under control).

The Irish Red placing realy suprised me. I know a few other very good brewers that had entered this competition in the same general category, and their beers consistantly score well. One of them placed, the other did not.
 
Did you place with a 39?

'High' scores will not guarantee a medal or ribbon.

For example, I'll give you the results of my last competition:
Gueuze: 39, 2nd in Sours
Lambic: 37, 3rd in Sours
Even Older Lambic: 40, no hardware
Dry Stout: 39 (a GMIII gave it a 41! sweet!), no hardware
Belgian Golden Strong: 40, no hardware
ESB: 37, 2nd in English Pale Ales
Saison-Brett: 30, obvi no hardware

Also, the highest scores don't even have to get hardware - once the Mini-BOS is on... all bets are off. It has nothing to do with the previous scores and has everything to do with how good/great that beer is.
 
yeah - the scores can be strange - it is more about the head-to-head when they start comparing beers from different flights directly with each other. A good example - had beers in KC Biermeister comp. this weekend. Mild scored 37, NE Brown scored 39 - But my Mild finished first and the NE Brown was second in the same category. Also.... my oktoberfest scored 43 - and placed 3rd.
Some judges tend to score high across the board, some score low across the board. As long as they are consistent, and there is a head to head comparison, that is the important thing.
 
My most recent result was pretty strange - entered a CAP at the Upper Mississippi Mashout, which ended up scoring a 33.5, making the mini-BOS but not placing. The strange part is how much the 2 judges disagreed - officially, the two scores were 37 and 30, but while Judge #1 raved and the only flaw he mentioned was a hop flavor slighly out of style, judge #2 absolutely hammered it and basically said it was infected and he couldn't get past the off flavors. The scores on both sheets were both erased and re-written, and looking closely you could tell that the original scores were 40 and 20! Amazed it even made it to the mini BOS, with one judge thinking it was a 20 beer...
 
usually one judge is high(er) ranking and one low(er)ranking - generally pay the most attention to the remarks of the more experienced judge.
 
usually one judge is high(er) ranking and one low(er)ranking - generally pay the most attention to the remarks of the more experienced judge.

This is very true... a few years ago I had a Pilsner take a best of show with a 33. It was an ale dominated comp and most of the experienced judges were working on the large ale flights. There were only 4 entries including mine that were in my flight and my pils came out on top with a 33 average. Gordon Strong was one of the BOS judges and said my beer was nearly flawless and he would have put it around a 45... Point being don't place too much emphasis on the numbers and remember that everyone has different tastes and perceptions.
 
Point being don't place too much emphasis on the numbers and remember that everyone has different tastes and perceptions.

Amen.

Also, listen to the more experienced judges. I judged with a few novice judges this past weekend - one of which hated the American Barleywine that I loved (because it had a slightly muted aroma). I know are scores were far apart, but I conceded 2 points so that he would come up 8 points. I also was insistent that that beer go to the mini-BOS. That beer took first place in the category.

Take away?? Listen to the more experience score sheet. Points ain't everything. Medals ain't everything. The feedback is what can make you a better brewer. And yes, you need to enter the same beer in multiple competitions to get a good amount of feedback.

BTW, Kevin (Braufessor), I had your Vitamin C in Mini-BOS. It was truly the best APA I've had. You mind sharing the recipe with me?
 
Amen.

BTW, Kevin (Braufessor), I had your Vitamin C in Mini-BOS. It was truly the best APA I've had. You mind sharing the recipe with me?

Awesome -Thanks for letting me know! Glad you liked it. Let me get the recipe in order and I will shoot you a pm in bit.
 
AmandaK said:
Gueuze: 39, 2nd in Sours
Lambic: 37, 3rd in Sours
Even Older Lambic: 40, no hardware
Dry Stout: 39 (a GMIII gave it a 41! sweet!), no hardware
Belgian Golden Strong: 40, no hardware
ESB: 37, 2nd in English Pale Ales
Saison-Brett: 30, obvi no hardware
.


Your cellar must look like a pre-war toxic waste site :D
 
Did you place with a 39?
nope. i made it to the finalist table but didn't make the top 3. i had the beer that took second place and it was definitely better than mine, so i'm happy with how things turned out. it was a case of my beer conforming to style better, but the others tasting better.

regardless, i'm very happy with my result.
 
nope. i made it to the finalist table but didn't make the top 3. i had the beer that took second place and it was definitely better than mine, so i'm happy with how things turned out. it was a case of my beer conforming to style better, but the others tasting better.

regardless, i'm very happy with my result.

I find the BJCP judging to be highly subjective. I had a tripel rank a 42 in the Best Florida Beer championship and not make it past the first round, and have that same beer given a 34 in a local club comp and medal silver.
 
I find the BJCP judging to be highly subjective. I had a tripel rank a 42 in the Best Florida Beer championship and not make it past the first round, and have that same beer given a 34 in a local club comp and medal silver.

I am studying for the BJCP tasting exam and you are exactly right! There are some absolute faults but many of them are very subjective. I had a Scottish 70 that got the second highest overall score in a local score. It went to the Best of Show round and placed 6th overall. I am starting to get to a place that comps are a great ego boost. Any beer over 35 could be a winning beer...just depends on the comp.
 
I find the BJCP judging to be highly subjective.

I think there is some obvious truth to this - individuals have their own preferences, perspectives and levels of expertise.
But, I have been pretty impressed with the consistency in judging I have gotten from one competition to the next - especially in the bigger comps. If I really want some good feedback on particular beers, I make sure I enter the same beers in 3-5 competions over the course of about 4 weeks or so - In that way I am getting the impressions of 6-10 judges and can sort of drop the high, drop the low and look at what the consistent comments are. I have received some great information by doing this, and am always surprised by how consistent some of the recommendations are.
 
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