Many experienced brewers already know this, but I'm posting to prevent the initial shock of getting your scores back if you are a first timer.
Understand that judges are going to judge your beer against a very strict set of guidelines for a single style only!
What this means to you is that even though you get a low score on a particular characteristic, that does not necessarily mean that you beer is "bad". Only that it isn't appropriate for the style. Of course it could also mean that your beer IS bad... Read the comments to try and find out whether it is or not.
Also, scores can vary quite a bit between judges. Some judges have more experience and do a very good job of writing what they taste. Others are less skilled and do not do much writing.
Take their scores and notes with a grain of salt. It's really only with a few submissions that you can get a feel for whether there is something wrong with your beer, or if you can improve. Look for a common trend between judges to indicate a problem. It's entirely possible that a judge is having an off day.
Also understand that what appears at first to be a poor score, could actually be not bad at all. Let say you score a 32-35 out of 50. This is a VERY GOOD BEER! Generally within parameters with only minor flaws. To me this would indicate that there is a small recipe formulation problem, or there is a specific process that could be tweaked a bit. But, it's not a bad beer.
Remember, the judges are usually very good tasters, and can often taste very mild flavors. They are looking for them!
Anything over 38 is an EXCELLENT beer. Exemplifies the style well, and may only need minor tweaking (And I'm talking MINOR tweaking!)
You don't get a top score until you hit 45. And I know of very few people who hit those scores, especially on a consistent basis. I wouldn't say it's "no-hitter" territory, but it's pretty hard to do, especially when you factor in the variability in judging experience.
Remember the judges are actively looking for flaws and will often find them where others might not. Enter into several competitions to get a better feeling for what you might want to do to improve your beer (especially if judges contradict each other during a tasting, which they sometimes do).
Don't get discouraged by poor scores. For one, a poor score doesn't necessarily mean a bad beer. It might just mean that you didn't hit THAT STYLE! (I once entered an American Stout that got dinged for having too much hops flavor! But the judges said they loved it!) Secondly, think of it as a starting point on correcting whatever process/recipe problem you have. Brewing isn't rocket science. Usually flaws in beer can be corrected easily.
Have fun, RDWHAHB, and who knows, you may even pick up some nice bling to show off to your buddies!
For the Newbs entering competitions for the first time...
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