Competition Etiquette

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jamesnsw

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I'm a pretty new brewer- 5 batches brewed, all extract, some with specialty grains. There's a local-ish competition coming up, and I'm thinking of entering the brew I think came out best.

Now, I read all the rules for the competition, but I'd like some insight on the etiquette for competitions, as I've never been to one..

For instance, I took the recipe straight out of "The Complete Joy of Homebrewing". Is that kosher? Are extracts looked down on?

I mean, I know that according to the rules I can enter this- but will it be looked at as some no0b wasting their time? I have no aspirations of actually winning, just interested in the critiques and the experience.
Thanks!
 
It is totally acceptable to enter a recipe from a book as your own. Every brewer is going to make a slightly different beer even if they follow the same recipe. Many winning competition recipes are commercial clones.

Extract beers are fine. A well made extract beer will stand up to its all grain counterpart.

Go for it. Competitions are one of the best ways to find any faults with your beers and improve you brewing technique. Or, you might find out that your beer is damn good and gets a better score than you planned on.
 
One of the BEST brews I've ever made (took best of show) was straight out of "complete joy of homebrew" -- I'm still trying to re-make that beer!

The judging is of the end-product, not so much the recipe or ingredients (except as for how they help you get a great end-product)

Enter, brew some more, and enter the next competition -- it can be fun.
 
How about naming- should I change the name, or just call it "Vagabond Gingered Ale"?
 
Thanks everybody! I'll get everything ready tonight, and speed to the drop off place tomorrow after work.
 
Also, has anyone had this recipe? I'm thinking it's a Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer (21A) with the classic style of a Dry Stout (13A). Here's the recipe:

[size=+1]Ingredients:[/size]
.5 lb Chocolate Malt
.75 lb Crystal 75
6.5 lb Dark Liquid
2 oz Cascade (7.8%) - added during boil, boiled 60 min
1.0 oz Willamette (4.4%) - added during boil, boiled 1.0 min
3 oz Fresh Grated Ginger

BeerTools is saying it's way too bitter, and my FG (1.018) is too high as well. Any ideas?
Thanks!
 
Did you put any spice in it? That recipe doesn't show any spices, so it's not a spice beer.

What is your OG and FG? If it's sweet, you could enter it as a "sweet stout".
 
Did you put any spice in it? That recipe doesn't show any spices, so it's not a spice beer.

What is your OG and FG? If it's sweet, you could enter it as a "sweet stout".

Sorry, I forgot to add the Ginger- it's added now.
OG- 1.053
FG- 1.015
 
Yeah enter pretty much anything you make. The Sam Adam's longshot contest winner a couple years ago was a Pliny the Elder clone. That's what is out in the 6 pack variety packs this year.
 
Do the competition coordinator and volunteers a favor and follow the entry specifications to the letter. Filling out the entry form completely along with wrapping them around the bottles with a rubber band saves the group a lot of frustration rather than gluing or taping them to the bottle.
 
They just posted the results- got 3rd place! Haven't seen my score sheet, hopefully in a week or two. It's out of 11 entries, so not a huge contest, but hey... it was my second beer I brewed. I'm thrilled.
There may have just been some excited fist pumping here...
 
They just posted the results- got 3rd place! Haven't seen my score sheet, hopefully in a week or two. It's out of 11 entries, so not a huge contest, but hey... it was my second beer I brewed. I'm thrilled.
There may have just been some excited fist pumping here...

Congratulations! I know that's an awesome feeling.

:mug:
 
Hey, congrats man. That's pretty cool. I'm certain that won't be the last competition you enter.
I'll be entering my first comp in 2 weeks, both entries are recipes I got from HBT. BM's Centennial Blonde, and a Bell's two hearted clone(sorry, I can't recall right now whose recipe it was. You know who you are, though)
EDIT: just looked it up..., it's eschatz' recipe. Thanks eschatz!!!
 
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