2008 NHC Comp First Round...

Is here this weekend, at least for the North East Region. Anyone here as excited as I am to see how their entries are recieved.

I have a bomber of each of my entries that have been sitting in the fridge since they arrived at the drop off center. On saturday during the draft, my buddy and I will be drinking them to get an idea of how they should be at the comp. Anyone else have plans along these lines?

Also, this is my first time entering. I was wondering from anyone who has entered in the NHC before, how long does it usually take to get your feedback back after the comp?

My first time as well. I had to go with Denver regionals. Glad to know that they will start this weekend. Means my brew has been sitting in a chiller for about a week, exactly what I needed. I'm not expecting to get past this first round, but a critic sheet from someone else other than my beer drinking friends that swear this is the best brew they ever tasted, would be nice.

jzal8 said:

Is here this weekend, at least for the North East Region. Anyone here as excited as I am to see how their entries are recieved.

I have a bomber of each of my entries that have been sitting in the fridge since they arrived at the drop off center. On saturday during the draft, my buddy and I will be drinking them to get an idea of how they should be at the comp. Anyone else have plans along these lines?

Also, this is my first time entering. I was wondering from anyone who has entered in the NHC before, how long does it usually take to get your feedback back after the comp?

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I'll be building my BrewHaus and drinking the same beers entered. I'm thinking positive and have bottled entries ready to go to Cinci after all of them pass the first round. (fingers crossed).

I got my scoresheets back already. Didn't do as well as I did last year. I got really similar comments on the same beer, but it was scored 10 points lower (27). I had to enter a new region, so I think it may have been a regional difference in the judging. Who knows.

I haven't gotten my scoresheets back, but I heard through the grapevine (or hopvine maybe) that my ESB placed in PNW and will be going on.

No scores back yet here either...the suspense is killing me.

No scores back officially, but the Canadian entrys have been judged and as far as I know, I didn't make it to the second round in Cincy.

Well, I was gonna enter but I didn't. However, if I had, I'm sure I'd be well on my way to a first place ribbon now.

Received my scoresheets in the mail today. This was my first time entering nationals so I wasn't sure really what to expect.

Some things I noticed:

My pliny clone I brewed back in august is definitely past its prime, but I entered it anyways. I know they don't know when I brewed it but it makes me laugh when someone says it "could be much more aggressively hopped"

The APA I entered was judged by 3 people. One person (BJCP certified) mentions "little bit of cheese" aroma and "could use tighter sanitation". The other 2 (one certified and one national) do not mention any of these off aromas, in fact one says "No discernable esters of defects". This was also a beer that was brewed a while ago and was past its prime, so I didn't expect a great score on it.

I need to send one judge some porkchops since he commented about my ESB "This is about how I would want an ESB, strong bitter but not overdone, with the malt to balance it out. I would enjoy this with some pork chops"

Bokonon said:

I need to send one judge some porkchops since he commented about my ESB "This is about how I would want an ESB, strong bitter but not overdone, with the malt to balance it out. I would enjoy this with some pork chops"

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That's a pretty cool comment. I would definitely dig hearing that about one of my beers.

I haven't got my scoresheets back, but I learned one of my 'hail mary' brews placed. I had a smokin' porter that didn't. Go figure. Sometimes beer judging is a crapshoot.

Got my score sheet back today northwest region. scored 31 on my APA its all I entered high score 34 low 27 with good comments overall.I also tasted a bottle around judging time, so the comments were expected, slightly oxidised. This will be the first last and only time I counter pressure bottle for a comp thats a month away.


Finally got around to ckecking aha site stoked about my score now even though i didnt advance , high score for nw region apa is 38 with a low of 19 . also been tasting my remaing comp bottles and found one that was oxidised, this must be what they tasted .Im sorry if they had to drink that. All other bottles and the keg i just finished were awsome. Next year im gonna killem.

littlehop said:

Got my score sheet back today northwest region...

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That's encouraging news. Maybe I'll see mine tomorrow or Wednesday.

No word yet and I'm in Vegas all week. I guess it will be easy to forget about it for a while.

Any one from the Soutwest region get their sheets yet?

I jumped the gun a little a shot an email to the contact for the north east region just to see when they'd be going out, and she said they are on their way to boulder and go out from there...i dunno

jzal8 said:

I jumped the gun a little a shot an email to the contact for the north east region just to see when they'd be going out, and she said they are on their way to boulder and go out from there...i dunno

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My sheets from the NW region came direct from Anchorage, according to the return address and the postmark. I would assume other regions will mail the sheets direct as well, but who knows.

Theres one thing I thought I would throw out here that I've been asked and have seen asked a few other places. The entry number on the score sheets don't match up with the numbers in the online tool. Here is the response from Janis @ AHA

It may seem a bit convoluted, but the original numbers are replaced with new entry numbers when the entries are checked in at the shipping location.

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Man, still nothing here...I'm getting antsy.

Kilted Brewer said:

Man, still nothing here...I'm getting antsy.

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Yep same here, really looking forward to hearing how i did.

Turns out I may not hear anything at all. Just got an email from AHA showing a refund for my entry fee. Reason stated, no entry received. Nice that I have a tracking number and delivery confirmation showing they did get it. Maybe it was a rough trip???

Kilted Brewer said:

Turns out I may not hear anything at all. Just got an email from AHA showing a refund for my entry fee. Reason stated, no entry received. Nice that I have a tracking number and delivery confirmation showing they did get it. Maybe it was a rough trip???

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Keep the updates coming, guys. I'm living vicariously through you all, as a phone system project at work comsumed so much of my time that I was not able to get to the drop off before the entry deadline.

Kilted Brewer said:

Turns out I may not hear anything at all. Just got an email from AHA showing a refund for my entry fee. Reason stated, no entry received. Nice that I have a tracking number and delivery confirmation showing they did get it. Maybe it was a rough trip???

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That sucks. Did you ship up to pyramid in Seattle or all the way up to Alaska? One of my scoresheets said the cap was only half crimped on which I thought was really strange because I know I crimped it on really good and inspected the bottles before packaging. BTW I shipped to pyramid

Shipped to Pyramid. Sent ground from Portland, and arrived the day after I sent it. I ship a lot of wine samples from my office so I know the thing was secure and safe. I sent an email back so I guess we'll see what they say.

Kilted Brewer said:

Turns out I may not hear anything at all. Just got an email from AHA showing a refund for my entry fee. Reason stated, no entry received. Nice that I have a tracking number and delivery confirmation showing they did get it. Maybe it was a rough trip???

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Oh god I really hadnt even thought of the possibility of something like that happening. Sorry to hear that.

Notttt today....

Kilted Brewer said:

Turns out I may not hear anything at all. Just got an email from AHA showing a refund for my entry fee. Reason stated, no entry received. Nice that I have a tracking number and delivery confirmation showing they did get it. Maybe it was a rough trip???

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Dang, KB, that blows goats. What value did you put on the shipment on your UPS slip? I wonder if they'll pay you the stated value if you can prove they broke the bottles. Although I'm sure you'd prefer that your beer got to the competition in the first place.

Pisser of it is, I have a signature. I know it made it to Pyramid in Seattle. But what pi$$es me off even more is the AHA is just shrugging their shoulders and saying oh well. I would have thought the AHA would have things a little better organized. They're also saying this has happened in several regions. On the good side, I got my money back, the bad, I have no idea how good or bad the beer really was.

Got my sheets back today. Huge range for the 6 beers I entered including a very bizarre result. I had my Scottish ale recipe that came in at 1.044 and figured it was close enough to the border to enter it as a 70/- and an 80/-. It scored 23 as a 70/- and a 37 as an 80/- with fairly different comments. I am wondering if some bottles got mixed up by the stewards.

The best of my lot was my Robust Porter that scored a 40.5. It is an EF clone, but made with British malts and hops instead of American.

I got my sheets back today. I only entered one, Lake Walk Ple Ale. I'm really happy with the feedback--the "flaw" was clear cut--I need more malt profile. I can fix that for next time!

It scored a 38/50 and both judges were consistent.

I'm happy even if it didn't advance.

Quick check in over lunch. No news on any of my entries. Southwest region is still pending. I would like to enter some in the Enchanted Beer Challenge, but need the bottles if the brews go on. Maybe I will send an email.

I have three going on to the 2nd round!

Fruit Beer - 1st Place
American Stout - 2nd Place
Imperial Stout - 3rd Place (888 test batch)


That means I took 2nd and 3rd in the stout category.

The fruit beer is a raspberry Imperial Stout. (888 test batch base)

Woo-Hoo!

Brewpastor said:

I have three going on to the 2nd round!

Fruit Beer - 1st Place
American Stout - 2nd Place
Imperial Stout - 3rd Place (888 test batch)


That means I took 2nd and 3rd in the stout category.

The fruit beer is a raspberry Imperial Stout. (888 test batch base)

Woo-Hoo!

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AWESOME, AWESOME AWESOME!

Brewpastor said:

I have three going on to the 2nd round!

Fruit Beer - 1st Place
American Stout - 2nd Place
Imperial Stout - 3rd Place (888 test batch)


That means I took 2nd and 3rd in the stout category.

The fruit beer is a raspberry Imperial Stout. (888 test batch base)

Woo-Hoo!

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Excellent! Congrats! Did you get it in the mail? If so, what was on the return address. I have to have SWMBO go check for mine.

EdWort said:

Excellent! Congrats! Did you get it in the mail? If so, what was on the return address. I have to have SWMBO go check for mine.

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I sent an email and asked if they knew anything because I have a different comp. I want to enter but limited bottles. They replied today.

That was nice of them. I sent them an email letting them know I've been on the road and would like to know, but I doubt I will hear back. I just soon enter those bottles in a different comp. too.

Congratulations, it looks like you have the Stout style on lockdown

Brewpastor said:

I sent an email and asked if they knew anything because I have a different comp. I want to enter but limited bottles. They replied today.

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I tried the same in my region and they told me the results were sent to denver and i'd have to wait for them to post on the website.

Dude said:

I got my sheets back today. I only entered one, Lake Walk Ple Ale. I'm really happy with the feedback--the "flaw" was clear cut--I need more malt profile. I can fix that for next time!

It scored a 38/50 and both judges were consistent.

I'm happy even if it didn't advance.

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Thats pretty great. My hope is that no matter how i'm judged, I at least come away with consistant criticism. I'd find it hard to know what to think with scoresheets all over the board for the same beer.

Congrats BP! I never doubted for a minute that you'd have beers in the finals!
Very cool.





Now go and kick Jamil's...

I'm still waiting on mine as well...

Why is the Southwest region taking so long?

And BP, that means there's still room for me at #1 in the Stout catagory...

How do you know if you advanced to the second round? Do they explicitly tell you?