2105 Badger Brew Off

[ArkotRamathorn]

Entering my first BJCP competition and dropped my three entries off yesterday.

Anyone else participating in this comp? I have my sour cherry stout, roggenbier and saison (honey malt and honey added) entered.

I know I'm gonna have a rough time in the fruit beer category since it maxed out on entries, and saison is supposedly always a competitive category. I did have a master judge tell me my saison reminds him of Duvel though so fingers crossed I score above 35 on that.

So who else is competing and what did you enter?

 

[ImNoExpert]

I considered it but didn't know about it until last week. The only thing that I'd have ready to go is my wee heavy, but I used peat smoked malt and figured that I'd have to enter it in the smoked beer category. Reading the 2015 BJCP guidelines led me to think that it would not score well.

Don't care, it's still friggin' delicious.

 

[JonesSoda6]

Entered and they received my entries last week (from Michigan). Sent two totally new brews we made for the feedback. One thing I hope for is good judges and legible score sheets

 

[govner1]

2105 is a little far out for my schedule.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

2105 is a little far out for my schedule.

90 year old barleywine for your 130th birthday (crosses fingers for a robot body that can drink beer, also I'm glad someone made the joke)

Entered and they received my entries last week (from Michigan). Sent two totally new brews we made for the feedback. One thing I hope for is good judges and legible score sheets

It sounds like we will get the score sheets emailed to us as a PDF so I am hoping this means they'll be legible.

 

[coolharry]

I entered two last year and had good luck on all counts. Both placed and scores sheets were good scans and easy to read. I entered four this year, an amber, a pale ale, an Irish stout and a best bitter. This is the most I've ever entered in a competition, hopefully I've got a ribbon worthy brew in there.

 

[snakebyte]

I dropped off an American IPA. My first time entering a contest as well. Just hoping for some good feedback!

 

[coolharry]

Today's the day folks. Anyone else getting anxious for the results?

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Today's the day folks. Anyone else getting anxious for the results?

I didn't think I would be, but totally am. I want to see my score sheets. I'm not expecting anything to score over 35 but I can dream.

On a side note I bombed a big bottle of Saison DuPont side by side with the saison I entered into the contest. I'm wishing I went a little heavier on the dry hop, though it's already 2 1/2 months old so I don't know if that would've given the beer a benefit or not at competition.

My roggenbier is a total shot in the dark though since there are basically no commercially available versions where I am. At least I think it's generally a less entered category.

 

[simonmcconico]

I entered this year! This is my first competition and wish I was able to see results already! I entered a Golden Sour into the American Wild category and a Gose into the Historical beer. Will be interesting to see what happens.

 

[JonesSoda6]

Still no update on places on their webpage. Fingers crossed for tomorrow morning

 

[coolharry]

I couldn't even get their site to work until this morning.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Still no update on places on their webpage. Fingers crossed for tomorrow morning

Where on their page would they list that? I'm getting blind in my old age (30).

 

[coolharry]

There's a results tab on the mhtg site, but there's nothing up for 2015 yet.

 

[JonesSoda6]

Nothing posted as of yet. 2014 and earlier on their main site but nothing from the weekend.

 

[simonmcconico]

I didn't see actual results from any of the past years on their site. Just links to a page that is empty.

 

[coolharry]

The suspense is killing me!

 

[coolharry]

Preliminary results are up. A few tables missing and no BOS round yet. I am stoked. My amber got 1st place. Oh yeah!
How'd everyone else do?

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Preliminary results are up. A few tables missing and no BOS round yet. I am stoked. My amber got 1st place. Oh yeah!
How'd everyone else do?

My saison did not place, but I did not expect to place so I'm not too concerned. I am curious about how it scored though.

I am waiting for the Fruit beer table unless they combined it with another table, but I don't imagine they'd combine it with another table thats listed and not a single fruit beer placed.

 

[simonmcconico]

I got third in the sour beer category. They combined quite a few different beers together. Not sure where my other beer is or what it got. Very interested to see the score sheets. Any idea when those are gonna go out?

 

[coolharry]

I'm sure they'll wait until they judge the last two tables to send them out. I'd assume those would be judged this Saturday, but who knows.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Oh wow, just found out my roggenbier placed. The one I was pretty sure would not do well.

 

[coolharry]

Anyone receive their score sheets yet?

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Anyone receive their score sheets yet?

Not yet. I am checking my email religiously though.

 

[coolharry]

Lol me too.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Score sheets should be out, 37 on my roggenbier. Needs more rye, next time I'll just use chocolate rye with a bit more rye instead of Munich.

Don't know if I agree with the judge on my saison as I've had a master judge only 3 weeks before the competition taste my saison and did not detect bandaid, and guidelines state saisons can have poor clarity. I'll just re enter it in the Minnesota mash out in January and see what happens.

Can't complain though, 37 on a roggenbier without ever trying a commercial example, and all the criticisms of my sour cherry stout were expected (thin body), and saison is competitive so can't expect the moon first time entering.

 

[coolharry]

Congrats on the roggenbier man!
I got 37.5 on both my amber and my stout. Both got knocked a bit for carb and mouthfeel, which is understandable. I bottled them off a keg and didn't have my pressure low enough. The bottles i opened on judging day were both very flat compared to the draft pints. Live and learn I guess!
My amber keg just kicked, so I'll be brewing it again this weekend, here's hoping it turns out as well as the last batch.

 

[ArkotRamathorn]

Congrats on the roggenbier man!
I got 37.5 on both my amber and my stout. Both got knocked a bit for carb and mouthfeel, which is understandable. I bottled them off a keg and didn't have my pressure low enough. The bottles i opened on judging day were both very flat compared to the draft pints. Live and learn I guess!
My amber keg just kicked, so I'll be brewing it again this weekend, here's hoping it turns out as well as the last batch.

Yeah, keg filled bottles always seems like it would be difficult to get perfect. On the other hand bottling/bottle conditioning has its own difficulties.

Time to get ready for the Minnesota Mash Out in January. Going to re-enter the same saison (I never thought I could get marked down for an "over-attenuated" saison) and see how it does.

 

[coolharry]

I filled a few others for friends and for an interview and they all turned out great, so I think I've got a good process worked out now, just wish I would have spent a bit more time bottling the competition beers.
I might have to send a few up there too. I've been eyeing up the midwinter comp down in Milwaukee in February. First place ESB get brewed at MKE Brewing, and i just happen to have an ESB recipe I've been meaning to try.

 

[snakebyte]

So I got my score sheet back today and I'll say I'm pretty happy about the results...I scored a 31 which fell within the Very Good range, which I'm very satisfied with. This was the 5th beer that I've brewed, even counting my initial 1 gallon batch!

The feedback was also valuable with the most notable being that I entered my beer into a less optimal category. I was so wavering back and forth on the style guidelines and opted for the IPA category, however, it was clear that I should have been in the APA category based on the feedback. In one judges final sentence, he said, "If entered as Pale Ale, this would have scored much higher."

All the feedback was surrounding the need for more bitterness and hop flavor. Overall, everything else was relative clean on the feedback.

I guess next time I'll try to enter it as a Pale Ale, or work on upping the bitterness and hop flavor, although I like the beer as is, so I would rather just change the category.

The coolest thing about this for me is that it's pretty cool in this hobby, to be able to be brewing for such a little time and be able to produce a beer in your home that is rated "Very Good" by certified judges.

What a fun hobby!