tyzippers said:
Why do you think NHC isn't good for feedback? I'm actually curious since I've only ever entered one competition and didn't get any feedback that was worthwhile. I thought NHC would be the best place seeing as how they use bjcp judges, no?
At nhc there are so many entries and the judges go all day long. There really isn't time to dissect every beer, plus, after 30 pale ales, they start to taste the same, so you find yourself writing the same feedback, getting sensory fatigue.
Those are bad excuses, but it's true. Go to bjcp.org competition calendar and find a long running competition that gets over 200 entries ( research it a little )
I have regional comps I like to enter just because, but if I have a particularly good beer I will enter it into 2 or 3, just so I can compare the feedback. It's really a crap shoot depending on flight placement, did a judge just finish judging smoked beer, bad bottle, etc.
If you have 2 or three to compare and if they all said it was phenolic, then it probably is, but if one said it was lacking hops while the others praised the hops then it was just unlucky for you.
You will not get an unbiased educated opinion from your friends, family, and especially from yourself, ever.