Anyone Competing?

[Piratwolf]

Funny--I've never thought of entering a competition, but this thread has intrigued me. It would be nice to get some feedback from BJCP-trained judges. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be much going on in VA. I think I'll enter the March contest in NC. Exciting!

 

[keepitcold]

I don't make a habit out of it, but I enter a few a year. I tried to enter one recently... (there's a whole thread about it on here).

Coming up is the only real local competition for me, the Homebrew Alley comp run annually by the NYC Homebrewers Guild. I'm entering my porter and possibly the Berliner Weisse I'm working on now.

How is that berliner weisse? That's the one you did at the performance event no boil right?

 

[wonderbread23]

winning competition recipes- Virtually no one will post their winning recipe.
competition brewing techniques- see above. These will leak out, but only slowly.
no limits to make excellent beer- this is/can be interpreted by non-comp types that comp brewers go above and beyond what the lowly non-comp brewer with his 'limits' can do.

I've entered nine competitions this year. All but NHC were in WA state. Of those nine, I've had six best of show placements. In the NHC, I sent 3 beers to the second round. I am active in two brew clubs and always more than happy to share recipes, discuss techniques, etc. In the end, it is important to have a good recipe, but the brewer still makes the beer.

 

[Airborneguy]

How is that berliner weisse? That's the one you did at the performance event no boil right?

It is RIPE! I'm considering cold crashing it this week. I really don't know how much longer I want to let it go.

 

[Zamial]

award winning brews are not shared???

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/joie-de-vivre-fake-imperial-pumpkin-154242/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f25/man-i-love-apfelwein-14860/

Russian River - Pliny the Elder (guy was handing out hard copies of the recipe!)

honorable mention (I can not confirm in seconds if these have won anything or not but I would not be suprised if they have):

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f68/deception-cream-stout-141483/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/bee-cave-brewery-haus-pale-ale-31793/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f76/samhain-pumpkin-ale-140674/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f69/dogfish-head-60-minute-clone-ag-extract-25709/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/cream-three-crops-cream-ale-66503/

The above are what I found in 3 minutes or less. I am positive I can easily find MANY more just as fast. I have even posted my "secret ingredient" in a recipe thread around here.

The problem lies in that we as homebrewers make a TINY amount of beer and few of us can reproduce our own beers identically...lol. Let alone a complete stranger that will never even see your equipment or knows about the water.

As for a "secret process" I seriously doubt there is much that has not been hashed out in the DIY section for equipment or discussed in General. If you have some sort of undiscovered process, sharing it would result in multiple people trying it and possibly improving on it in ways you never thought of.

I guess what I am trying to say that as a collective we can accoplish much more than what we can on our own. I openly admit that HBT in general has accelerated my learning curve from "some guy with a few buckets and a dream" to a formidable home brewer. I will guess that I have extracted about a 10 to 1 ratio of hours spent learning on HBT to years it would have taken me to discover on my own, if ever.

I am not saying do not compete or be competitive, I am just trying to get you to see how silly it is to horde ideas/recipes "for competions" or the "I may go pro one day". I wish you the best of luck...

 

[Airborneguy]

I give my best recipe to anyone who asks. I get 1-2 requests for the XML file a week and answer every one of them as soon as I get on my laptop. It's also posted on this website for anyone to take without even asking. The best thing that can happen is if someone emails me back with an improvement I can try.

I've met VERY FEW homebrewers online or in person who aren't willing to trade recipes, tecniques, etc. Hell, I don't think a single PROFESSIONAL brewer I've ever asked a question of has not answered me. Three months ago the head brewer of the only brewery in Bermuda gave me tons of tips and recipes while hanging out in his brewery.

There's very little reason to "protect" a recipe as more than likely, someone else has done it already anyway.

 

[cwi]

I am not saying do not compete or be competitive, I am just trying to get you to see how silly it is to horde ideas/recipes "for competions" or the "I may go pro one day". I wish you the best of luck...

Are you referring to me as the you?

I was specifically commenting on what has historically happened in other disciplines when people start focusing on the winning/competition aspect, and how it has resulted in exactly those types of negative effects. However silly guarding secrets may be, many of those who get serious about comps seem to do it. For the craft beer arena, exposing your techniques and recipes most likely increases your sales and name recognition.

I agree that sharing and new eyes can only further advance and expand knowledge. That is how science works.

 

[DannPM]

Im just saying the fact that you get disgruntled over not winning is pure ridiculous. Most enjoy the competition, not the results.

And FWIW I did not start this thread to here your thoughts on why we shouldn't compete I started it for those who enjoy competing to talk about when and where and how you've done. In my view there are plenty of *trash the competition* threads out there. If you don't like competing fine but take your problems elsewhere. I want a tread to discuss with those who do and most of all enjoy competing!

Thank you and goodbye!

Seems like all this cwi dude does is get into threads and get disgruntled lol, I found that out a while back, it's easier to just ignore him, I actually blocked him (with a very cool Chrome add-on) so I only knew it was him from your quote above ha!


To add to the discussion above, there are no "secret" recipes or techniques that will be a major contributor to making a beer great. The secret that may have once existed are out, temp control & pitching rates, simple as that.

 

[Whippy]

The more recipes are shared, the more beer there will be in the world (in theory.) That can only be good for ALL of humanity.

 

[EarthBound]

Seems like all this cwi dude does is get into threads and get disgruntled lol, I found that out a while back, it's easier to just ignore him, I actually blocked him (with a very cool Chrome add-on) so I only knew it was him from your quote above ha!

+1 Great source of entertainment!

 

[cwi]

Seems like all this cwi dude does is get into threads and get disgruntled lol, I found that out a while back, it's easier to just ignore him, I actually blocked him (with a very cool Chrome add-on) so I only knew it was him from your quote above ha!

To add to the discussion above, there are no "secret" recipes or techniques that will be a major contributor to making a beer great. The secret that may have once existed are out, temp control & pitching rates, simple as that.

+1 Great source of entertainment!

Here is a good one with DannPM trying to invent a new 'secret' fermenting technique. Surprising he now claims all the secrets are out, or maybe that is just a diversionary tactic to cover his slip up of discussing his new process on HBT.
Enjoy-
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/saison-yeast-pressure-280868/

 

[Airborneguy]

Gotta say, that was an interesting read.

 

[bucfanmike]

If you are planning for just around the corner consider my brews club event. Northern Ale Stars
I know we have many from here enter, I believe I saw a thread where Biermuncher took a gold in our event last year.

 

[TheBrewinator]

Upcoming I plan to enter some beers into the Upper Mississippi Mashout and I am going to enter the contest associated with the Beer Dabbler at the St. Paul winter carnival.