BJCP Competition Question regarding entering the same beer in two classes...

[seatazzz]

So I'm entering SheBrew this year, with three beers; my WF Czech lager, an American Pale done with Strata, and my best IPA with Citra/Sabro hops. This question is in regards to the IPA. I dry-hopped this guy with 8oz total of Citra and Sabro, and it's nicely hazy as a result, from the hops as is proper for the NEIPA style. It tastes fantastic, not a lot of bitterness in the front (used NO bittering hops) and a huge juicy nose & flavor. I want to enter it in both the American IPA (21A) and NEIPA (21B7) classes, just to see how it does. I'm not aspiring to any medals in this competition, seeing as how women from all over the country enter (well maybe a little bit) but as all of us who enter competitions, the scoresheets and comments.

So, if I DO enter it in both classes, do I keep the name the same? Or change it up? I call it Sabrotooth (yes I know there's a recipe out there on the interwebs for a Sabrotooth IPA, but they put Mosaic in it, which to me is overkill). The rules state " Brewers are not limited to one entry in each category but may only enter each subcategory once. " So does that mean I cannot enter the same beer in two different subcategories? Or is this a question I should ask the competition organizers? I'm paying for my entries tomorrow and need to know before I spend the $$. Any BJCP judges out there, I welcome your comments!!!

 

[Bobby_M]

The competition doesn't care what you name it. A guy in my club named 8 entries the same thing and 5 of them medaled. Something juicy and hazy isn't going to score well in American IPA. You can enter in different sub categories, just not the same one.

 

[dmtaylor]

The competition doesn't care what you name it. A guy in my club named 8 entries the same thing and 5 of them medaled. Something juicy and hazy isn't going to score well in American IPA. You can enter in different sub categories, just not the same one.

^ Exactly what I was going to say. In my own words: I wouldn’t bother entering a hazy as a west coast AIPA, unless the haze is very slight and the bitterness high. The names of the beers do not matter AT ALL. The judges don’t know what you named them unless they win medals and then not until results are published. Names have zero bearing on the judging process.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

So I'm entering SheBrew this year, with three beers

Good luck! I am not that in tune with the competition circuit, but I get the feeling that more "modern" versions of IPAs do well in the American IPA category. I am thinking of IPAs with less bitterness, lots of whirlpool and dry hops, and less/no crystal. Some level of haze has generally been acceptable, and it is probably more likely now.

As far as names go...I chucked at a recent entry that was named something like "Best of Show Winner". I think it got 2nd place in its category. I also recall a winning American IPA named something like "This is an IPA".

 

[jdauria]

You can definitely enter a same beer in different categories. I did that once with a historical porter recipe, entering it in Historical, in American Porter and English Porter. It medaled in both Historical and English. As for names, nobody sees your beer's name unless you medal and it's posted on the winner's list. The rule you quotes means would could not enter two beers both in say America IPA, but entering one in IPA and NEIPA is fine.