Competition Beer Storage

[SlanginDueces]

Any judges or competition organizers out there know what the norm is as far as how beers are stored once turned in to a competition? I ask because I’m trying to determine if it is worth it to try and ship beer cold. No point in paying extra to ship cold if they will just sit in warm storage for 3 weeks before judging. I know every comp is different but just looking in general and specifically NHC. Thanks!

 

[NTexBrewer]

The couple competitions that I have helped with the beer is stored at room temperature until they are processed at checkin.

It is typical that the box you ship will not be opened until the day of checkin. Logistically it would be hard for the competition to have multiple sized boxes in cold storage. Also, considering most of the time the shipping location is a Homebrew store.

That is just my experience.

Now if the shipping location is a brewery it may be possible they are putting the boxes in cold storage if they have the storage space.

 

[jdauria]

Pretty sure that most comps the beer sits warms until a day or two before the comp where they start chilling them. Unless it's a brewery with a cold room as the location, the comp sites are not going to ice the beers for weeks ahead of time. For example with NHC, beers can be delivered from 3/19-3/30 to the 12 judging sites. The beers usually sit in case boxes while they check them in, put judging codes on them, sort them by category, etc. My club hosted a small comp the last two years and we did not ice the beers until 2 hours before the judging.

 

[SlanginDueces]

Pretty much what I assumed. I have never been involved in organizing a competition so there is probably a good reason but just curious, what is the purpose of closing off the drop off/shipping window 2-4 weeks prior to the judging?

 

[bob1852]

Pretty much what I assumed. I have never been involved in organizing a competition so there is probably a good reason but just curious, what is the purpose of closing off the drop off/shipping window 2-4 weeks prior to the judging?

It takes a lot of time to record, sort, label, organize, etc...

And it's done by volunteers on nights and weekends.

Logistically it wouldn't be possible to organize 700+ entries in less than a week.