First competition -- Best of Show!

[boo boo]

Congrats man. Great job for your first comp entry.

Who knows what we can expect now. Looking forward to seeing your name on bigger comp results.

 

[Rick500]

congrats on the win! This wouldn't happen to be the same batch as the bottle of your IPA you're including in our swap is it?

As a matter of fact, it is. You're getting the very last bottle (other than the two that are going to the HBT competition).

Yeah congratulations!! I'm heading out to the fair on Sunday and the homebrew section will be the first one i check out. I was planning on entering something this year but I didn't. Sure do wish I could try some of that BOS IPA though.....Did you enter anything in the label contest??

No, didn't have time to do a label this time around.
All of the Northern Kentucky and Southern Indiana HBTers really need to get together and have a few pints.

That's quite a feat, how long did you let it bottle condition for?

It had been in the bottle for about six weeks when it was judged. But honestly, it was much better in the keg right after it was force carbed. The alcohol got a little more up front and noticeable after it was bottled for a while, and the crazy amounts of Amarillo aroma faded a bit.

Congrats man. Great job for your first comp entry.

Who knows what we can expect now. Looking forward to seeing your name on bigger comp results.

Thanks! I'm more encouraged to enter some more competitions now that I've done well in one. I really just wanted to get some feedback on my beer, wasn't at all expecting to win.

Thanks for the comments, all.

 

[schweaty]

Congrats on the win! I am waiting on the results from my first competition as well. It's so damn never racking!

 

[PseudoChef]

Congrats, my brotha!

 

[Brewmasters Warehouse]

Rick that is awesome. Congrats on the win.

Ed

 

[caspio]

As a matter of fact, it is. You're getting the very last bottle (other than the two that are going to the HBT competition).

Woohoo! Award winning beer for me!

BTW, you need to clear out your PM box again. Jeez, pony up for membership already

 

[Rick500]

Got my score sheets back today:

BJCP National judge:

Aroma:
Light malty sweetness. Hops are minty, woodsy, citrusy. Some grassy notes. Apricot notes as beer warms.
9/12

Appearance:
Bright orange-gold with haze. Near white head, farily thick with good retention.
2.5/3

Flavor:
Low malt flavor with a light grainy, drying finish. Fruity. Hop bitterness is moderate to moderately high.
12.5/20

Mouthfeel:
Medium+ body with medium+ level of carbonation. Apricot flavors as beer warms. Some light astringency.
4/5

Overall Impression:
Nice beer. Body seems to be at the lower end of the range. Hops aren't huge but are complex. Clean. No off flavors detected outside of some astringency. Nice job.
7/10

35/50

-------------------
Non-BJCP novice judge:

Aroma:
Nice hop aroma, floral, fruity, piney.
8/12

Appearance:
Nice head, good retention, golden color.
3/3

Flavor:
Medium hop flavor with floral, fruity, pine notes, light on malt balance.
10/20

Mouthfeel:
Smooth, consistent, medium body feel.
4/5

Overall Impression:
Hoppy, not overly bitter, medium body with nice hop, floral, and fruit aroma, nice head and head retention.
7/10

32/50

-------------------
BJCP Apprentice judge:

Aroma:
Big hop aroma, piney, low malt character, some esters.
9/12

Appearance:
Medium gold color, good clarity, well-retained
3/3

Flavor:
Low malt flavor, strong northwest hop character, balanced toward hop side.
15/20

Mouthfeel:
Light to medium body, medium carbonation, somewhat creamy.
3/5

Overall Impression:
Well-attenuated and dry which brings the hop profile to prominence. A well crafted beer.

37/50

-------------------

I have to agree with the low-medium body comments -- my next batch (just kegged recently) had more body and was less thin.

Completely disagree with "well-attenuated and dry" comment -- OG was 1.062 and FG was 1.018. I was worried it was going to be too sweet, actually. Turned out fine though.

Anyway, thought I'd share my first competition scoresheets. I agreed with the judges for the most part. It was fun to see how other people experienced my beer.

 

[caspio]

Dang it, you had to go and post the scoresheet. That was the final temptation, I went ahead and opened up the bottle you sent me. Pours crystal clear, dense white head, awesome carbonation coming up the sides of the glass. I'm halfway done with the pint now, and it's still got close to 1/2" of nice tight foam on top. I get nice clean pine aromas, and a delicious hop flavor finish.

Good lacing and head even 3/4 of the way through the pint:

As it warmed up the hop bitterness increased a bit, also got a hint of alcohol. Anyway, congrats again on the win. Thanks for sending a bottle of this delicious brew my way

 

[cjmcfoot]

WOW and for your first comp, that's fantastic I just entered my first comp, yet to be judged with an AG, english copper ale that was oak cask conditioned.
I was real worried about it at first, but once it aged it has improved greatly. I am not real big on English Brown Ales but this one is quite nice and actually improves at a little bit warmer serving temperature. Aren't beers just amazing, it is really tough to get two batches to taste exactly alike.
Congrats on your win. FANTASTIC. Great color and clarity.

 

[android]

well done! did you bottle from your keg? if so, did you use the BMBF?

 

[Rick500]

Thanks, guys... And thanks for the review, caspio, glad you liked it! I should mention here that I very much enjoyed your IPA too, although I was lazy and didn't do a full review.

I just had a couple pints from the second batch (kegged, and all-grain this time) and I'm pleased with it. It has similar head retention too. The second batch is a little higher in alcohol and a little more dry, but it has basically the same flavor and aroma. Funny, it tasted a lot less sweet at first, but now that it's aged another week from the first taste, it's a lot more like the first batch.

Android -- I bottled a couple six packs and then kegged the rest. Although I did bottle my American Wheat/Rye from the keg with a crude version of the BMBF. Hope it worked okay. Seemed to.

 

[Rick500]

Caspio -- I just drank the bomber of Green Flash Imperial IPA you sent. Oh, man, was that great! Better than Pliny the Elder, IMO.

I'm gonna have to come out there and do a beer tour.

 

[Dog House Brew]

Congrats, I took an HM in that class with Denny's Rye IPA. Most entries ever at the Fair this year. I noticed Indiana had around 370 entries. May enter both next year.

 

[Rick500]

Congrats, I took an HM in that class with Denny's Rye IPA. Most entries ever at the Fair this year. I noticed Indiana had around 370 entries. May enter both next year.

So, did they have a public tasting sort of thing? Would have loved to have sampled some of the beers. I've wanted to brew Denny's Rye IPA too...

 

[Dog House Brew]

No public tasting that I know of. They take all remaining brew to UK and use it for a training class. I went over during the judging. I always wondered how on the up and up it was. I found out that you don't have to be certified to be a judge there. If you want to be a judge next year just contact the LAGERS brew club and they will set you up. You can pick the class you feel most comfortable.