First competition, recipe form question

[svenness]

I'm entering a beer for the first time to get some feedback from experienced beer tasters. I was a bit surprised by the recipe form as I thought that comps were about blind tasting and judging to style and not influenced by ingredients and procedures used. Do most comps require that you fill out this form? If you enter a bunch of beers can you just attach a beer smith print out for each recipe instead of writing each out?

 

[CadillacAndy]

Was the recipe form part of the entry process? If the competition is using the standard brew competition software (http://www.brewcompetition.com/) it's a feature they offer and a lot of the time people just don't turn it off. It's most likely not required that you provide your recipe unless they say otherwise.

 

[Braufessor]

Unless the competition specifically requires you to turn in a recipe, you almost never need to (NHC Final Round you need to, in case you would win). I have only entered one or two that required a recipe (out of 50+). As mentioned, it is part of the software, but is seldom used.
Sometimes you do need to mention "special" ingredients for certain categories.
E-mail the organizer and check if you actually need to submit the recipe. My guess is you don't.

 

[biereblanche]

Which comp? Just a guess - Battle of the HBs?, they've got a long entry form

Basically - comps that have commercial breweries picking GABF Pro-Am winners (which a lot in CO do, Liquid Poets in Fort Collins this weekend has 12!) will want a recipe and AHA member # to make sure it's eligible to brew.

In any competition: any beer entered as a specialty ( cats 16e, ~20-23) should include information that identifies a base beer style and describes what the special ingredients, techniques are, or other information that would help judges "understand" your entry.

Beyond that you're right, the judges don't see your recipe, but they can help figure things out if there is a question about style or whatever. Beersmith should be 100% fine. Supply what you want essentially, but occassionally judges need info.

 

[FarmerTed]

If there's a pro-am associated with the competition, then they need recipes. They don't look at them during judging (they probably never look at them). The pros probably look at the recipes at the end of the day when they're deciding what to brew on their system. One of the big draws for comps is the possibility of winning a pro-am (imo), and some big comps will have multiple breweries sponsoring the event and doing pro-ams.

 

[svenness]

Thanks all for your responses, all helpful information. It looks like there is a pro-am associated with this competition so that is probably why they include the form.

If there's a pro-am associated with the competition, then they need recipes. They don't look at them during judging (they probably never look at them). The pros probably look at the recipes at the end of the day when they're deciding what to brew on their system. One of the big draws for comps is the possibility of winning a pro-am (imo), and some big comps will have multiple breweries sponsoring the event and doing pro-ams.