First Competition

[Redlantern]

Hi All - looking to enter my first competition in November. Entries have to be in by October 22.

I am thinking about doing an IPA. Not expecting to win, but at least get good input on my progress and benchmark my efforts.

My plan is to bottle about a week before submission - but that is my only strategy so far.

I have a Double IPA recipe I will be using and tweaking slightly.

Submission is two bottles.

Are there any general pitfalls I need to look for?

Any general suggestions?

 

[Pappers_]

Entering a competitions is a great way to get feedback on your beers that is non-biased, because they don't know you. Your attitude going in is great, also - I always have the mindset that I'm not going to place and if I do, then I'm happily surprised. Some thoughts for you (since you asked!):

1. Be sure you enter in the best category for that beer. Take a look through the style guidelines and decide which style best fits the beer you made, which may be different than the style you intended to make.
2. If you are shipping, pack really well. Wrap each bottle in bubble wrap and stuff enough other bubble wrap in the box to make it tight, so the bottles can't move. Put each bottle in a plastic bag, so if one bottle does break, it won't leak all over and cause UPS to toss your package.
3. About the bottling, are you bottle conditioning? If so, you may want to bottle a little earlier than that, at least for me, bottle conditioning bigger beers takes a little longer. But I understand you are wanting to get it to the competition in as fresh a condition as possible.
4. Read the instructions for the competition. If you have questions, ask.

Good luck!

 

[porterpounder]

If shipping, in addition to good packaging, pay attention to weather/temps. Your beer will likely be abused by sitting in hot trucks and warehouses which can kill a hoppy beer and cause some issues with bottle-conditioned beer that may not be fermented out all the way. Also make sure your capping procedure is sound as caps leaking in shipping is just as bad a breakage.

Keep a couple bottles on hand to taste with your score sheets so you can see how the judges comments compare to the beer on hand.

Read entry instructions carefully. Enter the beer for what it tastes like, not necessarily the style you brewed it to. Competitions use guidelines that help keep some uniformity in the judging process and style brewed does not always match style planned.

 

[Redlantern]

.
3. About the bottling, are you bottle conditioning? If so, you may want to bottle a little earlier than that, at least for me, bottle conditioning bigger beers takes a little longer. But I understand you are wanting to get it to the competition in as fresh a condition as possible.


Good luck!

Thanks for all the rest - but with reference to the above point in particular, they take submissions on October 22, but judge on November 12th - seems like a long lag. Figured that 4 weeks would work for a double. Since you brought it up, how long would it take to condition a double?

 

[m00ps]

i think youre fine with the planned timeline. When you submit it, I doubt itll be carbed, but by the time they open to judge it, itll be in its prime

you entering anything else? usually you can do 1 per substyle up to like 10 entries or something

edit: also, keep in mind that for competitions, you can fudge the numbers a bit. If youre OG was a bit out of style specs, that doesnt mean you cant enter it. Hell, you dont even need to put down all its stats. All thats required is the style and others specifics for substyles like specialty IPAs, fruit beers, etc

 

[Pappers_]

Thanks for all the rest - but with reference to the above point in particular, they take submissions on October 22, but judge on November 12th - seems like a long lag. Figured that 4 weeks would work for a double. Since you brought it up, how long would it take to condition a double?

Four weeks should be plenty of time for a IIPA. Like I said, I understood your thinking, that you were timing it so the hop aroma and flavor is as fresh as possible.

The other side of it, though, is you have no idea how the bottles will be treated after you ship them off. They could be kept in a cold UPS truck over the weekend, when the competition receives them they could be kept in someone's cold garage, etc. I've never sent off a beer that wasn't ready to drink when I sent it.

 

[Redlantern]

edit: also, keep in mind that for competitions, you can fudge the numbers a bit. etc

:rockin::rockin::rockin:

I won't say you told me that, but ain't no way they are going to know, are they?

 

[dmtaylor]

:rockin::rockin::rockin:

I won't say you told me that, but ain't no way they are going to know, are they?

This is sage advice actually. I swear a lot of the big medal winners are doing this on purpose. When you have 4 to 6 good beers in a flight, which one wins? The one with the most flavor!

 

[C-Rider]

I always put bottle in zip lock bag first and then wrap in 2 squares of bubble rap. Never had a broken bottle and they do go FedEx in the air to contest location. After that LOTS of bubble wrap and or crumbled up newspaper to fill the box.