How do they judge the "specialty beer" category?

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mrphillips

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I was curious how the winners are determined in this category. With such a diverse range of styles with NO real style-base to go on, how do the judges put something like a Altbier against a Rye IPA when there are so many variables between them?
 
Well, first the beers aren't judged against each other. They are judged on their own merits, and scored accordingly. Some beers (like the above mentioned altbier) won't fit in a specialty beer category anyway, and go in the proper category. But say you made an Imperial Amber Ale. You'd enter that as a "specialty" and then enter the information on why it doesn't fit anywhere else. It then is judged on its own merits, and scored.

Here's the info on that specialty category:
http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style23.php
 
I usually judge them based on the description the brewer gives. For example a good description could be "robust porter aged in bourbon barrel with fresh raspberries". Based on the description I would judge it as if it were a robust porter with those ingredients added. However, even if you added the ingredients, if you can't taste then don't add them to the description or you will likely get dinged on it.

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I'm kinda confused then. You wouldn't enter this hypothetical "raspberry porter" under fruit beers? Where would You draw the line of when to put it under fruit and when to put it under specialty?
 
I'm kinda confused then. You wouldn't enter this hypothetical "raspberry porter" under fruit beers? Where would You draw the line of when to put it under fruit and when to put it under specialty?

Yes, raspberry porter would go under fruit beer. But when you get into bourbon barrel aging and things, you have to carefully think about the best category for the beer, and the dominant flavor characteristics.
 
timrox1212 said:
I'm kinda confused then. You wouldn't enter this hypothetical "raspberry porter" under fruit beers? Where would You draw the line of when to put it under fruit and when to put it under specialty?
I'd probably enter it under the Wood Aged category, since it was barrel aged. But, regardless, the guidelines give a good framework for judges to use in judging these broader, more diverse categories, relying on what the brewer tells the judges.
 
Man I didn't even think about the wood aged part. These damn bjcp guidelines are so confusing.
 
Man I didn't even think about the wood aged part. These damn bjcp guidelines are so confusing.

They can be! Think of it this way- the specialty category fits things that can't possibly fit anywhere else. Belgian fruit beers, wood aged beers, etc- they all have a category that will work. Specialty is a catch all- but only for beers that can't go into any other category.

If a wood aged beer has NO hint of wood, but instead tastes of raspberries, then it should be a fruit beer. And vice versa.
 
That’s classified. You get that information when you pass the BJCP test, along with the secret handshake. You get a badge, too, but you have to send for that.

I can tell you this; if you enter the specialty category, it better be really special. It is truly the ‘none of the above’ category. If your beer could conceivably be in any other category, don’t enter it in Cat 23.
 
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