NHC 2010 Results

[Saccharomyces]

BTW, AnOldUR, you might have a bottle of my winning beer left in your fridge, if you haven't drunk it yet, I sent two of them to you...

 

[AnOldUR]

BTW, AnOldUR, you might have a bottle of my winning beer left in your fridge, if you haven't drunk it yet, I sent two of them to you...

Don't know if it's good or bad, or just part of my OCD, but I have this fear of loosing stuff that makes me hoard certain things. That bottle keeps tempting me from the door of the kitchen fridge. The first one was so good that I keep putting off drinking the second because I don’t want it to be gone. The anticipation is almost as rewarding as the real thing.

 

[artbrau]

Here's another:

Northeast Region
Category 26: Other Mead

Max Score: 48.5 | Min Score: 24 | Avg Score: 31.6 | # of Entries: 10
1 26c Art Steinmetz of Morristown, NJ
2 26c Michael Fairbrother of Londonderry, NH, Brew Free or Die
3 26c Edward Walkowski of Dalton, PA, SAAZ (Scranton Area Amateur Zymologists)

I'm getting a bit excited here. My 48.5 first round score was the best score nationally of any mead, and of all entries, period. (don't quote me on the last fact, I may have missed something).

 

[humann_brewing]

wow, great job everyone, that is great!

 

[babalu87]

Here's another:

Northeast Region
Category 26: Other Mead

Max Score: 48.5 | Min Score: 24 | Avg Score: 31.6 | # of Entries: 10
1 26c Art Steinmetz of Morristown, NJ
2 26c Michael Fairbrother of Londonderry, NH, Brew Free or Die
3 26c Edward Walkowski of Dalton, PA, SAAZ (Scranton Area Amateur Zymologists)

I'm getting a bit excited here. My 48.5 first round score was the best score nationally of any mead, and of all entries, period. (don't quote me on the last fact, I may have missed something).

Congrats for beating out Mr Fairbrother!
He makes GREAT Meads, had a Ginger mead of his that was OUTSTANDING

 

[Bobby_M]

Here's another:

Northeast Region
Category 26: Other Mead

Max Score: 48.5 | Min Score: 24 | Avg Score: 31.6 | # of Entries: 10
1 26c Art Steinmetz of Morristown, NJ
2 26c Michael Fairbrother of Londonderry, NH, Brew Free or Die
3 26c Edward Walkowski of Dalton, PA, SAAZ (Scranton Area Amateur Zymologists)

I'm getting a bit excited here. My 48.5 first round score was the best score nationally of any mead, and of all entries, period. (don't quote me on the last fact, I may have missed something).

Congrats Art. Man, with a score that high I'll be listening for you name at the banquet. Break a leg.

 

[artbrau]

Thanks for the good wishes. Breaking a leg, I'm not worried about. Breaking a bottle in shipping? That terrifies me.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Thanks for the good wishes. Breaking a leg, I'm not worried about. Breaking a bottle in shipping? That terrifies me.

I almost feel obligated to put an apology in the box with my entries. I get visions of a lot of cursing as they try to penetrate the bubble-fortress around each bottle.

Then again I've had some beer shipped to me and when I opened it was shocked there was no breakage. Just loose (intact) bottles and little bubble-wrap.

Awesome score art.

 

[TristanL]

Good news for the MASH club! I was lucky enough to go to round 2 with my Blonde. My main man James, AKA Rooting placed in three categories.

Category 5: Bock
Sponsored by Washington Hop Commission

Max Score: 39.5 | Min Score: 16.5 | Avg Score: 30.4 | # of Entries: 26
1 5a James Vokoun, Jr. of Plover, WI, Marshfield Area Society of Homebrewers (MASH)
2 5b Kristen & Orsolya England of Saint Paul, MN, Saint Paul Homebrewers Club
3 5c Todd Murley of Orono, MN, Saint Paul Homebrewers Club

Category 6: Light Hybrid Beer
Sponsored by Cargill World Select c/o Cargill Malt

Max Score: 42.5 | Min Score: 18 | Avg Score: 30.6 | # of Entries: 28
1 6c Gerald Poss of Black Earth, WI
2 6d Dave Beyer of La Crosse, WI, The Brewing Network
3 6b Tristan Laszewski of Wausau, WI, Marshfield Area Society of Homebrewers (MASH)

Category 7: Amber Hybrid Beer
Sponsored by Grape & Granary

Max Score: 37 | Min Score: 23.5 | Avg Score: 31.4 | # of Entries: 19
1 7b Jesse & Sarah Stremcha of St. Paul, MN, Saint Paul Homebrewers Club
2 7c Chad McClure of Madison, WI
3 7c James Vokoun, Jr. of Plover, WI, Marshfield Area Society of Homebrewers (MASH)

Category 15: German Wheat and Rye Beer
Sponsored by Widmer Brothers Brewing Co

Max Score: 40.5 | Min Score: 19.5 | Avg Score: 28.0 | # of Entries: 27
1 15a Tom Hamilton of Kearney, NE, Kearney Area Brewers
2 15c Jeff O'Neal of Des Moines, IA, Iowa Brewers Union (IBU)
3 15d James Vokoun, Jr. of Plover, WI, Marshfield Area Society of Homebrewers (MASH)

 

[ChshreCat]

Hey, waddyaknow. I just got a bronze certificate in the mail for my Saison! That makes me feel better. But for all I know, I was one of three saisons in my region.

edit: Just checked the NHC site and realized that everyone in a certain score range got a bronze certificate. I was only a point away from Silver and qualifying to go on the the next round. Oh well, it's nice that it scored as well as it did when they nicked me for oxidation.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

edit: I was only a point away from Silver and qualifying to go on the the next round. Oh well, it's nice that it scored as well as it did when they nicked me for oxidation.

I don't think silvers made it to round 2. I had 3 silvers but nothing that made it to the next round.

 

[Beerrific]

I don't think silvers made it to round 2. I had 3 silvers but nothing that made it to the next round.

I think that the silver cut-off is 30 and that is the minimum score to move on, but you still have to take 1-2-3.

 

[Catt22]

There are two types of awards. Ribbons are awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place and any beers that place with at least a minimum score of 30 move on to the second round. Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates are also awarded based solely on score whether they place or not. At least that's the way I remember it. So you can get a Silver Certificate, yet not advance to the second round. That happened to me with one of my entries last year.

 

[ChshreCat]

I think that the silver cut-off is 30 and that is the minimum score to move on, but you still have to take 1-2-3.

Exactly. One more point and I'd have scored 30 and qualified to move on to the next round, never said i would have. Though, I think if not for the oxidation, I would have had a shot.

 

[remilard]

I would assume that a beer that scores 29 with a fair level of oxidation is a very good beer otherwise. Just the oxidation would get you into the 20s on most score sheets so I am guessing the judges found no other faults or stylistic problems.

 

[Bobby_M]

I got a gold certificate last year on a beer that didn't place. That same beer got another gold certificate but took 1st place this year.

 

[ChshreCat]

It makes me happy to know they scored it as a good beer, but frustrating at the same time that picking the wrong bottle might have been the difference between contending and not. Oh well, it's on the list to brew again and will be sent in again next year!

 

[saq]

You get certificates independantly of advancing or not, it is based on points. In each category they pick the top 3 beers in each region and advance those to the finals, that is not based on points but is a Best of Show style selection process.

 

[Catt22]

You get certificates independantly of advancing or not, it is based on points. In each category they pick the top 3 beers in each region and advance those to the finals, that is not based on points but is a Best of Show style selection process.

A minimum score of 30 is required in order to advance to the final round regardless of whether the beer placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

From the AHA site:

"How National Homebrew Competition Works

Winning entries that score 30 or above from each of the NHC First Round regions receive ribbons from the AHA and qualify for entry into the NHC Final Round competition. The Final Round judging takes place on Thursday, June 17, 2010 at the National Homebrewers Conference being held in Minneapolis, MN this year. The winning entries scoring more than 30 points in the ALES Home Brew Open also advance to the NHC Final Round competition in June. The brewers of the winning entries in the NHC Final Round are awarded medals and fabulous prizes at the Grand Banquet & Award Ceremony on Saturday evening of the conference. The 2010 NHC Rules & Regulations (PDF file) are now available."

 

[saq]

A minimum score of 30 is required in order to advance to the final round regardless of whether the beer placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd.

Right, that too

 

[ChshreCat]

That's what I was referring to. I was a point away from being eligible to move on to the finals. Not that I'd hold my breath with only a 30. But you could have the best bear in a category, but if all the beers were off and the best was only a 29, then nobody advances.

 

[mklawz]

Anyone else in the Great Lakes Region NOT get their certificates back yet?? I got my scoresheets back the week after the 1st Round, but no certs. Not that they mean much, just more wall decor I suppose.

FWIW, I should be getting a Gold cert and 2 Silvers.

 

[Catt22]

That's what I was referring to. I was a point away from being eligible to move on to the finals. Not that I'd hold my breath with only a 30. But you could have the best bear in a category, but if all the beers were off and the best was only a 29, then nobody advances.

You never know. It's a whole new ball game in the second round. A 30 could possibly do much better in the finals. The whole thing is somewhat of a crap shoot. Overall, IMO the quality of the BJCP judging is excellent and in the long run it all seems to work out fairly, but I've also entered the same beer in multiple competitions and the range was from Best of Show to zilch. The beer was all from the same batch and the competitions were all held at about the same time. In all, it was six major competitions (including 1st round NHC) and the final tally was one BOS, three golds, one silver and one bronze. That will probably never happen again with any beer I brew.

 

[Catt22]

Anyone else in the Great Lakes Region NOT get their certificates back yet?? I got my scoresheets back the week after the 1st Round, but no certs. Not that they mean much, just more wall decor I suppose.

FWIW, I should be getting a Gold cert and 2 Silvers.

I'm in the East Region and I just got mine last week. I'm sure they will arrive at your door very soon. BTW, they do mean much! One cannot have too much bling. Everyone knows that!

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

If it makes you feel any better, my 37.5, 32, 31.5 didn't make it to the next round.

 

[mklawz]

If it makes you feel any better, my 37.5, 32, 31.5 didn't make it to the next round.

No, it doesnt make me feel any better. I got a 38, 35, and 33! LOL! Oh well those are the breaks.

 

[KevinW]

Congrats to all who placed or won their categories!

I am just a noob and got lucky with my stout. I created the recipe as a sweet stout but missed my mash temps so it came out tasting like a dry stout. I entered it as a sweet stout due to the recipe and it scored 25, but I got a bronze certificate and I am happy.

I entered it in another comp as a dry stout and scored a 35! Either way I am gonna keep on brewing!

Good luck to all of you who have moved on to round 2!

 

[Sedge]

No, it doesnt make me feel any better. I got a 38, 35, and 33! LOL! Oh well those are the breaks.

my 40 got third and my 35 took first. I wish I could have tasted the others in the BOS flights.

 

[-TH-]

Anyone else in the Great Lakes Region NOT get their certificates back yet?? I got my scoresheets back the week after the 1st Round, but no certs. Not that they mean much, just more wall decor I suppose.

FWIW, I should be getting a Gold cert and 2 Silvers.

FYI I got my gold cert in the mail today (great lakes region)

 

[artbrau]

You never know. It's a whole new ball game in the second round. A 30 could possibly do much better in the finals. The whole thing is somewhat of a crap shoot. Overall, IMO the quality of the BJCP judging is excellent and in the long run it all seems to work out fairly, but I've also entered the same beer in multiple competitions and the range was from Best of Show to zilch. The beer was all from the same batch and the competitions were all held at about the same time. In all, it was six major competitions (including 1st round NHC) and the final tally was one BOS, three golds, one silver and one bronze. That will probably never happen again with any beer I brew.

That makes me feel better. My 48.5 first round mead didn't place in the top three in the second round. The one that won, didn't place in the top three in the first. Oh, well.

The key to winning is entering many brews. I always admired my brother's success with women. He pointed out that it wasn't that he had particular skill but that he went up to bat so much more than I did. I feared failure and he didn't. Good life lesson.