NHC Results

[mwilcox]

Comments on lack of organization of a fully volunteer efforts always make me roll my eyes. I've taken 3 days of vacation, driven 3 hours each way twice, 3 nights in hotel, 4 days boarding my dog, out hundreds of dollars, and I do it every year because this competition is important to me.
Want more entries, in a more timely manner? Become a judge. Become a steward.
Oh, competitions should make sure they have enough volunteers? Yeah, in a perfect world. These regions committed to this several months ago. Try getting several dozen volunteers who all said yes several months ago to all show up. People just cancel last minute, or worse just don't show without any notice.
Or we could have people off the street with little to no knowledge about beer, mead, cider? C'mon.

 

[2005STi]

That’s true, fair and I don’t disagree with a bit of it. I just ask that AHA simply keep the site update to reflect that.

 

[h22lude]

I've never entered a competition before. What is a good score to have for a final round beer? Just curious how my 1st round score would do in the final round.

 

[2005STi]

Score doesn’t matter in either round. The best/better beers of the flight go to mini best of show where scores are put aside and the best 3 beers on taste alone are selected for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Same with the final round. That being said upper 30s low 40s would be great scores.

 

[bob1852]

That’s true, fair and I don’t disagree with a bit of it. I just ask that AHA simply keep the site update to reflect that.

The AHA relies on the local site coordinators to provide the information. If there's no new information, the Aha has no reason to update the site.

 

[h22lude]

Score doesn’t matter in either round. The best/better beers of the flight go to mini best of show where scores are put aside and the best 3 beers on taste alone are selected for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Same with the final round. That being said upper 30s low 40s would be great scores.

Oh that is interesting. Always thought the beers were tasted, scored and then ranked based on score. I like the blind no score judging. I find you get more real rankings instead of trying to be 100% by the book.

That being said upper 30s low 40s would be great scores.

Very cool, thanks

 

[wardcr08]

So does anyone know if Philly finished today?

 

[mwilcox]

Philly DID finish, yes.

Edit - KC done, CHI doing final mini-BOS soon I'm told.

 

[wardcr08]

Philly DID finish, yes.

Edit - KC done, CHI doing final mini-BOS soon I'm told.

cool thanks

 

[mwilcox]

Philly and KC results are posted.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Looks like no need to rebrew for me. I'll be curious to see my scores. I know my IPA turned into a diacetyl bomb, so that'll probably be a 13.

I thought my blonde ale was outstanding and very much to style, but the style doesn't lend itself to standing out. As my first competition, I didn't know it would be lumped in with other categories. At least that's what I assume since they have the winners of the Pale American Beer as 1D, 18A (my category) and 1A.

I'll definitely put more thought into the categories I enter next year knowing that my beer may be judged against beers from other categories. I thought I'd only be judged against other blonde ales.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

So, do they post the scoresheets? If so, how long does it take for that usually?

 

[Braufessor]

So, do they post the scoresheets? If so, how long does it take for that usually?

I think it said the scoresheets would be e-mailed by the end of this week (keep an eye on your spam filter too as sometimes stuff like that gets sidetracked into your junk folder.)

I managed to get 2 through. Dark Mild and Helles Export. Was hoping my Kolsch would make it - I thought it was pretty good. I knew my pilsner was borderline at best - a touch grassy.

Every competition has Categories and subcategories within it. Blonde is a subcategory. You are almost always judged against several subcategories within a larger category. NHC does not use the standard category/subcategories either - and they tweak them from year to year.... They do that so that they can somewhat balance out the # of entries in each category going head to head. In the past you might have 800 entries in the IPA category or the stout category and 100-200 in some light lager category...... so, that is why you see something like a kolsch or american wheat beer or blonde ale maybe getting moved in with other types of light beers instead.

 

[jdauria]

Philly and KC results are posted.

Wow! KC done and verified all within a few days, that's quick! Of course my beers are in Chicago, the only site not to post yet!

 

[enkamania]

So, do they post the scoresheets? If so, how long does it take for that usually?

I just received mine from Sacramento

 

[fourfarthing]

I think it said the scoresheets would be e-mailed by the end of this week (keep an eye on your spam filter too as sometimes stuff like that gets sidetracked into your junk folder.)

I managed to get 2 through. Dark Mild and Helles Export. Was hoping my Kolsch would make it - I thought it was pretty good. I knew my pilsner was borderline at best - a touch grassy.

Every competition has Categories and subcategories within it. Blonde is a subcategory. You are almost always judged against several subcategories within a larger category. NHC does not use the standard category/subcategories either - and they tweak them from year to year.... They do that so that they can somewhat balance out the # of entries in each category going head to head. In the past you might have 800 entries in the IPA category or the stout category and 100-200 in some light lager category...... so, that is why you see something like a kolsch or american wheat beer or blonde ale maybe getting moved in with other types of light beers instead.

Congrats on getting two through.

 

[2005STi]

Did anyone get their scoresheets emailed yet?

 

[SlanginDueces]

Just got mine about an hour ago.

 

[Pintabone]

Just got mine about an hour ago.

Which region?

 

[SlanginDueces]

Indianapolis, but the email came from the National Coordinator is that matters

 

[h22lude]

Did anyone get their scoresheets emailed yet?

Yeah but I sent my beers to Portland which was judged first.

 

[jdauria]

Anyone have a clue what’s holding Chicago up? KC was same weekend and their results were posted yesterday.

 

[mwilcox]

Anyone have a clue what’s holding Chicago up? KC was same weekend and their results were posted yesterday.

John Moorhead was in KC. The scoresheets physically flew back with him on Sunday. He has access to a good and fast scanner and got things done immediately. Contrast with Chicago, where they would have to have either had access to a similar scanner, or, they'd have to mail them to Boulder. I'm assuming they did the latter.

 

[chrilr]

So you are telling me we need to stalk him next and see where he helps out.

 

[mwilcox]

well, whatever. Chicago is up now.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Well, I got my scoresheets today and I'm absolutely baffled by the scores and comments. I brewed two beers: a NEIPA in 21B and a Blonde Ale (the Centennial Blonde recipe) in 18A.

I was honestly embarrassed to send the NEIPA as it was a total diacetyl bomb. I tried to drink it, but dumped out 4.5 gallons of the keg as I considered it undrinkable. It scored a 31 (32 & 30). One judge noted a "slight buttery note" but did not check diacetyl in the defects section, the other said "no defects". One said too bitter for style and quite bitter, the other said not very bitter.

The Blonde scored a 27 (28 & 26) and was "not to style". It was way too bitter and hoppy they said. Comments were "flavorful and interesting, but not necessarily the approachable character expected for the style". This is a 5 gallon batch with 1 ounce total of hops. Calculated IBU was 24 and it was chilled very quickly with my hydra chiller. My friend's wife, who will only drink beers that are not hoppy (corona, Stella Artois, etc.) thought it was fantastic. At 4.7% they said it was alcoholic/hot.

So the diacetyl bomb that I expected reports of serious flaws and a score in the teens (a courtesy 13 would not have surprised me) out performed what I considered a fantastic Blonde Ale that I expected to be in contention for a medal.

I would have thought they were flipped except that the blonde ale was "bright and clear" and the NEIPA was hazy.

I don't mind that I didn't score well, but the relative performance of these two beers and the conflicting comments make the experience hollow. I really can't draw anything from this other than utter confusion.

 

[SlanginDueces]

Unfortunately that’s just part of competitions. As much as the BJCP attempts to create a fair environment things like place in the flight, what categories get grouped together, and that judges palate at that particular moment have big impacts. Then you have the mini best of show aspect. Last year my 44 Point Helles didn’t move on to finals because it was beat in the mini best of show. It was great to style but didn’t stand out amongst the others. Just part of the game!

 

[Hannabrew]

My international dark lager made it through. I assume I have to submit to the same category for the finals? This was actually brewed as a Schwarz but based on some earlier comp feedback and some help from some local BJCPs I submitted it as an international dark lager. I will need to rebrew so I could up the roast and darken the color and try to get it in the 8B category.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

Unfortunately that’s just part of competitions. As much as the BJCP attempts to create a fair environment things like place in the flight, what categories get grouped together, and that judges palate at that particular moment have big impacts. Then you have the mini best of show aspect. Last year my 44 Point Helles didn’t move on to finals because it was beat in the mini best of show. It was great to style but didn’t stand out amongst the others. Just part of the game!

Yeah, I think I'm going to skip the comps going forward.

I have a co-worker who doesn't like craft beers and only drinks macros. I gave him a bottle of the blonde and his only complaint was that he only got one bottle. Yet the judges say it's not the easy drinking approachable beer that's appropriate for the style.

Then another pair of judges miss a seriously flawed diacetyl bomb? Shrug...either the judges were really crappy or they weren't drinking my beer.

I worked the KC event for five sessions on Friday and Saturday as a steward....I know there were several cases (that I was aware of) where the beer didn't match what was expected, even as far off as a beer when it should have been a mead. I wonder if they had some issues receiving and labeling beers.

 

[Braufessor]

I got mine from KC.