The 2016 NHC - Results/Speculation Thread

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I got my results from St. Paul today. I entered and shipped 5 entries, but one of them did not get checked in. Also, I recieved an email after the shipping deadline stating my entries had not been recieved. Luckily my package was found in the wrong part of the warehouse. I did place second in the speciality category so I can't get too upset. Plus I don't think the missing beer would have placed after a recent tasting.
 
mxstar21 said:
I got my results from St. Paul today. I entered and shipped 5 entries, but one of them did not get checked in. Also, I recieved an email after the shipping deadline stating my entries had not been recieved. Luckily my package was found in the wrong part of the warehouse. I did place second in the speciality category so I can't get too upset. Plus I don't think the missing beer would have placed after a recent tasting.
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You may wanna rebrew. If they screwed up and find it you may get an administrative advancement.
 
mxstar21 said:
I got my results from St. Paul today. I entered and shipped 5 entries, but one of them did not get checked in. Also, I recieved an email after the shipping deadline stating my entries had not been recieved. Luckily my package was found in the wrong part of the warehouse. I did place second in the speciality category so I can't get too upset. Plus I don't think the missing beer would have placed after a recent tasting.
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Just curious if you requested St. Paul or was that a second choice?

I was contemplating requesting a location further away location from where I live to get a earlier judging and after looking through the winners it looks like some people may have did that, but yours location being does not seem to match that sort of reasoning. That is why I asked.
 
ba-brewer said:
Just curious if you requested St. Paul or was that a second choice?



I was contemplating requesting a location further away location from where I live to get a earlier judging and after looking through the winners it looks like some people may have did that, but yours location being does not seem to match that sort of reasoning. That is why I asked.
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My first choice was Philly. I actually was looking forward to driving to Philly and spend the night to drop off my entries. I think St. Paul was my second choice. Letter stated they had 648 total entries.
 
Qhrumphf said:
You may wanna rebrew. If they screwed up and find it you may get an administrative advancement.
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Thanks for the info! Didn't know that they did that. I don't have time to rebrew, it was a Belgian Golden Strong. I do have some bottles left though and I emailed the organizers. Although I had a few issues, I am glad I had a beer advance to final round.
 
BGBC said:
Results from NYC: 33 for my quad and berry mead, mead made it to mini-BOS. 30.5 for my peach sour. Judges' main critique was too much diacetyl in the sour. Will have to open one to check, but I didn't get that in other bottles.
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We had a beer like that a couple years ago at a specialty comp. The first bottle was straight up movie popcorn butter. In a wild that's a sure sign of pedio. The base beer was good enough to overcome it since one of the judges was a real sour head. It made BOS and ironically the last bottle didn't have the diacetyl or complexity of the first. Funny how that works.
 
Long night in the brew room - kegged/moved to serving kegs 5 batches of beer - including my 3 NHC entries. Now to carbonate them..... All 3 tasted pretty darn good so far. I am on my second glass of uncarbonated Dortmunder......
 
Still haven't gotten to rebrewing my Mild. Clock is ticking. Wednesday, or Friday. Aiming for Wednesday. That gives me up to 2 weeks fermenter (should only take 1 week, if that), and 2 weeks bottle time (should only take 5 days) to have it conditioned and ready to go by deadline day. I'm assuming (hope hope hoping at least) I can hand deliver my entries to Baltimore.
 
mxstar21 said:
Thanks for the info! Didn't know that they did that. I don't have time to rebrew, it was a Belgian Golden Strong. I do have some bottles left though and I emailed the organizers. Although I had a few issues, I am glad I had a beer advance to final round.
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Not promising anything for the record.

But a couple years ago, a friend had an entry get misplaced by the comp organizers (if all your entries arrived in one box and were all labeled right, then the error should be on them as the bottles obviously made it there), and as a result they automatically advanced him. So it's possible. You may need to go via Janis Gross, and not the local organizers.
 
Qhrumphf said:
Not promising anything for the record.

But a couple years ago, a friend had an entry get misplaced by the comp organizers (if all your entries arrived in one box and were all labeled right, then the error should be on them as the bottles obviously made it there), and as a result they automatically advanced him. So it's possible. You may need to go via Janis Gross, and not the local organizers.
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Just got an email from the organizer and they gave me an admin advance. Very pleased with how St. Paul has handled my issues. They took care of them promptly and had results posted and score sheets mailed pretty fast.
 
Not sure if it'll work for everyone, but I logged in to the comp site for the hell of it, and scores were up along with the letter and waste of storage space I mean "certificates".

So I tried logging in to the final round site too. www.brewingcompetition.com/final

It's actually in there now. Can't edit the entry yet to add recipe data, and my entrant data is blank. So take that as a sign that they're not ready yet ;)

Edit: I just tried again, still can't edit, but entrant data is in there now. So definitely still working on it
 
Qhrumphf said:
It's actually in there now. Can't edit the entry yet to add recipe data, and my entrant data is blank. So take that as a sign that they're not ready yet ;)

Edit: I just tried again, still can't edit, but entrant data is in there now. So definitely still working on it
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Look at my quote above. That's directly from the site. Wednesday morning should do it (next Sunday for judge registration).
 
+1 just saw my scores as well. Had two go to bos. Both were the ones I thought I had no chance with. The 1st place beer scored lower than I though. 38. figured I'd break 40 with it since it placed. Good thing bos dosent reveal score to judges I guess
 
How does everyone know if they made it to the final round or not? Received the score sheets but no mentions of it anywhere. Scored a 41. First comp I've ever entered so I'm pleased with the score and that the judges didn't think it was a turd.
 
Thanks guys. The whole process doesn't seem to be explained very clearly for a noob like myself. Still don't really understand the mini-bos and if it has any say in the final 3. Seems like a couple of well written sentences within the results sheets and on winners page could save everyone a lot of time.
 
ja09 said:
Thanks guys. The whole process doesn't seem to be explained very clearly for a noob like myself. Still don't really understand the mini-bos and if it has any say in the final 3. Seems like a couple of well written sentences within the results sheets and on winners page could save everyone a lot of time.
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It's all listed under the FAQ's...

http://www.homebrewersassociation.o...ompetition/national-homebrew-competition-faq/

Mini-BOS Guidelines said:
Mini-BOS stands for mini-Best of Show, and is a technique for reconciling the placement of entries within a multi-flight category. It is called a “mini-BOS” because it uses BOS-style judging (i.e., judges pick winners without rescoring) and is only used for a single judging category, not the whole competition (hence, the “mini”).

Competitions frequently use the mini-BOS in conjunction with queued judging. This technique is a very important part of the AHA NHC first and second round judging, as well as judging in larger competitions with categories that cannot be judged in a single flight. It allows winners to be chosen despite the fact that a single panel of judges did not evaluate all the entries.

In a 3-bottle competition (such as the AHA NHC second round), the first bottle is used for the initial judging, the second bottle is used for mini-BOS, and the third bottle is reserved for BOS. In a 1-bottle competition (such as the AHA NHC first round) or a 2-bottle competition (most competitions with a traditional BOS), the first bottle must be used for both the primary judging and the mini-BOS. It is very important that judges reserve enough of the entry so that it can be judged again. Quick recapping and cold storage will also help preserve the entry.

Within the initial judging flights, the teams of judges choose their best entries. They may decide to send up to three entries (depending on quality) to the mini-BOS round. If there are a large number of flights in the category, judges should not send borderline entries. Some competitions may direct judges to always send a specific number of entries, or to not send entries that do not score at a minimum level (typically 30). Judges should follow competition organizer directions. Judges or stewards should mark the Flight Summary sheet and Cover Sheet indicating that entries advanced to the mini-BOS round.

Two or three judges typically are used in the mini-BOS round. These judges are usually the highest ranking or most experienced judges, and often are chosen from different flights. It is not necessary to choose one judge from every participating flight, particularly if a partial bottle is being used for mini-BOS. It is much more preferable that only two judges participate and get a good pour, than to have more judges and have a stingy or cloudy pour.

Within a mini-BOS round, the judges choose the top entries as directed by the competition director (typically, this means choosing the first, second, and third place winners). The mini-BOS judges are told the entry number and style, but not prior scores. Some competitions choose to re-label the bottles to disguise the identity of the entry so that judges will have a harder time using knowledge from the initial round of judging. This can be logistically difficult to manage, but may help ensure blind judging.

The judges evaluate the entries anew without regard to (or knowledge of) any score assigned in the initial judging round. Judges should NOT simply use initial scores to assign places without re-judging. Mini-BOS beers are ranked but not scored, although some competitions will direct the judges to subsequently assign scores to the winning entries so that they align with the places awarded. This is not a requirement, however. The key task of the mini-BOS panel is simply to select the winning entries for the category. The designated winners typically receive category medals, and the top entry is typically advanced to the BOS round.

Mini-BOS Frequently Asked Questions

Q: My beer got a high score. How come it didn’t win?
A: Judges don’t see the initial score, and are picking the best entries on the table at that moment. Different judges have different perceptions, and entries can degrade over time.

Q: Why don’t judges just pick winners based on their scores?
A: Judging beer still has some subjectivity to it, especially in the assignment of scores. Two judges on one flight might be score beers higher or lower than judges in another flight, even if they were judging the same entry. So when multiple flights are needed to judge a large number of entries in a given ribbon category, there needs to be a means of selecting the top entries over-all from the top entries in each flight. Scores only can be directly compared when the same set of judges are scoring the entries.

Q: I led my flight in judging. Why wasn’t I allowed to judge mini-BOS?
A: Not all lead judges are required. Sometimes the entries are limited (e.g., if the bottle was previously used), and sometimes there are already three judges that have been seated. The highest ranking judges should be used, and they should judge the beers independently of their prior scores and rankings.

Q: I judged mini-BOS. How come I didn’t get an extra half point for judging?
A: Mini-BOS is not considered another judging session; it is a continuation of the existing session. No additional judging points are awarded for mini-BOS.

Q: My beers were evaluated again. How come I didn’t get another set of scoresheets?
A: Mini-BOS does not use scoresheets; it uses BOS-style judging where the entries are tasted and winners are selected without writing new sheets. It would be time-prohibitive to use additional sheets in judging mini-BOS.

Q: How come the average score on my scoresheets doesn’t match the score on the cover sheet?
A: If your beer was judged higher by mini-BOS judges, it may have beat beers that were initially scored higher. Some competitions do not allow for higher scoring beers to be ranked lower, so the judges were likely instructed to use an “assigned score” on the cover sheet. This is simply a score given the entry that matches its final ranking.

Q: I didn’t medal. How do I know if my entry was considered in the mini-BOS round?
A: The judges or steward should have checked the “This beer advanced to a mini-BOS round” checkbox on the cover sheet. Sometimes they forget to do this, but in large competitions, they should be instructed to do so. Organizers can sometimes double-check the Flight Summary Sheets to see if judges advanced the entry, but it’s much easier to mark it on the cover sheet.
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ja09 said:
Thanks guys. The whole process doesn't seem to be explained very clearly for a noob like myself. Still don't really understand the mini-bos and if it has any say in the final 3. Seems like a couple of well written sentences within the results sheets and on winners page could save everyone a lot of time.
Click to expand...


AZ_IPA posted a pretty clear response. The NHC isn't really geared towards noob's anyway. Most competitions are for getting information and critiqued on how good or ways to improve your beer. The NHC AHA competition is more of of way to see how your best beers compare to other home brewers. This competition is more for the trophy (ribbon/medal) than the comments in my opinion.
 
ja09 said:
Thanks guys. The whole process doesn't seem to be explained very clearly for a noob like myself. Still don't really understand the mini-bos and if it has any say in the final 3. Seems like a couple of well written sentences within the results sheets and on winners page could save everyone a lot of time.
Click to expand...


From what I understand, a mini-bos is where the pick the top 3 for each flight or beer category. There may be a bunch of good beers, but they have to pick the top three.
 
mxstar21 said:
From what I understand, a mini-bos is where the pick the top 3 for each flight or beer category. There may be a bunch of good beers, but they have to pick the top three.
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Mini-BOS (Best of Show) is where the best beers from each flight (number varies but typically 2) advance. Usually advancement is based on score within the flight. However, once it's in mini-BOS, scores don't matter. The mini-BOS judges sample all the beers that advanced (that's what the second bottle is for). They then rank the best 3 in this side-by-side comparison. They are not rescored. They are just placed.

This is why you may have a beer score a 43 and not place when the winning beer scored a 38. Maybe the original judges were too generous, or maybe it just represented the style better or maybe their second bottle was significantly better than the first. Honestly, if you really want to see how it works, steward or volunteer to help in some way. Even if you're not interested in judging, it gives you some perspective as an entrant in general.

Jeremy's post explained all this, but this is the TL;DR summary of it. ;)
 
TobyG said:
This is why you may have a beer score a 43 and not place when the winning beer scored a 38. Maybe the original judges were too generous, or maybe it just represented the style better or maybe their second bottle was significantly better than the first. Honestly, if you really want to see how it works, steward or volunteer to help in some way. Even if you're not interested in judging, it gives you some perspective as an entrant in general.
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Thanks for the clarification. I was rather confused as @stat stated he got a 43 and got 2nd place and I only got a 34.5 but got 1st place.

Toby, did you judge Austin's comp? I had a Toby G judge one of my entries (and yes, I realize there may be more than one "Toby G" in the world... ;) ).
 
Found the part of the website with the more detailed results. None of my 5 beers scored below a 31 and 4 made it to their respective mini BOS. The sweet stout is moving on. This is my first NHC and after only a year and a half of brewing, this is a really big deal for me. Much for validation than the family drinking it.
 
What are everyone's plans for next year's competition? Anyone brewing anything now for next year? Will you resend anything that places in finals this year?
 
surgical_ass said:
What are everyone's plans for next year's competition? Anyone brewing anything now for next year? Will you resend anything that places in finals this year?
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I'm thinking of brewing a couple of high gravity Stouts in the next few months and if they age well, NHC and MCAB are possibilities ( the latter depending on how they set up the categories, if I qualify for Stout or Irish ale)
 
barrooze said:
Thanks for the clarification. I was rather confused as @stat stated he got a 43 and got 2nd place and I only got a 34.5 but got 1st place.

Toby, did you judge Austin's comp? I had a Toby G judge one of my entries (and yes, I realize there may be more than one "Toby G" in the world... ;) ).
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There definitely are a few Toby Gs in the world, but as far as I'm aware, I was the only one judging beer in Austin. The casting director definitely wasn't there. Which category?

I can tell you another factor in score differentials that we ran into in Austin: temperature. The cold room at 4th Tap was extremely cold. The first few bottles in a flight were usually at a disadvantage due to that. But for mini-BOS, they would have all been on a level playing field since all of them were served at the same time.

Do you belong to one of the Houston clubs?
 
surgical_ass said:
What are everyone's plans for next year's competition? Anyone brewing anything now for next year? Will you resend anything that places in finals this year?
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Need to plan my brewing schedule, but I'm definitely doing the IPA and DIPA again with some minor tweaks. May get crazy and add a mead and cider to the mix.
 

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