Where can I send my beer?

[vnakkar]

Where can I send my beer? (officially)

Hi, I’ve just started brewing and brewed my 4th batch this weekend and everything is going very well thanks to the mountains of information I’ve found on these forums.

My beer is turning out very drinkable, but I don’t know if it’s any “good”. I don’t know if I’ve captured the style.

My question is, without entering a contest, is there a place I can send a bottle or two for official style feedback?

For right now I’m trying to brew classic styles, adhering to style guidelines. Before I start branching out and tweaking thinks I would like some official feedback on my results.

For instance, my second batch was an Irish Red Ale. It’s really drinkable, but it might be too malty. Was my mash too hot? I don’t know and these are things I’d like to figure out as I’m getting my system ironed out.

Any ideas of an official place to send it?


Ps. I’m looking for more feedback than, “if it’s good to me, its good beer”.

 

[WildGingerBrewing]

You can send all the beer you want to my house! I'll tell you what I think! haha

 

[bob1852]

here's a list of BJCP sanctioned competitions. Maybe find one close to Chicago?

http://www.bjcp.org/apps/comp_schedule/competition_schedule.php

 

[nealf]

You can probably look up some local homebrew clubs. Most of them will have BJCP judges that will be able to give you some decent feedback if you ask nicely. Why are you against entering a competition? It is one of the best ways because it is a blind tasting...

 

[vnakkar]

You can send all the beer you want to my house! I'll tell you what I think! haha

Thanks Jason! I figured this response was coming. :fro:

 

[vnakkar]

. Why are you against entering a competition? It is one of the best ways because it is a blind tasting...

I'm not against it per-se... I just want to be on the up & up and not waste time during a competition when all I wanted was feedback.

 

[olllllo]

Why don't you join the Chicago Beer Society?

Rub elbows with Ray Daniels and Randy Mosher.

Also these guys, despite the name, are awesome. http://gentlemanly.net/
you will get good feedback from them and they know their stuff.

 

[remilard]

I'm not against it per-se... I just want to be on the up & up and not waste time during a competition when all I wanted was feedback.

You don't have to attend a competition, you just ship your beer off (or drop it off if local) and get score sheets back in the mail later.

 

[RogueVassar]

I'll +1 joining a local brew club. I've learned so much from the one that I joined. Ironically, I'm bringing an irish red to it tomorrow night in hopes that they can recommend ways to get it a little maltier. Along with criticism of what I bring in, I've gotten to sample a ton of different beers so now I have a sense of what bottle-conditioning with brown sugar tastes like and many styles that I wouldn't normally have tried.

 

[802VermontHomebrew]

send it to me I will be your "judge"

 

[SevenPines]

that funny you asked this i was literally thinking about asking the same thing earlier today, anyways im from chicago too and let me know what good info you find.

Does anyone know of, or are apart of, some brew clubs to join around chicago?

Cheers

 

[olllllo]

The Chicago Beer Society is the quintessential beer club. Gents are metro Chicago.