unclepumble said:
Wonder if a league table with everyone ranking their 'top 3' in each category might work. Or adding an 'other brews' table where you specify your style and intention and it's an audience judgement based on that and their tastes...? (Or does this all sound suspiciously like AV?!?)
I think what we need to realise is that if you have "National Guild Of Wine and Beer Judges" Judging an event, then the event should follow their rules and style Guidelines.
Details on
Here
If you want to change the way they do things then the best way is to become one of them by sitting the exam (not easy if you read the rules and regs)
Even the American Ale category at this compo isn't there! Wonder what was that judged against as not using classic C-hops (cascade/centennial/columbus) seemed to earn the term 'peculiar' for anything using citra or NZ hops....
Thing is the guidelines are SOOOO limited compared with contemporary ideas on styles which are more influenced by BJCP - where is the 'speciality' section, belgian, fruit etc.. My suggestion was that we could maybe apply a BJCP style but eschew 'judging by them' and instead go for 'judging by peers' against BJCP style guides. Maybe having a perr-judging category and idea would be a good first step towards making more people interested in judging and getting involved
unclepumble said:
If you want slightly more adventurous classes then its BJCP, Edited- AFAIAA No event in the UK has been to BJCP style or guidelines as of yet though, But I note the first exams in europe for the BJCP took place in Febuary this year, in London, so some events may be changing soon, anyone know any more?
UP
Swazi took the exam and said it was a HELL of a lot of work!!! (Like a years worth of prep, cramming and then a 3 hour exam!)
However quite a few of us are familiar with BJCP guidelines, they're free to get them on iPhone or Android and included in most brewing software etc. so it shouldn't be too hard to have the reference guides there to mark against. Either with a proper or cut down mark sheet (which might be a PITA) or a simpler AV-style 'rank top X in order' as there are times a beer just makes people go "WOW have you tried that!' which should get a peoples choice (as with the amazing fruit beer at nationals) and maybe a 'never knew that could even be done' gong (thinking of Aled's acid beer) or something that manages to make you go WOAH. It's that crowd 'wow factor' which frequently seems so evident between entrants but not really part of, nor opposed to, formal judging criteria but potentially complementing it...
Ant Hayes untimely death is a blow - thought the new fast-track getting people in and online exam looks promising:
http://www.bjcp.org/docs/newexam.pdf
I think that there is a lot to be learned from the BJCPwithout losing site of existing traditions, structures and experience but not being hide-bound by them nor seeing judging by established people against told and restricted categories as the
only way of doing awards and reviews. I note the Bristol compo is going to be against the BJCP and am glad of that...
http://www.bristolhomebrewcompetition.org.uk/