HBF Home Brew Competition Schedule 2020

[user 18729]

Of course it’s about feedback but it’s not really giving Joe bloggs a chance when he’s up against 5 Dubbels and three imperial stouts when he’s entered a brilliant mild. I think the feedback will be impacted by the variety of styles entered unless you’re a professional beer judge. I love the idea of perhaps having a cut off in ABV or at least a ‘dark English’ or ‘dark European’ category?

I should say a ‘dark British’ not English...

 

[samale]

Of course it’s about feedback but it’s not really giving Joe bloggs a chance when he’s up against 5 Dubbels and three imperial stouts when he’s entered a brilliant mild. I think the feedback will be impacted by the variety of styles entered unless you’re a professional beer judge. I love the idea of perhaps having a cut off in ABV or at least a ‘dark English’ or ‘dark European’ category?

I agree, I think the categories need revised

 

[Leon103]

Of course it’s about feedback but it’s not really giving Joe bloggs a chance when he’s up against 5 Dubbels and three imperial stouts when he’s entered a brilliant mild. I think the feedback will be impacted by the variety of styles entered unless you’re a professional beer judge. I love the idea of perhaps having a cut off in ABV or at least a ‘dark English’ or ‘dark European’ category?

Yeah just like saying if the judge doesn't like milds they don't have a chance, a good beer should score high. But this is irrelevant as someone as posted the schedule.

 

[strange-steve]

I agree that an impy stout or quad against a mild or similar is unfair, as much as the judge tries to keep the scoring fair, but we also don't want categories that are so specific that you're only getting a couple of entries, as happened occasionally at first.

 

[user 18729]

Yeah just like saying if the judge doesn't like milds they don't have a chance, a good beer should score high. But this is irrelevant as someone as posted the schedule.

That’s not what I said nor was it what I implied.

 

[user 18729]

I agree that an impy stout or quad against a mild or similar is unfair, as much as the judge tries to keep the scoring fair, but we also don't want categories that are so specific that you're only getting a couple of entries, as happened occasionally at first.

Exactly this, cheers Steve. I think a happy medium where the entry requirements are broad but where more delicate styles aren’t overpowered during the judging

 

[Leon103]

Schedule is already complete so it's irrelevant.

An happy medium would be hard to find. We talk about imps etc but happens in other styles. A lagered stout would stand out in lager comp. A American saison will stand out in a American pale comp. Best thing to do would be to have two comps a month.

 

[strange-steve]

I think a happy medium where the entry requirements are broad but where more delicate styles aren’t overpowered during the judging

I'm not sure how easy it would be to find that happy medium without having a separate category for big beers, but I don't think that's practical and it probably wouldn't attract a lot of entries.

A American saison will stand out in a American pale comp.

:tinhat:

 

[user 18729]

Schedule is already complete so it's irrelevant.

An happy medium would be hard to find. We talk about imps etc but happens in other styles. A lagered stout would stand out in lager comp. A American saison will stand out in a American pale comp. Best thing to do would be to have two comps a month.

It’s not irrelevant it’s a point worthy of discussion

 

[samale]

Could a mild or bitter not be put in with the English pale ale cat and rename it. I agree with others a mild is lost in a competition that includes imperial stouts.

 

[phildo79]

Could a mild or bitter not be put in with the English pale ale cat and rename it. I agree with others a mild is lost in a competition that includes imperial stouts.

Wasn't that always a category?

 

[samale]

Wasn't that always a category?

Your right
I got a ESB in the dark month I judged

 

[Leon103]

So can we get rid of freestyle?

 

[phildo79]

IMO, the dark month category is basically freestyle with just one caveat. So that's five months of freestyle. I wouldn't say get rid of it all together but five does seem like a lot. Perhaps a light coloured freestyle and a dark coloured freestyle could remain and then rejig the dark months to be a bit more specific, either by style or strength?

 

[Dads_Ale]

Rather than redo the schedule for 2021 could we just put an ABV limit on the dark beers month. That way the really strong dark beers can go in the freestyle month

 

[jceg316]

I think ABV% should be up to the judges. There are some guides online for beer tasting and making the most out of a beer tasting session, which is what this judging is. I'm quite happy to write a mini guide if it helps, I've run beer tastings and have judged beer competitions, including a BJCP comp. I'm no cicerone and I'm sure there are members who know how to taste beer better than me, but would really like to share some guidance on tasting.

Beers need to be drunk from lightest flavour to strongest. Without having the beers before this can be difficult to know, so knowledge of styles is useful here. Lightest to darkest in colour, or weakest to strongest ABV is a good rule of Have some crackers or some bland food as a palate cleanser, good to have if you have a particularly strong flavoured beer. Take a 5 minute break between beers if you need to, drink water between beers as well (this will also help the next morning!).

Each beer needs to be considered against a set of guidelines, not the previous beer you had. Whilst we're not using BJCP (or any) style guides for that matter, those guidelines can be your perception of that style. As far as I'm concerned, that's fine for the forum competition, so long as the beer is being compared to something more than the previous beer.

 

[Leon103]

I think ABV% should be up to the judges. There are some guides online for beer tasting and making the most out of a beer tasting session, which is what this judging is. I'm quite happy to write a mini guide if it helps, I've run beer tastings and have judged beer competitions, including a BJCP comp. I'm no cicerone and I'm sure there are members who know how to taste beer better than me, but would really like to share some guidance on tasting.

Beers need to be drunk from lightest flavour to strongest. Without having the beers before this can be difficult to know, so knowledge of styles is useful here. Lightest to darkest in colour, or weakest to strongest ABV is a good rule of Have some crackers or some bland food as a palate cleanser, good to have if you have a particularly strong flavoured beer. Take a 5 minute break between beers if you need to, drink water between beers as well (this will also help the next morning!).

Each beer needs to be considered against a set of guidelines, not the previous beer you had. Whilst we're not using BJCP (or any) style guides for that matter, those guidelines can be your perception of that style. As far as I'm concerned, that's fine for the forum competition, so long as the beer is being compared to something more than the previous beer.

Exactly so if the mild is particularly good it will score well. Just like if the judge doesn't like strong imps then they won't do so well. If people want to be judged to style find a bcjp judge and send them some beers.

 

[Oneflewover]

Exactly so if the mild is particularly good it will score well. Just like if the judge doesn't like strong imps then they won't do so well. If people want to be judged to style find a bcjp judge and send them some beers.

I tend to agree. We're at risk of over-thinking this and complicating things. At the end of the day it's a bit of fun, a chance to get some valuable feedback, an opportunity for inspiration for our brewing schedule, and a chance to share / sample some cracking beers.

 

[strange-steve]

Exactly so if the mild is particularly good it will score well. Just like if the judge doesn't like strong imps then they won't do so well. If people want to be judged to style find a bcjp judge and send them some beers.

I agree with what you're saying, however it seems to be the case that stronger/bolder styles typically come with some sort of bias that pushes their scores up. Since we're talking about mild and impys, the best mild in the world probably won't win over a good RIS because it just doesn't pack the same punch. In BJCP competitions, the best of show winners are almost always bigger styles and both Gordon Strong and Jamil have indicated that going bigger will give you a better shot at a high score.

You're right though that this isn't intended to be BJCP style judging and is only an issue when it comes to placing, but that bias is still there I reckon.

Oh and I'm not necessarily suggest that things need reformed, but it's worth discussing and now is the best time to do it.

At the end of the day it's a bit of fun, a chance to get some valuable feedback, an opportunity for inspiration for our brewing schedule, and a chance to share / sample some cracking beers.

No I need the validation, I have so little else...

 

[pilgrimhudd]

Quite a lot of opinions here, I'm not sure that I agree that 'big' beers will always win though they probably have more of a chance as very often they have that wow factor about them.

I still do think that there should be a belgian or euro beer category, keep it simple.

As someone else said, we risk making it over complicated and taking the fun out of it. And if that's the case, keep it as it is.