Difference between certificates and ribbons at National Homebrew Competition...

[Rob2010SS]

So I'm reading through the awards guidelines for the NHC and I'm kinda confused. Hoping someone can clear this up for me. The bold/underlined sections below are the cause for my confusion....

First Round Certificates - a certificate does not signify an entry placed in a NHC Table and advances to the Final Round. It is a recognition of an entry’s quality. Only entries awarded ribbons of 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a NHC Table will advance to the Final Round.

• Gold Certificate – Earned by entries scoring 38-50 points in the First Round.
• Silver Certificate – Earned by entries scoring 30-37 points in the First Round.
• Bronze Certificate – Earned by entries scoring 25-29 points in the First Round.

First Round Ribbons Ribbons – 1 st, 2nd and 3rd place in the First Round with a score of 30 points or greater are awarded ribbons for their achievement, and advance to the Final Round of the National Homebrew Competition.

So a CERTIFICATE does NOT mean you move to the final round, but yet you get a gold certificate at 38 pts.

A ribbon means you move to the final round, but you only need 30 pts for a ribbon.

This doesn't make much sense to me. This would tell me that if you got a gold or silver certificate, you're automatically going to final round.

What am I missing here?

 

[Dustin_J]

So I'm reading through the awards guidelines for the NHC and I'm kinda confused. Hoping someone can clear this up for me. The bold/underlined sections below are the cause for my confusion....

First Round Certificates - a certificate does not signify an entry placed in a NHC Table and advances to the Final Round. It is a recognition of an entry’s quality. Only entries awarded ribbons of 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a NHC Table will advance to the Final Round.

• Gold Certificate – Earned by entries scoring 38-50 points in the First Round.
• Silver Certificate – Earned by entries scoring 30-37 points in the First Round.
• Bronze Certificate – Earned by entries scoring 25-29 points in the First Round.

First Round Ribbons Ribbons – 1 st, 2nd and 3rd place in the First Round with a score of 30 points or greater are awarded ribbons for their achievement, and advance to the Final Round of the National Homebrew Competition.

So a CERTIFICATE does NOT mean you move to the final round, but yet you get a gold certificate at 38 pts.

A ribbon means you move to the final round, but you only need 30 pts for a ribbon.

This doesn't make much sense to me. This would tell me that if you got a gold or silver certificate, you're automatically going to final round.

What am I missing here?

I'm not a formal BJCP/NHC rep by any means, but it sounds to me like in order to advance, you need to A) score 30 points or better, and B) get a ribbon. The former is necessary, but not sufficient for the latter. Basically, the ribbons go to the best 3 beers assuming they're all >30. The certificates seem to be based solely on the score. For example, there could hypothetically be a dozen 38+ point beers in a category that all get gold certificates because of their scores, but only the "best" 3 of those get ribbons and subsequently move to the second round.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Ok, that makes sense.

I also kept reading and found this:

The First Round of judging takes place over 13 judging centers in March/April. The top three entries in each NHC Table move on to the Final Round. An entry must receive a score of 30 points or more to be eligible to place in a NHC Table.

Makes sense now. Thanks.

 

[2005STi]

The certificates are basically pointless. Just a good better best scale of how your beer scored within the range. It has no effect on actually placing in the category.

 

[Rob2010SS]

The certificates are basically pointless. Just a good better best scale of how your beer scored within the range. It has no effect on actually placing in the category.

Right. And I guess that's why I was confused. The rules/reg's talk about certificates just as you did - they're pointless (i.e. Certificate does not mean you moved on to final round). But yet to get a gold CERTIFICATE, you need 38 pts or more. To move on to final, you only need 30 points.

It just seemed very backwards to me but I understand it anyway.