I'm not a huge competitor in beer comps but when I do send beer in it is because I want useful feedback.
I sent 5 beers to a recent contest. My package was misplaced in the storage refrigerator and 2 of my beers missed being judged in their flights before the package was found. Once found one beer was judged seperately and showed rather average. This is a beer that was just past it's prime but finished 3rd in a BOS round just a few months ago. That irked me a bit but mistakes happen and for all I know the beer had degraded/had a bad cap, or something... que sera sera. The other beer I got a refund on and was told it was misplaced or some such. Mistakes happen and they handled all that as best they could.
Now for the actual problem. I entered a 2.3% abv low alc Belgian Blond as a Belgian experimental beer in category 34C. Obviously the point is to have a tasty 2.3% LOW ALCOHOL beer. A bjcp sanctioned judge comments that the beer needs more alcohol. An Imp. Stout is said to be 'light bodied' by two non-sanctioned judges ... the beer had a final gravity of 1.028 and can barely be more chewy. One entry was judged a 39 by the bjcp judge and a 31 & 32 by the 2 novice judges with several comments that were quite opposite. There were other smaller issues but this was generally the most disappointing comp entry experience I've had. At a cost of $55 for entry fees plus shipping, though a generous refund was given for the mixup, it is nice to get useful feedback. I simply got short non-detailed responses from all but 2 judge sheets.
Just wanted to complain a bit. On that note anyone have local comps with a high % of bjcp certified judges?
I sent 5 beers to a recent contest. My package was misplaced in the storage refrigerator and 2 of my beers missed being judged in their flights before the package was found. Once found one beer was judged seperately and showed rather average. This is a beer that was just past it's prime but finished 3rd in a BOS round just a few months ago. That irked me a bit but mistakes happen and for all I know the beer had degraded/had a bad cap, or something... que sera sera. The other beer I got a refund on and was told it was misplaced or some such. Mistakes happen and they handled all that as best they could.
Now for the actual problem. I entered a 2.3% abv low alc Belgian Blond as a Belgian experimental beer in category 34C. Obviously the point is to have a tasty 2.3% LOW ALCOHOL beer. A bjcp sanctioned judge comments that the beer needs more alcohol. An Imp. Stout is said to be 'light bodied' by two non-sanctioned judges ... the beer had a final gravity of 1.028 and can barely be more chewy. One entry was judged a 39 by the bjcp judge and a 31 & 32 by the 2 novice judges with several comments that were quite opposite. There were other smaller issues but this was generally the most disappointing comp entry experience I've had. At a cost of $55 for entry fees plus shipping, though a generous refund was given for the mixup, it is nice to get useful feedback. I simply got short non-detailed responses from all but 2 judge sheets.
Just wanted to complain a bit. On that note anyone have local comps with a high % of bjcp certified judges?