Messages

196

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: A Rose By Any Other Name

« on: May 09, 2012, 09:35:42 am »

Interesting article, thanks.

I don't really agree, but then I drink a good portion of my beer.  Obviously a name will not affect my own perception of it.  The stuff I don't drink is given to people who are just grateful for free beer.  When I go to a fest I want to know what style is being poured into my glass.  Preferably any special ingredients.  And then I'll taste it and let the beer speak for itself.  *shrug*

thanks again--
--Michael

P.S. - I do make an exception for failed experiments.  I'm on "FAIL ALE" #7 or so.  I include a nice "FAIL" image on a label and bottle a few of them.

197

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 1st round NHC results

« on: May 02, 2012, 01:52:45 pm »

Thank you Drew

that sounds about like I expected. 
So it sounds like someone smarter than me needs to decide on a maximum that can be handled in one day and work backwards from there.  Or are you saying we are already at that number?

198

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 1st round NHC results

« on: May 02, 2012, 01:03:42 pm »

if more/better judges were available (I know, I am part of the problem, but I will work on it) we could expand the entries i would think

agreed.  However, how long until the "the final round is getting too big" becomes a real issue?  It's, what, 924 max entries right now?  I don't know the answer. 
*I* haven't done final round judging; can someone who has talk about how it would work with, say, 1500 entries?

199

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 1st round NHC results

« on: May 02, 2012, 12:56:18 pm »

I had a third place beer in the regionals several years ago that won gold in the finals, so I don't like the idea of only sending the top two.  Different judge, different day.....

I understand this argument, and I don't mean to be rude, but I think it's pretty weak.  What about the 4th place beers that aren't making it to the finals right now?  Ya gotta cut it off somewhere.  I believe if more/better judges were available it would improve so this would be minimized.  The saying "different judge, different day" suggests to me that winning final round gold doesn't mean that much.  That's unfortunate.

A much better argument IMO would have been that the third place beer in a given region may be better than the first place beer in any other region.  As long as they're giving out three medals that is a danger.

nothing personal.  Just my two cents.

cheers--
--Michael

200

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 1st round NHC results

« on: May 01, 2012, 03:13:28 pm »

I like this everyone-gets-an-entry stuff.
Sure there are more than 30K members, but until the last couple years it hasn't filled up, so there's plenty of history of less than 10% of the membership participating.
I like the max 5 entries per day stuff too.  It won't help with the explosive growth of the competition/hobby for more than a couple years but it's a start.
And as for the GABF "members-only" stuff, that makes way too much sense; stop that crazy talk! 

cheers--
--Michael

But how could you guarantee that trend would continue if everyone got one entry?  I could see a situation where more people would enter since the entry was included with their membership.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I read his suggestion as saying members would get an option. They would still have to pay the 10$ or whatever, but they would have right of first refusal.

That's the way I read it as well.

Exactly.  Registration opens for a week (or whatever) for members to get their best beer in if they so choose, after which the free-for-all starts.
sorry for the confusion Denny.   

...whatever.  we all know there's no perfect option.  I am not involved in the discussions to see how the "problems" are ranked so I don't know which to address first.  I'm going to assume "The final round is getting too big" ranks fairly highly so simply adding more regions isn't going to cut it for long.  As stated previously maybe we have to eventually go to top 2 advance from first round instead of top 3. 

201

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 1st round NHC results

« on: April 30, 2012, 02:51:37 pm »

I like this everyone-gets-an-entry stuff.
Sure there are more than 30K members, but until the last couple years it hasn't filled up, so there's plenty of history of less than 10% of the membership participating.
I like the max 5 entries per day stuff too.  It won't help with the explosive growth of the competition/hobby for more than a couple years but it's a start.
And as for the GABF "members-only" stuff, that makes way too much sense; stop that crazy talk! 

cheers--
--Michael

202

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 1st round NHC results

« on: April 30, 2012, 10:18:41 am »

Perhaps one more regional could be added next year? Texas seems to be the biggest area that does not host a regional.

Dallas had it last year; it appears it was simply too close to Bluebonnet to get enough judges.  Us out-of-towners did all we could but they needed at least twice the judges they had.  I can't really blame them - I can see how they'd be fatigued after 1800 beers. 

However, the FOAM guys in Tulsa are hosting a first round next year and IMO they'll do a great job.

cheers--
--Michael

203

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: 1st round NHC results

« on: April 30, 2012, 10:11:35 am »

The NHC easily takes more than 1/2 of my time throughout the year, so entry fees pay part of my salary. 

money well spent.  *raises glass*
thank you for everything you do!

cheers--
--Michael

204

Beer Recipes / Re: Brewing 'to the comp'

« on: April 30, 2012, 09:46:26 am »

I don't want to dig to hard on a hard working BJCP judge but I gotta say, if I had used more malt and more hops it would have been a 70/- or 80/-.

hahaha...if it's any consolation I commonly enter my 80/- as a 70/- and still get told it needs more malt.  Same thing with the 8B I enter as an 8A.  Usually I give up and keep making them the way I like it, and occasionally I try to give them what they ask for.  Always got asked for "more" (literally had a scoresheet that said "good beer, but needs MORE" as feedback) with my robust porter.  Got exasperated and entered a 1.072/1.022 American Stout without the dry hops as a 12B - gold medal.   

cheers--
--Michael

205

The Pub / Re: Anybody Fish?

« on: April 17, 2012, 10:43:54 am »

when visiting family i occasionally get to fish a bit in between holding the wife's hair so she can vomit over the side.   



cheers--
--Michael

206

The Pub / Re: regional Sayings

« on: April 06, 2012, 06:37:47 am »

I imagine most of you would pronounce Arkansas City or the Arkansas River like the state "Ár-ken-saw".  However in Kansas most people pronounce it "ar-Kán-sas"     

207

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: BJCP Entrance Exam is now available

« on: March 28, 2012, 05:18:34 am »

With any luck I'll be in the same situation in a couple more months.  Honestly I think the new format will be easier to pass into National status, although it will take two sessions.  The 3-hr all-in-one marathon was fatiguing.

I do not think it will be easier at all. In fact, it may be harder. 6 exam beers instead of four, more evaluation of beer and more fatigue during that period. Most new judges trying to do a complete job go at a 12-15 min clip and 15 is all the time you have per beer. There is also stress involved in knowing another beer is coming. Now if one has been judging and doing an exemplary job while judging it will be a piece of cake.

the actual TASTING will be a little harder, with the additional 30 minutes and two more beers.  But I would argue that the fatigue you speak of has largely been coming from the written test most people are taking at the same time as the 4-beer tasting.  Right now everyone is starting with a 3-hour exam.  A 1.5 hour tasting exam would be fantastic by comparison.
I took just the tasting a few weeks ago.  4 beers was extremely easy, and two more wouldn't be that bad.  I took just the written a few months ago.  Nice to not be interrupted with beer arriving but still a huge PITA at 2.5 hours.  The stress of another beer coming?  How about writing an essay, and having to shift gears and judge the beer suddenly put down in front of you.  I found that much more stressful. 

cheers--
--Michael

208

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Buying Beer

« on: March 23, 2012, 06:27:43 am »

+1
I did buy some SA Longshot a few days ago but other searching out something specific like that I haven't had need for a trip to a local beer stores in years.  I still manage to spend plenty at out-of-state stores when on trips though.

cheers--
--Michael

209

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: American Homebrewers Association 2012 Governing Committee Election

« on: March 19, 2012, 11:36:52 am »

If you guys and gals aren't already aware, but the American Homebrewers Association 2012 Governing Committee Election is coming up quick and will be on April 1, 2012.

Don't forget to cast your vote for your favorite candidate, plus two more that aren't your favorite!

May I suggest Ron Price?

let's make sure we cover Denny in that statement too.   

210

General Homebrew Discussion / Re: Really bad O.G. from specialty grains - any chance of a redo?

« on: March 19, 2012, 08:53:22 am »

AFAIAC, you NEVER want unconverted starch in your beer.

I tend to agree, and I have to respectfully disagree with his statement re: CaraPils as well.

cheers--
--Michael