[donger]

Dang.... Why not limit it to 4 entries per brewer max in your own region? You brewing machines that enter 15+ cannot be that desperate for ribbons. C'mon!

[udubdawg]

I feel your pain, but there's more than 30K AHA members, and what, a million or so homebrewers?
They can't please everyone.  Heck, I brewed 42 times last year; 4 entries is a 3-day weekend.   

cheers--
--Michael

[donger]

I dunno... something needs to be changed. There has been this problem in the past - I think capping the number of entries per brewer at 4 allows more to participate.
Just my .02

[denny]

We're definitely looking for a solution.  I'll pass along the 4 entry limit idea.

[mkultra69]

I agree something needs to be fixed. I've been planing on this for a year now (as I live 20min from Seattle) and now what's the point. Every thing on the west cost was filled up by the time I got home from work Friday night. Think I'm going to end up getting a refund on the confrence tickets now.

[bbkf]

I say boohoo to you if you missed the entry window.  Apparently you have different priorities than entering NHC if you could not make any of your beers in before the number hit 7500.

You could have entered 5 different regions all day saturday.

I don't think there should EVER be a limit on how much homebrew you enter!!!!  Maybe a solution is to add like 5-10 more "first-round" judging centers and then make it a three round competition.

OR

Early bird gets the worm. 

its funny how most people who complain about homebrew competitions, never volunteer for them.

[hopfenundmalz]

Using Gordon Strongs 3 entries to 1 medal ratio, if you want to be confident that one of your beers will get a medal, 9 entries is not a lot i.e. 3 advance and 1 places in the 2nd round.

Things have changed a lot since I went to my first NHC in 2003.  I have entered the last 3 and the competition is getting pretty tough.

The conference location will be an issue in the future, it will need to be in a bigger convention city with good sized hotels that can handle a bunch of people.  I remember when the NCAA final 4 was plangyed in 20,000 seat arenas, or smaller.  It used to be at Kemper arena in KC often when the NCAA was headquartered in KC.  Not anymore, it is in larger cities with a stadium large enough to seat a huge crowd, adn the hotels that can handle that.  Not saying it will be that big, but the needs of a larger conference will force changes to where it can be.

[theDarkSide]

  It used to be at Kemper arena in KC often when the NCAA was headquartered in KC.  Not anymore, it is in larger cities with a stadium large enough to seat a huge crowd, adn the hotels that can handle that.  Not saying it will be that big, but the needs of a larger conference will force changes to where it can be.

Outdoor football stadiums!!

Mkultra69:  Were you not aware that you didn't have to enter in your region?  Sorry you missed the cutoff, but I'd still go to the conference, especially when it's in your backyard!!

[tom]

Think I'm going to end up getting a refund on the confrence tickets now.

Dont' do that.  There is a lot more at the NHC than just the competition.

[donger]

I say boohoo to you if you missed the entry window.  Apparently you have different priorities than entering NHC if you could not make any of your beers in before the number hit 7500.

You could have entered 5 different regions all day saturday.

I don't think there should EVER be a limit on how much homebrew you enter!!!!  Maybe a solution is to add like 5-10 more "first-round" judging centers and then make it a three round competition.

OR

Early bird gets the worm. 

its funny how most people who complain about homebrew competitions, never volunteer for them.

Edith,
You make a lot of assumptions...  I volunteer for a lot of comps in several states and am also an exam grader. ANYWAY - I think capping is a good way to allow lots of brewers to push forward their best beers to the competition. I also think registering in your own region is best, too.

Lots of people have other priorities over entering in the first 24hrs... like, oh, maybe, working?  Geezus you're a insensitive goob.

[aod]

I've judged at the NHC First Round a couple times and found there to be quite a mix of good beers and problematic beers.  Definitively folks apply the "shotgun entry method" instead of sending their best forward.  Or is it, Enter Early, Enter Often?

My opinion is the judging is often not the best larger competitions due to the number of entries, workload per judge, time constraints, etc.  Entering beer in the NHC to get feedback is not the best idea; especially at $10 an entry to boot.

~Adam

[udubdawg]

Question:  About what % of entries come from non-AHA members?

[punatic]

The conference location will be an issue in the future, it will need to be in a bigger convention city with good sized hotels that can handle a bunch of people.  I remember when the NCAA final 4 was plangyed in 20,000 seat arenas, or smaller... 

I think a better analogy for homebrew competitions would be a bowling league.

There is a lot more at the NHC than just the competition.

Amen brother!

[theDarkSide]

I think a better analogy for homebrew competitions would be a bowling league.

Puna...this wasn't your house I hope:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-03-05/hawaii-lava-evacuation/53361612/1

[denny]

Question:  About what % of entries come from non-AHA members?

I'm not 100% certain, but I think you have to be an AHA member to enter.