[weithman5]

In my opinion, the entry fee for a beer entry into the NHC needs to be higher to make a brewer really think about "does this beer have a shot and is this worth my entry fee?".  All of that extra income that AHA garners needs to go directly to supporting the judges that may have traveled hundreds of miles and spent a bunch of their own cash to volunteer at these competitions.

I entered though not because i really believe my beer has a shot, but more so because i expect there to be good judging and good feedback.  I would have still done this at a slightly higher entry fee though, and I would not enter a beer i thought was crap.  I have heard rumors of some people doing this in the past. i do believe that some support for the judges may be in order, though i am not a judge and until i am, i can't speak to the total amounts

[micsager]

Doubtful a score like that will advance, but maybe??

I think you would already know if your beer advanced by the scoresheet. Look at the "Place Awarded" box on the cover page. If there is a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd there, then you advanced...
If not, better luck next time!

hmmmmm.   I didn't even look at the cover sheet.  LOL.  I'll have to check tonight when I get home.  Thanks.

[richardt]

I'd be OK with beers having to qualify but then it gets tricky with having to rebrew the beer if too much time has passed.  Perhaps it would be easier to require that the brewer must demonstrate "proficiency" by having a beer receive a score higher than 30 at any AHA competition before being permitted to submit beer entries to NHC.  Just throwing the idea out there.  As a judge, I'd rather see a higher percentage (and lower number) of quality beers to judge rather than simply a larger quantity at the NHC.

[gsandel]

I think that both higher quality and lower number of entries would be good (better) for the Nationals.  I think making the brewer qualify takes away a little of the inclusiveness that AHA is all about, but it would encourage people to participate in (and maybe organize more) local competitions...

I like the idea of the brewer having to qualify but, I maintain that a brewer must qualify for the Catagory they are entering.  I am not bothered by the "re-brewing" as this is done by the most serious of competition minded brewers for the fresh served beers (and who doesn't need or can find a use for more beer)....it is the opposite of entering a years old barely wine and tatamount to strategies such as blending.

I more favor limiting the number of beers per entrant and getting rid of the ninkaski award (won't happen).  Brewers getting low scores will either improve, or get tired of entering to get low scores.  I am also against score inflation (scoring a bad beer higher to save feelings).  Lastly, I also learned a lot about tasting beer (as a steward) when I got to sample beers with more obvious flaws and discuss with(or listen to the discussion of) the judges.

[hopfenundmalz]

I would like to point out that some beers of mine have done very well at a competition, only to have gone downhill for the next a month later. That happens to some beers fast.

I have also had a Pils that was over 40 first round, but was given a kind score of 28 in the second round, as I got hurried in the bottling, and it had Diacetyl, as did the control bottle  That prompted me buy a beer gun.

At a local comp I got an 18 for a DIPA, that was loaded with Diacetyl.  "WTF" I said when I read the sheets at home and pulled out another bottle, no Diacetyl. At the next club meeting no one could detect any Diacetyl.  I just marked this down as a bad bottle, and have taken the action of being really thurough with cleaning the bottles, then baking in the oven at 375F for an hour to sterilize.  Bad bottles happen sometimes. 

This should point out that the beer can taste great from the keg at home. Getting it in good shape in front of the judges is a challange that you have to face if you compete.   

[brewmichigan]

I have also had a Pils that was over 40 first round, but was given a kind score of 28 in the second round, as I got hurried in the bottling, and it had Diacetyl, as did the control bottle  That prompted me buy a beer gun.

I don't understand why a beer gun would prevent diacetyl.

[kylekohlmorgen]

...From what I see and taste from the National Homebrew Competition, there are far too many brewers entering beers that are not qualified to vie for the top brewing prize in the country (sorry MCAB, but you're relatively unnoticed in the brewing realm)...

I'm very competitive when brewing for competitions, but I also enter beers when I'm not confident they are winners. Its the only way to TRULY know if your recipe needs a tweak or an overhaul.

If a beer is clean and (at least) loosely fits into the style, and you think a few tweaks will make it great, enter it. Its a great way to get truly objective feedback. Also, it can flush out any flaws in your competition packaging procedure. Its good to work out the kinks before bottling up that spot-on batch.

[gsandel]

I don't understand why a beer gun would prevent diacetyl.

While I am interested in the answer, this sounds like an equipment purchase justification I might make to SWMBO.  Whatever works

[micsager]

I don't understand why a beer gun would prevent diacetyl.

While I am interested in the answer, this sounds like an equipment purchase justification I might make to SWMBO.  Whatever works

Beer guns are neat little devices, that's for sure.  But I've never hooked up C02 to mine.  (maybe that's why one judge noted a bit of oxidation,  )

[thebigbaker]

I haven't gotten my score yet, but I sent in an APA that gotten some great scores this past few months and placing 2nd and 3rd in a couple comps.  However, in those competitions, I was able to submit my beer a couple of days before judging.  I submitted my APA to the Denver region and it sat in the bottle for almost a month.  I bottled 4 total, and on judging day I opened the three remaining bottles and they were not even close as good as they usually are.  Lost most of its hop aroma and flavor, wasn't bad, just not nearly as good.  Not expecting much in terms of score, but maybe the beer gun could help out next go around.  I just used a picnic tap and small racking tube like I've always done, but then again, when I've bottled before they were empty within a couple of days.

[majorvices]

I have also had a Pils that was over 40 first round, but was given a kind score of 28 in the second round, as I got hurried in the bottling, and it had Diacetyl, as did the control bottle  That prompted me buy a beer gun.

I don't understand why a beer gun would prevent diacetyl.

Oxidation can cause diacetyl to reform.

I'll say this: if you are not purging with a beer gun you are definitely going to oxidize the beer. Just the way that they sprays out at the bottom is a poor design if it comes in contact with o2. It's fine for filling growler sans Co2 but I wouldn't be storing any beer long term with BG. You'd be better off with a want attached to tap and filling from bottom.

[bo]

I have also had a Pils that was over 40 first round, but was given a kind score of 28 in the second round, as I got hurried in the bottling, and it had Diacetyl, as did the control bottle  That prompted me buy a beer gun.

I don't understand why a beer gun would prevent diacetyl.

Oxidation can cause diacetyl to reform.

I'll say this: if you are not purging with a beer gun you are definitely going to oxidize the beer. Just the way that they sprays out at the bottom is a poor design if it comes in contact with o2. It's fine for filling growler sans Co2 but I wouldn't be storing any beer long term with BG. You'd be better off with a want attached to tap and filling from bottom.

First off, I'm not a BG fan and will never own one, but I can't see how a wand with a cobra tap would oxidize beer any less than a BG. The BG fills from the bottom and with probably less turbulence, since the valve is quick opening and on the bottom.

[hopfenundmalz]

I have also had a Pils that was over 40 first round, but was given a kind score of 28 in the second round, as I got hurried in the bottling, and it had Diacetyl, as did the control bottle  That prompted me buy a beer gun.

I don't understand why a beer gun would prevent diacetyl.

Precursor exposed to air = diacetyl.  Beergun has the CO2 purge feature. It was a Pilsner, nothing to hide behind.

Edit: toured Bells at an AHA rally in 2008. Their bottling line does a double purge with CO2 before filling.

[tomsawyer]

As a fairly active judge who lives out in the sticks, I'd love to see a small stipend that would at least cover gas.  I could see a higher fee being used to both raise revenue and lower entry numbers.  Not sure how expensive you'd have to make an entry to accomplish the latter.  After all we've demonstrated we have some disposable income just through our brewing hobby.

[hopfenundmalz]

As a fairly active judge who lives out in the sticks, I'd love to see a small stipend that would at least cover gas.  I could see a higher fee being used to both raise revenue and lower entry numbers.  Not sure how expensive you'd have to make an entry to accomplish the latter.  After all we've demonstrated we have some disposable income just through our brewing hobby.

I don't live in the sticks, but did drive the 300 miles to Indianapolis. Saw family in Indiana, got judging points, said high to some judges I know, and got to talk with Martin for a while.

Money for gas would be nice, but not necessary.