[dbeechum]

Feeder competitions have been proffered before with a lackluster reception.

I suspect we'll have to look at a satellite judging locations, but there's a ton of work.

[bluesman]

The AHA is experiencing rapid growth.  There are more and more brewers that want to compete.  These and other related issues are on the table for discussion and the GC will continue to search for answers.  Maintaining a high standard of quality while increasing the volume of entries in the NHC will be very difficult.  We will need more judges participating in the future.  It may also mean more judging sites and more staffing.  This will be a challenge and will induce more stress on the system.

I am hopeful for a remedy to this issue and will try to seek a resolution.  This will not be easy by any means, but I will be focused on this and other related issues in the coming months.

[hopfenundmalz]

The AHA is experiencing rapid growth.  There are more and more brewers that want to compete.  These and other related issues are on the table for discussion and the GC will continue to search for answers.  Maintaining a high standard of quality while increasing the volume of entries in the NHC will be very difficult.  We will need more judges participating in the future.  It may also mean more judging sites and more staffing.  This will be a challenge and will induce more stress on the system.

I am hopeful for a remedy to this issue and will try to seek a resolution.  This will not be easy by any means, but I will be focused on this and other related issues in the coming months.

+1

If you compete, think about becoming a judge (I finally did). One way to help the backlog of people who want to enter is to work at the other end and help as a judge. It does not all happen without people whe judge, work as stewards, and organize.  Many layers have to work for it all to happen.

[snowtiger87]

Seems that, long term, three rounds of judging is going to be the way to go.  That would mean you could have lots more smaller/local comps for the first round (and for the second round for that matter).

The problem with another round of competition for the brewer is more bottles would be required. Currently at 4 for beers for those advancing to the second round is already twice the number most competitions require. The problem for the AHA and the site coordinators is another round of organizing, rounding up staff, and the competition itself. I don't think this is the way to go.

As for compensating the judges in some way I am all for that but it must be done fairly for all who participate no matter how far they travel. Perhaps a free entry to judges and stewards (could be counter-productive to limiting the entries though). When I ran the a regional competition a few years ago we provided a BBQ dinner party for the staff after judging that was paid for in our budget. I understand this expense has been DENIED in the past couple of years.

[brewmanator]

Not sure if it was this thread or a different one, but folks have discussed compensation for judges and volunteers.  Something to consider might be to give those of us who organize, judge, steward or help out the competition a discounted membership the next time we renew.  Sorry for you lifetime members.  It might help lower our Judge to entry ratio which might eventually help us expand the competition to a larger size.