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Author Topic: NHC  (Read 57470 times)

Offline ajk

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NHC
« Reply #405 on: May 07, 2014, 06:35:28 pm »
add peat/earth to my Scottish.
Please don't!

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: NHC
« Reply #406 on: May 07, 2014, 08:36:01 pm »
add peat/earth to my Scottish.
Please don't!

Well, ok I wont.
Potting soil?

Offline dbarber

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Re: NHC
« Reply #407 on: May 08, 2014, 06:48:39 am »
Question for the experienced judges: What exactly happens in a mini-bos?  How are the judges selected to participate and what process is followed to select the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place entries?

Usually the more experienced judge of each pair of judges sits on the mini-BOS.  The way I've done it is, all of the beers are poured, tasted and then once we are ready, we'll go around the table and each judge will select the beer he/she likes least, if there is consensus then the beer will be out of the mini-BOS.  This is done until there are either 3 or 4 beers left and then each judge selects his/her top 3 in order.  If it is obvious which beer is 1, 2 and 3 then its a done deal, otherwise there is discussion until there is consensus which beers are 1, 2, and 3.
This is pretty much how it goes except I would say it's less about rather the judges like/dislike the beers themselves and more about rather the judges think the beer fits or doesn't fit the style better or worse than the other beers in the mini-bos.

Yes, I should have stated it that way.
Dave Barber
Orwigsburg, PA
AHA Member, BJCP National

Offline klickitat jim

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Re: NHC
« Reply #408 on: May 08, 2014, 07:36:19 am »
IIRC at Seattle it was highest rank from each table but Certified or higher

Offline dkfick

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Re: NHC
« Reply #409 on: May 09, 2014, 07:21:19 am »
IIRC at Seattle it was highest rank from each table but Certified or higher
It's usually the higher ranked judges in the flight unless one of the other judges really wants to do it and the higher ranked judge doesn't mind.  I'm only (currently) certified and I do mini-bos all the time.
BJCP A0936 National Beer Judge and Mead Judge
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HBT "mors"

Offline dkfick

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Re: NHC
« Reply #410 on: May 09, 2014, 08:04:16 am »
Got my Chicago results back today.  Pretty much agree with all the judges comments.  Though I didn't perceive my IIPA's dankness as an issue... It's basically what I was shooting for.  Still it was scored appropriately I think.
BJCP A0936 National Beer Judge and Mead Judge
Cicerone Certified Beer Server
AHA Member
CRAFT Homebrew Club
Sons of Liberty Homebrew Club
HBT "mors"

Offline santoch

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Re: NHC
« Reply #411 on: May 09, 2014, 09:04:55 pm »
Jim-
I never set a "certified minimum" for mini-BOS here in Seattle, though it may have worked out that way due to way the tables were made up.
We generally had a Certified or higher in each triple.  Occasionally, it was 2 Recognizeds and a novice or pro, but there weren't many of those.

In case anyone is interested, here's how I set up the judge pairings/triples:

1) I had to make sure that no one judged in a category that they entered.
2) Ensure that those judges with lots of entries got placed first, regardless of rank.
3) Ensure that the Nationals and higher were spread out across all the categories in the session.
4) Ensure that a Certified judge or higher was in every pairing/triple.  2 Recognizeds together was ok, too.
5) Ensure that Certified Mead Judges judged the Meads (and Ciders).
6) Ensure that each Apprentice and Rank Pending judge is paired at least once with a National or higher for at least 1 flight, but preferably more often.  If not, I paired them with the most experienced ranked judge available.
7) If they checked the preferred/non-preferred category lists when registering I favored those preferences.  I'm happy to report that not a single judge had to judge a category they marked as non-preferred, and most got the categories they marked most favored.

Hope this makes sense.
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Offline klickitat jim

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Re: NHC
« Reply #412 on: May 10, 2014, 08:29:31 am »
Total sense and from my view you did a fantastic job.

Offline johnf

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Re: NHC
« Reply #413 on: May 12, 2014, 12:17:01 pm »
I hope my bringing up "peat/earth" wasn't taken as sour grapes. That judge gave me a 40, and other good feedback. I'm a happy camper and plan on placing in the 9 cat next year with a few minor tweaks.

As far as score sheet quality goes, this was my first comp to enter and first to judge. There were a few beers that I'm certain my score sheets left a lot to be desired. I'm grateful that I was paired with a real judge, so the brewer will have at least one good sheet. I learned a ton though, and my sheets will just get better. Public apology to anyone who gets a crap score sheet from me.


The Strong Scotch Ale I had in the first round had a 40.5, and the judges commented on the smoke in the beer (can't remember if they said peat). No smoke or peat was used in making that beer. Might be the phenolics that 1728 is said to produce. To be honest I don't get anything smokey from this beer. It just might be that since they were looking for it they convinced themselves that they found it.

In BCS Jamil wrote about getting "smoky" comments on cat 9s made with the Chico strain. That was my experience as well.

I am convinced the entire thing is a myth propagated by Americans who drank whisky in Scotland and then had beer later in the day.

As an example of the opposite, I once bought the Aecht Schlenkerla bier schnapps in Bamberg. I tried some in the evening after drinking rauchbier all day and was disappointed that there was no smoke aroma/flavor in the distilled Schnapps.

If I hadn't brought the bottle home and you had tasked me with writing schnapps guidelines I might have gone and done something like say that there is no smoke aroma in schnapps made from smoked beers.

I brought the rest home and shared some at a competition. It was extremely smoky.