[morticaixavier]

Personally I am very disappointed with the imposition of a lottery to determine who gets to attend NHC.  I have participated in NHC the last three years and never had any issues getting registered right after the process opened up.   In my opinion it should be first come, first served basis. 

We can say that a lottery of sorts, was already in place. Those that were fast on the draw, won the lottery.

The activity crunch that this 'need for speed' created, really killed the AHA servers and put those who couldn't be on-line at the proper moment, out of luck.  I don't see a problem with a 'real' lottery. It seems much fairer and avoids the crunch.

+1 martin. I managed to get a spot least year bit it was a stressful experience. This will take the sts out of it for folks that work, our are otherwise indisposed at that one moment when the severs open up enough to let you register.

I think at least for now we should reserve judgment given that this is how it's happening anyway.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

[bluesman]

Change is upon us! I think this initiative is a positive action toward the betterment of our marvelous growing hobby.

The competition subcommittee will continue to search/evaluate further measures for future competitions. This ongoing effort is focused on addressing the continued growth and change of our fun-filled hobby. We will strive to keep an emphasis on the quality of judging, in order to meet our goal of allowing the best homebrewed beers, meads and ciders to compete in this awesome and unique competition.

[AmandaK]

If you live in a rural area it's pretty difficult to become a judge. I've spent some time trying to find classes and exams in my area and it looks like it would be virtually impossible for me.

Jim, that's not entirely true. While I live in an actual city now, I became a judge while living in a tiny Illinois town where there was no one to help within a 200 mile radius. I ended up finding a Grand Master in Sacramento that was willing to tutor me via email. There are several options for remote tutoring, so don't give up hope!

[klickitat jim]

I dig your tenacity. You proved the need for me to admit the virtually part of impossible instead of plain old impossible. I'd like to do it, but right at the moment I don't know where to start.

[hopfenundmalz]

I dig your tenacity. You proved the need for me to admit the virtually part of impossible instead of plain old impossible. I'd like to do it, but right at the moment I don't know where to start.

Jim, do a search for BJCP online courses. No endorsement for any that show up, but they are out there on the interwebz.

[klickitat jim]

Will do

[james]

I dig your tenacity. You proved the need for me to admit the virtually part of impossible instead of plain old impossible. I'd like to do it, but right at the moment I don't know where to start.

You're probably a bit less than 2 hours from me in Tri-Cities.  We've been doing a yearly BJCP study group, but I don't think it is completely necessary to learn and get experience judging. 

Locally we judge county fair (about 30ish entries each year) but the bulk of my judging experience comes from driving to Portland and Seattle.

[Stevie]

If you live in a rural area it's pretty difficult to become a judge. I've spent some time trying to find classes and exams in my area and it looks like it would be virtually impossible for me.

Jim, that's not entirely true. While I live in an actual city now, I became a judge while living in a tiny Illinois town where there was no one to help within a 200 mile radius. I ended up finding a Grand Master in Sacramento that was willing to tutor me via email. There are several options for remote tutoring, so don't give up hope!

Teckam or Pratt?

[klickitat jim]

Awesome guys. Thanks James. I also have a crazy work schedule to wrestle with. I will become a judge but it make take some MacGyvering

[AmandaK]

If you live in a rural area it's pretty difficult to become a judge. I've spent some time trying to find classes and exams in my area and it looks like it would be virtually impossible for me.

Jim, that's not entirely true. While I live in an actual city now, I became a judge while living in a tiny Illinois town where there was no one to help within a 200 mile radius. I ended up finding a Grand Master in Sacramento that was willing to tutor me via email. There are several options for remote tutoring, so don't give up hope!

Teckam or Pratt?

I went with Teckam and still can't praise him enough for what he did for me. Great guy.

beerjudgeschool.com I believe

[Stevie]

I went with Teckam and still can't praise him enough for what he did for me. Great guy.

beerjudgeschool.com I believe

He really is a good guy and great judge. I regret not taking advantage of one of his study groups. School and work got in the way.

[klickitat jim]

I'll look into that Amanda, by the way congrats on making Zymurgy!

[Jimmy K]

Thomas Barnes in New York is a National judge and grader. He put together these materials - the first two especially concentrate on how to write a scoresheet. I wish I had found it before taking the exam as he nailed a couple of my common problems. I also passed by studying on my own.

Of course, getting into an exam when you live in a rural area is also tough.

[tmsnyder]

We're talking about rules changes related to getting beers entered into the NHCompetition, not getting tickets to attend the NHConference.  But yeah it looks like the conference is going to a lottery system too.

Two different problems.  The NHCompetition not being able to judge all the beers that people would like to enter is (IMO) a matter of not having the (willing) judge pool capacity.   It seems to me at least that the changes they made will address the judge pool / site side of the equation and # of entries.

The NHConference running out of tickets is a case of demand outpacing supply.  The places lined up to host the conference two years in advance now have to be what, 3000? 4000 capacity places?   That's big and by the time it's determined that the place is too small, it's too late.  Can't move the location.  It will really start to decrease the list of cities that are even able to host, JMO.  Not much you can do about that except maybe jack up the ticket price to limit demand. 

Personally I am very disappointed with the imposition of a lottery to determine who gets to attend NHC.  I have participated in NHC the last three years and never had any issues getting registered right after the process opened up.   In my opinion it should be first come, first served basis.  Now I am concerned that I won't get in as others are to.  Like many I have vacation and family activities planned around the event.   A friend and I plan also to meet up there but the lottery throws a lot of uncertainty into the mix.  Seems as though the 20% more additional slots alone would help alleviate the problem and should be evaluated before imposing a lottery.

[Jimmy K]

Seems as though the 20% more additional slots alone would help alleviate the problem and should be evaluated before imposing a lottery.

I'm sure nobody wants a lottery, including the AHA, but due to demand, AHA had to pick the best from a bunch of less than perfect options. The 20% more slots will help, but Philly was almost double the size of Seattle. So it's impossible to estimate if 20% more is enough. Given the problems with registration last year, status quo is not the right way forward.