I'm looking forward to the National Competition and thinking about entering competitions in general. I know where I can find all the rules and processes, which is very helpful and well organized. I'm stuck on a couple practical issues.
1. In Zymurgy, many of the winners say they force carbonated their beer. However, entries must be submitted in bottles. Do they fill and cap the bottles from their kegs, similarly to the way growlers are filled? Does the beer stay fresh long enough this way?
2. When do brewers start brewing the beers they will enter to ensure freshness? Obviously style has a contributing factor because some beers are aged, anyway. But, do many future participants have their entries ready to go in carboys in their basements as of this writing? Or, is there A MOVEMENT of brewing going on in December and January?
Thanks for any insight the community can offer. It's very overwhelming, right now, but I'm sure with consideration and planning it all becomes very simple.
--Derek