[Malticulous]

Best is 50. It's not possible. 46 is the highest I know of.

Keep in mind those scores are not from the batch in the pictures.  The pictured batch was considerable better to me. I only sent that one in because I had already entered it (and payed) before I brewed it. I've only made popcorn cream three times.

[tomsawyer]

Nice looking brew there Malti, it'd be interesting to have a beer that light with some biscuity notes.

In my very limited experience, beers scoring in the upper 30's usually go to the "finals" for a given style.  Means you've got a sollid recipe and good execution.

[johnf]

Enter the KCBM comp, we give out 50s like candy  (tomsawyer got one of them).

Seriously though, I have given as high as 46 in about 500? scoresheets filled out. My highest (consensus) score received was a 45 I believe in maybe 125 beers entered.

Scores seem to vary a bit in generosity from local group to local group but I would say average is around 30-32 and a 40 is the top 10th percentile if not a bit more rare. 50s should be extremely rare, like once in a lifetime events for a judge or an entrant (if that).

The general point being that the whole 50 point scale is used*. This isn't Beer Advocate where anything that has seen a barrel is guaranteed a high score. Nobody should feel bad about a score in the low to mid 30s or even one in the 20s (good brewers get them all the time). When you talk about a score like 48-50 you should consider what that (hopefully means), the judge fully expects this to be one of the best small handful out of hundreds or thousands of examples tried in that style.

* This depends on your philosophy and the comp rules but typically very bad beer scores are truncated at a courtesy score of 14 or something like that.

[euge]

There's a brand of masa harina called Pan.  I've never used it but supposedly it is great in a Cream ale. You'll find it in the Mexican section along with the Goya brands most likely.

I might do one this week. But, I'll use the masa in my cupboard. Basically nixtimalized corn or hominy. 

[The Professor]

There's a brand of masa harina called Pan.  I've never used it but supposedly it is great in a Cream ale. You'll find it in the Mexican section along with the Goya brands most likely.

I might do one this week. But, I'll use the masa in my cupboard. Basically nixtimalized corn or hominy. 

I use masa harina frequently ...various brands, and they all work great.  Also maize poha, purchased at an Indo-Paki grocery store (there's one of those about every mile here in central NJ where I live).   Popcon is also great, as long as it's plain, hot air-popped.

The poha is simple flaked corn.  Lately I've been buying it in bulk for a buck a pound.
Rice poha is great as well.
All of the above gelatanize at mash temps too, so there's no need to precook.

[tomsawyer]

Enter the KCBM comp, we give out 50s like candy   (tomsawyer got one of them).

I can't help it if the guy liked my beer!  And it did come in second, so the other one must have really been a 51.

If only I'd used a can of corn...

[tygo]

Enter the KCBM comp, we give out 50s like candy   (tomsawyer got one of them).

I can't help it if the guy liked my beer!  And it did come in second, so the other one must have really been a 51.

If only I'd used a can of corn...

Wait, you scored a 50 and it came in second? 

[jeffy]

Enter the KCBM comp, we give out 50s like candy   (tomsawyer got one of them).

I can't help it if the guy liked my beer!  And it did come in second, so the other one must have really been a 51.

If only I'd used a can of corn...

Wait, you scored a 50 and it came in second? 

Happens to me all the time…..

[tygo]

Enter the KCBM comp, we give out 50s like candy   (tomsawyer got one of them).

I can't help it if the guy liked my beer!  And it did come in second, so the other one must have really been a 51.

If only I'd used a can of corn...

Wait, you scored a 50 and it came in second? 

Happens to me all the time…..

 

[gordonstrong]

Enter the KCBM comp, we give out 50s like candy   (tomsawyer got one of them).

I can't help it if the guy liked my beer!  And it did come in second, so the other one must have really been a 51.

If only I'd used a can of corn...

Wait, you scored a 50 and it came in second? 

Happens to me all the time…..

Sorry

[tomsawyer]

One guy out of the two judges who scored it, gave it a 50.  Obviously he wasn't an experienced judge since you don't do that.  The beer did go on the the "finals" where the more experienced judges decided the gueuze was better.  I'd have liked to try that beer, I love wild Belgians.

[brewing_in_mke]

Oh yeah mashed in a pound of hot air popped popcorn for some extra corn flavor to malt liquor we made. The popcorn reduces down to about nothing after it gets wet.