National Brewing Championships 2014 - Discussion

[LordEoin]

Wow that's inflation for you...

I presume the €8 covers entry into both competitions?

[Rossa]

Wow that's inflation for you...

I presume the €8 covers entry into both competitions?

Yep.

Last years prices were too low to run a competition of this magnitude. They were too low last year too and led to a loss.

[Rossa]

What's the reasons for proposing a split of the competition?

Logistics. More manageable. Higher judging standards. More BJCP points on offer. More medals. More prizes. Share the love.

[Rossa]

Looks good rossa
Just to clarify the proposals.
If we split this as suggested this will mean all the barrel project beers can not enter the main competition.
We also have 1 trophy which represents the yearly winner. Is the proposal for the second competition going to have the same status as the main national one.
Last year we allowed non members of clubs to enter beers and pay a premium. Should we not allow this again this year and charge a higher premium for non members.
Any other thoughs

The 'main' competition will have two 'main' winners. A style winner and a speciality winner. Two trophies. Two days out. Two things to get excited about. More judging experience so in the future we can run bigger events.

Entry for both will be at the same time with pricing of €8 getting you into both.

[Rossa]

Makes lots of sense to keep all the speciality beers to another day of judging.

May I suggest session IPA as a sub cat?


Can you change your entry form all the way up to the comp date?

Yep. I guess it is numbers dependant.

Afaik the software will let you register the number if beers you're entering and at a later date you fill in the details.

The early closing date is to give us the maximum time to get prepared. Last year I think we had two weeks or less with our final numbers. It was crazy.

[Rossa]

I read it that way too.

I think overall what is proposed is quite exclusionary and will result in a much smaller competition(s) than last year.

We have 200+ paid members. If the comp encourages people to join is that not a goof thing. We are a club after after all. A club for members or are we a business?

If 200+ people submit  an average of 4 beers each we are looking at over 800 entries. 1600 bottles. We will need a truck to move them.  This is only going one way. Up.

[Rossa]

From a purely selfish perspective this is fantastic as I'll probably be out of the country when the style competition is on (again  ), but I'll just have to toddle up to the Well for the speciality competition.

Mind, having entered the speciality section last year, it was completely dominated by big hoppy black IPAs, could I suggest a third competition for Black IPAs, maybe in May?

We can split the speciality up into sub categories of whatever we want. Again, suggestions are welcome. Bipa and Dipa might be worth exploring as a stand alone.

[delzep]

You said that 8 euro will get you into both competitions, but how can the same beer be entered for both comps?

[Rossa]

You said that 8 euro will get you into both competitions, but how can the same beer be entered for both comps?

It can't, but in essence it is the same competition. The one competition software will be used for both. The competition is basically split with two winners.
We'll work the trophy situation out. Two trophies would be best but  We can put them in a paddling pool of baby oil and they can fight it out to be champion if that's what you would like??? 

We have a very generous offer from Shane in the well that will easily cover any trophy expenses in Cork, if that is what is decided.

[mr hoppy]

From a purely selfish perspective this is fantastic as I'll probably be out of the country when the style competition is on (again  ), but I'll just have to toddle up to the Well for the speciality competition.

Mind, having entered the speciality section last year, it was completely dominated by big hoppy black IPAs, could I suggest a third competition for Black IPAs, maybe in May?

We can split the speciality up into sub categories of whatever we want. Again, suggestions are welcome. Bipa and Dipa might be worth exploring as a stand alone.

I was half joking about that. I entered a Czech dark lager in last year's competition (coz that's what I'd made) and I think that the feedback from the judges (both professional brewers) was really insightful considering how many BIPAs there was in the speciality section last year.

[delzep]

There was only about 4 black ipa entries last year

[mr hoppy]

There was only about 4 black ipa entries last year

My bad. You're absolutely right - I think my memory might have been influenced by the popularity of BIPAs amongst my rebel brethren!

[Rossa]

There was only about 4 black ipa entries last year

It would really depend on numbers of specialty entries. If we had  sub categories lined up people may think of brewing for them. AusNz pale ales are another example. Very popular these days and don't fit the lake ale category 100%. In fact the U.K. had there own stand alone cat for those last year.

[Partridge9]

Its a bit early to be talking categories - I have to say the split to cork - helps us show we are not dublin orientated, it also help split the numbers a little - the B&C was jammers last year - so there are a lot of upsides logistically.
The monies are pretty spot on and it will be close to self funding, and from the membership perspective - we are growing all the time, i'm pretty sure the vast majority of last years entrants are members.
So from the memberships team perspective making people join to enter isnt a problem - if anything we will get more members.

Great Job Rossa - it aint easy - but someones gotta do it!

[DEMPSEY]

As its heading towards late November we should be planning a few logistic,s soon no.