2015 National HomeBrew Championship

[Rossa]

I had a good chat with the guys in Galway, south Dublin and capital brewers last week along with anyone else I met face to face ( Garden county, Rebel, Liffey and north county, I have been getting around!).

I put it to them that we should break up section 23 in a trial run by adding specialty IPA as a medal category of its own. This would include the Brett, Belgian, Session, rye, black forms of the style, and anymore we can think of. Everyone agreed it would be worth running with it this time around as most of these have some sort of guidelines available.  These styles will make up the majority of 23 we think so separating them seems right.

Wine is also to be trialled but in a capped basis providing we can get judges.

Instructions on how to enter these will be on the competition site which we will be launching soon.

Not long to go....just over 3 months brewing left.

[molc]

Wish I had put my ris into 500ml bottles now - I'd actually love to have that drop judged. Anyway of transferring from a 5litre mini keg to 500ml bottles without damaging the beer that anyone knows?

[Rossa]

Wish I had put my ris into 500ml bottles now - I'd actually love to have that drop judged. Anyway of transferring from a 5litre mini keg to 500ml bottles without damaging the beer that anyone knows?

Siphon and 're-prime I'd say.

[molc]

As in they'll take 330ml bottles? That'd rock. I've learned my bottling lesson now

[DEMPSEY]

Anyway of transferring from a 5litre mini keg to 500ml bottles without damaging the beer that anyone knows?

Counter pressure bottler

[molc]

Wish I had put my ris into 500ml bottles now - I'd actually love to have that drop judged. Anyway of transferring from a 5litre mini keg to 500ml bottles without damaging the beer that anyone knows?

Siphon and 're-prime I'd say.

Well if that doesn't cause any damage to the beer, sounds like a good option.

[Rossa]

Wish I had put my ris into 500ml bottles now - I'd actually love to have that drop judged. Anyway of transferring from a 5litre mini keg to 500ml bottles without damaging the beer that anyone knows?

Siphon and 're-prime I'd say.

Well if that doesn't cause any damage to the beer, sounds like a good option.

Just do 3 bottles. One for testing and if it's good send the rest to the comp. Quality control.

[molc]

Cool I'll track the keg next month after some more conditioning and give it a go then. Wee

[Hop Bomb]

As in they'll take 330ml bottles?

Yeah, think so.

National HomeBrew Championship 2015 are only taking 500ml bottles though. Just so we are all clear on that. 

[molc]

I like her thinking. First I'm going to try it out on the ncb lads and see if they think it's any good

[Tom]

A good beer should be rewarded and just because it strays over the lines slightly it doesn't mean it should be punished.

Having said that (and this is probably not the place for it) seeing as judging is subjective anyway, bitterness, body, aroma etc already has a degree of flexibility. Making that even more lenient will only increase the average score; the winning beer will still be the winning beer. I'd say stick with the guidelines. Most are vague anyway. Medium light body to medium full body is pretty broad.

[johnrm]

Do we have a rule of thumb for medals for small categories?
i.e. 3 mediocre to passable schwarzbiers produced by the same person so Gold, Silver and bronze 

[Rossa]

Do we have a rule of thumb for medals for small categories?
i.e. 3 mediocre to passable schwarzbiers produced by the same person so Gold, Silver and bronze 

We were going with the idea of a maximum of one entry per person per sub category. So only one Irish red or Schwartz per entrant would be allowed. This stops blanket bombing and gives everyone an equal chance. It's about giving everyone a shot and not just the guy who brews every week if the year. It is also what a lot of other competitions do to avoid the blanket bombing.

One of the issues here is that one judge's 32 is another judge's 25 but it is something to be looked at i think. Last year we left it to the discretion of the judges in the medal rounds.

[Bubbles]

Do we have a rule of thumb for medals for small categories?
i.e. 3 mediocre to passable schwarzbiers produced by the same person so Gold, Silver and bronze 

Damn you, johnrm!!!! What am I going to do with all this feckin schwarzbier now?! 

[pob]

Damn you, johnrm!!!! What am I going to do with all this feckin schwarzbier now?! 

Well with the new 2014 BJCP guidelines* you could enter them in:

Schwarzbier Urquell
Black German Lager
Black US Lite Lager
Black US  Lager
Black Session 'Wet' Low Hop IPA
Black Stout Light
Black Steam Beer
Black Kölsch
Black Betty Beer





* E&OE. These categories are subject to change and may not be in the final document ;-)