National Homebrew Club Ireland

Ladies and Gents,

Firstly, many thanks for those that have entered in the 2016 National Brewing Championships.

We hit out limit of 400 beers earlier today with over 100 entries in the past 24 hours.
As we hit this 10 days in advance of close, a number of brewers who intended entering have missed out.
In order to assess the extent of missed entries, could any brewer who missed out please PM me directly?
We are not promising anything, but will see what can be done to accommodate as many members as we can.

The single biggest factor in making this event run smoothly is the number of bodies that present for service, Judges or Stewards and coordinators.
If you can at all, please put your name down for service as this gives us greater flexibility, makes the day run a lot more smoothly and allows us to expand he competition to accommodate more entries and entrants.

Many thanks,
John

Mazer Cup official entry rules:
(...)
This year if you enter but fail to pay within 72 hours, your entries will be released back into the pool of available entry slots for other competitors.
Please be sure to make payment within 72 hours to ensure your registration and entry are complete. You will receive verification that you are entered, paid for and added to the competition database.
(...)

We will be doing a big reconciliation this weekend to ensure all entries are paid and entrants are current full members.
If someone has an unpaid entry and they haven't brewed yet - or they arent happy with the quality, please delete the entry to free up a space for a member

If the system has you as unpaid, and you have paid, get in touch via PM asap !

James

I'm pushing mine right to the end of next week as I want to get club opinions before the final submissions. Don't delete me! :)

Quote from: molc on January 22, 2016, 08:32:23 PM
I'm pushing mine right to the end of next week as I want to get club opinions before the final submissions. Don't delete me! :)

+1

Let's not be too hasty chaps. 31st is the closing date.

What Partridge is saying to be fair to other entrants, you should be able to tell yourself if you beer is up to par or not. If you are uncertain of it, it should never have been entered at all
It will potentially be over a month before its judged, 7 days is not going to make any difference calling it this weekend will help registrar and others that couldn't get their shit together.
Come on now don't be a meanie by blocking a slot with an iffy beer, you fecking Divas only brew Gold medal beer in any case so what's the story?

I don't think it's a question of people "hogging" competition slots. Myself and molc are pointing out that you can't set a payment deadline of 31st Jan and then decide to bring it forward by a week just because a few members are disappointed at having missed the boat. Some people might not be able to pay the required fees until next weekend, for financial or other reasons. Unless I've misunderstood partridge's post??

I'm quite happy with the quality of the beers, but some will be better in different categories. If they aren't a good match for those other categories, then they will be freed, otherwise I'm submitting.

We keep saying use your local clubs to improve the quality in the nationals - can't give out to us when we try to do that!

EDIT: I've paid. On your heads if ye don't like them; I tried :P

Your absolutely right its doesn't close until the 31st and you have until then to pay.
I'm nearly sure I went to a pre-judging beers with you guys in Dec how many pre-comp comp pre comps are you having? 
I'll buy you a pint Molc if yours don't place, easy money ;)

In Wicklow all solid first time, sitting pretty and good to go

Quote from: CH on January 22, 2016, 11:04:10 PM
I'm nearly sure I went to a pre-judging beers with you guys in Dec how many pre-comp comp pre comps are you having? 
I'll buy you a pint Molc if yours don't place, easy money ;)

In Wicklow all solid first time, sitting pretty and good to go

Ever a perfectionist me ;)

I'm wondering what search terms you googled to come up with that pic. And don't say "bubbles relaxing".. :)

Oh it was simple enough
Smug confident little Garden County Brewer Monkeys with big balls and a new star striker signed up from SCD ;)

Get your eyes off him ya bollix!

2 homebrewers 1 cup?

Think you need a wooden spoon emoticon dude.. Ouch!

Ah it's only a bit of friendly inter club banter, silver looks good on you guys in any case

I guess the NCB/SDB axis is just going to have to put those GCB brewers in their place. ;)

Those GCB lads, NCB are going to be the new king of the hill.
Either way, we will rob you cars.

I think we need a separate trash talking thread! :)

Big talk from GCB and NCB this year. The club trophy is going to interesting this year..

I'm gonna be eating my words start of March ;)

*pops head in from Capital Brewers Whatsapp*

May the best club win. Sure it's the taking part that counts.

I respect the rules, but limiting the number of entries is not a good practice.

Oh , the overall entries

the overall entry limit is not fair to open competition. As chairman of Lee Valley Brewing Club, several members including myself were planning to pay our sub to nhc and enter our beers at the same time.

Sorry I misunderstood.

Limiting the number of entries is very good practice if you want to run a well organised competition.

We have bottle sorting, coming up, labelling, I have 800 labels ready and 200 on standby.

We have our crates organised, transport and bottle sorters

We have venue sizes and cellar room sizes, and we have the sheer volume to actually judge.

We want to ensure brewers get quality feedback, so that means the judges should around 8 beers or 12 max

Number of entries impacts all the above items, but I do appreciate most do not know all the logistics in the back ground.

That said , if you have missed out and Don't have an entry,  PM john rm ASAP, there is a reasonable chance a space could open for you, no promises of course.

I have already sent a pm to john. I known the logistics I won a medal the last two years running in old ale category.

Fingers crossed you get your entry in so !

We still have a number of unpaid entries,  so you never know.

Quote from: rebel on January 25, 2016, 07:14:15 PM
I have already sent a pm to john. I known the logistics I won a medal the last two years running in old ale category.

If you know the logistics you can understand why we made radical changes this year which have been flagged since September.

1. Cap at 400 entries.
2. Members only competition.
3. 500Ml bottles strictly enforced

Members that have pm'd John have an outside chance of entry, if you are not a member you have no chance sorry as its members fees that contribute to the running of the comp.
You will need to plead your case to the registrar Johnrm by PM and because you are local he may take pity on your plea but there are full paid members ahead of you in that queue.

As chairman of one of the 18 or so listed clubs , I and the members I represent have a better chance than just pleading.

I think the point was, you need to be a member to enter the competition.  Its a rule like !  :D

I dont think that will be bent, Im afraid.

I do appreciate its a new rule, but it makes sense. Someone needs to pay for this shin dig !

If you want to have any hope of getting in - Join up ASAP !  Especially if you are  a past medal winner  ;)

I have no problem paying

Er sorry even more there there are only 3 positions appointed around here that govern and hold any power and after that its members and non members, then there are lots of folks like me that help in the running, the club reps are volunteer posts but carry no weight over standard members.
Put your case to Johnrm I'm sure he'll sort it for you, but as a matter of urgency the first thing you need to do as a club rep is pay your €10 membership fee to be even considered, that part of the comp. rules is non negotiable.

Gents, the deal is that there are only so many spaces.
When the 31st rolls in slots may become available.
IF slots become available these will be allocated to members unfortunate enough to have missed out and in the fairest way possible.
Until them there is very little that can be done.

I'd just like to point out, that even with 400 entries, the club is really stretched to transport and judge all the beers. Right now, we only have about half the desired judges and stewards signed up to run what is an at max capacity event.
If there was no limits set, it would be a logistical nightmare not to mention the quality of the judging and score sheets would suffer.
This is a club event that lives and dies by the hard work of a small number of members. The limits and deadlines that have been set are very fair and clear.
If people want to I crease these in the future, then we need more people helping out with competitions and local events to give more people the chance.

I have to say that I am very impressed with the organization and way to how everything is so professional. Thanks NCB!

Look we will try and fit every member in where possible.
A victim of our own success.
Last year we judged 410 beers in 2 centres, with a lot fewer entrants which is great for this year and I'm sure in future years there will be caps on the numbers of beers you can enter which will also drive the quality over quantity, we have come a huge way since 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2UjH9GFJ-c

Everyone's known about the limit and the requirement about membership the same amount of time. I think it would be unfair to those that got their entries in time to  expand it at this point (nevermind the logistics)

Quote from: bachus on January 25, 2016, 09:27:59 PM
Thanks NCB!

I think you'll find that in spite of their size and many divisions they have never run a comp, but all that's about to change I gather? and in their defence all their lads have helped deliver others including our own in GCB but we are still waiting for the invite back

Quote from: CH on January 25, 2016, 09:50:40 PM

Quote from: bachus on January 25, 2016, 09:27:59 PM
Thanks NCB!

I think you'll find that in spite of their size and many divisions they have never run a comp, but all that's about to change I gather? and in their defence all their lads have helped deliver others including our own in GCB but we are still waiting for the invite back

Fingers crossed we get to do one next year. Would love to give back a bit with a comp. Half the reason I became a judge!

Quote from: CH on January 25, 2016, 09:28:50 PM
Look we will try and fit every member in where possible.
A victim of our own success.
Last year we judged 410 beers in 2 centres, with a lot fewer entrants which is great for this year and I'm sure in future years there will be caps on the numbers of beers you can enter which will also drive the quality over quantity, we have come a huge way since 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2UjH9GFJ-c

Memories :)

Shanna

Quote from: molc on January 25, 2016, 09:15:29 PM
Right now, we only have about half the desired judges and stewards signed up to run what is an at max capacity event.

An email shot to bjcp judges in EU might help? People like an excuse to fly places for a weekend esp when its beer related.

So I've entered an Irish red and handed it into the drop off point and all. I also brewed an American Pale but by the time I tasted the APA and decided I'd like to enter it, the competition was full. Is it possible to change my current paid entry to the APA category and swap the bottles I handed in?

Hi BD, I've marked it as unpaid.
See what you can change.
PM me with any problems.
I'll set it to paid once you're done.

Paid for your entry ... but having second thoughts ??

We can refund your entry and delete if from the system,

no worries at all   :)

Just hollar

+1
If your having doubts about your beer - please make a call on it ASAP.
There are still some lads waiting in the wings and we don't want to see the comp falling short of the entry target.
Timing is critical here as collection starts very soon after the drops close.
Thanks,
John

We're at capacity of 400.
Thanks to anyone who pulled a few of their weaker beers to allow latecomers in.
It affords greater competition and will improve the standard overall.