An idea of having various Cups for the different Club competitions that the clubs are running each year is mooted. We could have the various category's as
American styles
English Styles
Stouts & Porters
IPA's
German Styles
The idea is each year as the clubs run competitions they could swap around so that they do not do the same competition each year. :)
I oppose this motion for the following reasons: Its a lot of work to run a competition & hard to get help, stewards & enough judges to show up on the day. For these reasons I think clubs should be allowed run whatever comp they like, that suits them & their tastes & keeps their club members interested in the running of the comp. Galway ran IPA fest last year. Probably the most popular style there is right now, we had over 50 entries, and we still almost had a total comp melt down with more than half of the judges cancelling on us the night before. If Galway had a less popular style I think we'd struggle hugely to get judges to travel across the country to judge for us. Clubs are autonomous & should be left to make their own decisions when it comes to running THEIR own annual competition.
Excellent idea! So the plan is to have each club bid for the comp? Like Russia and Qatar?
Pob and I will be starting a thread shortly, won't we Pob ;) about how to streamline comp online entries through to judging and getting results to Brewers within 24 hours and everything in between
Our own wee bjcp style competition system would be great. The Wicklow comp was a great example of the entry and feedback system done simply and well.
I understand Toms frustration with Comps.
Judges are hard to come by and you really need people to commit.
Organising flights and rejigging these at the last minute is a PITA and delays everything.
Unfortunately there is a list of undependables developing.
That said, no one club has a claim on any style based competition.
One of the 50 clubs in Dublin may decide to do an IPA comp tomorrow, and there is nothing to stop them.
One of the recurring things in Comp is shit beers.
My hand is up for this, In the IPA fest I had a 13, I did not have the time to get a good beer together, it all happened at the last minute and I knew it was flawed, so should have pulled it.
For competitions going forward, there need as to be more prescreening, however that happens.
From Beersmiths latest monthly mailer...
(Brad Smith interviewing Gordon Strong)
"Any advice for competitive homebrewers?
Learn to be a beer judge. Understand what the judges are looking for, and then try to provide it. Understand competition mechanics. Then try to make the best beer you possibly can. When brewing for competition, pay careful attention to hitting the style. Not just the numbers, but the overall balance and impression. Taste your beer before sending it. Don't send losers. Read the feedback carefully, and decide why your beer was scored the way it was. When rebrewing your beer, take the feedback into account and try to correct any mistakes. Try to give the judges what they want, and you'll be ahead of the game."
If ye would pardon an opinion from a non competitor like myself i do think that above all else individual clubs' autonomy is and should remain sacracent,don't interfere,if they are a bunch of lazy feckers then leave them be,so long as what they are or are not doing does not reflect poorly on the NHC as a whole then let them do their thing in peace. However i do think the "cough cough" less active "clubs" could do with the application of work related footwear in a forward motion to the Gluteus Maximus ;D
Quote from: johnrm on June 09, 2015, 01:23:12 PM
For competitions going forward, there need as to be more prescreening, however that happens.
It depends on how it's done. If I need to pay up front then I'm going to send the beer anyway. There's no point me not sending it and forfeiting money and feedback.
Maybe if there is an infection you pay an additional fee for the analysis!
It's not about the money.
Brewers need to be upping there game, if you have repeated problems with your beers, give them to someone to taste and try to identify the issue before it gets to the nationals.
We are looking at doing club cups for our summer session and probably the (unannounced) winter warmer competitions. Happy to keep running these every year.
Puts on his Psychic Hat:
I think Brian was just suggesting to transfer some of our humungeous cash reserve into some piddly little plastic/silver trophies for the regional group clubs.
Those that ask get a small cup that they can award annually for whichever club comp they decide on.
So its one cup, once a year, eg the NCB group has had several informal comps in the year but for the "Dempsey Cup" we decided on the main comp of the year: "Best lark vomit stout";
Boringly it will just be engraved "Awarded to the best NCB brewer this year!"
You keep it for one year or until your group organises another comp
Quote from: Will_D on June 09, 2015, 10:22:11 PM
Puts on his Psychic Hat:
I think Brian was just suggesting to transfer some of our humungeous cash reserve into some piddly little plastic/silver trophies for the regional group clubs.
Those that ask get a small cup that they can award annually for whichever club comp they decide on.
So its one cup, once a year, eg the NCB group has had several informal comps in the year but for the "Dempsey Cup" we decided on the main comp of the year: "Best lark vomit stout";
Boringly it will just be engraved "Awarded to the best NCB brewer this year!"
You keep it for one year or until your group organises another comp
+1 :)
But look what he started!
I love Dempsey!