So What do I need to do to make competition winning beer?

[Leann ull]

Ok so the Nationals are only 4 months away and so here is a thread to contribute to from judges and those that score well to get you thinking how to brew competition winning beers.

[Leann ull]

Plan plan plan, start early, at least on 4 occasions I have brewed beer which has been too green and not conditioned enough for competitions, I taste them 2 months after the competition and they have fully developed and harshness has softened. It can add 5 points to your score and make a good beer a great beer.

[Leann ull]

Dont use shit ingredients, if you grain is stale or soft and not crunchy, if you hops don't smell great as soon as you open the packet sling em. would you bake a cake with sour milk or old eggs? Shit ingredients shit beer simple as.

[Leann ull]

Fermentation temperatures and Hygiene, done to death on this forum as they are the two major reasons I have tasted crap beer in competitions and yet it keeps coming up, the beer gods gave us homebrewers W5, Stansan and heat belts for a reason, use them.

[Leann ull]

Get a considered opinion, not mammy or the girlfriend or anybody else that doesn't want to offend, meets are great but not everybody can go to meets, pull out the 2015 style guidelines and score your beer objectively, if you think its poor the judges will too.
Bottle 3 taste 1 the week before you enter, if you don't like it or its not to style the judges definitely won't, save yourself the fiver. 

I had 4 beers ready for liffey, they weren't carbonated enough and one of them was an experiment that went wrong, I was gutted as the feckers took ages but I didn't enter as they weren't up to scratch, I'll enjoy them for christmas and they will be in top condition for the nationals.

[Leann ull]

But I don't know where to start with recipes? don't be afraid to copy or clone, but do something different that will make it your own.

[Leann ull]

Take one step at a time, 3 new additions on a recipe can be tricky to see what impact each had on the final beer.

[Leann ull]

Take judges comments, suggestions, and questions seriously but not personally.
Believe it or not they are there to try and help, and a good bjcp judge on the score sheet if you brew a poor beer will give you ideas on recipes and process to help you improve your flavour if its not to style or has a particular flaw.
Personally I try to taste "beyond the flaw" if its safe to do so and sometimes a dirty bottle or poor hygiene can murder what was an amazing beer.

[Pheeel]

Bottle 3 taste 1 the week before you enter, if you don't like it or its not to style the judges definitely won't, save yourself the fiver. 

I think that's fine for club competitions but I seem to remember for the nationals you have to pay upfront

[Leann ull]

Bottle 3 taste 1 the week before you enter, if you don't like it or its not to style the judges definitely won't, save yourself the fiver. 

I think that's fine for club competitions but I seem to remember for the nationals you have to pay upfront

Closing date is 1st Feb you can register your entries from probably December this year (tbc) and delete or not pay right up to the 1st of Feb.
If the payment hasn't been received then the entry is not accepted. Thats 3 weeks before Belfast leg same as most local comps and 5 weeks before Dublin leg.

[Pheeel]

Closing date is 1st Feb you can register your entries from probably December this year (tbc) and delete or not pay right up to the 1st of Feb.
If the payment hasn't been received then the entry is not accepted. Thats 3 weeks before Belfast leg same as most local comps and 5 weeks before Dublin leg.

In which case, yes I agree

[beerfly]

When cleaning your equipment make sure you give it a really good rinse. Have seen some oxi products labled as no rinse when their not.

[Bubbles]

Enter your beer in the category in which your beer fits best, which is not necessarily the style that was on the original recipe you used.

e.g. if your "Best Bitter" came out a little stronger than intended, maybe enter it as an "ESB" instead. Your "Irish Red" a little roastier than intended? Maybe it would fare better in the porter category.

If you can't decide which category it fits best, seek the opinion of an experienced home brewer (most will be only too happy to evaluate your beer for you) or enter the beer in both categories!

[mr hoppy]

Fermentation temperatures and Hygiene, done to death on this forum as they are the two major reasons I have tasted crap beer in competitions and yet it keeps coming up, the beer gods gave us homebrewers W5, Stansan and heat belts for a reason, use them.

Use enough yeast.

[Bubbles]

Don't use any distinctive markings (labels, writing on the cap) on your bottles. It's against the rules!
Don't use clear bottles!