Can someone help me. I received my score sheets back from the first round and all three of the beers I entered in category 10 were marked that they had advanced to the mini best of show and one of them my Brown in 10c is marked with 2nd place. Does this mean I got thru the first round with the 10c entry?
???
I think that’s a safe bet.
If the cover sheets are filled out correctly, yes.
WAHOOOOOOO!!! I am a little excited. ;D
You will get instructions on what to do next.
Janis will have the results posted soon, so wait to see your name on the list for that region. Good luck in the 2nd round.
Thanks fellow Michigander. As you might guess this is my first time making it thru first round. ;D
This is where I have a problem with the current “release” schedule…
You have your results and can prepare for the second round. I am still waiting. There is no reason to hold all results until all regions are recieved and then posted - fairness is not an argument, as demonstrated here. >:(
release the Kraken!
I agree it does give some an advantage. Some folks have already rebrewed for the second round (me) and others still don’t know what advanced (practically everyone else in my HB club, they all used Nashville where I used Dallas). On the other hand, it does suck when everybody has to wait for that one region that’s dragging it’s feet.
Dragging it’s feet now until…next weekend.
It would be funny if it didn’t affect so many people.
Hi all,
So far, we have not passed the usual date (this Friday) for posting the First Round results of the NHC. When creating the schedule for this year, I had hoped to get the results posted one week earlier, but this wasn’t possible as it turns out. Now, the delay in posting the results is as painful for me as it is for all of the entrants. I need all 10 databases in order to create the database for the Final Round, and I can’t assign Final Round entry numbers and create the entry labels to send to the First Round winners, etc. until I have the Final Round database.
If you already have your score sheets with comments, scores, and information about whether your entry placed, you are light years ahead of all the entrants who entered the Saratoga Springs competition. If you wanted to re-brew, you have had every opportunity to do so since the competition began, or even before that. Otherwise, relax, don’t worry, have a homebrew; we’re all doing the best we can under the circumstances
Thanks for your patience and understanding. Good luck to everyone qualifying for the Final Round!
Cheers,
Janis
you are joking… right? what if I entered 5 beers, or 15, or 50? How am I to know which made it through the gauntlet and which fell by the wayside? I am still waiting for results from you or in the mail, and am WAY under a reasonable timeframe to rebrew a great beer in time to ship for the final round.
I would hate to have your job right now, with, literally, hundreds of brewers waiting and grumbling at you every day.
What I don’t understand is why you can’t release the results when you get them. There is not a fairness issue - you either moved ahead in your region, or you did not. Since you could only enter one region this year, there is no advantage or disadvantage to knowing the results as soon as possible. You can develop your database and entry numbers and such after the fact - most just want to know if they made it or not.
Quit splitting hairs, it seems like everyone is looking for a reason to complain about this year’s NHC. Take some personal responsibility and plan your brewing accordingly if it is that bloody important.
Competition sure brings out the best in people.
As the Boyscouts say, “Be prepared”.
If you were so sure of your beer, you should have rebrewed. At least you would have more on hand to drink if it did not move on.
If you only entered big beers or lagers, all I can say is chill and RDWHAHB. The rebrew thing can be done, but is not done all of the time.
Here is kind of the genius of this year…
You could enter your beers in any region. It has long been known that some regions judge before others. Typically the west coast has their sheets back while in the midwest… we have to wait for the full release to know if we placed or not.
This year, though, you could have entered your beer in ANY region. Next year, just enter your beer in the region that is judged first if you are that worried about it.
This issue you speak of has been present for many years… it is just the nature of the competition. You can either choose to embrace the competition for what it is… the biggest, the most, and the best… going head to head.
So accept the logistics that come with it… or just enter in something smaller that does not have the logistics involved.
Choose wisely… I chose to sit this year out… and I miss the excitement greatly!!!
Agreed Jeff.
I’m just as anxious as the next guy but as Janis has indicated, we are still on track to determine the first round winners as we did at the same time last year.
In the words of the great Charlie P.
RDWHAHB 
Eh, it’s impossible to tell what beers will get through. I’ll be a Master judge in a couple of months and of the 7 I got through, 1 was among the 5 I thought were best. It’s a crapshoot, no use pretending otherwise.
I entered a bunch of the NHC beers in a regional competition that I also judged. The 2nd place fruit beer from the Dallas first round was vocally ridiculed by a judge at the regional comp. The 3rd place BOS at the regional comp scored around 30 at Dallas.
Yeah, someone thought my American Barleywine was too hoppy! 
And a beginner judge recommended that I thin my RIS with water! ???
My ginger ale was last in our homebrew club competition in February, but it was touch and go for first or second in the NHC 1st round.
Yeah, you get some boneheaded comments from judges. I’ve had judges tasting the same beer say it was “bone dry” and “cloyingly sweet”. ::) But if they both give it a 30 it doesn’t really matter to me if they can’t phrase why it’s not a great bottle, it’s not going to advance.
There was an award winning brew at GABF one year called “Most Beer Judges Are Boneheads Pils.”
You win some and you lose some - different judge different day.
…it doesn’t really matter to me if they can’t phrase why it’s not a great bottle,
But that’s the whole point to me. If there are objective reasons that my beer didn’t win I want to know what they are, that’s why I entered the contest in the first place. I have so many score sheets that do a great job of providing a sensory evaluation of my beer but fail to make a single comment on how it deviated from the judges ideal for the style. I appreciate the you gave my beer a 36 but what I really want to know is where did I lose 14 points?
For example, I recently entered an Irish Red Ale. The BJCP gives this description for aroma:
Aroma: Low to medium malty sweetness, sometimes accentuated by low to moderate kettle caramelization. Some examples have a low hop aroma, light fruitiness, low diacetyl, and/or a low to moderate peaty aroma (all are optional). The peaty aroma is sometimes perceived as earthy, smoky or very lightly roasted.
Here are one of the judge’s notes:
Aroma: Malty up front with a toast note and very light roast, no hops or esters which is OK for the style.
…and he gave the beer 8 of 12 points. Where did this beer lose 4 points? Why did this beer only reach 66% of your ideal for this category? The judges notes don’t seem to vary from the guideline yet 8% of the total score was lost in this area.
I really appreciate that the judges are doing a great job of tasting the beers. Their ability to taste and describe the beers is more nuanced and accurate than ever, but there are few if any comments that I can use to improve the beers.
So judges, please feel free to give me your constructive negative criticism. I know I’m doing a competent job of brewing to the style, I need to know exactly what your looking for in this style that you didn’t get from my beer.
Tom