Entered into my first competition that is taking place here in Colorado Springs. Can’t wait to see what others think about my beer. How were your experiences with your first competition?
I’ll let you know in a few months. COHO Spring Fling will be my first
Good luck to you! My first competition was the 2013 NHC. I entered my second all grain brew, which was my second recipe design ever. To my surprise, I win a blue ribbon in round one. I actually earned a higher score in the final round, but it did not place. Needless to say, my first competition experience was a surprising success.
I’ve never entered one, but is may do so this year. I was encouraged by the results last year with Annie Johnson’s lawn mower, since I tend to make lighter lagers…no hiding behind those styles!
My first competition entry was in American Pale Ale. Didn’t realize back then the competition in that category. Didn’t place but did get some great feedback. I did get a gold the following year in that same category.
Good luck! Even if you don’t place the feedback you get helps a lot!
My first comp was a few years back, placed 3rd in a pale and second on a specialty.
I usually enter a couple a few comps each year. Just sent entries to the KC comp, hope they don’t freeze on the way, this Midwest weather is freakin’ brutal!
I was also head steward at the first competition I entered. I was thoroughly exhausted after, but my Belgian Dubbel took 2nd place in the Belgian & French category. What did you enter?
I got a ribbon for one of my beers, some good feedback that I agreed with, some not-so-good feedback that wasn’t helpful. Keep an open mind & realize that judges are people and a score and comments are not the end-all of brewing & beer enjoyment. Realize that your success or lack thereof has to be put in the context of what other beers were in that competition as well. In the end, you’ll have to evaluate for yourself if your agree with the assessment of your beer, good or bad, high score or low score. Good luck!
my first competition was, I think, world cup of beers 2012. I didn’t place on anything. as chinaski says, some of the feedback was good some not so good. Either way it was fun, and stressful, and exciting.
Hey all I have entered some comps also. My first at an Octoberfest in 2012 and got a first and best of show for a chili ale and got a free entry into the national Comp in Philly last year. didn’t do as well in the one in Philly but the feed back was priceless in helping me develop my Chile ale more. Also have entered a few others with varing results but my best I think was a comp in Philly last fall for a milk stout that got me a first and best of show and is going to be brewed at Nodding Head in Philly in a few weeks.
I won a bronze with the first beer I ever entered. That inspired me to brew and enter more. The great feedback on my scoresheet did the same and also inspired me to get involved with judging. So, it was a great experience for me. I hope yours is similar! 
damn!
I’m starting to feel inadequate in this thread.
Congrats to everyone!
I entered an IIPA into my first and only competition up to this point. It was a little ambitious especially considering that it was one of my first all grain beers and I have not brewed an IIPA since.
I don’t know where my scorecard is but I didn’t due too bad considering the circumstances. I do remember that there was a slight off-flavor that one of the judges detected and one judge in particular liked it much more than the others.
Signed up for my first comp not too long ago. I have a Quad that I brewed with the Unibroue strain back in the fall of 2012, and a Blackberry Melomel from summer '12 that I’m submitting. I’m not really into the competition thing, but I’m curious to see how these do.
These are two of the brews that I like the best from what I’ve brewed. I’m interested to hear whether there are some suggestions to make them even better. I’m also curious to see if my assessment of them is in line with what the judges think. Sort of like the “Commercial Calibration” column in Zymurgy, but using my own homebrew. For example, I love my Quad right where it is, but I suspect a judge may be looking for a bit more yeast character. In the end, the next time I brew I will still brew it to my palate, but this will be a nice doublecheck to see if I’m on with my assessment.
My first competition was the Michigan Beer Cup in 2010. The price of your first 3 entries was the same rather you entered 1 or 3 entries so I entered 3. I ended up with 2 third places. One for a double IPA and one for a cinnamon vanilla mead. That was the point at which I was hooked lol
My buddy and I entered our first competition a few months back. We just entered beers we happened to have in unlabeled bottles, none brewed with a comp in mind. He finished 3rd in the other category with a wheat based stout. Mine was rated good, a 26 I think, with some flaws, which I knew going in. It was an ESB that I just kinda whipped out without a fine attention to detail. It’s great getting feedback from non-partisan reviews. It reinforced what I already knew (mash temps, oxidation etc.) I now put greater focus in controlling temps and making sure I introduce as little oxygen as possible when transferring from the carboy to bottling bucket.
Good luck!
Pretty excited about it. But I am nervous as hell. Only had close friends and family try my beer. Everyone says they really like it. It’s different to have complete strangers try your beer
This was actually the main reason for me to enter. My beer is great to everybody I know. I just wanted somebody else to taste it and get some unbiased feedback.
Family and friends are not critical judges, typically.
My first competition was back in the 90s. The one beer entered got a 28 or 29.
29 isn’t horrible for a first, right? I just hope I don’t get a 12