Hi guys, I got my 2 scoresheets back from the regional competition for NHC. One was great, I think I advanced to the second round with a 44. The other one was a 28, a score I am much more used to ;D.
I usually like the comments, even if they are critical, but a comment I received for my 28 beer (IPA), seemed a little harsh. For overall impression, it says: Very nice but very one dimensional more like a big pale ale Better Beers on table
So, I may be too sensitive here, but I just wanted to know what you guys thought of the third line, I just thought it went without saying that if you scored a 28, there were better beers on the table.
The good news is, my problem is finally the recipe (after 10 years of tweaking the process). I was going for an extremely simple IPA, but probably shouldn’t have for competition.
I don’t think I’d be offended by it, but they really wasted their time writing something that goes without saying - if it didn’t advance, and wasn’t mis-categorized, then well yeah there were better beers on the table…
The judge was probably feeling bad about a lower score for a clean beer and trying to convey that. I bet they did not realize the negative tone it conveyed. It can be hard to find a beer that is good on process and fits style parameters but does not fair well on a relative/subjective basis.
Either way, the comment doesn’t belong, as no recipe tweaking will change the other beers on the table, but I bet it wasn’t intended as negatively as it came across.
I’m not a beer judge. But I have experience at evaluating performance. Comments must be valuable, and to be valuable they must be useful.
Other beers were better would only be a useful comment if the brewer was there and tasted the better beer and understood what made them better and how to change that in his beer. It was a useless comment but not a mean or personal one.
That comment really didn’t serve any purpose. He probably could have used the space better to describe what additional dimensions would have improved the beer. With that said, don’t stress it, you advanced with a 44 score on your other beer. That’s an awesome score! Revel in your success.
Thanks Mark,
I agree with the general vibe of what has been said. I’m really not trying to be self-deprecating or bitter. I’m just always looking for constructive criticism.
The email address of the person who judged the entry should be on the score sheet. If you’d like you could email the judge and let them know that while perhaps well intended, you found the comment to be nonconstructive.
Actually Bruce, that was the reason I started this thread in the first place. I initially wanted to send an e-mail, but I really don’t want to be ungrateful for the feedback he did give.
It doesn’t sound like you want their to be any official BJCP repercussions, but if you are concerned about anonymity you can PM me the email address and I will send a note for you. Something to the effect of “the entrant is grateful for your feedback but felt this comment detracted rather than added anything to the score sheet.” Not that I’m trying to stick my nose in, just trying to help, you can easily find someone else to do the same or set up your own free email to do it.
Were the other comments of good quality? It’s definately an odd comments because the scoring and commenting are about that one entry. It is not comparative with the other entries. There is no curve or anything. Comments are supposed to stick to characteristics of the beer.
That said - judging is a long day drinking and analyzing beer after beer. Not every scoresheet and comment is going to be perfectly executed.
The comment is redundant but I can’t see how it’s all that offensive. I just finished up a weekend of judging and there were times where I admit, I just didn’t know what to say. If it had said “worst beer on the table”, I could see you getting upset but the comment, although not terribly helpful was true and I don’t think it would have been meant as a negative, more of a general comment as to why it didn’t move forward which as I said was redundant and unnecessary but personally, I’d just ignore it and move on with your 44 beer (congrats by the way).
If I were the judge, I wouldn’t want to defend that one, but as the perspective of a new judge, I had a really hard time trying to say specific things about each entry that were unique and thoughtful. This ability diminished as I progressed through the flight…worse at beer 9 (eisbock) after 4 dopplebocks, 3 standard bocks, and a couple of Maibocks… yikes.
Certainly, the filter comes down a notch or two when you’ve been tasting since 9am on your third day of judging. It is no excuse to be rude, however. Hopefully, you can take those comments and reference what the other judge was saying and get something useful out of it.