AHA 2011 Regional Judging

[kingsbrew]

Discussions have begun to put in a bid to host the AHA Old West Regional judging in the DFW area. I have volunteered to head up the effort. Judging has to be completed between April 1st and 24th. There are 750 entries in 28 categories. Judging can be completed in 3 judging sessions with about 24 pairs of judging.

We will need support from the other DFW area clubs. I would also expect to get some support from Austin, Houston, Abilene and maybe Oklahoma. So far it looks like Cap and Hare is interested in assisting. As long as we do Celtic judging in May and hold the BBO on Mar. 18-19 I think we should be able to do this.

AHA will send a pre-populated MS Access database with labels and supply scoresheets and other supplies. There is a budget to pay for food and facility rental for judging. Rahr has agreed to be a dropoff/checkin location. We could possibly use Coors too.

There seems to be some effort to possibly rotate between Dallas and Houston. I think this effort would give our local clubs more exposure on a national level. I also think it would encourage local club members to enter the NHC if they are able to dropoff at a local site.

We can discuss this at the next club meeting July 13th at Fox and Hound in Richardson.

[Bill Lawrence]

We got into a discussion concerning this topic last night at the officers meeting. I am personally oposed to trying to do this however I agree with Leroy that this topic should be open for discussion within the club (and maybe a vote?). In the interest of stirring things up and to get a rough idea how much interest there is out there, it would be good if people could post their views on this subject, either pro or con. Taking on this project would require the club to get really good judging participation and it would be intesting to see how many members would be willling to commit the time and effort required to do a good job with this. Anyhow, "man up" (or "woman up" as the case may be) and post your thoughts on the matter.

[donniestyle]

The time frame is right after the Bluebonnet, and before the Celtic. Timing is dreadful.

Enough of my pessimism. This would be really good for all the area clubs and judges. We have the opportunity to hone our skills and show the rest of the BJCP membership, AHA, and world just how good we really are. We have, hands down, the best competition and judging staff in the Bluebonnet. Every competition has its own set of difficulties and shortcomings, but for my money the Bluebonnet is the best.

I think it is up to all the regional clubs. We need to discuss this with all the Bluebonnet Committee Clubs. All the area clubs and judges will be required to pull this off.

It's only 750 bottles (or 4.5362903225806451612903225806452 kegs) of beer, which pales in comparison to the 1600+ entries we judged for the 2010 Bluebonnet Brew Off. It's barely twice the 300+ entries judged in the 2010 Celtic Brew Off, judged by only a handful of local area judges. If we all pull together, we can judge it in one day. We can do it, and we can do it with the highest level of quality and integrity that exists.

[donniestyle]

The BJCP seems to have some information to help organizers and judges in a AHA Regional type competition. You can find it at the BJCP site; see Queued Judging. Also under Reference material, see How to Judge Beer.

[Brewboy]

I say "Man-up", we can do this. If you don't like judging beer, why the heck did you train to be a beer judge? We have more BJCP ranked judges in our area than most and we're training more at the moment that this would provide great experience and points for these new guys.

This would give our area and clubs more exposure at National level.

This will make entering the first round of nationals easier for local brewers.

This will help our judges hone skills and be better at future judging (Limbo and Bluebonnet)

We can give the NHC Regionals better quality judging than what we've been seeing from Colorado.

You nay-sayers, don't you like beer? To me judging is fun, discussing the beer is fun, and tasting the beer is fun.

I'll be doing my camping and fishing in the fall, Spring is time for beer competitions. Let's do it.

[donniestyle]

We can give the NHC Regionals better quality judging than what we've been seeing from Colorado.

That's what I like to hear. There are so many so called "hop heads" that think a hoppy Pilsner is fruity with no hop aroma or hop flavor that it makes me furious!

ED: Perhaps they should stick to triple hops brewed, vortex bottles, blue mountains, and package windows.

[Bill Lawrence]

There are so many so called "hop heads" that think a hoppy Pilsner is fruity with no hop aroma or hop flavor that it makes me furious!

Really? That's exactly what I look for in a pilsner, fruity with zero hop aroma and flavor. Maybe that's why I never win anything with that style.

Seriously though, my objection is based on the "burnout" I feel after the Bluebonnet, hell it takes me an entire week to want another beer. The simple truth of the matter is that although the club has alot of members (who support our functions with their dues, thank you very much) a very select few actually participate heavily in judging competitions so I see the majority of the work done by the "usual suspects". By the way, this is not unique to the NTHBA, it is true of every organization I have ever been involved with.

You nay-sayers, don't you like beer? To me judging is fun, discussing the beer is fun, and tasting the beer is fun.

Actually, I much prefer sterno however my doctor advised me abstain from that particular vice. Anyway, to me judging is somewhat tedious and frankly a little bit stressful. I really want to do the best job I can and many times, I don't feel all that qualified, especially with styles I don't tend to brew. Usually, after a few entries I start having a really difficult time picking up on the nuances with each beer. I am more of a quaffer, I like to just sit around with my engraved snifter and pontificate, filling out score sheets I could do without.

[kingsbrew]

So far I have a tentative commitment from some Cap and Hare members. I have not heard yet from KOBB. It would be critical to have their support. We could also expect to get some judges from High Plains Draughters and FOAM from Oklahoma. There is also a chance of getting a few judges from BAM in Houston and the Austin Zealots. Fritz Rahr has tentatively agreed for the Rahr Brewery to be the shipping/dropoff point for entries. I would be hopeful that we could do judging there also. The judging would occur during April. I know that this is close to Bluebonnet but we would have a four week break from the first round BBO judging and a two week break from the BBO event.

I know there are some who don't think we can do it. They have valid concerns about it being close to BBO. However, I think with the help of the other area and regional clubs it can be done. I don't see it being as demanding as BBO judging. I would not want anyone to judge more than three flights/sessions in a day. I would like to hear from those who think we can. Here is a schedule of how I think the scheduling would work.

Click here to cast your vote in the poll.

March 5th-6th BBO judging
March 12th-13th BBO judging
March 19-20 Off week
March 25th-26th BBO event

March 21-31 AHA Regional entries accepted.

April 2-3 Off week
April 9th Need a few people(6-10) to label bottles, sort flights.
No need to process fees. AHA will provide pre-propagated MS Access DB with entry information.

April 15-17 Judging (750 bottles) ~75 flights
25 pairs of judges could finish in three judging sessions
20 pairs finish in 4 sessions
15 pairs finish in 5 sessions
April 24th AHA Judging must be completed

[kingsbrew]

I received this from FOAM in Tulsa.
Leroy,

I polled the club shortly after I heard from you last time.

Seven people told me they are very likely to judge. Of those two are BJCP National judges, three are Certified (including me), and two are experienced non-BJCP judges.

Five others told me they would like to judge but they are unwilling to commit right now. Of those one is a BJCP National judge, one is Recognized, and three are novice judges.

FOAM has five or six more BJCP Certified judges who did not respond to my message.

Jeff Pursley, President
Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers

[Brewboy]

That's a lot of suport from 6 hours away. I only wish our Texas clubs were as supportive instead of the negatives we're hearing.

With that much support from Oklahoma and 2 other Texas clubs on board, I see this as a very achievable propsition.

Let's do it.

[Brewdaddy]

“Nay-sayers” are actually people that have been on the Bluebonnet Committee for over 10 years and are realistically looking at the challenges that would be encountered if NTHBA did the first round judging for the National competition. Not just looking at the judging of the beer.

The following task will need to be designated to someone that will be willing to do it multiple years:
Someone to pick up empty case boxes for the login (Need full top / bottom boxes)
Someone to purchase bread and water for the judges
Someone to pick up and deliver the food for the judges
Several people (more than 6 to 10) to log all the entries
* Pull them out of the original packaging
*Verify the style and label accordingly
*Assign random entry number
*Put the beers into the case boxes
*Quality control of the beers (recheck of all the above steps)
Someone willing to do the data entry of all beers and see it through the judging phase
Several people willing to take on the responsibility of the pulling the flights
Someone willing to file all of the score sheets numerically by each entrant
Several people willing to stay and be sure everything is cleaned up
*Cups thrown away
*Bottles rinsed out
*Bottles boxed up

It is not just the drinking of the beer and critiquing the beers. There is so much more that goes with the judging efforts. The people willing to take on the challenge of National competition judging, are you still going to be willing to step up to the plate for the Bluebonnet competition each year, as well? Knowing the abilities of all the people that help put on the Bluebonnet competition and the quality the event that is a result of these talents, the judging in not really the question. It is the fact that the National competition judging is too close to the Bluebonnet to give it the attention it deserves from the qualified people we have in the DFW area.

[Brewboy]

Woa, a drive by posting! Why anonymous?

OK Daddy, what makes you think that we don't know what we're doing. Do you really think that we don't know what else is required to judge beers.

While I don't have 10 years under my belt, I will be fulfillng roles to make sure this gets done in both the Bluebonnet and for the NHC Regionals. I know that others will as well.

If you don't want it then sit out. What does it harm you if we step up to get the job done?

[Fred David]

Rather than just casting aspersions on previous posts, I challenge everyone who is considering saying yes to this to put their money where your mouth is and get seriously involved in the Bluebonnet. Only one individual who has posted in the positive in this discussion showed up at the Bluebonnet planning meeting last weekend. Only one of those persons is on a committee at this point. Judging is an important aspect, but relatively small compared to the entire process of putting on the Bluebonnet competition. It is easy to sit back and judge a couple flights of beer and say " this is a no brainer, lets host first round NHC". Roll up you sleeves and help the real effort of putting on a major competition such as chairing or working on a committee before you cast your vote. Maybe we consider this in a year or so after everyone has had a chance to jump into the fire for a while.

[kingsbrew]

I also want to encourage everyone to get involved in the Bluebonnet planning. Some of us were not there because it was scheduled at the same time as our BJCP class. We didn't find out in time to be able to reschedule. I am certain this will not occur again.

[donniestyle]

Alrighty then! Imagine a perfect world where Bluebonnet meetings don't get scheduled for the same day and time as BJCP classes. I would hope we can get this sorted out since our club is leading the BBO this year. I plan to be BBO head/helper steward. Melinda knows. Mike should also know. I think there are a couple others that also plan to also do the stewarding.

My previous post notes that we need support from all local clubs. I think it really needs a committee like the BBO. It doesn't need to start real soon, but I think it needs to start no later than January/February. It also needs at least 1 individual from each club that is absolutely-positively dedicated. It then also needs a few more individuals from each club that are almost as dedicated. These types of individuals will make up the committee and do the major work. Then it also needs the masses to help with the log-in and judging.

Who has posed this to the other clubs? We're making a lot of noise by ourselves here, but who else is listening? I think we need to start getting the dedicated individuals identified and committed real soon, or we can all just go fishing instead.