Scores

[MrBIP]

I entered my first contest and got score sheets this morning via email.
The APA I entered scored 35 and 37, so I was quite pleased with that given that that was my very first AG brew.
This was a smaller contest, somewhere around 200 total beers I'm guessing, and those scores of 35 and 37 got me nothing, no place, no mention, no nothing.

So the question is, how high does one need to score to place in such contests? I have zero experience so have no reference point.

Thanks,
MrBIP

 

[Brewmaster Tom]

It's really hard to say as every contest is a little different and you can never predict the unpredictability of the judges. I've won Best-In-Show with a 42 point RIS, but this past spring I only took 3rd place in a category with a 47 point Belgian Tripel. I have noticed the last couple years that it seems you need to be in at least the 40's to get any type of award; just a nod to how good we are all becoming at this hobby.

In the end, I try not to get too hung up on the score but more read for the comments; it's somebody's OPINION about your beer. If you like it and the people you share it with like it, then that is good enough for me!

Cheers!

 

[MrBIP]

In the end, I try not to get too hung up on the score but more read for the comments; it's somebody's OPINION about your beer.
Cheers!

Which was the primary reason for entering anyway. Friends and family say it's good, I like it, but thought it would be interesting to get it out to a different level and have a "certified opinion" .. I've got the same beer in another contest this weekend, so it will be interesting to compare the results.

 

[MrBIP]

but this past spring I only took 3rd place in a category with a 47 point Belgian Tripel.

Cheers!

47 THIRD PLACE! Wow! Did the first place beer have with a bar of gold in it? Geez.

 

[Nosybear]

Judging is always subjective, scoring is always variable. I've experienced the same variability in scores and results. I've also scored gold with a beer in one competition and nothing in another. Same beer, same category, different judges. Wide range of scores - I've noticed the less experienced judges are always looking for some flaw and if they can't find anything real, they'll make up astringency or diacetyl. So I always take judges' notes with a grain of salt and their scores with less than 1 ppm of salt. Flight placement is a better indicator of how "good" your beer was against other entries.

 

[MrBIP]

Flight placement is a better indicator of how "good" your beer was against other entries.

Yes! It would be great if the organizers of such contests would publish a list of scores .. 47,45,43,42,42,38,37,35, etc. From a simple list of numbers and your own score sheets you could see where your beer stands in the "crowd". From a score only, you have no idea.. could have been a close fourth or could have been near the bottom.

 

[Nosybear]

I believe the Colorado State Fair does give us the rankings in the flight. There's a spot for it on the score sheet, if I remember right. Use the judges' feedback - it's of some use, particularly the comments from the more experienced judges. The other thing the feedback can be good for is finding blind spots in the palate. An inexperience judge will almost always find astringency or diacetyl - you find what you're looking for, after all. But the feedback of the more experienced judges is very valuable. Use that and don't worry too much about the scores.

 

[MrBIP]

Got results of second contest, same two beers entered in both.
1) impressed with consistency of scores, two different states, 4 different judges for each beer.. really tight range
2) impressed with consistency of notes; yep, a couple of notes clearly reaching .. I might have capped one bottle bad. The lowest score of all 8 scores in total came from a Grand Mater II level judge. The highest from a Pro Brewer, rank pending. interesting.
3) All the judges scored my beers better than I did... and generally had the same criticisms as me. I did my own score sheets before entering and had already tweaked my recipes based on my own interpretation ... now confirmed by the certified judges.
4) It's better feedback that the "hey, that's good!" or the "meh" that one here's from most friends and family.
5) but... they didn't tell me anything I didn't already know
6) but... now I got an idea where I stand relative to the "rest of the crowd"; at least with those two beers.

Overall: ya, for little cost, it's worthwhile to enter some contests.