I got my scoresheets back from the Upper Mississippi Mashout.
- Tottenham Mild 32
- Sloppy Terry's Cream Ale 31
- Decemberfest (in mead category) 26.6
- Decemberfest (in specialty beer category) 24.5
I wasn't hoping for much from the Decemberfest, it was kind of a mistake beer, but I thought I would enter anyway to cover some categories for the Midwest Homebrewer of the Year. (You have to enter 10 different categories throughout the year to be in the running). The other two were rated near the low end of the "very good" category, and I have had beers take a 3rd or 2nd place with scores in the low 30's, but as I mentioned in another post, they failed to place.
I thought that most of the score sheets came back with fair assessments of the beers, with the exception of one on the Tottenham mild. One of the judges (out of 3) decided that it had a "diacetyl problem", causing an overpowering buttery flavor. He gave it a 29, the other judges rated it 32 and 34. I'm not sure where this opinion came from. I taste no diacetyl in the beer at all, and neither of the other judges mentioned diacetyl or buttery at all on their score sheets. Also interestingly, one judge said the beer was too carbonated, and another said it was not carbonated enough. Strange.
I will enter the Tottenham in another competition; I still think it's good enough to win. Maybe in the next contest I won't get a judge with butter on his brain.
Yeah, I have always wondered about the judging for these competitions. I think it's maybe about 50% skill and 50% luck in these competitions. What you need to do is find some people you can trust and ask them to give you feedback on the beer. But then that isn't as rewarding as winning at a competition. Oh well, I guess if at first you don't succeed, keep trying?
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