OVHA Chat

I received my score sheets today. No medals, but decent scores on 3, Moose(40), Hellesbock(36), & Honey Blonde(34). The Wit & Anniversary both scored in the mid 20's. Ironically, the Wit & Anniversary are both customer favorites.

Got my sheets today. Although disappointed about not placing, I was pleased to get a lot of good feedback from the judges.

My all-Simcoe American Pale had them all guessing as to what the hops were. I even got dinged from a BJCP certified judge,

I got my sheets as well. I was very glad I submitted. Even what were, in my opinion, two sub-par beers.


My BelgianBlondeWeizen got a 28.9 - they basically said it was boring. I agree. Noted fermemtation temp problems, which I have since taken measures to correct. They noted incomplete attenuation - which actually was a too-high mash temp (I think).

My IPA 1.1 got mixed reviews and scored a 29. They said it needed more hops, and was too malty/sweet (again with the too-high mash temp). One judge noted diacetyl and mentioned a diacetly rest. I thought a diacetyl rest was something you did with a lager ... is there something you can do with an ale ? During the mash maybe?

All in all, it was a great experience for my first competition. I enjoyed the feedback trememdously.

Mine were also similar to the Nationals but more consistent across judges.

The Koelsch from the Big Brew, which I really didn't care for, got a 32.75 with some comments about salty soft water? Maybe too much 5.2 in the mash. One judge said high carb, another low, oh well, I just bottled them from the tap so this is very possible.

American Amber got a 31.67 with comments about it tasting more like a brown ale or a nonexistent American Red Ale style.

The Scottish 80- got a 33.5 and I think all three commented about it being good but needing more malty flavors, which I totally agree. A decoction is on tap for this one next time as I really liked it too.

I submitted two beers to the fair. One was an Imperial IPA that scored a 34.7 and the other was an Amarillo based APA that scored a 29(not suprising).

The IPA was the only one that I actually had any hope for. I don't have my score sheet here to quote anything, but basically, the bitterness was a bit under style. That was the reoccuring theme from all of the judgings. If you had tasted it, they were right on too. Although I used 5oz of hops on a pretty strange schedule, it really needed a dry hop to give it a boost.

I am already looking forward to next year. I look at this year as a learning experience and will have a better idea what the judges are looking for next time.

My 1st place brown score was a 38 and was originally judged by Ed Westermeier (spelling?) who is a Grand Master Judge ( he actually scored it a 40). The Imperial IPA got a ho-hum 29.5, and my centennial IPA which I had high hopes for got a 21.5 with lots of references to oxidation from each judge. I'm just hoping it was a bad bottle. Good to see the comments as it can only make things better.