National Homebrewing Competition (NHC) 2008

Chris Norrick · Post by **Chris Norrick** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 8:05 pm

Entries are due by 5 p.m. Friday April 11. That's this Friday! If you are going to enter, get those beers shipped ASAP (like Monday)!

We are in the "Great Lakes" region and our beers are going to Illinois for the first round. It shouldn't take UPS too long to get them there.

See http://www.beertown.com/events/nhc/index.html for all the info.

All entry information is submitted electronically this year. The system will even print out labels for each beer for you. Only one beer is needed for each category you enter. Three more beers will be needed if you make it into the second round, so don't drink it all! You will receive all judging sheets after the competition so you get unbiased feedback on your beer.

Good luck!

Chris Norrick · Post by **Chris Norrick** » Wed May 07, 2008 9:47 pm

Got my results back today.

The Robust Porter scored the best with a 37 and a 3rd place finish. The Gumballhead Clone and my American Amber did terrible with 25.5 for both. Several comments of Diacetyl in the Gumby. I don't taste it but I've heard some people are more sensitive to it than others. I've placed third twice with the Amber, I don't know why it was so low this time. Lots of oxidation comments. I did a quick bottle of these off the tap with no hose attachment or anything. Probably came from that. I bottled some extras at the same time so I'll go crack them open and compare to the tap.

Chris Alvey · Post by **Chris Alvey** » Thu May 08, 2008 4:41 am

Congratulations on the porter !

I didn't taste diacetyl in the gumby when you had it at the meeting, but what do I know.

sirgiovanni · Post by **sirgiovanni** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:36 pm

Chris Norrick wrote:Several comments of Diacetyl in the Gumby. I don't taste it but I've heard some people are more sensitive to it than others.

just curious, what kind of sparge did you do on that? Do you adjust PH on your sparge water?

Chris Norrick · Post by **Chris Norrick** » Thu May 08, 2008 2:44 pm

I fly sparge with a mashout temp of around 170. I usually acidify the sparge water, but I'm not sure if I did on this batch or not.

sirgiovanni · Post by **sirgiovanni** » Thu May 08, 2008 7:28 pm

kool,
I was just reading about reaching a certain point on fly (which I like to do also), that if you're not careful, you will lose PH causing the dreaded problem. I started using gypsum and I seem to be able to tell a big difference. Unless I'm crazy, which is entirely possible.

Chris Norrick · Post by **Chris Norrick** » Tue May 27, 2008 6:13 pm

I just got a letter from the Brewers Association. It turns out the Robust Porter placed high enough in the regional competition that it is moving on the the nationals!

It appears first, second, and third place entries move on. I thought it was just first place.

Chris, if I win, please go on stage and accept my award.

I'm on the website! http://www.beertown.com/events/nhc/1st_ ... reat_lakes

Dwayne_Delaney · Post by **Dwayne_Delaney** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:52 pm

Congratulations Chris, we'll be rooting for you!