Understanding Craft Beer Competitions and Judging

The world of craft beer is vast and varied, a landscape teeming with innovative breweries, passionate brewers, and discerning drinkers. Within this vibrant community, beer competitions serve as a vital mechanism for recognition, feedback, and ultimately, the elevation of brewing standards. Understanding the intricacies of these competitions, from the judging process to the categories and the underlying philosophies, is crucial for brewers seeking to improve their craft and for beer enthusiasts looking to appreciate the nuances of quality and style.

The Purpose and Significance of Beer Competitions

Beer competitions fulfill several important roles within the craft beer industry:

• Providing Objective Feedback: Competitions offer brewers an impartial assessment of their beers from qualified judges. This feedback, often detailed and specific, allows brewers to identify areas for improvement in their recipes, brewing techniques, and quality control procedures.
• Recognizing Excellence: Award-winning beers receive valuable recognition that can enhance a brewery's reputation and increase sales. Winning medals can serve as a powerful marketing tool, attracting new customers and reinforcing the loyalty of existing ones.
• Promoting Quality and Innovation: By highlighting exceptional beers, competitions encourage brewers to strive for higher standards and to experiment with new ingredients and techniques. This constant pursuit of improvement benefits the entire industry.
• Educating Consumers: Competitions educate consumers about the diverse range of beer styles and the characteristics that define them. The published results and judging notes can help consumers develop their palates and make informed choices.
• Building Community: Competitions often serve as gatherings for brewers, judges, and industry professionals, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing. They provide a platform for networking and building relationships within the craft beer community.

Common Competition Formats

While specific rules and procedures may vary, most beer competitions adhere to one of two primary formats:

Style-Based Competitions

This is the most common format. Beers are judged based on their adherence to established style guidelines, such as those published by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) or the Brewers Association (BA). Judges evaluate each beer against the specified characteristics for that style, considering factors such as aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression. Beers that closely match the style guidelines and exhibit high-quality brewing are awarded medals.

Examples of style-based competitions include:

• Great American Beer Festival (GABF): Organized by the Brewers Association, GABF is one of the largest and most prestigious beer competitions in the world. It features a vast array of style categories and attracts thousands of entries from breweries across the United States.
• World Beer Cup (WBC): Held biennially, WBC is an international competition that brings together breweries from around the globe. It is known for its rigorous judging process and its commitment to promoting excellence in brewing.
• National Homebrew Competition (NHC): Organized by the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), NHC is the largest homebrewing competition in the world. It provides homebrewers with valuable feedback and recognition for their brewing skills.

Open Category Competitions

In open category competitions, beers are judged based on their overall quality and enjoyment, rather than their adherence to specific style guidelines. Judges are encouraged to focus on the beer's unique character and flavor profile, and to award medals to beers that are exceptionally well-crafted and enjoyable, regardless of style.

This format is often used for smaller, regional competitions or for competitions that focus on experimental or innovative beers. While style guidelines may still be used as a reference point, judges have more latitude to reward beers that push the boundaries of traditional styles.

The Judging Process: A Deep Dive

The judging process is the cornerstone of any beer competition. It's a complex and demanding task that requires extensive knowledge, experience, and a commitment to impartiality. Here's a detailed look at the key elements of the judging process:

Judge Selection and Training

The quality of the judges is paramount to the credibility of a beer competition. Most competitions recruit judges who have demonstrated expertise in beer evaluation, typically through certification programs like the BJCP. Judges may also be experienced brewers, beer writers, or other industry professionals.

Before the competition, judges typically receive training to ensure consistency in their scoring and to familiarize them with the specific guidelines and procedures of the competition. This training may include sensory exercises, style reviews, and discussions on scoring criteria.

Blind Tasting and Evaluation

To ensure impartiality, beers are always judged blind, meaning that judges do not know the name of the brewery or the specific recipe of the beer they are evaluating. Beers are typically presented in coded glasses to further minimize bias.

Judges systematically evaluate each beer, assessing its aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression. They use a scoring system, often based on a 50-point scale, to quantify their assessment of each attribute.

The BJCP Score Sheet: An Example of Judging Criteria

The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) score sheet is a widely used template for evaluating beers in style-based competitions. It provides a structured framework for assessing key characteristics and assigning scores.

Here's a breakdown of the BJCP score sheet categories and their typical point values:

• Aroma (12 points): This category assesses the intensity, complexity, and appropriateness of the beer's aroma. Judges look for specific aroma compounds that are characteristic of the style, as well as any off-flavors or aromas that may indicate flaws in the brewing process.
• Appearance (3 points): This category evaluates the beer's color, clarity, head formation, and head retention. Judges consider whether the appearance is appropriate for the style and whether there are any visual defects, such as excessive haze or sediment.
• Flavor (20 points): This is the most heavily weighted category, as it assesses the overall taste profile of the beer. Judges look for specific flavor compounds that are characteristic of the style, as well as the balance and harmony of the flavors. They also identify any off-flavors or tastes that may indicate flaws in the brewing process.
• Mouthfeel (5 points): This category evaluates the physical sensations that the beer produces in the mouth, such as its body, carbonation, warmth (from alcohol), and astringency. Judges consider whether the mouthfeel is appropriate for the style and whether it contributes to the overall enjoyment of the beer.
• Overall Impression (10 points): This category allows judges to provide a holistic assessment of the beer, considering all of the previous categories and their overall impression of the beer's quality and enjoyment. Judges may also provide comments on the beer's drinkability, complexity, and balance.

Consensus Judging and Medal Determination

In most competitions, beers are judged by a panel of judges, typically three to five individuals. After each judge has independently evaluated the beers, the panel discusses their findings and arrives at a consensus score and ranking.

Beers are typically awarded medals based on their overall score relative to other beers in the same category. The medal thresholds vary depending on the competition, but generally, gold medals are awarded to beers that are considered to be exceptional examples of the style, silver medals are awarded to beers that are very good, and bronze medals are awarded to beers that are good.

Key Considerations for Brewers Entering Competitions

For brewers looking to enter beer competitions, several key considerations can significantly impact their chances of success:

• Choose the Right Competition: Select competitions that align with your brewery's goals and the styles of beer you produce. Consider the competition's reputation, the quality of the judges, and the size and scope of the event.
• Enter in the Correct Category: Carefully review the competition's style guidelines and choose the category that best matches your beer. Misclassifying your beer can significantly reduce its chances of success.
• Submit Fresh Beer: Ensure that the beer you submit is fresh and in optimal condition. Off-flavors or aromas that develop during storage or transportation can negatively impact the judges' evaluation.
• Package Your Beer Properly: Use clean, properly labeled bottles or cans that are in good condition. Sloppy packaging can create a negative impression on the judges.
• Pay Attention to Details: Follow the competition's rules and instructions carefully, including deadlines, entry fees, and shipping requirements.
• Review Judging Feedback: Carefully review the feedback provided by the judges, even if your beer did not win a medal. Use this feedback to identify areas for improvement in your brewing process.

Understanding Common Judging Criticisms and Avoiding Pitfalls

While the judging process is designed to be objective and fair, it's essential to be aware of potential criticisms and pitfalls that can arise. Here are some common challenges and how to address them:

• Judge Bias: Despite efforts to maintain impartiality, judges may have personal preferences or biases that can influence their evaluation. While this is unavoidable to some extent, competitions strive to minimize bias through training and by using panels of multiple judges. Brewers should understand that feedback is subjective and should look for consistent themes across multiple judges' scoresheets.
• Inconsistent Judging: Variations in judging standards can occur, particularly in large competitions with numerous judges. Competitions address this through standardized training and calibration exercises.
• Style Creep: Over time, interpretations of style guidelines can evolve, leading to discrepancies between the "official" style and the beers that are typically successful in competitions. Brewers should stay informed about current trends and interpretations of style guidelines.
• Inability to Judge Innovation: Style-based competitions may not always reward beers that are innovative or that push the boundaries of traditional styles. Brewers who create experimental beers may find more success in open category competitions.
• Focus on Technical Flaws over Drinkability: Sometimes, judges can become overly focused on identifying technical flaws, even if the beer is otherwise enjoyable. Brewers should strive for technical excellence but should also prioritize drinkability and overall flavor balance.

The Future of Beer Competitions

Beer competitions are constantly evolving to meet the changing needs of the craft beer industry. Some trends that are shaping the future of beer competitions include:

• Increased Focus on Sustainability: Competitions are increasingly incorporating sustainability criteria into their judging process, rewarding breweries that prioritize environmental responsibility.
• Greater Emphasis on Sensory Science: Competitions are leveraging advances in sensory science to improve the accuracy and consistency of judging.
• Expansion of Style Categories: Competitions are adding new style categories to reflect the growing diversity of craft beer.
• More Accessible Judging Feedback: Competitions are providing more detailed and accessible feedback to brewers, helping them to learn and improve.
• Integration of Technology: Competitions are using technology to streamline the judging process and to improve communication between judges and brewers.

Conclusion

Craft beer competitions are a valuable resource for brewers seeking to improve their craft and for consumers looking to discover exceptional beers. By understanding the purpose, format, and judging process of these competitions, brewers can maximize their chances of success, and consumers can gain a deeper appreciation for the art and science of brewing. As the craft beer industry continues to evolve, beer competitions will continue to play a vital role in promoting quality, innovation, and education within the community.

View Product