Results From First Competition!

You are looking at the third place finisher in the Scottish/Irish Ale Category at the 2010 UNYHA Home Brew Competition!  I was quite shocked to see the results as soon as it was posted on the competition’s website.  In the competition itself, there were over 300 entries, and in my category I was one of 17 entries.  Not a bad result for my first ever competition, eh? Placing third in my category was a very nice accomplishment, but the main purpose in my mind was getting feedback from a trained palate.

I have received my score sheets in the mail from the judges and my final assigned score was a 35/50. With the score sheets I also got my certificate and ribbon (pictured above) and I also received a $25 gift certificate to Nikobrew.com for hops!

Judge No. 1 (non-BJCP certified)

Aroma: Coffee Odor, mild hop, slight fruity odor. Caramel. (8/12)

Appearance: Brownish, slight red hue. Good head, light brown in color. Good clarity. (2/3)

Flavor: Sweetness lasts into finish, good malt/hop balance. (15/20)

Mouthfeel: Medium body, light-moderate carbonation, maybe a bit low. (4/5)

Overall Impression: Pretty good example of style, and a good drinker. (8/10)

Total Score: 37/50

Judge No. 2 (Nat’l Judge-C0100)

Aroma: Some sweet maltiness. (7/12)

Appearance: Color and clarity good, head didn’t last. (2/3)

Flavor: Malt dominates the hops just a little (appropriate for style). A little caramel flavor evident. (13/20)

Mouthfeel: Good body & CO2. (4/5)

Overall Impression: A light drinkable ale. (7/10)

Total Score: 33/50

I am very pleased with the feedback I received from both of the judges! In the future I will be a lot more confident in my brewing abilities when it comes to entering more competitions.  However, part of me wonders if they could’ve elaborated a bit more. I’m sure this is probably the norm for a competition of this size with the number of entries. Am I wrong for feeling a little slighted with their comments?

Now, the fun part will be figuring out what kind of hops to get with my gift certificate! Cheers!!

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