Received: from srvr20.engin.umich.edu (root at srvr20.engin.umich.edu [141.213.75.22]) by srvr5.engin.umich.edu (8.9.1a/8.9.1) with ESMTP id BAA13729 for ; Tue, 10 Apr 2001 01:03:42 -0400 (EDT) Received: from synchro.com (cccox.ne.mediaone.net [24.147.232.105]) by srvr20.engin.umich.edu (8.9.3/8.9.1) with SMTP id BAA28012 for ; Tue, 10 Apr 2001 01:03:40 -0400 (EDT) From: "JudgeNet - the beer judge digest" To: "Digest Recipients" Reply-To: "JudgeNet - the beer judge digest" Subject: Digest for the period 04/09/01 - 04/10/01 Message-ID: Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001 01:02:57 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/digest; boundary="Next_Part_SYNC77852C870E" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Hops: 1 Status: RO --Next_Part_SYNC77852C870E Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Table of contents ------------------------------------------------------ The Value of Aging in Meads (David Sherfey) --Next_Part_SYNC77852C870E Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Return-Path: Received: from host.warwick.net ([204.255.24.254]) by synchro.com with SMTP (Mailtraq/1.1.4.1123) id SYNC77442C73D0 for judge at synchro.com; Sun, 08 Apr 2001 08:20:20 -0400 Received: from 1fvl601.warwick.net (viruswall1.warwick.net [204.255.24.159]) by host.warwick.net (8.11.3/8.11.3) with ESMTP id f38CKDO506842 for ; Sun, 8 Apr 2001 08:20:17 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <5.0.2.1.0.20010408062200.00a88a40 at mail.warwick.net> X-Sender: u1014856 at mail.warwick.net X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.0.2 Date: Sun, 08 Apr 2001 08:19:52 -0400 To: JudgeNet - the beer judge digest From: David Sherfey Reply-To: "JudgeNet - the beer judge digest" Errors-To: judge-owner at synchro.com Sender: judge at synchro.com Subject: The Value of Aging in Meads Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed X-Hops: 3 X-POST-MessageClass: 10; Mailing List Message I would like to open up a topic for discussion. There is a change that takes place in meads over time that can greatly improve the aroma, flavor, body, mouthfeel, and finish. Recipe and process can certainly have an impact on how long this flavor development takes, but there is a difference between soft and developed meads. Two questions: How much is this worth in scoring? Can this place a limit on how much a young mead scores? I like to use a hypothetical example in discussing this with new judges that compares the same sweet mead as a 1 year old mead, and a four year old mead. The young one will very likely have a cloying soft sweetness that is one-dimensional and tiring on the palate, and the other will have a firm crisp flavor with depth and compels you to drink more. These two meads might score very differently when compared in the same competition. Using the BJCP score sheet as a guide, and detracting points for not being "excellent" this could mean 6 points between aroma, flavor, and drinkability. I would also think that flavor development is a part of a "very good" mead so this could be worth additional points depending on how the judge looks at it. Words used on the BJCP Judge Instructions sheet that might refer to this effect are "subtle or intangible details," "specialness or magic," "great character," and "hard-to-define magic." For the sake of discussion and to provide a target for everyone to shoot at, I will display my own personal bias on the subject. The highest that a soft mead with otherwise excellent characteristics can score is 41-42 points. Fire away! David Sherfey Warwick, NY --Next_Part_SYNC77852C870E-- Received: from srvr20.engin.umich.edu (root at srvr20.engin.umich.edu [141.213.75.22]) by srvr5.engin.umich.edu (8.9.1a/8.9.1) with ESMTP id BAA13729 for ; Tue, 10 Apr 2001 01:03:42 -0400 (EDT) Received: from synchro.com (cccox.ne.mediaone.net [24.147.232.105]) by srvr20.engin.umich.edu (8.9.3/8.9.1) with SMTP id BAA28012 for ; Tue, 10 Apr 2001 01:03:40 -0400 (EDT) From: "JudgeNet - the beer judge digest" To: "Digest Recipients" Reply-To: "JudgeNet - the beer judge digest" Subject: Digest for the period 04/09/01 - 04/10/01 Message-ID: Date: Tue, 10 Apr 2001 01:02:57 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/digest; boundary="Next_Part_SYNC77852C870E" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Hops: 1 Status: RO --Next_Part_SYNC77852C870E Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Table of contents ------------------------------------------------------ The Value of Aging in Meads (David Sherfey) --Next_Part_SYNC77852C870E Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Return-Path: Received: from host.warwick.net ([204.255.24.254]) by synchro.com with SMTP (Mailtraq/1.1.4.1123) id SYNC77442C73D0 for judge at synchro.com; Sun, 08 Apr 2001 08:20:20 -0400 Received: from 1fvl601.warwick.net (viruswall1.warwick.net [204.255.24.159]) by host.warwick.net (8.11.3/8.11.3) with ESMTP id f38CKDO506842 for ; Sun, 8 Apr 2001 08:20:17 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <5.0.2.1.0.20010408062200.00a88a40 at mail.warwick.net> X-Sender: u1014856 at mail.warwick.net X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.0.2 Date: Sun, 08 Apr 2001 08:19:52 -0400 To: JudgeNet - the beer judge digest From: David Sherfey Reply-To: "JudgeNet - the beer judge digest" Errors-To: judge-owner at synchro.com Sender: judge at synchro.com Subject: The Value of Aging in Meads Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed X-Hops: 3 X-POST-MessageClass: 10; Mailing List Message I would like to open up a topic for discussion. There is a change that takes place in meads over time that can greatly improve the aroma, flavor, body, mouthfeel, and finish. Recipe and process can certainly have an impact on how long this flavor development takes, but there is a difference between soft and developed meads. Two questions: How much is this worth in scoring? Can this place a limit on how much a young mead scores? I like to use a hypothetical example in discussing this with new judges that compares the same sweet mead as a 1 year old mead, and a four year old mead. The young one will very likely have a cloying soft sweetness that is one-dimensional and tiring on the palate, and the other will have a firm crisp flavor with depth and compels you to drink more. These two meads might score very differently when compared in the same competition. Using the BJCP score sheet as a guide, and detracting points for not being "excellent" this could mean 6 points between aroma, flavor, and drinkability. I would also think that flavor development is a part of a "very good" mead so this could be worth additional points depending on how the judge looks at it. Words used on the BJCP Judge Instructions sheet that might refer to this effect are "subtle or intangible details," "specialness or magic," "great character," and "hard-to-define magic." For the sake of discussion and to provide a target for everyone to shoot at, I will display my own personal bias on the subject. The highest that a soft mead with otherwise excellent characteristics can score is 41-42 points. Fire away! David Sherfey Warwick, NY --Next_Part_SYNC77852C870E--