Subject: Digest for the period 4/30/2005 - 5/1/2005 Date: Sun, 01 May 2005 01:04:15 -0400 Table of contents ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Re: Digest for the period 4/27/2005 - 4/28/2005 (bpitner`at`mindspring.com) 2. Guinness in the US (George de Piro) 3. Horrible scoresheets (Ed Westemeier) 4. "Real" Beer (Kevin Pratt) 5. "real beer" (Spencer W. Thomas) 6. On Judging Experience . . . (JPRea`at`aol.com) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: bpitner`at`mindspring.com Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 20:04:54 -0400 (GMT-04:00) Subject: Re: Digest for the period 4/27/2005 - 4/28/2005 I figured this was just a historical reference related to CAMRA. What the heck. Cheers Bruce > > Exactly what is meant by "promote . . . the appreciation of real beer"? > ********************************************************************** * JudgeNet - the beer judge digest * * Send plain text only, no HTML, MIME, encoded text or attachments * * Manage your subscription online: http://synchro.com/judge * * Send subscription requests & changes to judge-request`at`synchro.com * ********************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: George de Piro Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 02:09:42 -0400 Subject: Guinness in the US Hi all, Guinness bound for the US market is brewed in Canada. Has been for at least a couple of years now. That's why it tastes fresher than it used to. As for Guinness being brewed Reinheitsgebot fuer Deutschland, I don't believe that is true. Firstly, the EU struck down the purity law as protectionist some years ago. Secondly, the Guinness German website says that the beer made at St. James's Gate is distributed to all of Europe and the Middle East. It used to say that Guinness contained wheat, but that bit is no longer on the site. I have a comment about Guinness clones. Most homebrew sources say to use about 10% roasted barley and 10-20% unmalted barley. Having brewed many stouts and porters, I can report that 10% roasted barley in a recipe yields a beer that is much more roasted tasting than Guinness; almost unpalatably so. 20% unmalted barley yields a bready character that, while interesting, I don't taste in Guinness. Any comments? Have fun! George de Piro Brewmaster, C.H. Evans Brewing Company at the Albany Pump Station 19 Quackenbush Square Albany, NY, USA 12207 (518)447-9000 www.EvansAle.com Brewers of Kick-Ass Brown: Twice declared the Best American Brown Ale in the USA at the Great American Beer Festival (2000 & 2002)! ********************************************************************** * JudgeNet - the beer judge digest * * Send plain text only, no HTML, MIME, encoded text or attachments * * Manage your subscription online: http://synchro.com/judge * * Send subscription requests & changes to judge-request`at`synchro.com * ********************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ed Westemeier Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 10:55:41 -0400 Subject: Horrible scoresheets An entrant in a recent large competition received a couple of scoresheets back that were so unbelievably bad that we put them on our website. Go to www.bjcp.org/news.html and click on the link in the first item to see them. Obviously, some judges and organizers are great, while others are less conscientious, but these judges and this organizer failed miserably, IMHO. I'd like to ask readers for your input. What should the BJCP do (if anything) about this sort of situation? Ed Westemeier BJCP Communication Director ********************************************************************** * JudgeNet - the beer judge digest * * Send plain text only, no HTML, MIME, encoded text or attachments * * Manage your subscription online: http://synchro.com/judge * * Send subscription requests & changes to judge-request`at`synchro.com * ********************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Kevin Pratt Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 13:31:16 -0700 (PDT) Subject: "Real" Beer I do believe that the word "real" in the BJCP mission statement is a dis at the large commercial breweries. At least I think it was, when it was written. The use of the word "real" also excludes potentially obnoxious trendy "malt" beverages. While we may be more understanding of them now, the Budmilloors beers were once seen as the enemy of good beer everywhere. After all, it is these beers that brew to standards that are the polar opposite of what is considered "real" beer flavor: malt profile, hop flavor, discernable aroma, and good aftertaste. All of these are marketed as absent in the American Lager profile. It was this schism that was the war cry of early homebrewers and even pub brewers. "Make REAL beer!!" Major voices in the brewing community touted that success could be had as long as it was different than Bud. That said, many homebrewers have come around to appreciating these beers. If nothing else, one can't argue that they show every ingredient and process flaw and can therefore be a benchmark of brewer skills (but not the only benchmark). Some of us even recognize that it is their need for top quality ingredients that is the reason homebrewers have excellent ingredients to choose from (especially when the international megas are added into the mix). "Real" beers have distinctive taste, heritage, ingredients and can be outlined by a style. Even if that 'style' can't be contained by the BJCP guidelines, like Stone Arrogant Bastard. "Real" beers don't have to be served ice cold. "Real" beers are not afraid to define an entire style all by themselves. The "real" as it applies to guidelines, helps us all to focus on some major styles with understood techniques, flavors and parameters. This hones a brewer's skill towards making anything they damn well please, and hitting their target. "Real" beer is also an exclusionary statement. It helps us weed out the emerging "malt" based beverages like Zima and the new "Zima Green Apple," made with malt, natural and artifical flavors and artifical color. Or how about the Sparks malt beverage? 6%abv, plus caffiene, citric acid, taurine, guaranabiberian, Gensing, plus "certified color and FD&C yellow number five." Doesn't sound the least bit "real" to me... unless you count "real putrid." Most of these beverages are little more than a candy flavored alcohol delivery device, and not something to be taken seriously by brewers or judges. "Real" beer is like any real art. If you investigate, you'll know the difference between the original and a poster. If you don't, then this Bud's for you. Kev. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ********************************************************************** * JudgeNet - the beer judge digest * * Send plain text only, no HTML, MIME, encoded text or attachments * * Manage your subscription online: http://synchro.com/judge * * Send subscription requests & changes to judge-request`at`synchro.com * ********************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Spencer W. Thomas Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 20:36:36 -0400 Subject: "real beer" You know, I think I'd vote for changing it to "appreciation of beer". Any other wording, no matter how you try to rationalize it, comes across as elitist. (-: We *know* we *are* the elite, but let's not rub it in, eh? :-) =S ********************************************************************** * JudgeNet - the beer judge digest * * Send plain text only, no HTML, MIME, encoded text or attachments * * Manage your subscription online: http://synchro.com/judge * * Send subscription requests & changes to judge-request`at`synchro.com * ********************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: JPRea`at`aol.com Date: Sat, 30 Apr 2005 21:40:04 EDT Subject: On Judging Experience . . . During our judging of the AHA first round today, we stumbled upon a question that seemed appropriate for this group. I recently took the BJCP test but have yet to hear back results. As I was filling out the judging form today, I was trying to figure out what box to check relative to my judging experience. I am an experienced judge, having judged five or six competitions in the past years. But since I have no BJCP rank or number yet, I can't lay claim to any BJCP level. I'm not a novice/apprentice. Would I be "Experienced (but not in BJCP)" until I get my number? Anyone know the appropriate answer to this one? Jeff Rea Bellevue, WA ********************************************************************** * JudgeNet - the beer judge digest * * Send plain text only, no HTML, MIME, encoded text or attachments * * Manage your subscription online: http://synchro.com/judge * * Send subscription requests & changes to judge-request`at`synchro.com * **********************************************************************