Subject: Digest for the period 5/12/2005 - 5/13/2005
Date: Fri, 13 May 2005 01:00:14 -0400

Table of contents
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  1. brewers v. serial entrants (Bob Paolino) 
  2. Judges not brewing (Ted Hausotter) 


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From: Bob Paolino  Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 10:50:24 -0400
Subject: brewers v. serial entrants 


> From: Jon Tobey  Date: Tue, 10 May 2005 22:13:42 -0700 (PDT)
> Subject: Re: Digest for the period 5/10/2005 - 5/11/2005 
> 
> 
> "Personally, I tend to find it easier to judge styles I don't brew. "
> 
> The best reason yet why judges shouldn't brew - it doesn't limit the
styles you
> can judge. ;-)

No, it's okay (but not mandatory) to brew, the problem is when judges
who are also serial brewers become serial entrants.  The judge who
doesn't enter the competition s/he's judging becomes a competition
organiser's favourite because of the flexibility of assignment.  (Of
course, I've known of judges (and I've been guilty of it at least a
couple of times ;-) ) who have entered the "urban spice" category ;-) to
exempt themselves from having to judge it. :-)


Now go have a beer,

Bob Paolino

"Are Canadians just Americans who carry hockey sticks instead of guns,
  or is there more to it than that?"
                           --"This Canadian Existence"
                                 Wisconsin Public Radio

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A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Ted Hausotter  Date: Thu, 12 May 2005 08:30:40 -0700
Subject: Judges not brewing 


Jon brings up his thought that judges should not brew.  I disagree 
completely with that.  It may make more since in a commercial competition, 
but for a homebrew competition, I find little value.

First off, if I never brewed, how could I learn the differences between 
continental, English and USA malts?  I am not going to remember it in all 
the different color ranges of beer drinking a mere pint.  What about 
differences in hops and yeast?  Or water the water?  As a brewer, I brew 2 
or more of the same style at the same time with different ingredients.  Then 
taste and compare the beers with commercial examples.  This gives me a much 
better ability to help the entrant with meaningful style information on how 
to make their beer better.  All flavors you can learn without brewing, just 
harder without the knowledge of the ingredients.

I started as a brewer first, judge second.  My experience helped make me a 
better judge.  As an entrant, I give more credence to the judges I respect, 
the good brewers and a few of the aficionados that know a particular style 
well.

Judges have the option of not entering beer.  It is not uncommon to hold 
back entries so you can judge a style.  I will enter beers I want to get 
opinions about, usually new recipes and hold back my proven ones if I want 
to judge that style.

Ted Hausotter
Master judge


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