Subject: Digest for the period 3/16/2007 - 3/17/2007 Date: Sat, 17 Mar 2007 01:04:38 -0400 Table of contents ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Second call for judges (Bruce Stott) 2. RE: Style heresy: hear, hear! (David Houseman) 3. Style Guides (Ted Hausotter) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Stott Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2007 22:20:46 -0500 Subject: Second call for judges The tenth annual Eastern Connecticut Homebrew Competition is only two weeks away and we still need judges. The competition is Saturday, March 31 in Willimantic, CT. It is BJCP sanctioned and judging points will be awarded accordingly. Coffee and bagels at 8:30, judging begins at 9:30. Lunch will be provided. Contact Bruce Stott at tbonestott`at`comcast.net or 774 237-0220. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: David Houseman Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 08:12:43 -0500 Subject: RE: Style heresy: hear, hear! I sympathize with some of the concern about some of the styles being broad in definition but my friend George de Piro was on target when he pointed out the natural overlap in styles and the commercial examples. The fact is that some styles are very narrowly defined (California Common, Koelsch and Alt for example) while some are more broadly defined, such as the Stouts and American Pale Ales. So how can a style have hop aroma from none to high and be judged? The key is a good understanding of the styles, not just rote comparison to each parameter in the style guidelines. There are ranges for original gravity and bitterness levels for example. Proper balance for the style would not include an example with OG at the low end of the range with IBUs at the high end of the range. These move in relation to one another so as to create an overall balance and drinkability. This is also true hop aroma/flavor in balance with roasted barley/malt and alcohol in an Imperial Stout. Unless we want to artificially create some narrowly defined styles to which brewers can target and judges can judge, the styles are what they are and the BJCP has done our best to document them. Styles are largely historic and speak for themselves. Experience and understanding of the styles is the solution to this question, not more narrowly defining existing styles. David Houseman BJCP Grand Master III BJCP Competition Director Groundhog Brewing Chester Springs, PA ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ted Hausotter Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2007 07:56:56 -0700 Subject: Style Guides In thinking back to the old set of style guides, these are the best we have seen. They are great in my opinion. The styles are the issue. Do we cleve them apart to make them fit in narrow defined categories? The task of the style committee was to take the overlapping styles and try to give us more detail. Take stouts, yes the bottom of RIS overlaps foreign. What they brought to us is great information about the norm of a style. The Bo pils is great. These guidelines state that it is more balanced. Prior to them, entering a bo pils that did not rip your tongue out, you got dinged. We are evolving, while these "great guidelines" will also have to evolve. Yes we will be revising in the future. We have to because the styles evolve. Most important is for us as judges to become better. Drink the classic examples and compare them to other styles. Take the stouts and compare to Porters. There will be overlap that makes you wonder how good a porter will do as a stout. A few years ago at the nationals, Curt Hausom won Home brewer of the year with a Stout and a Porter, the same beer. We as judges could not tell it apart. Ted Hausotter Baker City, OR _________________________________________________________________ i'm making a difference. Make every IM count for the cause of your choice. Join Now. http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwme0080000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://im.live.com/messenger/im/home/?source=hmtagline ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ***** Important Subscriber Information ***** To post a message to JudgeNet, send it to judge`at`synchro.com. Send plain text only, no HTML, MIME, encoded text or attachments. Make sure you use a meaningful subject. Quote only as much material as is needed for context. To manage your subscription, go to http://synchro.com/judge/subscriptions.html or send an email to judge-request`at`synchro.com with the subject: help judge. JudgeNet is also available as an NNTP newsgroup, go to news://news.synchro.com/synchro.judge