Brew Con World Series V

[sonic61]

I'm convinced now, this Brewcon WS lot are totally hopeless - I really can't understand what's taking so long for these guys to get all the scores up and feedback sent out, a month after the competition.The main point of and some would say the most important part of a homebrew competition is the feedback. It's what most homebrewers want first and foremost from the competition but it would seem that sadly, the Brewcon WS organisers have lost sight of that.

I dropped my bottles off at the location on the Sunday before the comp and still have no idea if they were even judged. I've been with Brewcon since the start, but I won't bother next year and will stick with the LAB Open (and a few others) who organise great competitions and manage to get the results (and feedback) out in a reasonable timeframe. I've previously placed in category at Brewcon and it took four months for them to send me a rosette! So, if you placed, I wouldn't hold your breath in getting anything anytime soon.

One last thing to remember - Yes, the organisers have spent a lot of time setting the event up, but let's not forget that all entrants have paid to enter and have spent money and time on brewing the beers and it all seems a bit disrespectful, in my opinion. I notice that even Malt Miller Rakey has chipped in on Twitter and criticised about "over promising and failing to deliver" and he works for one of the event sponsors! Very disappointing from Brewcon and not a good look.

 

[MickDundee]

I won’t be entering next year.

It took them 3 months to mark my entry as “paid”, unanswered emails and only responded in social media. Wouldn’t confirm that they actually received my payment just that they were working through marking the payments that didn’t update automatically.

One of the biggest competitions in Britain but didn’t livestream the results then made us wait over a week to put them up on the website.

4 and a half weeks since the comp and I only have one of my 3 scores.

The LAB comp is probably a comparable size and they live-streamed the results, had scores up within a week and had constant email updates about the status of rosettes etc. The main organiser went on holiday and I still had all feedback, my certificate, rosette and contact regarding my prize within 12 days.

 

[dave_77]

Still no score from my American Amber

 

[Broken Toe]

Maybe 2023 will bring better luck...

 

[foxy]

BIPA scored 26 - not hoppy enough for the judges. In reality it was auite heavily hopped but was trying to incorporate Harlequin and whilst it brings the flavours the punch just isn't as hard!

Getting a good score for BIPA, or bitters where the name is the clue. A good charge of bittering hops, being careful of not falling into the trap of taking notice of your brewing calculator determining the IBU is to high for the style. Then considering you get everything else right will improve your score. Another thing, which is only my own observation, is the aroma of the dregs. Getting a whiff of any malt aroma isn't good, a good solid hop aroma and you are on the money.

 

[nickjdavis]

Still no score from my American Amber

Maybe you need to email the comp organiser direct via the comp site to ask where it is?

 

[Madmasher]

Maybe you need to email the comp organiser direct via the comp site to ask where it is?

Wouldn't hold out much hope for a reply. He has never replied to any emails I have sent.
Also waiting for my American Amber scoresheets.

 

[sonic61]

Another week goes by and still no results, after promising on the 6th Nov that the "Last four categories will be posted during the next week". My beers were nice and fresh when they went in to the comp but now, trying to compare what the judges tasted and what I'm tasting several weeks later is pointless.

They could have scanned and uploaded just 11 sheets a day since the comp date and got them all done by now. I understand now why they've limited comments on the Facebook page - obviously not too keen to get some stick for this.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Go for the UK Nationals. Sarah Pantry is running that and hoping to have all scores and feedback out within a day . I’m sure if anything prevents that from happening you will still only have to wait days rather than weeks or months.

 

[JockyBrewer]

Competitions I know will get you feedback asap:
- Anything run by London Amateur Brewers (Lager than Life coming in March, LAB Open in May!)
- Next years UK National (February I think)
- Anglian Craft Brewers competition (June, but may be moving to September)
- Norwich Amateur Brewers (October, but might also be moving)
- Midlands/Worcestershire HBC 'Heart of England' Competition (November)

I think the Scottish National have been good too, but I don't know anyone there and haven't entered for a few years, so not sure. Perhaps someone that entered this year can vouch for them.

In general, most BJCP affiliated competition organisers realise the importance of the feedback to most of the entrants, so will try and get it out as quickly as possible.

I think that live streaming the announcements is going the same way, it's so easy to do, and for LAB at least it helped capture the atmosphere at the event, encouraging people to come along to the event themselves in future.

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

Competitions I know will get you feedback asap:
- Anything run by London Amateur Brewers (Lager than Life coming in March, LAB Open in May!)
- Next years UK National (February I think)
- Anglian Craft Brewers competition (June, but may be moving to September)
- Norwich Amateur Brewers (October, but might also be moving)
- Midlands/Worcestershire HBC 'Heart of England' Competition (November)

I think the Scottish National have been good too, but I don't know anyone there and haven't entered for a few years, so not sure. Perhaps someone that entered this year can vouch for them.

In general, most BJCP affiliated competition organisers realise the importance of the feedback to most of the entrants, so will try and get it out as quickly as possible.

I think that live streaming the announcements is going the same way, it's so easy to do, and for LAB at least it helped capture the atmosphere at the event, encouraging people to come along to the event themselves in future.

That’s also my experience. The Scottish Nationals were also well run.

It’s only the Brewcon and Great British Beer Festival that have taken anything like this long…I’m still waiting for my Brewcon score/feedback.

 

[Deadhead]

Scottish Craft Brewers were excellent this year and I'm hoping the same in 2023. Live streamed and sheets were ready the next day. Then prizes and medals within just a few days.

 

[MickDundee]

Scottish Craft Brewers were excellent this year and I'm hoping the same in 2023. Live streamed and sheets were ready the next day. Then prizes and medals within just a few days.

It’s the only competition my brew club gets excited about. One of our members judges at it as well.

 

[Catching Swans]

Still nothing for my American IPA

 

[dave_77]

Still nothing for American Amber

 

[MickDundee]

Still nothing for my American IPA

I’m still waiting for my IPA (although I sent a bottle to someone through Instagram and it arrived oxidised so I no longer have high hopes for it) or my Kellerbier.

6 weeks on Saturday since the competition .

 

[pilgrimhudd]

FFS, have you guys got onto them via facebook/twitter etc?

 

[Stu's Brews]

FFS, have you guys got onto them via facebook/twitter etc?

I did a couple of weeks back but they've now blocked comments on their Facebook page which I assume is because they were getting so much stick.

 

[MickDundee]

FFS, have you guys got onto them via facebook/twitter etc?

Tweeted them 5 days ago. No response

 

[pilgrimhudd]

**** the bed.