New Competition rules.

[jceg316]

Very

Can you elaborate? What's the difficulty? I'm trying to understand.

 

[Ray1314]

It seems a bit of a strange approach to me. Trad beer styles in the UK often contain isinglass, gelatine and other finings and lactose for sweetening. This isn't Munich! Why would a vegan want offer him or herself to judge traditionally made beers, but restrict their contents because of their own life choices? A bit of a highly processed and purified product of animal origin should be pretty much undetectable anyway. Are we going to insist that finings come from Kosher or Halaal sources so that we don't exclude potential judges who might otherwise object? (Although why a Muslim would want to be a beer judge is beyond me, but you never know).

Yup, I think I must have been in a particularly accommodating mood when I penned my earlier contribution to this thread. I'm instinctively against the majority having to adjust for the benefit of the minority, and would probably just bypass any competition where I felt a judge was imposing their personal beliefs on me, I suspect I wouldn't be alone in that.

 

[TheOsprey]

Yup, I think I must have been in a particularly accommodating mood when I penned my earlier contribution to this thread. I'm instinctively against the majority having to adjust for the benefit of the minority, and would probably just bypass any competition where I felt a judge was imposing their personal beliefs on me, I suspect I wouldn't be alone in that.

You were being too accommodating when you suggested a single month for vegan beers?

It's my personal preference to not make lager, so I'd probably bypass any competition where that was the focus.

People are strange, sometimes.

 

[MickDundee]

You were being too accommodating when you suggested a single month for vegan beers?

It's my personal preference to not make lager, so I'd probably bypass any competition where that was the focus.

People are strange, sometimes.

You’ve definitely hit a nerve for some reason.

 

[TheOsprey]

You’ve definitely hit a nerve for some reason.

I do have pretty abhorrent views.

 

[An Ankoù]

I very rarely cold crash. I make lagers in the winter and bring them into the warm for a diacetyl rest and then put back in the cold before racking to secondary, but I think I've only once put beer in the fridge as a conscious cold crash.
I'm beginning to think there's something physical about racking into secondary that causes the beer to drop bright anyway in 24-48 hours, while, if that process is delayed, it doesn't seem to drop bright as quickly. Perhaps that's where cold crashing is needed. Had anybody else noticed this?

 

[Ray1314]

You were being too accommodating when you suggested a single month for vegan beers?

It's my personal preference to not make lager, so I'd probably bypass any competition where that was the focus.

People are strange, sometimes.

Osprey, I'm not trying to be difficult, and have absolutely no problem with you personally or vegans in general. I would however respectfully suggest this is a niche interest and I would not be supportive of a blanket change in the competition rules. Having said that I'm sure the forum admins will decide what, if any, changes will occur, so what I think is fairly inconsequential.

 

[jceg316]

In fear of this descending to arguing and not going anywhere, let's move this along. Here's a rule to add to the list I think makes sense. Can anyone see any real reason why it can't be added?

Judges must state whether they have any dietary requirements when choosing a competition month. This will get recorded in the Homebrew Competition Schedule thread. Judges must announce in their competition thread any dietary requirements as well. If there are too many restrictions this can be discussed on a case by case basis, keeping in mind the community spirit of the event. There is the possibility of judges swapping months or parallel competitions, or whatever the participants and judge decide.

I also think we should add this next clause to support the above one:

A competition schedule for the following year will be released early November* which is based on a first come first serve basis. However, if you have judged previously please consider allowing someone who hasn't judged previously to have a chance**

*Why November? This gives plenty of time to prepare for January's comp should there be some sort of requirement. Judging fills up quickly so realistically participants will have almost 2 months.

**Nothing to do with dietary requirements, just making sure everyone who wants a turn can get one (because we're a friendly bunch, remember? ).


Let's remember something: This is just for fun, it's not a national competition with gigantic prizes at stake. I don't think there are any forumites entering all 12 competitions every year, so if you miss one is it really the end of the world? There's always the possibility of a bottle swap to get feedback on beers. On this note, there will always be some barrier stopping all forumites entering every competition, whether it's dietary requirements, don't like the style of the month, judging date doesn't work out etc.

 

[strange-steve]

I have no problem with a judge specifying a dietary requirement, however if I were a judge with a particular dietary requirement I'm not sure I would trust a group of people I've never met to respect it.

 

[An Ankoù]

I have no problem with a judge specifying a dietary requirement, however if I were a judge with a particular dietary requirement I'm not sure I would trust a group of people I've never met to respect it.

Nor me.
In retirement, I've let my hair grow wild and have taken to wearing sandals. The Wise One thinks I'm beginning to look more and more like Jesus. That being the case, I think I'd have to object to beers containing hops dedicated to pagan deities such as Apollo and Zeus, on religious grounds, just in case I could work myself up into a lather of being really, really offended.

 

[TheOsprey]

Osprey, I'm not trying to be difficult, and have absolutely no problem with you personally or vegans in general. I would however respectfully suggest this is a niche interest and I would not be supportive of a blanket change in the competition rules. Having said that I'm sure the forum admins will decide what, if any, changes will occur, so what I think is fairly inconsequential.

To be honest, I used to be pretty anti vegan!

I would certainly never expect, and haven't requested, a blanket change to the rules. I know there are some traditions which people like to follow, although I'm sure some of those same people are using 'traditional hop pellets' in their brews at the same time

I have no problem with a judge specifying a dietary requirement, however if I were a judge with a particular dietary requirement I'm not sure I would trust a group of people I've never met to respect it.

Haha reminds me of this! You can never be certain about what people are putting in their brews, true. But then that's the case for anyone judging. I've got a wonderful antifreeze porter on the go now... Anyone for bird seed IPA?

Anyway, these are my last thoughts on the matter here.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I haven't read every post but get the general argument, why not have months where you can have two competitions running side by side one for vegan beer and one for non vegan beer.

 

[Galena]

I haven't read every post but get the general argument, why not have months where you can have two competitions running side by side one for vegan beer and one for non vegan beer.

I only drink beer that contain meat or fish products, what about me?

 

[MickDundee]

I only drink beer that contain meat or fish products, what about me?

We can add a category for cock ale and Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout

 

[TheOsprey]

I only drink beer that contain meat or fish products, what about me?

I mean, I'm not sure but I *think* you fit into non-vegan.

 

[jceg316]

I haven't read every post but get the general argument, why not have months where you can have two competitions running side by side one for vegan beer and one for non vegan beer.

I've written 2 extra rules in my post above which I think is a good way round this problem. I'm waiting to hear any real objections or amendments before asking to add it to the rules.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I only drink beer that contain meat or fish products, what about me?

So you would enter the non vegan competition or have a i missed spmething?

 

[Galena]

So you would enter the non vegan competition or have a i missed spmething?

Non vegan includes beer without meat or fish, I only drink beer that contains meat or fish or their by products.
I was being pedantic

 

[MickDundee]

Non vegan includes beer without meat or fish, I only drink beer that contains meat or fish or their by products.
I was being pedantic

This is the beer for you:
https://wynkoop.com/brewery/brew-blog/rocky-mountain-oyster-stout/

 

[Galena]

This is the beer for you:
https://wynkoop.com/brewery/brew-blog/rocky-mountain-oyster-stout/

Yum yum