2008 National Homebrew Competition

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yaturaz
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2008 National Homebrew Competition

Post by yaturaz »

Has anyone entered this competition before?

I am new to the brewing scene and I have a couple beers that I would like to enter into the competition. Does anyone have a link to the guidelines of the judging? I also read that if you do win your recipe will be published. Does this mean anyone could reproduce the great beer recipe I came up with? I would rather keep my recipe for myself. Is there other competitions out there where your beer can be judged and you get to keep your recipe secret?
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ColoradoBrewer
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Post by ColoradoBrewer »

I haven't entered the competition, but you can get all the information you need here. And you can register on line at this link.
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slothrob
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Post by slothrob »

I think brewers tend to be pretty free about communicating their recipes, since knowing a recipe and reproducing a beer are two different things. It's considered more significant that you can brew a winning beer. Frankly, two brewers could follow the same recipe and one could come in first and the other last.

You might also get away with saying things like "2-row" and "40
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billvelek
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Re: 2008 National Homebrew Competition

Post by billvelek »

yaturaz wrote:Has anyone entered this competition before?

I am new to the brewing scene and I have a couple beers that I would like to enter into the competition. Does anyone have a link to the guidelines of the judging? I also read that if you do win your recipe will be published. Does this mean anyone could reproduce the great beer recipe I came up with? I would rather keep my recipe for myself. Is there other competitions out there where your beer can be judged and you get to keep your recipe secret?
Unless you are wanting to eventually produce your recipe commercially, or hope to sell it to a brewery, or just want to try to keep racking up medals with it, why not share your recipe for a great beer? ... especially if the last reason is your motivation and you find that you can't enter your brew without disclosing the recipe -- which would be a catch-22: not wanting to release recipe so you can keep on winning competitions that you are unable to compete in. Anyway, the homebrewing community has generally been about selfless sharing; you might note that Sam Adams -- founded and still owned/managed by a homebrewer -- is selflessly willing to share thousands of pounds of hops, AT ORIGINAL COST, with microbreweries that he is in competition with. Many of us spend a LOT of our time sharing and helping newer brewers. That's just the way it is.

Cheers.

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wottaguy
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Re: 2008 National Homebrew Competition

Post by wottaguy »

I have entered the AHA's National Competition for the last 2 years and am planning of entering 2 or 3 beers for this year's competition as well. I find that it is very interesting getting feedback about my brews from the judges, and seems to help me pin-point the possible flaws and other discrepancies to the styles that I have entered. I also enter a few local competitions for the same reasons. I feel that some of the feedback I have personally received has been helpful in my quest to brew better beer. Any awards that I get is just icing on the cake, and I do have a few.

As many members of this board know, I am always willing to share any of my recipies when asked. It is my belief that "recipes don't make great beer, Brewers' make great beer." (A sound recipe helps however). I believe that if I can help a fellow home brewer make "Better Beer", then I have accomplished my task.

Without the steady flow of freely available knowledge that others have shared, i'm afraid a lot of home brewers would not be making any worth while beers to share with friends and family, without a very steep learning curve. I am still learning new techniques and tips, and have been at it for quite a few years.

I have found that mostly all homebrewers are more than willing to share their knowledge and recipes when asked. And thats just the way it should be!

Cheers!
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yaturaz
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Well I guess I shouldn't be so parinoid

Post by yaturaz »

I haven't been brewing that long and I really enjoy reading all the posts here on beertools. I guess if I make it to the second round I will have to disclose my recipe. I would like to open my own brew pub some day and if someone else brews my beer recipe I should be grateful.

Thank you all for your comments:)...
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cozrulz
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Post by cozrulz »

I feel where yaturaz is coming from about sharing recipes. Just like anything you want to keep your secret recipe to yourself.

Personally if I sold commercially, I think I would share the recipe. Homebrewers would come up with a clone anyways. Just like what has been said, it is the brewer not the recipe.
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billvelek
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Post by billvelek »

Well, maybe there is a competition out there somewhere in which you don't need to disclose your recipe. I don't know; I've never entered into one. If all you want is feedback, will they send you a score sheet after just the first round? If so, and if you only need to submit the recipe if going to the second round, just enter the first and if you make it to the second round, just quit. I don't know what else to suggest. Good luck.

Cheers.

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slothrob
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Post by slothrob »

I guess I'd look at it like a new rock band deciding not to put songs on the internet because people will steal them. They might do that, but the songs might get them recognized as a talented band.

Most breweries have plenty of good recipes of their own and more they have in mind to try. They're not trolling contests looking for recipes to steal. If they want award winners they can just buy Jamil Z.'s book and brew a winning recipe of just about any style they could imagine from a recognized brewer instead of some unknown. Oh yeah, and he became famous by entering contests and making his recipes freely available on the internet.
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yaturaz
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Post by yaturaz »

I am entered in the comp.. I only had a amber ready though:(
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