2005 GABF Winners

I really don't have a clue what you're going on about here. Really.

Who said I win? I got paid. That's all. That's why I write it. It's not a mission, or art, it's a job. And as for the sophomoric humor...I write for the market. Would I write that way if I were publishing and paying myself? No, but I can write that way for a market. And if you can get paid for this kind of writing, by all means, do so. In fact, I'd really rather you did and didn't give it away. Helps the market.

Anything else?

"Lew Bryson" wrote in news:D1e1f.15$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net:

me>> Advertizing, self-promotion, pretty shiny things at the host me>> station escape you? Selling their award-winning beer at the me>> venue itself..."escapes" you?

you> Yeah, it does, when you have to shuffle your you> serving order and you've you> already got something planned. Screw it, hang you> the medals up, smile a lot, you> and promise them a big event in two months (when you> you had it planned for you> anyway). But it doesn't PROVE that the beer you> doesn't exist except for the you> GABF; which is my point.

Still don't get it. "Shuffle?" "Planned?" "Big event?"

Don't...get it.

I thought you were saying that you got paid so your opinion has greater weight.

Agreed.

If ever I meet you face to face I am going to kiss you full on the mouth. Neither one of us will enjoy it, but I'm emotionally invested at this point.

Scott Kaczorowski Long Beach, CA

See, THIS is what I don't get. If you mean do some places slip a tiny-batch beer in that's way over-category, and then never make that beer again? Okay, if that's what you mean (and I'm not straw-manning or putting words in your mouth, just trying to figger what you mean, honest), then they suck for making tiny super-batches, almost as much as the judges do for not throwing it right to hell out of the category for being overdone.

Okay, the shuffle: NO brewery knows they're going to win a medal, so why plan to have your entry beers up? You WANT to draw attention to the fact that you didn't win? I would probably work them into rotation in about a month, which gives me time to plan and publicize an event honoring my brewer. I just don't understand why not having your medal-winning beer on tap for the three weeks after GABF "proves" that you made a mini-super-batch just to win a medal.

No, I've never felt that and I hope I've never said that. I do feel that drinking a wide variety of beers for over twenty years and thinking a lot about them gives my opinion greater weight than a noob's, but you're no noob. The main reason I wrote that was because I got paid for it. The world at large didn't need yet another piece about hefeweizen, but that site did. So I wrote one. Just as tonight I'm writing another piece for them on the basics of brewing in which I compare malting to jerking a bull. Don't miss it.

Wish more people understood that. I'm trying to pay some bills here.

Catch me if you can.

"Lew Bryson" wrote in news:aqk1f.794$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr30.news.prodigy.com:

Well, you caught me. That is pretty much what I meant. I think Places do this. But upon reflection I think most brick-and- mortar operations probably don't have the time (or more importantly, the capacity) to brew up a special batch for competition.

Disagree to an extent. What if a brewer has become bored of Blond and Wheat but knows how to make a lovely B-Wine? While it might not normally be on, it was brewed there. Maybe it leads to demand for something other than something that NEEDS a slice of lemon. And if Augie MVIII can spend $500k/half-minute to tell me his underattenunated mess of a beer is "the best in world", then I would think the local yeast farm should get to pull one out once in a while.

I've been judging for 7 or so years now (BJCP rank of Certified

- and that's as, um, "high" as I'll ever get as there is NO WAY I'm going to take that bitch of a test again.) In the last 2 or

If I make a perfectly good Porter I shouldn't enter it because it might not win and therefore I can't ever serve it again?

"Here's a Wit that didn't win nothing at the GABF. But at least we entered!" You're right, I wouldn't buy a beer presented that way. But if it doesn't suck then just don't tell me it came in

!claro. Yes, not of course (not). Just don't spend $300 on "We Entered the GABF!!!" banners.

My mistaken assumption. Honestly, that's all it was on this end. Apologies.

Amateur. That makes you, what? 32?

I "get" that.

Heh! I certainly didn't. The "mom" thing - that was just icky, Dude.

Oh I won't. I look forward to it. Do you have direct experience with, er, you know? Is lube required? I generally prefer to use lube.

Yabut, you feel dirty, don't you?

I'm 5' 11.75" and 160lbs and get up at 0530 to run (well, some days). Pucker up, Lewbert.

Scott Kaczorowski Long Beach, CA

Scott Kaczorowski wrote: : : I've been judging for 7 or so years now (BJCP rank of Certified : - and that's as, um, "high" as I'll ever get as there is NO WAY : I'm going to take that bitch of a test again.) In the last 2 or : 3 years, part of the post-score discussion has included "Is it : too big for style?" I've seen (only once, but still) a judge : show up with a hydrometer. I think the, er, community is : sensitive to 1.055 Milds. :

And what use really is a hydrometer in a carbonated sample? Was he planning to stir until flat?

I think a refractometer would be much more acceptable but once you start up (or down) that slippery slope you'd want to begin mechanically measuring other aspects of style (SRMs , IBUs...).

What I learned from studying for the BJCP exam is that a.) I don't want to sit for it and b.) I don't want to be a BJCP certified judge. I'm perfectly capable of objective judging and can do it when called upon to do it, but I'd far rather just enjoy what's right about a given sample of beer rather than concern myself with determining what's wrong with it. The four point system that was (still is?) in use here is fine with me.

I was wondering that myself! Is that an error or something they make only for the festival?

No prob, there. What I mean is if they take what they normally brew and tweak it up...just for GABF, and then don't keep making it that way because it's too expensive/too much for their locals. I don't think that happens very often at all, but to hear some people bitch and whine, it happens every time (every time their favorite dick-waving brewery doesn't win, that is).

Hrm. Maybe. Maybe not. Sure as hell doesn't look like they're as sensitive as they could be. I have a personal hate for entries that crowd or pop the top of categories.

Ah, if only.

Thenk yew.

You absolutely need lube. No direct experience, though, just a friend with LOTS of stories. Guy's done everything at some point in his life, I swear.

Nope. Not any more than an architect does after designing a bathroom.

Now that I mention it, what is this one? Category: 12 Wood- and Barrel-aged Beer - 75 Entries Gold: Cherry Stout, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI

Another fest-only brew?