2016 Boardtown Brew-Off What the Judges Said

I’ve posted just about all my recipes that I entered into my local homebrew competition this year, Boardtown Brew-Off. I want to share the judges notes with some of my tasting notes along side with it. This is standard practice of mine. I take in account what the judges said and sit back and try to evaluate my beer with a judge perspective.

Let’s Stout It Out (2015)

20C: Imperial Stout
1st Place: American Porter and Stout
Final Assigned Score: 41

Judge 1 BJCP Certified

Score 43

Very rich and enjoyable aromatics and flavors. Would prefer the malt to be more forward than the esters, but very nice regardless. I had no problem finishing it!

Judge 2 BJCP Certified

Score 39

Overall very good technically. Would like to see a little more roast (choc/coffee) in the malt flavors. Can’t see any major techincal flaws, just slight tweaking of malt bill to balance some of the dark fruit flavors. Very good beer.

This is my go to brew. I have always scored well with this recipe. Needless to say, it didn’t let me down this time. 

Gorilla Morning

23A: Berliner Weisse
Final Assigned Score: 34.5

Judge 1 Non-BJCP

Score 35

Very well made beer. Very balanced sourness. Clean aroma and taste. Great crisp mouthfeel

Judge 2 BJCP Certified

Score 34

I could kill several of these at the beach. The fruity / sourness combination comes off as orange juice. Might actually score well as a fruit sour. I think the orange juice quality if a bit overbearing. Still a nice beer.

I dry hopped this beer with 2 ounces of Meridian hops. I really liked the character of it. But I believe I want more hop flavor than aroma. I have plans to do a hoppy sour beer in the very near future. 

“Bourbon Barrel” Let’s Stout It Out

33B: Speciality Wood-Aged Beer

1st Place: Specialty Beer

Final Assigned Score: 40.6

Judge 1 BJCP Certified

Score 42

Overall pretty good. The bourbon is much more prominent than the oak. I could use slighty more oak. This beer is a little cloying, but that might be resolved by higher pitching rates or more oxygen. I enjoyed this beer. Add a touch of oak.

Judge 2 BJCP Certified

Score 40

Very good RIS with appropriate bourbon and oak additions, no major off flavors, except the phenolic, which may be attributed to wood, carbonation is low, tasty!

Judge 3 Non-BJCP: Score: 40 I feel this is a well make Russian imp. stout. a little more warmth on it. But easy to drink

Really hate to toot my own horn, but this beer here drank pretty good for a RIS. It was a touch sweet, but when I first packaged this beer the oak was in your face. It mellowed over time and the bourbon started to take over. Well, let’s just say I’m going to actually barrel age this recipe next time. 

Busty Porter

20A: American Porter

Final Assigned Score: 31

Judge 1 BJCP Certified

Score 30

I could drink a good bit of this very “sessionable.” Think fermentation profile could be a bit cleaner – maybe try a different yeast. Could also benifit from a bit more body by increasing mash temp ~2 degrees F and some more malt complexity and roast.

Judge 2 BJCP Certified

Score 32

Overall this is a very drinkable beer. A little more fruit than I’d like to see that can complicate the roasted malt flavors. Although that could be from hops choice, try a low ferm temp with earthy hops to accentuate the malts. Which the malt flavors were great!

Not my best porter by all means. My porter in 2015 scored 2nd Best in Show, but it was an easy drinker and I enjoyed it. Didn’t think it would score very well. But low 30s, think it was good. 

Wit Gone Indie

21B: Specialty IPA (White IPA)

1st Place: India Pale Ale

Final Assigned Score 42.5

Judge 1 BJCP Certified

Score 42/50

Well Done. I think the witbier characteristics take an edge over the IPA characteristics.

Judge 2 Non-BJCP

Score 43/50

Good beer. Slighty lacking hoppiness, but otherwise great to style

Ahh the beer that is going to be a staple in the kegerator. I am going to play with some hop combinations, but the Mosaic, Simcoe, Citra combination is something fierce! 

DeRego’s Rye Bread Beer

31A: Alternative Grain Beer

Final Assigned Score: 27.5

Judge 1 BJCP Certified

Score 29

Overall beer with a very “alternative” grain. The rye characteristic is good, but there is a strange sticky mouthfeel. There is also a tartness in the finish hints at possible infection, but its very low. I would also like to see more hop flavor and aroma. Good job.

Judge 2 BJCP Certified

Score 26

A good beer, no glaring off flavors, but really needs balance in flavor. Too bitter and dry without enough malt for support. Very slight sour aroma and flavor – may be infected or may be hops, too light to determine. Definitely picked up the rye spiciness.

Now I had no idea how this beer would score. It’s ok. Not my best beer, but it was definitely a fun project. I’m not sure why I haven’t posted about this beer. Took lots of notes and pictures, but just never got around to it. I think I will soon. Pretty much what I figured, mid 20s. I’m not complaining. 

Black Wit

30A: Spice, Herb, Vegetable Beer

Final Assigned Score: 22.5

Judge 1 Non-BJCP

Score 24

Nice for spiced ale, tastes clean, nice head not sure if lactose and cinnamon is from chamomile

Judge 2 BJCP Certified

Score 21

Unsure where the all-spice, almost cinnamon flavors are coming from. Difficulty to find the wit or chamomile in this beer. Fermentation seemed clean, lacked that bright carb you’d get from a wit. Could be phenolics causing the spice, but tastes artificial or on purpose.

I don’t have anymore of this beer left to drink along with their comments. This is one of those beers that I saw the recipe for and said, hey look I want to brew this. I had no clue how to describe this beer to the judges. I attribute the low score to my poor description that was given to the judges and my overall really giving a damn about it was very low. I just entered this beer to help out the club. 

Engrish Brown Ale

13B: English Brown Ale

Final Assigned Score: 34.5

Judge 1 BJCP Certified

Score 33

Light sweet malty drinkable brown ale with a toasty note. The cidery flavors detract. Watch fermentation temps

Judge 2 Non-BJCP

Score 36

A little light on maltiness but still a nice beer. Nice finish with dryness.

Something happened to this beer, I may have caught a slight infection cause it has seem to have dried out more since I have packaged it. I agree with the judges on this one.