NHC Score Sheets & Style Question

[brewinhard]

Well its good to hear that KC has sent out some score sheets. Hopefully I will get mine this week and see how my entries scored.

[siwelwerd]

Entered a Berliner w/ Blueberry & Pineapple and based on conversations with a few certified BJCP judges locally in the STL area I was advised the best category was 16e Belgian Specialty.

Who told you this? Most of the guys up there know better, unless they misunderstood your question. It's pretty simple: if it ain't Belgian, it doesn't belong in 16E.

I had 3 or 4 miscategorized beers this weekend. We had a very interesting pepper (as in jalapeno) RIS entered as a RIS--that one caught us by surprise at the end of a long flight.

[ACESFULL]

yeah, if at NHC first round, I'd score your beer at 29 tops if it was really good and entered in the wrong category. That way it just cannot go to the second round.

If I were you, I'd kick the dudes balls that told you to enter 16E. Then you should kick your own balls for listening to them.

Sometimes you get nailed. I had a mead score a 20 because i put down that it was still when it developed carbonation. The following year i entered the same mead in NHC (as sparkling) and got a bronze in the final round.

Thanks for all the input fellas. As far as the suggestion I gained this input from a few people. I read the guidelines and with the lacto/brett & fruit it seemed to fit. The fruit beer cat didnt seem to work either. It should have been cat 23. Talked to Nate via twitter that was his suggestion.

Preparing to kick myself in the nuts.

[BDawg]

You keep saying Lacto/Brett.....

There's lacto but no Brett in a Berliner Weiss, and there are no phenolics in a (well made) Berliner Weiss either.
Sour != Belgian. That's my point.

[Ozwald]

You keep saying Lacto/Brett.....

There's lacto but no Brett in a Berliner Weiss, and there are no phenolics in a (well made) Berliner Weiss either.
Sour != Belgian. That's my point.

Brussels Weisse...

[ACESFULL]

You keep saying Lacto/Brett.....

There's lacto but no Brett in a Berliner Weiss, and there are no phenolics in a (well made) Berliner Weiss either.
Sour != Belgian. That's my point.

While I am aware that there isnt supposed to have any Brett in a Berliner. I do a mini sour mash with unmilled grain so I cant be sure what bugs are actually in the beer. I get some Brett aromas hence why I include Brett in the descriptors. The BJCP guidelines also say "mild brett" character may be present.

So I entered it in the wrong category, took bad advise oh and I have successfully kicked my self in the nuts for my dumbness. All in all I feel like I learned a lot here. Thanks BNARMY!!

[maxwell]

You keep saying Lacto/Brett.....

There's lacto but no Brett in a Berliner Weiss, and there are no phenolics in a (well made) Berliner Weiss either.
Sour != Belgian. That's my point.

Really? Brettanomyces is mentioned in both the flavor and aroma sections of the BJCP description of this style. That said, I make BW with lacto only and no brett and enjoy drinking it that way.

[BDawg]

Yes, mild Brett character is optional but not required. It is not a Brettanomyces byproduct, but really it is saying that it has a light funky character to it. Lacto is the primary flavor. Funk definitely takes a back seat to acid here.
Hope that makes sense.