German craft beer

But are they really new? Or just another rendition of an IPA?

And -- do you think they're really remembering the beers they try, or just ticking because it's the "thing to be doing?"

But I have to agree with Lurchus, at least around BA, it seems like the ratings drive the sales.

 

Agreed, but not to the extent that IPAs have been, um... exploited?

 

I feel like that most of the newer beer drinkers tend to constantly crave different beers, but not necessarily based upon their personal palate. That's where the ratings kick in. They tend to seek out whatever is all the rage at the moment. Once it has been acquired, they declare it to be amazing (1000 others can't be wrong!) and move along to the next. In a few weeks that beer will now be considered chopped liver so they can't be bothered to ever get it again. The only exception would be if it's exceptionally rare, has trade value, or it isn't distributed in your area. Once something has been on shelves, it can't possibly be any good.
I'd love to blame it on millennials, and they're certainly a large % of the audience. Yet, I think it's more about when you became exposed to craft beer more than your own age.

I think @herrburgess has hit the nail on the head about this many times. It's the process of making trying different beers into a contest rather than something to truly be savored. I'll admit I'm guilty of it myself on occasion. Yet when I think about the beers I truly love and go back to, nearly all of them are as common as can be...at least they are in their native lands. That could be Germany, Belgium, or even just good 'ol Denver.

 

I don't disagree...and I'm guilty of ticking myself. It comes with the territory I think. In my case, I feel like I'm on a constant search for a new favorite beer that I want to buy all of the time. I don't know if that's any better or worse
My gripes are more me bitching about the weird hive mind in the community more than the industry itself. They're giving people what they want. Even with all of the (often lousy) beers out there, quality is at an all-time high. I think that if I had one wish, it would be for the drinkers to actually have a truly open mind instead of just going with the pack mentality. There is some absolute garbage with high rating and some full-on gems that are considered "below average."

 

The critical aspect to these competitions is that the beer is consumed blind. The beers that win awards were selected solely on their drinking qualities with no bias involved. For people who assess a beer fully knowing what they are drinking bias is involved.

It is indeed true that if a given brewery does not submit a particular brand to the competition it is not possible for that brand to win a medal.

Cheers!

 

Ha! No bias is involved? Many of these judges have never tasted many of the beers being judged [and their local alternatives] in their original settings and are instead basing their judgments on sometimes very biased sets of criteria [that they enter the judging being very familiar with and, in a way, being themselves biased by]. The latter alone is enough to call these results into question...without even mentioning the nature of passing judgement on dozens of beers in a given category by sampling one 4-8 oz. serving [of beers they are being told are of a specific style...even though they may not fit any traditional notion of that style, such as a Koelsch] after another in the span of just a few hours.

 

I've mentioned it before, but the last home-brew competition I judged I was paired with 2 other judges who had never tasted Bamberg-brewed Rauchbier. They thought all "smoked" beer should taste like Alaskan Brewing Smoked Porter. They were also amazed that I'd actually travelled to other countries to drink beer -- they'd never been outside the U.S. No bias there, I'm sure.

 

And that's not just for local competitions. Many who judge major competitions are in the same boat. I have seen lists of judges for such competitions who, while perhaps all respected industry folks, have very limited experience outside their own borders and cultures.

 

Yes, we are all human beings including the self-appointed experts of BA.

Below is an interesting video of the process exercised at the GABF.

Cheers!

 

Never claimed nor wanted to be an 'expert.' Never judged a competition in my life. All I ever want to be is a beer 'guide' to the beers I know and love best. That and to produce great beer for others to enjoy -- in settings similar to the ones I love.

 

Its all good!

Cheers!

 

ROTFLMFAO! Never seen such a solid example of pot and kettle before, I need to bookmark this.

 

In terms of competitions, I tend to put a lot more faith in the results for American styles for the reasons mentioned above. I have confidence that most BJCP judges can probably pick out an excellent IPA, APA, Strong Stout, Coffee Beer, etc.
When it comes to styles from the other side of the Atlantic...not so much. No matter what anyone thinks without experience - it IS different when served properly and fresh. Even outside the whole "Corona/Red Stripe Effect," it's a different product. Kind of like most Europeans had no idea what a Stone IPA was supposed to taste like based on 18 month old grey-market bottles in Brussels.

 

@herrburgess I am not sure who you identified as not traveling, but when I look at the picture in the link of the assembled judges, there are quite a few that I know have traveled extensively, and some have been to many places around the world sampling beer. Of course some have not been out of the US.

There are the Kölsch and ESB stories that make one shake their head.

Do you think the Erostar Award award is any different?

 

Jeff (@hopfenunmaltz), I am uncertain whether you knew this or not but for this year’s European Beer Star Award they added three new categories:

“New in 2016 are:

Brown Ale

Traditional Pale Ale

New Style Pale Ale”

Cheers!