GABF Winners: Rants n Raves

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by BBThunderbolt, Oct 13, 2012.

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  1. Lordquackingstic

    Lordquackingstic Pundit (974) Jun 14, 2011 New York
    Trader

    I agree with your point about style, and I personally enjoy dreamweaver and hopback, but there's something about sunshine pils that rubs me the wrong way. Just my opinion.
     
  2. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,274) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I agree, even coors has ac golden. My point is that they have more to lose if they upset their client base.
     
  3. Mebuzzard

    Mebuzzard Grand Pooh-Bah (4,216) May 19, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    The GABF medals do pull some weight, but I wonder if the judging should be changed. I think they judge all the entries in, what, less than a week? Their palates have to be worn out.

    Perhaps extend that? Or, don't have it the same week as GABF (week before, so the judges can enjoy GABF events)?
     
  4. DovaliHops

    DovaliHops Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2009 California

    Very true
     
  5. hopfenunmaltz

    hopfenunmaltz Pooh-Bah (2,611) Jun 8, 2005 Michigan
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Never been to the GABF, but have judged some homebrew competitons. If you ever judge an event, there is a time frame to get 'er done. The GABF is judged by professional brewers, industry people, and some beer writers. These folks have all done it before. They would get a morning flight, and an afternoon flight of beers in some category for that session.

    Your suggestion might be good for fresh palates, but you can only judge for so many days and you get tired of the whole thing. Did a big local compettion (>1000 entries), and after 2 days I just wanted to go home, and still had another 1/2 day to go. You can't drag it out too long, or you burn out the judges.

    The GABF judges have the festival booths to go to, the awards ceremony, and there is always the brewery back home to deal with. The local pros I know say it is a great time (non have judged as far as I know), but they are ready to come home once it is over.
     
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  6. Mebuzzard

    Mebuzzard Grand Pooh-Bah (4,216) May 19, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Fatigue makes sense. Then again, I've met and drank with judges during GABF events. Their judging session may/not be over, and they don't seem all that tired :slight_smile:
     
  7. ipa247

    ipa247 Initiate (0) Dec 23, 2008 California

    Great to see Cafe Racer 15 win the silver in the imperial ipa category. Love that beer and wish that bear republic brewed it more often and occasionally bottled it. So tasty!
     
  8. Shaudius

    Shaudius Initiate (0) Aug 12, 2012 District of Columbia

    It depends on what you mean by may never even be put on tap. All beers entered in the GABF have to be commercially available. "All beer brands entered in the Great American Beer Festival must be commercially available exactly as entered by brand name. “Commercially available” means the entered brand has been available for sale at retail under the exact brand name as entered on the GABF entry registration form on or before the date that registration opens (June 27)."

    So if you mean that the beer might never have seen sale outside of the brewery itself, or is only available in extremely limited bottles(for instance like AC Golden product mentioned up thread) and not put on tap elsewhere, then yes what you said is true , but it still has to have been sold at some point as I understand it.
     
  9. xnicknj

    xnicknj Initiate (0) May 25, 2009 Pennsylvania

    yeah, i nearly fell over when i read this.
     
  10. dmoser

    dmoser Initiate (0) Sep 11, 2009 California

    I've never had any beer by Church Brew Works, but I met Steve Sloan when he was brewing at Firestone Walker. Super nice guy, so I was glad to see his name up there.

    I was at Island Brewing in Carpenteria, CA Friday and bought a bottle of the Barrel Aged Night Sail on the bartenders recommendation. The next day I check the results and see that it got a Silver, looking forward to trying it. Also their place is great, nice local atmosphere and looks right out on the beach.

    I too was surprised by Tap It winning gold, but good for them.
     
  11. mintjellie

    mintjellie Initiate (0) Oct 2, 2005 Canada (ON)

    Prima is a great beer, but it's quite hoppy for the style. The criteria isn't what's best, the criteria is what fits an agreed upon set of style guidelines best. Sunshine probably fits the style guidelines better than Prima.
     
  12. foobula

    foobula Initiate (0) Dec 14, 2009 Illinois

    The film industry has a similar rule for Academy Award consideration, AFAIK. So you'll get a film that gets a release at one theatre in LA for a day, just to fulfill a requirement.

    Not coming up with any examples right now, but I'm halfway through a bomber of Bourbon County Coffee.
     
  13. foobula

    foobula Initiate (0) Dec 14, 2009 Illinois

    I thought this was awesome. 1) Because I like GI, 2) because I'm not particularly fond of hoppy beers and the GI IPA I had recently was right up my alley.

    That being said, it's interesting to see from this video that judging beer is not about how good it tastes, but about how well it conforms to style (a point made eariler in the thread.) Which makes the style guidelines seem like required reading alongside the list of winners.
     
  14. BasterdInABasket

    BasterdInABasket Initiate (0) Nov 8, 2010 Wisconsin

    Point Oktoberfest gold, staghorn silver = WTFx1000000!!!
     
  15. Azzy

    Azzy Initiate (0) Jul 16, 2012 Texas

    Lol category 33!
     
  16. ColonelCash

    ColonelCash Initiate (0) Jul 6, 2011 Tennessee

    stevens point whole hog pumpkin is a really nice pumpkin brew. gold medal worthy? dont know about that, but I hope to find another 4 pack locally.
     
    Redrover likes this.
  17. lucas1801

    lucas1801 Initiate (0) Apr 5, 2012 Massachusetts

    Duet is a great beer, but I wonder if the low IBU's hurt it here.
     
  18. cbeer88

    cbeer88 Initiate (0) Sep 5, 2007 Massachusetts

    I'm not sure it has ever helped them any either. These awards are a complete no-op for consumers.
     
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  19. SalukiAlum

    SalukiAlum Initiate (0) Dec 19, 2010 Colorado

    The awards mean stuff for many breweries and not so much for other. You can make an award winning beer, make multiple award winners, have solid beer across the board, distro, seasonals. So much that actually make a brewery. New winners every year. I think the medals open the door for breweries that maybe I haven't heard of and I like that.
     
  20. wd09601

    wd09601 Initiate (0) Jul 29, 2012 Maryland

    These guys just started a few months ago. Winning gold isn't too shabby.
    Category: 64 German-Style Altbier, 35 Entries
    Gold: Balt Altbier, Union Craft Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD
     
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