Saltbox Brewing Home Brewers Competition

[chalmers]

From the site: We are excited to announce our 1st annual home brewers competition, with the top prize being a brew day with our brew master, of your winning recipe on our big system! Please download the attached documents for further details and to register. Registration closes December 17, 2016! Please contact us with any questions you may have.

http://www.saltboxbrewingcompany.ca/events.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.saltboxbrewingcompany.ca/upl ... tition.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.saltboxbrewingcompany.ca/upl ... y_form.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chalmers]

There are so many things wrong with this competition, I can't imagine they spoke with too many brewers or judges before deciding on the parameters.

But for those who choose to enter, best of luck!

[jacinthebox]

I've never entered a comp like this. What are your issues with this one? Your advice is helpful

[Broob]

I think it says you have to supply something like 24 bottles. Or maybe I read that wrong.

[LiverDance]

I think it says you have to supply something like 24 bottles. Or maybe I read that wrong.

Math sounds right to me. 3 Liters in the begining then 6 liters later if you make it. Also it's a lot of travelling!

[chalmers]

$40 is on the steep side, no talk of getting a tshirt or anything for entering.
Multiple visits to the brewery necessary, have to make sure you're available on at least three different dates (probably Jan 3, definitely your presentation date, semi-finals Feb 7, Announcement Feb 15).
Judges, who are they, do they know what a Gose is supposed to taste like? (may not be a big deal for some)
Can't use a recipe that you've adopted from a commercial one (no DIY Dog), or one that a local homebrew shop has created
You are then disqualified from ever brewing your recipe on a system larger than 1BBL (commercial or not)
Requiring folks to black out the bottles, yet will be presenting on their specific beer(s)? I don't understand that necessity. Has to be brown bottle
10-20 bottles required for judging.

I can't tell if one person can enter more than one beer, and if you must pay $40 per beer.


Pros:
You get your picture taken with a trophy that stays at the brewery. (vampires need no apply)

[jacinthebox]

Lol..ok thanks for the clarification

[LeafMan66_67]

I try to support local competitions, but this one is priced a bit steep, with lots of odd restrictions, including being at the brewery multiple times.

[LiverDance]

I try to support local competitions, but this one is priced a bit steep, with lots of odd restrictions, including being at the brewery multiple times.

[BobbyOK]

I think I'm reading correctly that it's a maximum of 20 entries total? That makes me feel like they're targeting a very small geographic area around the brewery which would make it easier for people to make all the events. But agreed the price and requirements will make this difficult for brewers.

You are then disqualified from ever brewing your recipe on a system larger than 1BBL (commercial or not)

That's a weird one. How would they ever prove it for one thing - and given the need to scale the recipe for a larger system anyway it wouldn't be exactly the same.

[chalmers]

So many questions... Unsure if I want to spend the necessary time getting to the absolute bottom of it.
I'll at least reach out to them for a clarification on a few points.

[Buccaneer]

A dubious prize at best. A day (or a bunch) with their brewmaster? They've got too many problems for that to be of any value.

[John G]

Not to derail the thread, but has anyone tried their scotch ale? I just went to their website and noticed they use peat smoked malt in it. I tried doing that once a long time ago and dumped the batch. I wonder if they've had better luck than me.

[Buccaneer]

It's a bit rough, but not completely off-putting. Sadly, the batch my growler came from was mostly undrinkable because of all the fermentation problems. I'd like to try it again at some point.

[chalmers]

I reached out to Andrew from Saltbox for some more information. He has been reading the thread, and wanted to help round out the info that may have been missing/nor clear.

Brewers may enter more than one beer, capped at 20 total entries, $40 per entry.
The higher entry fee goes toward food and beer at the 2 parties (Final Five and Winner Announcement), which are otherwise closed to the public.
The first night of judging, your are required to have enough to go to the 3 judges, and the rest going to your fellow entrants. So you can bring 1-2 bottles and not share with anyone, or 10 bottles to swap and share.
If you make the Final Five, your beer will go to the Pioneers Club who will give you feedback on your beer. They are capping the number at 30 members, so bring enough for that, plus fellow entrants. That was the 200oz suggestion, but you could end up just needing a few bottles. It was pitched as "we thought it might be interesting for them to hear from a very wide ranging public on what they thought of the beer and style".
Scoresheets will be returned.
No word on the exact weighting of presentation/judging/PC feedback will account for final decision.
The "no brewing the recipe again", they admit is easy to get around, doubtful it would ever be enforced.

I would say the competition is definitely geared toward folks local to MB (with the multiple visits required), which is great, as there aren't many beer events on the South Shore. Hopefully the weather holds up in January/February!

[LiverDance]

Did anyone enter this one?

[jacinthebox]

the links at the top of the page seem to be dead now

[LiverDance]

the links at the top of the page seem to be dead now

that may answer the question then