It is a new year for RIBS and with that we have decided to step up the competitions a bit. RIBS members now will be following the Beer Judging Certification Program (BJCP) guidelines for their beers. The move to a more rigid system helps hone the skill of the brewer and gives valuable feedback even before entering into an official contest. It also helps the other members who are judging the beers understand how the judging process works. The first competition in the BJCP series focused on Style 13 – Stouts. Style 13 includes 6 sub categories and members were free to choose from those categories:
- Dry Stout
- Sweet Stout
- Oatmeal Stout
- Foreign Extra Stout
- American Stout
- Russian Imperial Stout
For detailed descriptions, visit the official BJCP page:(http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style13.php)
When you are brewing with in the guidelines it forces you to take a step back and really think about if the ingredient goes with the recipe. Many of members who were familiar with brewing stouts were able to add their own flair to it and still stay within guidelines.
Since this was our first BJCP based competition we realized (about half way through) the standard practice of subjective voting would no longer cut it. In the interests of continuity we stuck with the subjective practice for this competition. The next competition will be more like a real BJCP competition, complete with score sheets.
This time around we have 2 winners, first time winner Jim taking first place with his Sweet Stout and 2nd time Winner Nate taking 2nd place also with a Sweet Stout. I guess people really like their sweet stouts.
Nate and Jim
We have the rest of the pictures in our gallery.
PS. Be on the look out for the RIBS table at the Rhode Island Brewfest on February 1st. We’ll have a few beers for sampling and will answer any questions you have about brewing.