SOBA National Homebrew Comp 2015

[Maree]

Hi All,

If you are planning on entering NHC this year please note that entries close at midday on Friday 30 October.

So what's everyone entering?

Thanks to our amazing sponsors we have the following prizes up for grabs this year:

- Champion Brewer: An Introduction to the World of Commercial Brewing which includes having one of the winner's champion beers commercially brewed and released nationwide thanks to BeerNZ.

- Champion Ale: brew your Champion Ale at Hallertau Brewery.

The judging will be held in Auckland on November 7th at The Fine Wine Company’s new Constellation Drive store.

After years of nurturing the competition in Hamilton Greig McGill has stepped back from the helm and we have a mostly new team of organisers pulling it together, but as always based on Phil Murray’s superb IT backbone. There are always a large number of volunteers behind the scenes and we couldn't do this without them.

This year we are back using the BJCP Style Guide which has been freshly updated for 2015 reflecting the new trends in beer styles. Head here BJCP 2015 for the full guide or check out the NHC website (nhc.soba.org.nz).

As always we are very grateful to our sponsors, without whose support we simply wouldn’t be able to run the competition. Please show your appreciation by supporting their businesses where you can.

All the best with your entries!!

(PS. I'll try my best to answer any questions, otherwise I'll find someone who does know the answer!)

[Harry]

28-b is the closest category but requires they yeast/bacteria used to be identified, is "wild harvest" an identification? I guess the worst that can happen is I get DQ'd for that beer

[Greig McGill]

I'd add to that and say do it with a good friend - someone you trust, and are comfortable taking criticism from, and preferably with a good palate. Let them taste and talk first. Encourage them to be brutal. Have them read your selected style and point out ANY deviations from it. As was stated above though, don't get too hung up on appearance. It is only worth 3 points out of 50. BUT!!! If you enter a beer that, for example, requires brilliant clarity, and yours looks like soup, you'll likely also get pinged for overall impression (/10) points too. Appearance is still a component of the whole, and is not often taken in isolation.

Editing to clarify: if you have a beer which looks great, but maybe is a little pale or dark for style, and/or maybe has a touch of haze, you might get docked a point or two for appearance, and unlikely anything else. If you have a beer which just looks *wrong*, and plain unappetizing, not only will you likely get docked the full 3 points for appearance, but you'll likely lose a few on overall impression too.

[Maree]

So Greig... about my beer :P

[Greig McGill]

You just want me to say how good it was in public, don't you? ;)

[Maree]

Nah :)... And I think I've worked out what to enter it under.

[Ben Dean]

This will be my first year entering, I will have 2 or very possibly 3 brews to enter. Not expecting to win anything but it will be great to get some proper feedback and see where I can improve.

[Maree]

Good luck with your entries!

[Nathan]

How can we enter if we dont belong to SOBA and dont have facebook etc if you go to the website and click enter it stops there unless you meet these requirements 

[Maree]

Have you tried using the 'Persona' option?

[Nathan]

Tried that got nowhere..............Had enough now and really don't want to join SOBA, Will wait till next year hopefully its a touch easier then.

Thanks.

[Tom C]

Really?  You managed an email address and password to join Real Beer, it's no harder.

The system Phil has built to manage entries, payments, judging and returning results is a work of art and something to be proud of, we won't be changing anytime soon.

On the bright side entry is not compulsory.  So you can hang on to your brews, tell your mates how good you would have been if... and hopefully we'll see you next year!

[Nathan]

It just took me back to the main entry page after entering my email address. Might try again later. I'm sure if I email someone we could get er done.