"Scott T. Jensen" > wrote in message
...
>
> This would merely be something that my type of a beer contest would
> naturally take into consideration and work to insure a level playing
field.
> The contest evaluating the beer distributors and retail stores. Secretly
> purchasing bottles from what's considered the best distributors and retail
> stores. Clearly publicly stating what standards these distributors and
> stores would have to have for the contest to purchase beer from them. On
> the bright side, this might improve beer distribution and retail
> presentation if the contest were to give it's stamp of approval and allow
> the stores to advertise this. "This retail store and its distributors are
> approved by the International Honest Beer Contest. Beer bought from this
> store is beer considered to be properly handled by its beer distributors
and
> the store itself. Because of this, beer sold in this store might be
> secretly purchased and judged for IHBC." For beer connoisseurs, this
could
> be the thing that would make them buy their beer from one local store
rather
> than another.

I agree with you 100%--but this does put the breweries at a disadvantage if
the distributors and retailers don't care squat about the proper handling of
beer. Most of these individuals approach it from the perspective of the
megaswill--which is pasturized and/or treated with products to increase
shelf life, as well as having the advantage of moving off the shelf fast.
Most retailers don't understand the fragility of most microbrewed beer, and
couldn't care a less about it either. I wish they all knew and cared, but
they don't. I'm not sure if having a contest like you advocate would change
their minds, as long as most of their business is the megabrews.

> (The GABF special) clearly showed that some of the
> brewmasters were making special batches (taking at least extra special
care
> when they're brewed) for the contest.

Like anyone who is going to have their work scrutinized more carefully on a
certain day than on an any other average day, they are taking extra special
care to do the job as perfect as possible for the event. This doesn't mean
that the recipe is different (i.e. special ingredients, etc.), but extra
care is taken to make sure the batch has as little mistakes or flaws as
possible. Compare it to an average day on any job, versus that same day
with the boss looking over your shoulder all day. I bet the day with the
boss looking over your shoulder is different than the other days (not much,
but different).

Being a homebrew judge, I would venture that the difference between the
"special batches" and the "standard batches" would be little to none, with
the little differences being minor flaws that would escape the palate of the
average consumer. Not that the average consumer has poor taste buds, but
these judges have trained their palate to pick up very subtle off flavors
and aromas, and that is what they are looking for in these beers (most all
of these beers in a given category are "good", but the judges need to rank
them best to worst--basically nit-picking subtle differences between each
beer). The average consumer would enjoy either version, and probably not
notice the difference (if any).

> Unfortunately, as no one has brought up a contest structured as what I'm
> seeking, I guess it just doesn't exist. Too bad. If I had money to throw
> around, I'd start it up but I don't.

If anyone ever managed to get a contest like that off the ground, I would be
excited to see the results, and put the results to good use in buying my
beers.

Kevin