Shut up about Barclay Perkins - "You need style guidelines for competitions"

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No you effing don't.

People keep coming up with that one. When I can be bothered, I point out that it's bollocks. That the longest-running international beer competitions don't have rigid style guidelines, but loose categories. But no-one ever listens. Five minutes later someone is defending anally-retentive definitions with "But you need them for competitions."

Brewing Industry International Awards winners have just been announced. These are the award categories. Note there isn't an IBU or an EBC in sight:

International Smallpack Lager Competition
Class 1 for Lager 2.9% -3.7% ABV
Class 2 for Lager 3.8% -4.7% ABV
Class 3 for Lager 4.8% -5.7% ABV
Class 4 for Lager 5.8% -6.9% ABV


International Smallpack Ale Competition
(Presented in Bottle, Can, PET or Plastic)
Class 1 for Ale 2.9% -3.7% ABV
Class 2 for Ale 3.8% -4.7% ABV
Class 3 for Ale 4.8% -5.7% ABV
Class 4 for Ale 5.8% -6.9% ABV


International Keg Ale Competition
Class 1 for Ale 2.9% -3.7% ABV
Class 2 for Ale 3.8% -4.7% ABV
Class 3 for Ale 4.8% - 6.9% ABV


International Keg Lager Competition
Class 1 for Lager 2.9% -4.7% ABV
Class 2 for Lager 4.8% -6.9% ABV


International Non & Low Alcohol Beer Competition
(Presented in Smallpack, Keg and Cask)
Class 1 for Ultra Low Alcohol Beer up to 1.1% ABV
Class 2 for Low Alcohol Beer 1.2% - 2.8 % ABV



International Dark Beer Competition
(Presented in Smallpack, Keg and Cask)
Class 1 for Dark Beer 2.9% -3.7% ABV
Class 2 for Dark Beer 3.8% -4.7% ABV
Class 3 for Dark Beer 4.8% -5.7% ABV
Class 4 for Dark Beer 5.8% -6.9% ABV


International Strong Beer Competition
(Presented in Smallpack, Keg and Cask)
Class 1 for Strong Lager
Class 2 for Strong Ale
Class 3 for Strong Dark Beer
Class 4 for Strong Speciality Beer


International Speciality Beer Competition
(Presented in Smallpack, Keg and Cask)
Class 1 for Speciality Wheat Beer
Class 2 for Fruit & Vegetable Beer
Class 3 for Organic Beer
Class 4 for Speciality Other Special Feature Beer


International Cask Ale Competition
Class 1 for Cask Ale 2.9% - 3.8% ABV
Class 2 for Cask Ale 3.9% - 4.3% ABV
Class 3 for Cask Ale 4.4% - 4.8% ABV
Class 4 for Cask Ale 4.9% - 6.9% ABV


Before the people at the BJCP started their evil project, this is how all beer competitions were judged.

Incidentally, quite a few American beers won awards. All from compulsive competition-entering breweries: Deschutes, Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada.https://blogger.googleusercontent.co...s.blogspot.com


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