West
Brian Cooper
West Regional Update – Summer 2021
Judging and exams continue their uptick in activity throughout most areas of the West region. We are also seeing quite a bit more in-person educational work and club activity.
The implementation of (now fully FDA approved) vaccinations has allowed judges and judge trainees to get together and do more in-person / distanced activities. Complicating things, however, vaccine hesitancy coupled with increasing infections due to the more transmissible delta variant has forced organizers and administrators to adjust and rethink plans.
Most are trying to be responsible and do what makes sense. Many activities are still remote or outdoor / masked-up activities rather than in-person / indoors, as members work to keep things as safe as possible. There are occasional reports of examinees dropping out of exams or judging due to exposure.
To cope, many competitions — especially larger ones — are enforcing stricter entry caps or limitations, and planning for more sessions, as it seems more difficult than before to recruit judges. I have seen competitions requesting judges be ready to prove they are fully vaccinated, in order to take part. Some competitions, especially smaller ones, are still being remotely judged, as well. People are adjusting and trying to find a new normal, but not without some complication and pain.
In June when the need came up, I agreed to volunteer as Treasurer for the BJCP, and I’m honored to take on the role. Working together with our leadership, and with our Finance Director, Al Boyce, I intend to help keep the organization on sound financial footing. Despite a modest shortfall projected in the budget that was approved earlier this year, we are still sitting on substantial reserves, which are more than sufficient to help us weather the storm and keep operations going, even as the pandemic continues.
Lastly, I would like to thank departing President, Gordon Strong, for his immeasurable service to the organization over many years. We wish him well, and welcome his continued guidance, now in the role of President Emeritus.
Some photos from the distanced / outdoor backyard DOZE exam I proctored with Dave Teckam (now GM7) and Robbie Proctor (DOZE Prez).
Northeast
Andrew Luberto
Although the Northeast region remains one of the most fully vaccinated areas in the world, the current surge has unfortunately slowed the progress we were making back towards normalcy. Our deepest heartfelt sympathy goes out to anyone who has lost a loved one over the past few months or has suffered during the pandemic.
There have also been a number of competitions returning from last year’s hiatus, with some offering virtual judging. The New England Regional Homebrew Competition (NERHBC) comes to mind. I’ve participated in a number of virtual competitions and have had positive experiences while also allowing me the opportunity to keep my palate sharp. As such, I would recommend participating in one. If you have been unable to remain active during the pandemic, please note the post by BJCP President Dennis Mitchell about the ongoing policy of suspending “inactive” status for judges.
I’d like to congratulate the newest National ranked judge in the North East – Adrian Popowycz of Toronto, ON. Excellent achievement!
In August I hosted a written exam on Long Island, good luck to the examinee! I hope to be congratulating them soon on their advancement to National+. I have another written exam scheduled for Sunday, October 24th in Lower NY. Please email me if you are interested in taking it. We could more higher ranked judges in our region. Additionally, I proctored a beer tasting exam on Long Island in the last week of August. If you need assistance in obtaining proctors for an exam, please reach out to the NE Region team. We’re happy to help or assist you in any way to grow the BJCP in our region.
Additionally, I held a number of talks and training sessions over the Summer. Speaking virtually with the MontreAlers Homebrew Club with Assistant Rep Eric Cousineau. Additionally I gave presentations to the Boston Wort Processors, Handgrenades Homebrew Craft Beer Club, and held a judge training session with the Long Island Beer and Malt Enthusiasts. If you’re interested in having someone from the North East team speak with your club or run a virtual training session, again, please contact us. We’re available to speak with anyone in our role as your representatives.
Lastly, although not in my official capacity as NE Rep, I hosted a web panel through the American Mead Makers Association as part of their on-going “Mead Matters” series. The panel consisted of President Emeritus Gordon Strong, BJCP President Dennis Mitchell, Michael Fairbrother of Moonlight Meadery, and Susan Ruud of Prairie Rose meadery. Although there were some technical difficulties, the panel provided a number of valuable suggestions for being a better mead judge. If you missed it, you can watch the recording here.
Just a reminder that the BJCP Member’s meeting is scheduled for Saturday, October 2nd at 4 pm GMT. If you have questions you’d like addressed please submit them on this Google Form.
Mid-Atlantic
Fred Mullner
Like most of the country, the Mid-Atlantic Region has been getting back to normal with festivals, competitions, and exams being hosted again after a one-plus year hiatus. Here’s some of what’s been going on around the region.
Competitions
Cincinnati’s Bloatarian Brewing League hosted the triumphant return of Beer & Sweat—the world’s largest keg-only competition. Andy Melchers, Assistant Regional Representative and Bloatarian, reports:
AFTER A TWO YEAR BREAK THE BEST DAMN KEGGED-ONLY BEER COMPETITION IN THE WORLD, HAS RETURNED!
First off, a massive THANK YOU to everyone who made this year’s event happen, from our staff to volunteers to entrants, judges, and stewards! It truly “takes a village” to coordinate, organize and pull off this crazy competition.
This BJCP-sanctioned competition, hosted by Cincinnati’s Bloatarian Brewing League, took place Saturday, August 21st in Northern Kentucky, with just one judging session and concluded with the Best of Show judging.
BUT WAIT… the fun is not over after judging… not even close!
A catered dinner was provided for all judges and stewards as well as all volunteers and staff. Shortly after dinner, the doors to the hall open and all attendees are provided a tasting glass printed with this year’s logo. What’s unique about this event is that it allows attendees to sample ANY OR ALL of the entries on tap. Each entry is marked with a tap tag featuring the brewers name, beer style and the beer’s name.
Imagine… 140 homebrews on tap!
As the crowd gathers and samples, the Bloatarian Elders assemble. The club is known to have ancient origins and accompanying seriously-goofy ceremonial scripture readings. The Elders offer the Blessing of the Brews just before announcing winners. After the awards have been handed out and the coveted BOS winner announced, the biggest homebrewed party that you will ever experience continues well into the evening with live band, awesome raffles, and partying! Think of it as an NHC style club-night where you get to interact with all of the brewers as you taste their beers.
2021 was somewhat of an off-year for our 33rd (*cough*ahem*) annual event, where we have averaged 250+ entries in the past. But honestly, it was no less fun to see and sample beers from our friends. There was no shortage of camaraderie and conversation.
You’ll have to visit the competition website for RESULTS and see our sponsors listing – please support them and offer your thanks when doing so!
The King of the Mountain competition, hosted by the Little Mountain Brewers of Mentor, Ohio, made its return on August 28. Special thanks to the Cleveland Brewery for hosting this year; the pandemic prompted the closure of Willoughby Brewing, the competition’s traditional venue.
The Maryland Microbrewery Festival Homebrew Competition is returning the Union Mills Homestead in Westminster, MD on September 25. The homebrew competition is conducted on site on the morning of the festival, giving judges, stewards, and staff ample time to enjoy the festival in the afternoon. Judges and Stewards get free admission, breakfast and lunch, and the undying gratitude of the Competition Organizer.
Valhalla: The Mead-ing of Life—a mead-only competition–is back on in Phoenixville, PA. Valhalla is an AHA/BJCP sanctioned competition and is once again 1 of 6 legs towards the National Mead Maker of the Year award (NMMY), which is sponsored by the American Mead Makers Association (AMMA). Judging will be both in-person and remote.
The Coal Country Brewer’s Cup, a West Virginia statewide event, is confirmed for February 26, 2022, at Big Timber Brewing in Elkins, WV.
Exams
Exams are making a slower comeback due to the logistic involved with both the organizers and the BJCP. Nonetheless, there’s still a lot of interest in taking the exam which is great.
The Cincinnati Malt Infusers have been running a very successful tasting class for their club. During the last exam, four judges scored National and three scored certified out of eight in the class.
Stefin Clapham of Washington, DC, reports that he has a record 25 people signed up for his exam set in October.
Andy Hejl of Philadelphia reports that exams are slowly returning to the region but that interest is still high. He was invited to a homebrew club meeting at Cox brewing in Elizabethtown, PA, to give a talk about how to judge and evaluate beers and did some guided tasting. Very few of the attendees had even entered competitions so they found it an interesting experience.
An exam date in Pittsburgh, PA, is confirmed for February 5, 2022.
Midwest
Sandy Cockerham
The MidWest Region is slowly waking up after the extended pandemic sleep. Competitions have slowly begun to come back online (with some still doing virtual judging) and some are going live. We are seeing more and more pop up on the calendar, indicating we are on the way back towards normalcy.
In my region, I gave a Beer judging exam, a Quarterly Written exam, and a Cider judging exam in Indianapolis during this past quarter. Next quarter there will be exams elsewhere in the MidWest Region. Check the exam schedule for one near you.
Mountain/Northwest
Dennis Mitchell
Over the past few months, I’ve started seeing more activity increase in our region, although some of that has been slowed by the Delta variant. I am heading up to Seattle in mid-September to judge in the Cascade Brewers Cup. I’m looking forward to a weekend in cooler weather than Phoenix and to meet more judges in that area; it’s been a few years since I’ve been able to judge up in the PNW. As some competitions start to operating again, please consider judging or stewarding as you are able to and feel safe doing so. Many competitions are still struggling to find enough volunteers. If you can, recruit a friend to come with you to a competition to help out! We want to keep growing our judge ranks in our region, and introducing more people to competitions is a great way to get them interested in pursuing BJCP certification. I am also currently teaching a beer judging exam prep course for my local homebrew club, the Arizona Society of Homebrewers, and am really enjoying getting back into teaching about judging and styles in a full class after a few years off from that.
Our region’s assistant reps also remain active in their parts of the region and are available for any questions you have. If you have an interest in seeing more BJCP exams in our region, please reach out to the assistant rep closest to you to discuss. If there are none, we can sometimes help to coordinate getting one on the books in local areas. Tracy Hensley is in Oregon, Bob Hall is in Montana, and John Haven is in Colorado.
Finally, please take a moment to read my update about BJCP happenings more broadly across the organization. Cheers!
Latin America
Diego Setti
No updates at this time
South
Sal Mortillaro II
No updates at this time
Europe, Middle East, Africa
Omer Basha
No Updates at this time
Asia-Pacific
Christopher Wong
No updates at this time
North
Brian Joas
No updates at this time