New Zealand Beers in Winning Form

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Permalink Reply by nzbrewer on April 3, 2008 at 12:27pm

World Beer Cup 2008

2008 Participating Brewery Statistics

58 Countries
645 Total Breweries
1851 Domestic (US) Beers
1080 International (Outside of US) Beers
2931 Total Beers
37% International (Outside of US) Beers
43% International (Outside of US) Breweries

List of New Zealand breweries entering World Beer Cup (full list here)

NEW ZEALAND
Renaissance Brewing LTD.

Yes that is right just one brewery from New Zealand.

(Epic isn't entering because at the World Beer Cup 2006, the feedback from the judges was Epic Pale Ale was too hoppy for an American Pale Ale style. Problem with that entering it in the Strong Pale Ale style where the hops would be appropriate the alcohol is too low.)

The reality of entering is there will be 60 to 80 beers entered per class, for popular styles, and only the top three get medals, and these beers that get medals are very much the best beers of the style in the world. If your beer is slightly out of still you don't win a medal. But the beers that win you should hunt them down and drink them.

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Permalink Reply by Tony on May 12, 2008 at 9:48am

You still brew an excellent beer Luke. Check out my thoughts on the thread- Styles the chains that bind.

You still get my medal mate, for what it's worth, and there are many out there that agree. I would hope that your sales reflect this?

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Permalink Reply by Stu McKinlay on May 12, 2008 at 11:34am

The reality of entering is there will be 60 to 80 beers entered per class, for popular styles, and only the top three get medals

For this reason I prefer the BrewNZ style of awarding a medal to each beer that deserves it. We're not judging the beers against each other but, rather, each beer against a guide. If every beer is of gold medal winning standard, let it be known. Let's celebrate that success. And if no beers are worthy of a medal, such as the "low alcohol and experimental beer" section at BrewNZ last year, then no medals are awarded.

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Permalink Reply by Martin Bridges on May 12, 2008 at 1:05pm

I agree Stu. This is the wine show judging model, and I think it works well. I do object to the number of wines out there trumpeting how many medals they've won, but that's a fault with the number of shows out there, not the style of the judging.

I think the last sentence above is the key - if nothing entered is worthy of a medal, award no medals, otherwise you devalue the whole judging process.

Martin

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