TOPIC:

As is traditional, since time immemorial, Irish Craft Brewer will be awarding, er, awards to Irish beers at the Franciscan Well Easterfest.

Since I'm new to this, I wanted to make sure I got the method and procedure right.

First off: are we limiting it to beers exhibited at Easterfest? This will make things easier, fairer and more consistent, but does present us with a problem if the exhibitors are bringing more-or-less the same stuff each year. I can think of a couple of nominees for Irish beer of the year which I've had in the last twelve months, but I know that not everyone will have tried them.

And secondly, are we limited to the same categories as last year? Do we make up the categories based on the field of competitors we choose?

Incidentally, who did the badge graphics for last year's awards, 'cos we'll need new ones of those too.

I thought it was the 'ICB Easterfest Awards', in which case yes, obviously, it would be limited to beers at the festival.

We voted Hooker the beer of the festival. It kind of snowballed after that. Fully deserving it's Beer of the Year status, by the way.

Last year's categories and judging was very much off-the-cuff. This year we may be more organised. Did someone mention they were doing up an official judging sheet?

I agree that it probably should be limited to beers at the Festival. It's not our fault if the same beers crop up year upon year. It might (in a small way) encourage more breweries to showcase their wares. As for other categories; why not?

Right, we have dual threads going.
The categories were kind of formed from the beers available. There was no point in having 'Best Bock' or 'Best IPA', when there was only one example of each.
Maybe closer to the date we might get a list of beers, and formulate from that.

As I said on the other thread blind tasting isn't my thing but if that's what people want I'll assist in whatever way.

Adeptus did up a tasting notes sheet[/url:3v8kxymi] last year.

If we are limiting it to festival exhibitees then I think we should stick to just one award.

as far as i know the awards are limited to those on show @ the easterfest, during conversation with Ger Rebel and Peter a tasting format was suggested by peter which entailed the "blind" taste Format whereby beers would be presented in front of the judge for that style and he/she would be required to pick their favourite second and so on and so forth, this was my understanding i may be incorrect as i was slightly under the influence at that stage.