Kvasny Prum. 2011; 57(3): 58-63 | DOI: 10.18832/kp2011004

A new model for beer competitions.Peer-reviewed article

František FRANTÍK, Pavel ČEJKA

Výzkumný ústav pivovarský a sladařský, a. s., Lípová 15, 120 44 Praha 2

The number of beer competitions organized in the Czech Republic increases and also the number of specific and novel beers entered into the competitions rises. That brings a lot of methodological problems. The number of samples with similar properties is low and therefore, the proposed categories often cannot be filled. It is very difficult to determine ranking of the samples needed for the awards by using the standard methods which are based on comparison. The new model is based on nominations, as known in other fields such as in festivals or art contests. This principle allows the judging of samples with distinctly different properties and the number of awards depends directly on the sensory quality of the sample rather than on comparison. The advantage is a reduction in the number of categories. The method also reduces mathematical calculations and more often applies qualitative approaches. The jury does not award points for addition but it proposes samples for the awards. The novelty is also the introduction of two subcommittees: an expert panel and a representative panel with fixed voting rights (60:40). Each panel has different requirements for its classifying approach. Additionally, it allows the establishment of a halfway step with the aim of eliminating samples with serious faults. This new model was tested in practice at two yearly holdings of the beer competition "Znojemsky hrozen" ("Znojmo Grape").The number of beer competitions organized in the Czech Republic increases and also the number of specific and novel beers entered into the competitions rises. That brings a lot of methodological problems. The number of samples with similar properties is low and therefore, the proposed categories often cannot be filled. It is very difficult to determine ranking of the samples needed for the awards by using the standard methods which are based on comparison. The new model is based on nominations, as known in other fields such as in festivals or art contests. This principle allows the judging of samples with distinctly different properties and the number of awards depends directly on the sensory quality of the sample rather than on comparison. The advantage is a reduction in the number of categories. The method also reduces mathematical calculations and more often applies qualitative approaches. The jury does not award points for addition but it proposes samples for the awards. The novelty is also the introduction of two subcommittees: an expert panel and a representative panel with fixed voting rights (60:40). Each panel has different requirements for its classifying approach. Additionally, it allows the establishment of a halfway step with the aim of eliminating samples with serious faults. This new model was tested in practice at two yearly holdings of the beer competition "Znojemsky hrozen" ("Znojmo Grape").

Keywords: beer, competition, evaluation

Received: January 6, 2011; Accepted: February 8, 2011; Published: March 1, 2011