Beer Judging in 30 minutes

This weekend I will be attending my first “official” beer tasting and judging event, the 9th annual New Mexico IPA Challenge, described as such:

2010 NM IPA Challenge

“For $20 drinkers/voters receive a tray with samples from all 11 participating brewers. All sampling is done ‘blind’ (that means you won’t know which beer is from which brewery). Vote for your favorite and receive a pint of that IPA in a logo glass you may keep.”

The first – and last – beer tasting I attended was conducted at my house a few years ago, and ended up being a hefty sampling of (many) completely random styles followed by talking shit about the sketchiest beers. I think there was almost a fist fight. The idea at first was just to drink a bunch of different beers and I had jokingly sent out a link to the Beer Color & Flavor Wheel, but as the date approached I found myself getting more interested in actually taking it a bit more seriously.

I now find myself quite excited at the prospect of attending an actual, real, fo’ true, bona-fide beer tasting that attempts to distinguish a winner among several brewers of a single style. I am going to be studying up on the BJCP style guidelines for American IPAs, looking over the color and flavor wheel, watching for diacetyl, and making a concerted effort to follow the “rules” when judging these beers. As a novice judge I fully expect my palate will likely determine the winner based less on the adherence to the style guidelines of an American IPA, and more on which beer simply “tastes best.” I’m also a bit concerned with tasting so many IPAs and burning out the taste buds 3 or 4 samples in, but I’ll sure try to keep track of what I’m tasting.

Wish me luck!