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Questions about Mead Competition

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beeboy

beeboy

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 29, 2004
350
1
0
70
Port Orange, Florida, USA
Our local bee club is having a honey and mead competition at the county fair this year and I am planning to enter some mead. My main question is about corks, I have been using synthetic corks because they last longer. Will I get dinged if I don't use real corks in this competition? I can always recork with a real one but I don't want to unless it is needed. We are only allowed to enter one bottle and I don't think that there will be a tasting because it is on county property and it is an agricultral fair. Because of that everything will be based on appearance. Has anyone else entered this type of competition? I've asked for the specific rules about the mead judging but haven't received back anything yet.
 
AToE

AToE

NewBee
Registered Member
Jun 8, 2009
4,066
3
0
Calgary AB Canada
Wait, whaaaa? They're having a mead-cosmetics competition (and maybe aroma?!?!)? That is the weirdest thing I've ever heard. :(

I think the only way to get any kind of answer would be to ask the people organizing/judging it, are they going to judge bottling or not judge bottling, which you've already done, I frankly have no clue!
 
Soyala_Amaya

Soyala_Amaya

NewBee
Registered Member
Mar 21, 2011
991
6
0
Missouri
...why the heck would they judge how pretty the bottle is? That has nothing to do with the product. That's like judging a chili by temperature alone...this makes no sense to me, call them is my advice.
 
S

SRodgers

NewBee
Registered Member
Apr 20, 2011
30
0
0
Pinebluff, NC
It sounds like it’s similar to some honey judging where taste has very little to do with the score. In these types of competitions other factors count more than taste. Such as checking to see that it was properly put in the correct size/type jar, there are no air bubbles in the honey, it is free of foreign materials and the honey was at the proper moisture content. They do this since how the honey tastes varies and is very subjective just like people who don’t know a lot about mead or wine will usually pick sweet over everything else.

The only thing to do is find out how it is scored and try to fit you mead to that score. Like they may require it to be still and clear and may count off if it has sediment in the bottom of the bottle. Just guessing....
 
AToE

AToE

NewBee
Registered Member
Jun 8, 2009
4,066
3
0
Calgary AB Canada
This may sound a little harsh, so PLEASE take this with a pinch (handful) of salt - but I wouldn't PERSONALLY "waste" my mead on a competition where it wouldn't even be tasted.

UNLESS I got to collect it all after it was judged and drink it myself. ;)
 
beeboy

beeboy

NewBee
Registered Member
Aug 29, 2004
350
1
0
70
Port Orange, Florida, USA
Yeah, I'm starting to think it is a lot like phone $ex, just a lot of talk with no body involved (pun intended). There is going to be a Welsh Honey Judging also where the color, moisture content, and appearance of the honey is judged but they don't taste it. The entire concept of a contest like this is wrong on so many levels I really don't think I'm going to enter it. Mead and honey are to be tasted not just looked at. Thanks for the reality check!!!
 
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