I have to admit that I have not given two seconds thought to the World Beer Cup in all the years since I began writing about beer. Not that I have anything against the idea of a mass sipping and note taking exercise - but a long time ago, I came across a brewery that claimed it had won certain prizes on its website which, upon a little investigation, turned out to be a straight up falsehood. It made me realize that the whole chain of evidence in an event like this is so unlikely as to make any outcome definitive. But that is just it. It's not like the process could ever be definitive. Fun for the participants but not much deeper than that.
Yet... I noticed a couple of things this year. When I read the results, I was quite surprised to read that Leffe Brune... err... Brown was declared the best dubbel in the world. One word came to mind: "whatchamafuzzathinkalunk!!!" Does anyone think that is the case? I was so shocked that I actually wrote about it on Twitter. I did. I really did. That takes a certain level of conviction, let me tell you. I mean it is nice enough to see when facing a straight up AB InBev tap selection but it's not like I would order it if there was another dubbel available. Then, roaming through Google News, I see that a Haitian beer won gold for "Category 42: American-Style Cream Ale or Lager"... whatever that means. Oh, here is what it means... or at least WBC C42 looks a lot like what GABF C33(c) means:
C. Subcategory: American-Style Cream Ale or Lager
Mild, pale, light-bodied ale, made using a warm fermentation (top or bottom) and cold lagering. Hop bitterness and flavor range from very low to low. Hop aroma is often absent. Sometimes referred to as cream ales, these beers are crisp and refreshing. Pale malt character predominates. Caramelized malt character should be absent. A fruity or estery aroma may be perceived. Diacetyl and chill haze should not be perceived. Sulfur character and/or sweet corn-like dimethylsulfide (DMS) should be extremely low or absent from this style of beer. Original Gravity (ºPlato): 1.044-1.052 (11-13 ºPlato) Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (ºPlato): 1.004-1.010 (1-2.5 ºPlato) Alcohol by Weight (Volume): 3.4-4.5% (4.2-5.6%) Bitterness (IBU): 10-22 Color SRM (EBC): 2-5 (4-10 EBC)
Both the WBC and the GABF are creatures of the same Brewers Association so not sure why two number systems are required but I do think they are the same thing. And the Haitian beer, Prestige, won first prize for that... thing. Good for them. I will likely never have one. No great swelling desire within me is inspired by the news. But, when I check, some have tried it. And they have rated the experience over at BeerAdvocate and apparently 30 reviewers - including a brother, at least in 2005 - thought it sucked. Which is fine as cream ales can, you know, suck. Yet it does makes me ask why, if no gold was awarded at all in the category named "European-Style Low-Alcohol Lager/German-Style" (scroll down to category 30) why a gold was still awarded for the sucky beer from Haiti? Are somw WBC golds real gold and others semi-serious Gõ⌋ds? Why not, instead, a "thanks for coming out" with a footnote that American-Style Cream Ale or Lager pretty much suck? Perhaps we should ask for an explanation. I sure would like an explanation from the panel that picked Leffe Brown as the best dubbel going. An explanation or maybe a show trial.
Result? I am comfortable slipping back into that state of unknowningness about it all.
Comments
The Beer Wrangler - May 6, 2012 10:03 PM
I have deep reservations about the World Beer Cup. The crazy amount of categories only seem to ensure a medal for the largest number of breweries and beers. my thoughts a couple of years ago here : http://www.beerwrangler.com/beer-cup-categories/
But to call it a "world" beer cup where it seems very few non American breweries are either honoured or entered. I don't see this as a very important awards show, and as you have mentioned, there are some, shall we say, surprising winners! It certainly does not represent the true world of beer, but a rather narrow American one. I think beer awards will always be flawed but for me the World Beer Awards are a much better representation of the international scene.
Alan - May 6, 2012 10:19 PM
Sounds like two rival mid-western pro wrestling federations in the early 1970s just at the moment before cable TV changed their reality. Surprised there is no World Beer Prizes run out of Toledo to make a full trio.
The Beer Wrangler - May 6, 2012 11:10 PM
oh and Coors Light wins gold in American Light Lager Category. ...Thanks WBC - that "gold" medallist is one I'll give a miss!
The Professor - May 6, 2012 11:57 PM
It's all pretty meaningless in the end, but harmless enough.
I stopped reading the list by the time I got to category 20.
Jeff Alworth - May 7, 2012 2:30 AM
I have also long disparaged the WBC for reasons exactly like the ones you cite. Weirdly, I learned on my jaunt to Europe that breweries there--some of them, anyway--take it pretty seriously. They like it because they can compete in it, and therefore think of it as the GABF's international brother.
Still not convinced, but it was interesting.
Alan - May 7, 2012 8:26 AM
So maybe this is the moment for the prizes of a World Beer Federation to do it right. First, we need a figurehead...
Jeff Alworth - May 7, 2012 1:00 PM
Maybe something like a Golden Globes of beer. The foreign press? (Which would include North Americans, since Europe is the home of beer.)
Alan - May 7, 2012 1:58 PM
We need a team of crack beer bloggers to organize this. Application fees would cover all costs. Then we bring in a set of trusted tasters who are not the organizing administrators. All done in a decentralized basis so English tastings happen in England while those in Oz happen in Oz. Saves on costs while raising integrity.
olllllo - May 7, 2012 6:21 PM
You need the judges. In any competition on any level, it's about the judging.
I have no doubts about the integrity of the judging process at the WBC and they pull from the industry and had (visually anecdotally) a good international contingent.
I think it would be hard to compete.
The Beer Wrangler - May 8, 2012 1:15 AM
Critic's awards would be a great idea though. It should be simplified - 96 categories or whatever they have is far too many!
Alan - May 8, 2012 8:38 AM
Hour about 4: dark, cloudy, really bubbly and... see, I can't even think of a fourth. Three it is.
Ethan - May 8, 2012 8:56 AM
For what it's worth, the beer cup is judged blind while Beer Advocate and Rate Beer ratings are not; between the two, i'd consider the former a much more reliable guide to quality. Might be that both are imperfect, but hey: contests are as old as the hills, and willing participants aren't hard to find.
Alan - May 8, 2012 9:06 AM
I am starting to think that I am more trusting of the latter as to experience. Maybe you need both. One panel going blind and another not.
Ethan - May 8, 2012 9:14 AM
Perhaps it's the nature and availability of online ratings fora, but BA and RB are much more culpable when it come to the utter insanity of things like Dark Lord Day or bottles of Kate The Great going for $500 on eBay. Call up that Hatian brewery in a month and see if the WBC sales bump they're expecting ever arrived: I'll wager not.
Ethan - May 8, 2012 9:24 AM
Oh, and we're totally naming a beer "whatchamafuzzathinkalunk!!!" Thanks!
Alan - May 8, 2012 10:59 AM
Ethan, you may have a visitor today. Just a chance but he carries a request for samples.
Ethan - May 8, 2012 2:54 PM
I await him even now, good sir. Cheers!
Brody - July 21, 2012 12:29 AM
I love Prestige. I don't usually like a cream beer anyway. I have searched for it back in the states but can not find it anywhere.