San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

[kickert]

The 2009 San Francisco Spirit Competition has come and gone and the results are out. Here are some highlights:

• PHC got Best of Show
• WT RR Rye got Best Rye
• On the low end of things, JBB and OGD got Double Gold and JB White got gold. (Beam seemed to do pretty good overall)

Full results can be found here: http://www.sfspiritscomp.com/pdfs/09ResultsClass.pdf

By the way, Corsair Distillery (where I am now working) got Gold for their gin. Very exciting.

[ILLfarmboy]

I have to wonder why RR Rye beat Handy.

Also, I think if RR Rye was diluted to 80 proof, Templeton would come out on top.

Are the whiskeys tasted only at their bottling proofs?

[scratchline]

I came across this critique of the Spirits Competition a few days ago. I assume it has been posted before somewhere on the SB site, but this seems like a good opportunity for a repost.

http://blog.maltadvocate.com/2008/03/26/medal-fatigue/

-Mike

[funknik]

I came across this critique of the Spirits Competition a few days ago. I assume it has been posted before somewhere on the SB site, but this seems like a good opportunity for a repost.

http://blog.maltadvocate.com/2008/03/26/medal-fatigue/

-Mike

I was looking through the list of winners and thinking the same thing that this article articulates: "how can everyone win?"

I'm not sure how any rye beat the Handy, and how so many Beam products squeezed medals out of the judges....different strokes, I guess.

[fricky]

It would be interesting to know the bourbon and rye whiskies that did not get a medal.

[kickert]

I think it is interesting how the results can change each year for non-special release bourbons. Surely if something tops out one year, it will top out every year, but that is not the case.

[DeanSheen]

It's a complete and total sham. A moneymaker for the people that run the competition and cheap advertising for the spirits producers.

This says it all, taken from Johns Blog, the guy might as well have been a politician, he just keeps talking, says nothing.

John Hansell says:
March 26, 2008 at 8:45 am

I spoke with Paul Pacult, one of the organizers, and here’s what he had to say:

“I somewhat understand your viewpoint as an outsider to the situation. Unfortunately, it’s wrong and not well thought out. What’s happened is that companies send us their best stuff and when something’s good, it’s good. We don’t feel that there needs to be a cut-off for the number of medals since all products are treated in the same manner. Rather than taking the negative viewpoint that you’ve decided to take, I view it more as testament to the rise in quality in distillates over the past generation in all categories. I view the results more in the reality that distillers have taken their art to the highest levels and that the SFWSC judges are recognizing those advances in ways that are fair-minded and unbiased when faced with flight after flight of quality products.”

[gothbat]

If practically everyone gets a medal then they're pretty much meaningless and if the medals don't mean anything then there is no real reason to strive to try and win one nor is there really any point in having a "competition" in the first place.

[mozilla]

I whole heartedly support what Corsair is doing and am glad their opporation is off the ground. Good job fellas...keep pumping original products out.

Now, my opinion about the SF Spirits competition...if it can be called a competition.
If you're not competing agianst the other competators...then what exactly are they judging? I am sure that no one would judge free booze as a bad item. How do I sign up to be a judge? There needs to be limits on the medals and entries need to go head to head with like typed spirits(of proof and age).

The last time I looked at their competition...I noted that most of the judges were wine pro's...not distillery pro's. I would prefer to get my distillate judged by folks interested and knowledgible in spirits (like Barturtle)...not wine enthusiasts.

I seriously hope that they change their little marketing competition into a real head to head spirits brawl.

[kickert]

There is some good discussion in the comments of John's blog.

The best point I read was concerning the use of the "medals" being deceiving. If it were organized around a "Star" system it would make more sense. Everyone submits their best stuff.... it is judged by an expert panel, results are tallied... a rating is awarded based on scores.

Sure any rating system if subjective, but at least that gives a reason for 90% of spirits getting a rating/medal.

Medals do convey the idea of competition, but what SFWSC seems to be doing is more inline with ratings. Although the "best of" designation is certainly an exception.