Old Man Scanlon's 1998 South Shore Brew-Off Results

Old Man Scanlon's Diesel Stout #19 (Robust Porter)
Bottled 04 October 1997 O.G. 1.061 39 IBU Brewed as stout, entered here as porter after it got slammed in the 1998 Boston Homebrew Competition for lack of roastiness.
Max. Points	Category	Bill Slack (National)		Steve Creagh (Recognized)		Eric (Apprentice)
10	Bouquet/Aroma (as appropriate for style) Malt (3) Hops (3) Other Characteristics (4)	4	Light malt & dark malt aroma.	4	Medicine-like staleness. Not much malt or hop in nose.	6	Big malt nose. Good balance of hops.
6	Appearance (as appropriate for style) Color (2) Clarity (2) Head Retention (2)	6	Dark brown/black w/ red. Big, long-lived head. Fairly clear.	5	Big head. Very clear deep red.	5	Good color & a little cloudy. Good head.
19	Flavor (as appropriate for style) Malt (3) Hops (3) Conditioning (2) Finish (3) Balance (4) Other Flavors (4)	9	Malty, sweet, a little fruity. Low roasted flavor. Controlled hops, medium alcohol, slightly rough edge. Phenolic.	9	Phenolic astringency. Also some tannin bitterness. Slight oxidation. Veggie notes.	5	Thin malt, no roast. Good condition & finish. Poor balance.
5	Body (as appropriate for style) full or thin	3	Medium.	3	A little thin.	2	Thin.
10	Drinkability & Overall Impression	5	Fruitiness is out of style. Roasted malts should be more prominent. Harshness needs attention. Needs more body. Watch ingredients. Tune the recipe.	5	Not great but drinkable. Probably ferment too fast (hot).	2	Too thin for style. Needs more malt and & roasted. Not balanced. Good condition. Finish OK.
50	Maximum Score	27		26		23

Old Man Scanlon's Vitrectomy Brown Ale #21 (American Brown Ale)
Bottled 28 February 1998 O.G. 1.049 30 IBU
Max. Points	Category	Jim B. (Apprentice)		? (Certified)		Len Lemieux (National)
10	Bouquet/Aroma (as appropriate for style) Malt (3) Hops (3) Other Characteristics (4)	7	Slight hop aroma - Chinook? Malt evident.	7	Slight hoppy nose.	8	Lovely hop aroma, some caramel.
6	Appearance (as appropriate for style) Color (2) Clarity (2) Head Retention (2)	5	Good color & clarity, head retention.	6	OK.	4	Slightly light - nice & clear. Fair head.
19	Flavor (as appropriate for style) Malt (3) Hops (3) Conditioning (2) Finish (3) Balance (4) Other Flavors (4)	11	Good balance. Buttery flavor not to style. Good hop bitterness in finish.	8	Malt OK, hops OK for bittering, bit on harsh side for flavor. Decent beer.	12	Hops & malt balanced. Some alcohol evident - some stalish malt flavors - some grain flavors in finish.
5	Body (as appropriate for style) full or thin	4	Good.	5	OK.	4	Fullish but OK.
10	Drinkability & Overall Impression	7	Drinkable, borderline on hop bitterness.	6	Nice beer, would be better if hop flavor & finish slightly rounder.	5	Pretty good beer. Watch transfer techniques or check malt age - slight oxidative flavors.
50	Maximum Score	33		35		33

Old Man Scanlon's Starling Black Label Ale #20 (British Pale Ale, Third Place)
Bottled 30 November 1997 O.G. 1.046 19 IBU
Max. Points	Category	Jim Fitzgerald (Certified)		Gil DaPonte (Novice)		F. Espourteille (National)
10	Bouquet/Aroma (as appropriate for style) Malt (3) Hops (3) Other Characteristics (4)	4	Sour nose, some hop.	4	Not too aromatic but good. Maltiness could use more hops.	5	Nice hop/malt nose. A few off notes. Nose on the light side.
6	Appearance (as appropriate for style) Color (2) Clarity (2) Head Retention (2)	5	Good copper color and clarity. Moderate head retention.	4	Color OK, good head retention.	6	Good.
19	Flavor (as appropriate for style) Malt (3) Hops (3) Conditioning (2) Finish (3) Balance (4) Other Flavors (4)	7	Overcarbonated, slight licorice, good balance, a bit too alcoholic, good hop finish, astringent.	10	Light hops could use more of it for style, astringency.	6	Lack malt flavor - sweet, but not really malty. Balance OK. Finishes astringent. Lacks complexity of style (malt, hops, fermentation flavor).
5	Body (as appropriate for style) full or thin	3	Thin.	2	Full body.	3	Thin.
10	Drinkability & Overall Impression	3	May have an infection to get sourness and excessive CO2.	4	Drinkable but low in hops.	4	Looks good, but lacks the complexity of a British pale. Astringent finish.
50	Maximum Score	22		24		24

Old Man Scanlon's Jordan A. Kraatz IPA #15 (India Pale Ale, Second Place)
Bottled 05 April 1997 O.G. 1.046 39 IBU
Max. Points	Category	Eric (Apprentice)		Martin Stokes (National)		Bill Giffin (Certified)
10	Bouquet/Aroma (as appropriate for style) Malt (3) Hops (3) Other Characteristics (4)	5	Nice malt good hops.	8	Rather pleasant big hop aroma.	7	Big hop nose OK, not much else.
6	Appearance (as appropriate for style) Color (2) Clarity (2) Head Retention (2)	9	Almost too dark. Clarity OK. Fair head.	5	On high end of color range but OK, little head or retention, very slight haze.	6	OK.
19	Flavor (as appropriate for style) Malt (3) Hops (3) Conditioning (2) Finish (3) Balance (4) Other Flavors (4)	7	Good malt & hop balance. Good finish.	10	Nice balance of hops and malt but needs more of both, too few IBU's. Rather thin flavor profile.	9	Nicely balance malt to hops. Pleasant beer with perhaps a little oxidation.
5	Body (as appropriate for style) full or thin	5	Full for style.	5	Medium, OK.	5	OK.
10	Drinkability & Overall Impression	10	Good beer, almost too dark for style.	6	Very pleasant pale ale but needs more hop presence to be truly in style. Still a nice drink.	7	Pleasant enough, may have too much diacetyl but within...
50	Maximum Score	36		34		34

Old Man Scanlon's Pelican Porter #14 (Robust Porter, First Place)
Bottled 15 March 1997 O.G. 1.046 27 IBU
Max. Points	Category	Bill Slack (National)		Steve Creagh (Recognized)		Eric (Apprentice)
10	Bouquet/Aroma (as appropriate for style) Malt (3) Hops (3) Other Characteristics (4)	6	Malty & hoppy nose, some roasted notes. Fruitiness developed later. Perfumy.	6	Nothing. Maybe slight balance of malt & hops More malt as it warms.	5	Oxidized. Sherry. Light struck? Overpowers malt & hops.
6	Appearance (as appropriate for style) Color (2) Clarity (2) Head Retention (2)	5	Medium head, good retention. Dark brown, slight haziness.	5	Small head. Nice clear brown. Not very dark.	4	Good head & clarity. Color OK.
19	Flavor (as appropriate for style) Malt (3) Hops (3) Conditioning (2) Finish (3) Balance (4) Other Flavors (4)	12	Malt & caramel sweetness, light roasted flavor, light hop flavor, noticeable alcohol, slightly fruity.	13	Overconditioned (a tad). Big alcohol and some astringency. Bitter due more to hop than roast malt. Full malty taste but not roasty enough. Later - big hop bitter finish.	7	No hops, light malt, condition too high. Finish is hot.
5	Body (as appropriate for style) full or thin	4	Medium/full.	4	Maybe just a bit thin.	5	Full.
10	Drinkability & Overall Impression	7	Pleasant & drinkable beer but could use more roastiness, less fruitiness. Definitely big.	7	Drinkable.	3	Oxidized - light struck, light hops & malt.
50	Maximum Score	34		35		24

Scoring Guide (BJCP-BSS-6/97)
Excellent (40-50)	Exceptionally exemplifies style, needs little or no attention
Very Good (30-39)	Exemplifies style well, requires some fine tuning
Good (25-29)	Generally within style parameters but requires attention
Drinkable (20-24)	Does not exemplify style and/or has several major flaws
Problem (<20)	Problematic, recipe or brewing technique needs attention