Re: Why do / don't you enter Beer Contests?

I enjoy sharing beer with friends and appreciate comments, good or bad, about the quality, flavor, aroma, etc. Schedules, time, projects, other hobbies, and honey-do take a bunch of time. Bottle accumulating, cleaning, rinsing, draining, filling, capping, and storing takes a bunch of time that I don't have. During winter, I usually bottle a few batches of "strong stuff" for next year but prefer larger stainless tanks for the bulk of my beverages. I truly value the information that I have received by entering contests and wish I would take more time to enter and compete. Medals hanging in breweries are impressive. I believe I have my process fairly well in control but second, third, and fourth opinions are very valuable. I miss those independent comments. Counterflow filling is almost a greater hassle (for me) than bottle conditioning and the results are barely adequate. The device has too much brass and very likely has too much hose. One of the last reasons (other than nothing new in bottles) I seldom enter contests is because some of the beers (some = most) I brew fit into commercial and not home brew categories. I brew them because people seem to enjoy them and the kegs empty before the others. We have all mentioned entering and wining. What I truly find to be a compliment (greater than fancy medals) is when someone tries a beverage and mentions how well it would have done if it had only been entered. Rick O Curt Stock and I have been kicking around why people do or don't enter beer contests. What's your reasons, either way? Discuss! - Al