Maybe you're not harboring any thoughts of being the next undefeated champion of brewing. Why then spend time and money giving your precious beer to complete strangers if you don't desire accolades in return? Because you want the real prize lying on the sheets of paper returned to every entrant: an impartial analysis and critique of each entry.

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While competitions do award medals and ribbons to winning specimens, the pair (minimum) of evaluation sheets can hone your abilities. The judges don't know it's your beer before them as they sample it. What they see is entry “#211, American Pale Ale,” number five out of twelve in flight.