Each Newsletter the BJCP spotlights a different member of the organization. For this month we interviewed National Judge David Gilks from the BJCP Asia-Pacific Region.
Please, give us a brief introduction about yourself, feel free to add anything you’d like to share.
Beer and brewing certainly isn’t my whole life but it’s a hobby and a passion. I started homebrewing in 2008 while at university. I quickly joined my local homebrew club, Canberra Brewers, and got to work learning how to brew all-grain beer and how to make it better. It was and still is a great club and full of really knowledgeable members who are happy to share their knowledge. After I graduated, I moved to Germany for a few years and (when I wasn’t working) got to experience its really interesting brewing culture – simultaneously rooted in tradition and being pulled to do new things. It was a great time and it was fantastic to be in an emerging home brewing scene as one of the first members of Braufreunde Berlin, Berlin’s home brew club. Since then, I’ve moved back to Australia and when I’m not brewing, you might find me cooking, at the rugby or playing the fiddle.
How and why did you join the BJCP?
Pretty much immediately after joining Canberra Brewers I found out they run regular competitions and have a real focus on making sure those competitions are run to a high standard. I quickly jumped in both as a steward and judge and was encouraged to get involved in the BJCP. The club runs a fantastic judging preparation course which gives participants the chance to try a wide range of beer styles, learn the art (and science) of judging, and improve their brewing knowledge. It was a revelation and I didn’t look back.
What do you like about being a BJCP judge?
Deep down, I’ve got both a highly analytical mind, a creative personality, and I love flavour. Beer judging suits all of that with the need to consider what’s going on in a beer, how it aligns with the style guidelines and how it works a cohesive whole. I really enjoy thinking about what is going on in a beer, what’s making it great and how you could make it even better.
In addition, the BJCP community is great. The people you meet at competitions are fantastic and help to make it a really rewarding and fun hobby.
Do you have a favorite category or style to judge?
They’re all great in their own way but I do have a soft spot for the Lagers and Specialty Beers. Some might see those selections as strange, even juxtaposed, but the best beers in those categories tend to be about nuance and balance rather than just being big. The big stouts, barleywines, Belgians and sours might get a lot of the love but a clean and perfectly balanced Czech Lager, Munich Helles or Dunkley Bock is even better in my book. Maybe it’s my time in Germany enjoying the best version of those beers but finding a subtle beer that is just on point is always rewarding. That said, when we get to competition, I’m not too picky and you’ll find me on whichever flight the competition organiser needs.
What do you do to keep your judging and palate sharp?
It may be trite but practice, practice, practice. Even after 15 years, I find myself discovering new flavours and ways to describe them. And don’t just dive into beer; test your palate to find the nuance in whisky, wine, coffee, tea. Basically anything that has seen some fermentation. It’s amazing what flavours you can find and how quickly you can get past the stereotypes of bready malt, grapefruity hops and banana esters.
The other thing is to be self-aware. Know what your palate is sensitive to and what it isn’t. If you’re particularly sensitive to isoamyl acetate or acetaldehyde or just can’t taste diacetyl or sulphur, that’s useful information. It helps you to calibrate your palate against others and know when its you that might be off.
Do you have any fond judging related memories to share?
It’s hard to go past the opportunities to judge at the Australian Amateur Brewing Championships (Australia’s NHC) but my favourite is early on in my judging career. I was fortunate to be paired with Richard Watkins, one of Australia’s best professional brewers, to judge a local competition. Richard is an exception judge but also incredibly fast and we had a fantastic time making it through two flights before being asked if we could also do the Belgian Strong Ales. I don’t remember much more of that day but it was certainly fun.