Regional Representatives Quarter 3 Update 2020

October 18, 2020

Brian Cooper

West
Brian Cooper

Judging in the West region has been fairly quiet over the summer, with many of our regular competitions cancelled, postponed, or downsized due to the pandemic.

Though some competitions have adjusted, finding ways to move forward with distanced or carefully conducted in-person judging, the opportunities to judge are few. As noted in other bulletins, processing of inactive members has been temporarily suspended, so our judges need not worry about being dropped off the active judge list during the pandemic.

At the same time, we have seen signs of competitions and exams beginning to come back to life. There is a small but noticeable uptick in exam activity, with successful Written, Tasting, and Cider exams held over the summer in Northern and Southern CA, as well as the Las Vegas area. We have seen that careful physical distancing has been prioritized to keep examinees and proctors safe. Where possible, certain exams have been held outdoors.

On the horizon, we see Tasting, Written, and Cider exams moving forward, continuing into the fall and beyond. A number of educational activities are adapting and starting back up, including a BJCP 101 group in San Diego. All officers in our region have been active in reaching out to offer assistance and support to exam administrators, instructors, and planners. Jeff, Oleg, Cindy, John and I stand ready to assist, advise, and answer questions as needed.

In this stressful time of pandemic, hard choices, and painful adjustments, judging and exams need not be the focus of our greatest concern. Areas in the West and other regions now also find their difficulties compounded by unprecedented wildfires. So it is understandable to see many judges prioritizing other things such as their families’ safety and health over judging and exams at the moment.

But here’s hoping that before long we can put these difficult times behind us and find a new normal, when we can judge and gather together again more safely.

Northeast
Andrew Luberto

Greetings Fellow Northeastern Judges! I hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and in good health. I’ve heard from a few people who have been trying to figure out ways to navigate their club competitions in a post COVID environment. There have been a number of virtual competitions in our region these past few months, enough that I think we can pool together our shared experiences to help any upcoming competitions who are looking to make the move to virtual. If you’re interested, please email me and I’ll put you in touch with people who can offer advice. Additionally, please consider judging any virtual competitions in our region. This new format allows you to participate in competitions you may have been reluctant to take part in due to distance. For example, I will coordinating a handful judges to take part in the New Jersey Motown Mash this year, and we will be judging locally here on Long Island.

Since the last newsletter I was able to hold a mead exam and proctor a beer exam. Although there needed to be adjustments to make sure everyone was safe and following state guidelines, the both went well. I feel fairly confident in saying that exams can be held safely and effectively if state and local requirements allow. This November 11th I will be hosting a written exam here on Long Island. Please remember that all active graders can sign up to administer the quarterly written exams. If you have any questions or are looking for advice on taking the written exam, please feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to steer you in the right direction. I would very much like to see the number of National + judges expanded in our region. Additionally, we’re currently looking at setting up cider exams in a few areas, stay tuned.

Lastly, please take a minute to fill out this survey. The Northeast Team wants to know what issues and questions you may have and how to best focus our time to best serve our region.

Stay Safe & Healthy and Support Your Local Businesses!