History of the
Inter Kingdom Brewers Guild
(IKBG)

- (HEARSAY) The Inter Kingdom Brewers Guild was originally started between the East and Middle Kingdoms to provide for some kind of competition at Pennsic

- (FACT) For many years, the competition was held in the Horde encampment, (corner of Brewers Rd, Chandler Rd and High Rds - E10) and you normally had to go check with someone in the Horde encampment to find out when the competition was.

- (FACT) Competitors got to see very little of the competition, and had to come back later (usually the next day) to find out the "results"

- (FACT) Often the judges did so much drinking that the quality of judging went downhill throughout the day. Sometimes judging went into the wee hours on the next morning.

- (SPECULATION) There was not a very clear standard (at least not clear to the competitors) for how one achieved "mastery"

- (FACT) At Pennsic XXV, the competitions were moved to the DarkYard encampment, although the competitions were still not well announced and the day always varied. Competitors still had to seek out someone "in the know" to find out when the competition was

- (FACT) Once the competition moved to DarkYard, they started becoming more open to competitors watching the competition and learning how to improve their product.

- (FACT) Once the competition started becoming more open, the guild began showing up with "judging forms" and you got to pick up your results and the form. The guild also started trying to keep better records, especially records of when folks achieved "mastery"

- (FACT) At Pennsic XXVIII, the competition was listed in the Pennsic Class listing, and since DarkYard was in MidRealm Royal, the competition was held in Atlantian Royal. Competitors are encouraged to stay and hear the comments the judges make.

*** <soapbox> It is Terafan's   personal opinion that accountability and honesty come from being able to look you in the eye and tell you that this beer is 'sub-standard' or 'not-up-to-par' for reasons X, Y and Z </soapbox> ***

- (FACT) Documentation was for a long time "not required" for competition. This is no longer true. Documentation is an important part of the judging. Now it is only what people consider "adequate documentation" that is up for debate.

The new guild head, with the help of two very able assistants (Master Trelogin Tavistok and HL Zuriel ) plans to truly make the IKBG "inter-kingdom" and have competitions at other inter-kingdom events, including Gulf Wars, War of the Lilies, and possibly Estrella War.  We also plan to start holding classes on how to evaluate beverages and how to judge. You don't automatically learn this just because you make your own stuff.  It takes practice and education to develop some of those skills.

The guild structure is currently based upon the following.

We have 3 categories for competitions:

Entries in these categories are judged using a 100 point scale. The resulting score tells you the level of accomplishment.

In order to gain "master" status in a given category, you must produce a master quality beverage in two consecutive years. This cannot be the same beverage entered twice. You can be a master of a given category without having mastery in other categories, e.g. "Master of Wines/Meads" without having a clue about beer. You can also become a double master or triple master. Masters are expected to participate in the judging at future events. If you show up the first time and have master quality stuff, you become a journeyman until the second year you produce master quality stuff.

Our ultimate goal is to coordinate with the guilds of all the kingdoms to have common standards for judging, and be able to recognize kingdom standings in the IKBG.

To my current knowledge the Middle Kingdom and Atlantia are fairly consistent in having similar standards to the IKBG. When I was in Atlantia, and head of the Atlantia guild, I made it so.