Very Much fruity taste

Fat Freddy

Fat Freddy

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So we did a contest this weekend and we didnt do very well, but the teams that did do great are teams that do fantastic week in and week out. I felt my cook did have minor issue and really wont complain to much about the cook, it happens. Now saying that i will say I have been a big supporter of comment cards to help people figure out what they did wrong. I did get one comment card on ribs with a score of 988 comment= too mushy......That was right to the point and I understood.

My issue started after that here is my rib scores on my score sheet 988,977,877,999,978, 977 Quite obviously the taste and tenderness were big issues and 1 judge scores will not affect my problems this day. However here is another comment card. 968 and comment very much fruity taste. No where on my score sheet in any category is there a 6. So did the reps on the 978 score actually give me a better score than the judge give me? Did I get a comment card that should have went to someone else?

I did briefly bring it to the reps attention. Told them I just wanted them to know but I had so many other issues it wasnt worth me getting bothered about. The flavor profile is the same I have used all year and done very well and the wood flavor should have been a nutty taste not fruity. But again other judges disliked the flavors, it was just one that said "fruity".

I am not going to throw a fit, in truth the comment card was pointed out to me( I only noticed the one that I agreed with) by a master judge that stayed for awards. I just kinda wanted to vent a bit especially since I have been a big cheerleader on here and social media for comment cards. Maybe just maybe some of the cooks that dislike them might just know what they are talking about. Otherwise I gotta figure out the "fruity" flavor that hasnt been there before or better yet maybe I should use the comment card to light my chimney next time. My concern though would be is if I use this particular comment card would my charcoal be flavored like BULLCHIT.
 
Interesting in KCBS only 6 scores turned in and lowest one dropped. What could of happened is one of the judges mistakenly put 968 on the comment card instead of 978. I don't think table captains compare the score card and comment card scores since score cords are usually collected first.

"Fruity" could originate from many things. I have judged meats where the sauce had maybe a hint too much pineapple/apricot juice. As a judge I don't want to say "pineapple" unless I am absolutely correct - so "fruity" is a safe comment. Accidentally you could of had an extra bit of sauce in the place the judge took the bite. I have had that in judging pulled pork where the sauce was not mixed well.

Just giving you one judges/cooks thoughts...
 
I have spent many hours where people are asked to give their impression of food tastes. You would be suprised how many are unable to distinguish "fruity" from "nutty". I hate to say it is a common mistake, but it is, many people can't distinguish the difference. I got a comment one time of too much cinnamon, I have never come close to putting cinnamon in anything other than cookies, sometimes you just have to smile.

As far as there being no 6 and you have a 6 on the comment card, and you were not in contention I would put it away and forget it. I would watch my scores and comments closely in the next few comps, see what happens. If you see the same issues dig the card out you put away and present your evidence. If all goes well chalk it up to one of those days, life is much easier that way.
 
Comment cards are filled out after the all entries are done being judges at the table, so more than likely the judge just forgot what he gave you. You can request copies of the score sheets from KCBS if you really want to know if the reps made an error.
 
Ron_L said:
Comment cards are filled out after the all entries are done being judges at the table, so more than likely the judge just forgot what he gave you. You can request copies of the score sheets from KCBS if you really want to know if the reps made an error.
Click to expand...

I am not going to worry to much about this score or the comment card. I have gotten some fantastic rib calls this year. I am more bothered that here I am always singing the praises of comment cards, while some hate them. And of course I am the one that gets a screwy card, lol.
 
It's unlikely, but there is the possibility that the card belongs to another team. Honest mistakes happen.
 
The same thing happened to us earlier this year too. None of the scores on the comment card were the same as on the sheet...

I judged my first comp earlier this month. Things can get pretty hectic in the judges tent. I'm sure it was an honest mistake from the judge transferring the score to the comment card. One of the biggest things I learned when I judged is KCBS, and the reps at this contest, does/did a phenomenal job in terms of integrity at contests. I have no doubt that the scores that are given at any contest are what is deserved that day.
 
The best Reps double check the comment cards, and if they find one for a team that doesn't match the scores that team actually received, that card doesn't go through, because it cannot be determined which team it belongs to. Confusion avoided.

In a large contest with many comment cards, it's a big job, so not all Reps take the extra effort.
 
Well Fred, I certainly would not make changes on one comment on one card. There are several things that could have happened. You have had a great year so far just shrug your shoulders and scratch your head.
Many judges lack the expertise to exactly put into words what they want to say, but in the end they are just trying to help and do a good job for you cooks.
Ed
 
One thing I do when judging and I have an entry that gets a lower score, I write the score on the judging plate by the corresponding box, and put a comment about why the score is lower. For example if I score 8 7 5 because a entry is tough and chewy I will write that on the scoring plate and move on to the next entry. Once I have judged all entries and turned in my score card, I can now look at the judging plate to see the entry number, the score I gave, and the reason for the score when I fill out the comment card. I won't say it is impossible for me to write down the wrong score, but it seems to work for me.
 
Gowan said:
The best Reps double check the comment cards, and if they find one for a team that doesn't match the scores that team actually received, that card doesn't go through, because it cannot be determined which team it belongs to. Confusion avoided.

In a large contest with many comment cards, it's a big job, so not all Reps take the extra effort.
Click to expand...

Right on Gowan!

I've helped three different sets of REPs with Comment Cards after judging and they all check the CC scores with the actual scores given that team to ensure that they match. If they don't match exactly, then the card is discarded and doesn't make it to the team.
 
Wouldn't fret... I got a comment card in chicken saying too spicy, but they gave me a 9 in taste. I think they were pushing comment cards hard this weekend, got one in the 16 previous contests and two this weekend.
 
luckyduk said:
Wouldn't fret... I got a comment card in chicken saying too spicy, but they gave me a 9 in taste. I think they were pushing comment cards hard this weekend, got one in the 16 previous contests and two this weekend.
Click to expand...

Congrats too Justin, You all really kicked it (again)....In all my comps I have gotten 2 comment cards and then got the ones I got this weekend. Just the one didnt make sense but nothing to worry about. Like I say I know there was some issues with my cook, the one card was enough to make us go ehhhh, lol
 
The only comment card I got this weekend was for chicken that said my chicken was too peppery, and the score said 8 presentation and 6 in taste. I don't think anyone would ever describe my chicken as peppery. It's more of a sweet and tangy in my opinion, and it turns out that not only did I not receive a single 6 in taste on my score sheet, I didn't even receive a 7 in taste. I'm inclined to believe that the comment cards might not always be perfect ;)
 
Probably a simple mistake. I was just watching one of those youtube videos where the judges comment on the entries they just judged. I notice one of them said entry number six was not as good as the others. What was funny is there were only 5 entries on the mat.

Mistakes happen.
 
I think it would be best to just chalk it up as one of them days in BBQ and just keep doing what you are doing. You've had a solid year so no need to change anything.
 
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