Brewing, Vintning, and Infusions

Atlantia A&S Criteria

Type of beverage (ale, mead, beer, wine, cider, etc.) should be period. Entrant must specify type of beverage and note ingredients used. If a non-period beverage is entered, entrant should be able to tell why it is non-period. Note: Brews made by completely period processes may be unsafe for drinking. Entrants who adapt techniques or recipes for health purposes and note reasons for the adaptation will not lose points in Authenticity.

Information also available as PDF.


DOCUMENTATION (0-30 points. SCORE 0-10 then MULTIPLY BY 3):

Must have at least “EZ Doc” information. More is acceptable, although one or two pages (not counting visuals and bibliography) should be more than enough. If your documentation is more than three pages for exceptionally detailed and in-depth work, you should provide an executive summary. The best documentation will cover what they did in period, what the creator did in the project, and why the difference (if any). It will explain any conscious compromises made, and provide footnotes, illustrations, and references, as well as any original research or experimentation as it applies to the project. Give score based on the following considerations:

  • A minimum of: what it is, where is it from, when is it from, and references;
  • Materials used in the project;
  • Techniques and Tools used during the process;
  • Research (country, period of origin, typical characteristics, use in period, etc), visual and descriptive references (books, portraits, etc.) from reliable sources;
  • Artistic design, specific time/place context and social environment in which this beverage would have been served.

AUTHENTICITY (0-20 points) [SCORE 0-10 and then DOUBLE THE SCORE]:

  • 0: Clearly modern in some way: type of beverage, ingredients, process, etc.;
  • 1-2: Generally period product, but use of modern preparation processes;
  • 3-4: Generally period product, but obvious mixture or ingredients and/or processes from different cultures or periods;
  • 5-6: Overall period product, with minor inconsistencies (Ex: some non-period ingredients, short-cuts in preparation, etc.);
  • 7-8: Period product; process period or reasonable equivalent; no inconsistencies in ingredients, process, time/place context; 
  • 9-10: Special effort to achieve a completely period product by using totally period ingredients OR period methods.

Note: Extra points may be awarded for an effort to recreate period bottling techniques.

COMPLEXITY (1-10 points):

Rank the ambition of the entry, not the workmanship, scale of 1-10 based on the following:

  • 1: Finished product by use of kit or pre-prepared ingredients with no changes or minor changes by the entrant;
  • 2: Finished product by use of kit or pre-prepared ingredients with major changes by the entrant;
  • 3-4: Original work of entrant, using a “standard recipe” that is moderately difficult;
  • 5-6: Original work of entrant, using a “standard recipe” where processes and ingredients used are more difficult, some extra steps or delicate handling are needed;
  • 7-8: Original work of entrant, using a “Non-standard recipe”; 
  • 9-10: Original work of entrant, using a “Non-standard recipe” where processes and ingredients used are more difficult, some extra steps or delicate handling are needed.

WORKMANSHIP (3-30 points. SCORED then rounded to nearest multiple of 3. E.G. 26, or 28, is really 27):

Rank the beverage’s appearance, aroma and taste as follows, using either the wine product scale (for wine, mead, etc.); beer product scale (for lager, ale, etc.); or infusion scale (for cordials, liqueurs, etc) as appropriate. Total the points according to the scale, then round to the nearest multiple of 3. Scales found below.

Note: If a beverage is brewed specifically to demonstrate a period product that may vary unpleasantly from modern tastes, entrant should provide period written descriptions or similar rationale to justify the type of variance, explaining specific goals attempted. Judges should then rate beverage in terms of period tastes, as documented by the entrant, rather than modern ones. (Judges as a group may make minor alterations in the scale to allow for unusually brewed beverages, as long as the final score is a multiple of 3, up to 30.)

Wine Product Scale

  • Appearance (up to 3 points) A brilliant wine rates all points. If it is clear, but lacks brilliance, give it two points. A cloudy wine with chunks would rate a zero;
  • Color (up to 3 points) Is depth and tint appropriate to type of beverage?;
  • Aroma and Bouquet (up to 3 points) 0 = unpleasant; 1 = weak; 3 = strong, fragrant, proper for type;
  • Freedom from “off” odors (up to 3 points) no vinegar, yeast, sulfite, sulfide, diacetyl, etc.;
  • Total acid (up to 3 points) Acid should be balanced, neither too much nor too little;
  • Sugar (up to 3 points) Sweetness or dryness should be appropriate to type;
  • Body (up to 3 points) Thin and watery = 0; rich and full-bodied = 3;
  • Flavor (up to 6 points) flavor should be pleasant and free from off tastes. Is flavor deep and/or rich? Aftertaste should be pleasant, linger slightly, but should not stay for dinner;
  • Astringency (tannin) (up to 3 points) 0 = very high or very low; 1 = high or low; 2 = could be improved if slightly higher or lower; 3 = correct for type

Infusion Product Scale

  • Appearance (up to 3 points) A brilliant cordial rates all points. If it is clear, but lacks brilliance, give it two points. Not all cordials are intended to be clear. Anything with floating elements is zero;
  • Color (up to 3 points) Is depth and tint appropriate to type of beverage?;
  • Aroma and Bouquet (up to 3 Points) 0 = unpleasant; 1 = weak; 3 = strong, fragrant, proper for type;
  • Freedom from “off” odors or intense alcohol odor (up to 3 points) no vinegar, yeast, sulfite, sulfide, etc. ∙ Sugar (up to 3 points) Sweetness or dryness should be appropriate to type;
  • Body (up to 3 points) Thin and watery = 0; rich and full-bodied = 3 Does it leave “legs” on the glass?;
  • Flavor (up to 6 points) flavor should be pleasant, rich and free from off tastes. Aftertaste should be pleasant and linger slightly, but should not stay for dinner;
  • Balance (up to 6 points possible) The flavor of the herbs, spices, fruit, sweetener, and alcohol used should be balanced. No one flavor should dominate.

Beer And Ale Product Scale

  • Appearance (up to 3 points possible) Clarity: no haze or floating sediment (as appropriate to type). Some beers should not be clear;
  • Color (up to 3 points possible) Is depth and tint appropriate to beverage?;
  • Effervescence (up to 3 points possible) Head should collapse less than 50 percent after 1 minute; bubbles small to medium, feel even in mouth;
  • Aroma and Bouquet (up to 3 points possible). Aroma comes from malt/grain. Bouquet is what hops/spices/ fruit contribute. Balance between malt and hops (or other ingredients)? Malt character? Special spices? Hop character?;
  • Freedom from “off” odors (up to 3 points possible) Should not smell of vinegar, yeast, sulfite, diacetyl, etc.;
  • Gruit/Hop flavor (up to 3 points possible) Correct taste and aftertaste as appropriate to type of beer or ale;
  • Non-hop character (up to 3 points possible) Correct flavors or undertones of malt and other ingredients;
  • Flavor (up to 3 points possible) Flavor should be pleasant and free from off tastes. Flavor must be appropriate to type of beer or ale;
  • Aftertaste ( up to 3 points possible) Pleasant: not too long-lasting;
  • Body (3 points possible) Is it full-bodied, smooth, and correct for type or is it thin and watery?
Wine Product Scale:
 __________Appearance (0-3)
 __________Color (0-3)
 __________Aroma and Bouquet(0-3)
 __________Freedom from “off”odors (0-3)
 __________Total acid (0-3)
 __________Sugar (0-3)
 __________Body (0-3)
 __________Flavor (0-6)
 __________Astringency (0-3)
Infusion Product Scale:
 __________Appearance (0-3)
 __________Color (0-3)
 __________Aroma and Bouquet(0-3)
 __________Freedom from “off”odors (0-3)
 __________Sugar (0-3)
 __________Body (0-3)
 __________Flavor (0-6)
 __________Balance (0-6)
Beer and Ale Product Scale:
 __________Appearance (0-3)
 __________Color (0-3)
 __________Effervescence (0-3)
 __________Aroma and Bouquet(0-3)
 __________Freedom from “off”odors (0-3)
 __________Gruit/Hop flavor (0-3)
 __________Non-hop Character (0-3)
 __________Flavor (0-3)
 __________Aftertaste (0-3)
 __________Body (0-3)

TOTAL, then round to nearest multiple of 3

OVERALL IMPRESSION (1-10 points):

Evaluate the work as a whole, rating the complete effect and appeal beyond the mere technical proficiency. Consider how you react to the entry (intuitive response) and other items not previously addressed.