What is the consequence for a beer that has severe flaws during the evaluation?

A beer that exhibits severe flaws during the evaluation is typically disqualified from the judging process. This is because the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) places a strong emphasis on quality and adherence to style guidelines. Severe flaws, such as significant off-flavors, unacceptable aromas, or other major defects, indicate that the beer does not meet the minimum standards required for a fair assessment.

In situations where a beer is deemed to have critical issues, judges are trained to use their expertise to identify these flaws and determine that the beer cannot be scored on the standard judging scale. This disqualification maintains the integrity of the evaluating process, ensuring that only beers of suitable quality and character are considered for awards or rankings. Thus, disqualifying a beer with severe flaws is a necessary action to uphold the standards of the competition and ensure that the judging reflects the intended quality of craft brewing.