The Awards

Judging by Quality, Value & packaging

Judging Criteria

The China Beer Competition will judge each beer on the basis of three primary criteria: Quality, Value, Packaging & Design. Each of these criteria reflects a different aspect of the overall beer-drinking experience. When considered together as part of an overall scoring system, they accurately reflect what consumers are looking for today when they purchase or consume beer.

Quality Score

Quality refers to all the factors that impact the drinkability of a beer – its flavor profile, aroma, and overall balance (as measured by tannins, alcohol content and acidity). From a consumer perspective, high-quality beer is one that is enjoyable and easy to drink. It is a beer that a consumer will purchase more than one time.

Value Score

Value refers to the relative pricing of the beer vis-à-vis competitors in the marketplace. Value is a relative benchmark, not an absolute benchmark. Thus, a beer does not need to be cheap in order to deliver value. A premium-priced beer, then, can still provide value if it is priced more affordably than comparable peers. Given the number of choices today on a retail shelf, consumers need to feel comfortable that they are getting the proverbial “bang for their buck.”

Packaging Score

Packaging & Design is a subjective factor that takes into account several key issues, such as the overall look and presentation of the bottle (including cork and label), and how well the brand presentation of the bottle matches up with the personality of the beer inside the bottle. In today’s brand-driven marketplace, consumers now view beer as a branded product. As a result, they expect every bottle of beer they purchase to come with a unique brand story or unique brand identity. This reflects the fact that many consumers will make the decision of whether or not to purchase a bottle of beer based on how well it is perceived to match up with their current lifestyle or demographic group.

Scoring System

These three criteria – Quality, Value and Packaging & Design – are then combined into a weighted scoring system that assigns a 50% weight to Quality, a 25% weight to Value and a 25% weight to Packaging & Design. As a result, an award-winning beer at the China Beer Competition will be one that displays strong characteristics in each of these categories. While a high-quality beer will do well in the competition, it is not assured of winning a medal. In addition, it will have to show that it offers consumers value for their money and that it comes with a compelling brand story and attractive bottle packaging.

Philosophy Of The China Beer Competition

The China Beer Competition recognizes and rewards high-quality beers that have been developed with the end consumer in mind. Beers are judged on more than just beermaking technique, or the specific attributes of a beer (flavor, aroma, balance). Instead, the China Beer Competition takes a much wider view of what makes truly great beer. The very essence of great beer in today’s world is that it should be marketable, consumer-driven and enjoyable to drink.