I was really disapointed after receiving my results from last years NHC. I entered an ESB, and scored a 21.
I thought my beer was better than that. It bummed me out, i did contemplate it, but used the info from the score sheet to make my beer better. This year i scored a 32, and i'm happy with that. one of the comments was No flaws. Have some ideas for next year, hopefully will score in the 40's.
learn from your mistakes and keep brewing, its one of my favorite things to do.

I almost never make the same beer twice. As a result, many of my beers are drinkable, but sub-par in quality to a pro beer. I have dumped a couple of batches due to sanitation issues back when I was a noob. I guess I don't get discouraged because I have no end goal. I just like tinkering. Every once in a while I make one that is outstanding, so it helps with morale. I have yet to dial in my process well enough to be able to create a clone that holds up against the commercial version, but agian, that's not my goal. I know that my IPA's aren't as good as ones I can buy, so I focus mostly on beers I can't buy.

Where I live there is a terrible lack of any decent lagers. Only one local brewery doing it, and they don't bottle. I can get a few German imports such as Augustiner, and Ayinger, but they are expensive, soo... I make lagers. I do a decent job with them. I think they are easier than ales, you just have to be patient and consistent. Also, not much in the way of Belgians, and no sours here. Again, most of my efforts are on these styles.

So my goal is to make drinkable beers and I do a decent job of it. If I get a off batch , but it is still drinkable, I enjoy it. I don't get too discouraged.

That said, I did give it up for the past two years because of my work schedule, but I am back on the horse this year! Next up is a Belgian dark strong with whilte labs sour mix!

+1 That sums it up for me too. I might brew 2 batches a year with a serious flaw (DMS, diacetyl, ect), the rest I enjoy and about a third of those I think are excelent. I've only ever dumped one batch and that was my first all grain, so I kept moving forward. Even though I may get discouraged after a bad batch, I have the BN Army to help me figure out the problem and give me hope to improve. I feel driven to brew beer at this point for reasons I don't even understand. I'm of german descent, so it may be in my DNA. When I hear bagpipes, the hair sticks up on the back of my neck and a tear comes to my eye, I think thats from my mothers side. I'm rambling now, sorry. Never give up. Brew strong!

I mean, Justin still brews occasionally, so there's hope for the rest of us, right?

+1 Bazinga