Homebrew Competition FAQ
So you want to enter your beer in a competition, eh? Homebrewers enter competitions for a variety of reasons... entering a competition can be:
This page gives some general rules and information, that should apply to most homebrew competitions.
Who sponsors homebrew competitions?
Homebrew competitions are organized and/or sponsored by many different organizations. Most larger (and some smaller) homebrew clubs do an annual competition. The American Homebrewers Association runs the NHC (National Homebrew Competition) Competitions may also be sponsored by homebrew shops, brewpubs, and other beer-related organizations.
How do I find out about competitions I can enter?
Your local homebrew club or your local homebrew shop should be able to tell you when competitions are coming up in your area. Most of the larger competitions are announced on-line, on the rec.crafts.brewing Usenet newsgroup, and/or the Home Brew Digest. The AHA Web site also lists information about upcoming competitions.
How do I enter?
Most competitions require you to fill out an entry form, specifying the style of beer, and (sometimes) the recipe used. Usually, you will also need to attach a bottle identification form to each bottle. In some cases, you may be asked to simply attach the entry/recipe form directly to the bottle (no separate bottle ID form). Do not tape entry or ID forms to the bottles -- use rubber bands.
The number of bottles required per entry depends on the individual competition, and typically ranges from 1 to 3. Smaller competitions usually require fewer bottles; larger competitions may require more, because the beer may need to be judged multiple times to determine its standing relative to the other entries in its category (plus you need one bottle for the Best Of Show round, should your beer advance that far).
The AHA National Homebrew Competition requires additional bottles if your entry advances to the second round.
You will need to ship or hand-deliver your entries to the specified location by the deadline stated in the competition rules, along with your entry form(s), and entry fees (if applicable).
How do I decide what style to enter my beer as?
It depends. If you're looking for feedback on how well you're doing on a particular style that you're trying to learn how to brew, enter as that style. On the other hand, if you are in it primarily for the competitive aspect, look at the style guidelines, and enter it as the style you think it most closely resembles!
Where do I get a copy of the official beer style guidelines?
Official beer style guidelines are available on-line from the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP).
In past years, the AHA and the BJCP each published their own, slightly different style guidelines. As of this year (2000), the AHA has adopted the BJCP guidelines, so things should be less confusing.
What kind of bottles should I use for competition?
Generally, you should use 12 oz brown pry-off "longneck" style bottles. The bottles should be free of identifying marks -- the original bottle label should be completely removed, and you should not use bottles which have the name of a brewery molded into them. The bottles should be capped with a plain crown cap; if the cap has any printing on it, completely black out the surface of the cap, using a black felt-tip permanent marker.
Do not use non-standard size (i.e. other than 12 oz.) bottles, swing-top (Grolsch-style) bottles, plastic soda bottles, etc.
Ensuring that all bottles are the same helps ensure that the judging is impartial.
Are there any restrictions on where the beer was brewed?
Most homebrew competitions specifically disallow any beer that was brewed on commercial equipment (or at a commercial brewery), even if it was not brewed by a professional brewer.
How should I get my entries to the competition?
The best way to deliver your entries is in person; obviously, this is not practical if you do not live near the drop-off location. But even if you can't deliver the entries yourself, if you know someone who will be working as a steward or judge, you may be able to have them hand-carry your entries in for you. If you plan to have the entries hand delivered on the day of the competition, make sure you have submitted all of your entry paperwork and fees (if any) by the original entry deadline -- the organizers still need this information ahead of time, in order to help them plan the competition. Failure to pre-register walk-in entries may result in disqualification.
If you can't drop the entries off in person, and don't know anyone who will be attending the competition, you will need to ship your entries. Some things to consider:
How should I pack my entries?
If the entries will be hand-delivered, standard 6-pack holders are generally adequate.
If the entries are being shipped, they should be packaged securely, with adequate protection against breakage. If you (or someone you know) belongs to one of the "beer of the month" clubs, save the boxes and packing material from the monthly shipments -- these boxes are ideal, since they are actually designed for shipping beer!
Try to avoid styrofoam peanuts. They just cause aggravation for the people who have to unpack and check in your entries, because they make a mess.
I'm giving away my beer -- why do I have to pay the competition to take it?
Hosting a homebrew competition costs money. There are duplicating costs (flyers announcing the competition, scoresheets), and the cost of obtaining the ribbons that are to be awarded to the winning beers in each category. There is also the cost of shipping the scoresheets, ribbons, and prizes (if any) back to the entrants afterwards. There are disposable items -- plastic cups used for tasting, and other incidentals. Some competitions provide a meal for the volunteers and judges, as a large competition is an all-day deal. Really large competitions like the AHA NHC may even need to rent space (e.g. a room at a conference center) to hold the judging.
Most competitions that I know of do not make much (if any) money off of the entry fees. Some even operate at a loss.
How is the judging typically done?
For judging, the entries in a competition are normally grouped into "flights", usually with 7 to 14 beers per flight. The organizers will generally try to keep the same (or similar) style beers together in the same flight. When categories must be merged (due to a small number of entries in a given style category), some attempt is made to combine similar styles, so that you don't end up with, e.g. an American Light Lager being judged with a Barleywine in the same flight. Sometimes, at large competitions (or for very popular styles), a style may be split into more than one flight.
All of the beers in a single flight are usually judged by the same judges. If there is an inexperienced (non-certified) judge on a flight, the non-certified judge will generally be paired with a more experienced (certified) one. The judges evaluate how well the beer fits the style it was entered as, and assign a numerical score, in the range of 0 to 50 points. Scores below 15, or above 40, are rare. Most beers will score in the 20s or 30s.
The judging is done blind. The bottle identification forms are removed before the judges see your entry, and the judges do not see your entry form or recipe prior to tasting your beer. The only thing the judges know is what style you entered the beer as.
The highest scoring beer in each flight advances to the Best Of Show round.
How do I become a certified beer judge?
To become a certified beer judge, you need to pass the BJCP Certification Exam. Check the BJCP Web site for more info.
When can I expect to receive my scoresheets?
Since most competitions are run by volunteers, the time to get your scoresheets varies quite a bit. Anywhere from 1 to 4 weeks is typical; sometimes it takes longer. The better-organized competitions may have the results posted on the Web within a day or two after the competition.
What sort of prizes and awards are typically given at competitions?
Again, it varies. A ribbon for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd in each flight, and in the Best Of Show round, is typical. Other prizes -- brewing equipment or supplies -- are sometimes awarded in addition to the ribbons. For example, first place winners in each flight at the Drunk Monk Challenge 2000 received a coupon redeemable for a free vial of White Labs yeast.
I want to get involved -- what should I do?
Competition organizers are usually happy to have extra volunteers, especially at the larger competitions. The easiest way to get involved is to contact the competition organizers, and volunteer to be a steward. Stewards are basically there to do anything they can to help the competition run smoothly -- ensuring that the proper entries are brought to each judging table, making sure that each table always has enough clean cups, blank score sheets, pencils, etc. Occasionally, stewards who express an interest in doing so may be asked to sit in on the judging of a flight, as a novice/apprentice judge -- this is a good way to gain some judging experience, if you intend to take the certification exam.
Copyright © 2000 by Michael Uchima, All Rights Reserved
(Posted to Web March 14, 2000)