National Homebrew Competition - Bristol, 3 September 2011

September 3rd 2011 will see the UK's first BJCP sanctioned National Homebrew Competition.

The competition will be held at the Tobacco Factory in Southville, Bristol.

All entrants will receive score sheets and commentary prepared by judges recognized by the BJCP. Winners will be announced upon completion of the competition.

Eligibility: This competition is open to everyone. Entries must have been made at home. Those made in commercial establishments, including brew-on-premise establishments, are not eligible.

Categories: All beer, cider and mead will be judged as per the 2008 BJCP style guidelines. For full guidelines, go to: http://www.bjcp.org/stylecenter.php
Judges and competition organizers will not reclassify entries so please choose styles carefully. Styles may be collapsed and combined at the discretion of the competition organizers.

Entry fee: £5 first entry, £3 each additional entry.
Online Registration only: http://www.nationalhomebrewcompetition.org.uk
Paypal payment is preferable and can be made online, cheques will be accepted by arrangement with the competition organisers.

Entries: For each entry, the brewer must submit the following:
• A completed competition entry form, available online when you register;
• Two 330-568ml brown or green glass bottles. Bottles must be free of labels, and any other identifying marks must be blacked out. Bottles will not be returned. Bottles with engraved or embossed lettering should be avoided but are acceptable.
• Bottle labels, attached securely to each bottle with a rubber band. Labels secured by
tape, glue, or other means will result in a non-refundable disqualification.
• The appropriate fee, based on the total number of entries. Paypal or cheque only.


Entries should be submitted no earlier than 4 August 2011 and no later than 5:00 PM
on 26 August 2011. Register entries online at any time before 5pm on 26 August, at http://www.nationalhomebrewcompetition.org.uk
For a full list of entry drop-off points, and our mail in location, check the site.

Judging: Each entry will be judged by a panel of at least two judges, where possible with at
least one of whom has achieved a minimum rank of Recognized by the BJCP. The
first round of judging will determine the top three entries in each award category. Rosettes will be awarded for each of the top three entries in each category.
The first-place entry in each award category will then compete for Best of Show.

There will be a club trophy based on points for placings.

It should be stressed that this is a competition NOT a festival and no tastings of entries will be offered.

Judges and stewards will be needed on the day (lunch and beer provided). Please contact the organisers or register online.



The competition is sponsored by:

Bristol Beer Factory
Warminster Maltings
The Malt Miller
Barley Bottom
BrewUK
Danstar
Wyeast
White Labs
Dogfish Head
Sharps
RCH Brewery
Brew Your Own Magazine
Victory Brewing Company

The links don't seem to work...is it just me?

oz11 said:

The links don't seem to work...is it just me?

Click to expand...

Site is currently being updated...

Ah...I was too quick off the mark! lol

Give it a few minutes and try again...

Awesome stuff!!

I've never entered a comp before (never seen one advertised tbh), so pretty stoked about this.
Got a few months to sort out a decent recipe & get my brew on!

:thumb:

site back up now

oz11 said:

Ah...I was too quick off the mark! lol

Click to expand...

Oz

Just noticed your location

Small world :

If you fancy an AG brew day give me a shout

Chris

Thanks Chris...pm sent :thumb:

Is there no permission to submit entry form in advance but bring bottles on the day? Can save a LOT of postage, couriers and hassle and seemed to work OK at NCBA and spring thing...

lancsSteve said:

Is there no permission to submit entry form in advance but bring bottles on the day? Can save a LOT of postage, couriers and hassle and seemed to work OK at NCBA and spring thing...

Click to expand...

The rules state:

Judges and stewards travelling from outside of town can bring entries on the day of the completion provided that:

• You have registered your entries and your entry fees are received by 26 August 2011.

• You arrive with your entries no later than 8:45 am. on the morning of the event.

--------------

So yes, there is permission, but you'd have to volunteer to judge or steward, which you might like to do. That said, I do think it would be useful to people for there to be drop-off point in places other than Bristol which would see someone bring all of the entries from that place to the competition, potentially on the day.

VERY impressed by the registration system and option to import entries via Beer XML (direct from Beer Alchemy or BrewPal) and the list of BJCP categories... Feel like I'm entering a competition in the 21st century not the mid 20th...

How does one go about becoming a steward and what's involved in that?

Think the idea of 'hub' points to ferry beers down is a very good one and I'm now definitely going in the van so happy to take this on from the (fairly far) north...

lancsSteve said:

VERY impressed by the registration system and option to import entries via Beer XML (direct from Beer Alchemy or BrewPal) and the list of BJCP categories... Feel like I'm entering a competition in the 21st century not the mid 20th...

Click to expand...

Glad you like it!

lancsSteve said:

How does one go about becoming a steward and what's involved in that?

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You become a steward simply by saying you want to be one and indicating that on the website in your personal details.

Stewards ensure that everything is in place and that the proper supplies and forms are present at the judging tables. They make sure the judges have everything they need throughout the judging. The stewards’ basic job is to free the judges to concentrate on judging the entries without distraction.

STEWARD RESPONSIBILITIES
Distributing required materials
to the judging tables
Bringing beer from storage area
to judging area
Assisting Judge Director and
judges as needed
Providing water, cups, bread, and
forms for judging tables
Maintaining proper beer temperatures
during judging
Emptying dump buckets as
needed

Judges will be encouraged to offer beers for tasting to stewards.

[/quote]

Think the idea of 'hub' points to ferry beers down is a very good one and I'm now definitely going in the van so happy to take this on from the (fairly far) north...[/quote]

Great! We can sort out details for this.

Have just spotted the 'small print':

"The judging floor will be closed to all except judges, stewards and organizers. The announcement of results, awards ceremony and raffle will be open to the public, starting at around 4 p.m. Entry will be free.

It should be stressed that this is a competition NOT a festival and no tastings of entries will be offered."

http://www.bristolhomebrewcompetition.o ... tion=rules

Click to expand...

So - err, what IS going on while judging is happening? Is this AHA/BJCP (American prohibition?) rules being zealously applied, a quirk of licensing laws or something else?

Much as I'm excited by BJCP categories and adopting this approach the national CBA was a fantastic event because we got to try each other's beers, meet other brewers, give feedback and generally socialise and learn a lot. There were talks from brewlabs and then tastings - all laid out.

So - is that 'no beers unless you're a judge'? Or is there scope for informally bringing and sharing a few extra bottles as well?

I.E. the organisers won't be 'offering' but the entrants can : , or is there some quirk of AHA rules or british licensing that will make this a dry homebrew festival? :cry:

lancsSteve said:

Have just spotted the 'small print': ..... So - is that 'no beers unless you're a judge'? Or is there scope for informally bringing and sharing a few extra bottles as well?

Click to expand...

alikocho said:

Judges will be encouraged to offer beers for tasting to stewards.

Click to expand...

You will just have to become a steward Steve.

One thing I really liked at the spring thing was to taste and talk to fellow brewers about their beers.

It would seem that the Judges decision is final. By not allowing the public/competitors to taste the winning beers the Judges decisions/choices can not be criticised.

snail59 said:

It would seem that the Judges decision is final. By not allowing the public/competitors to taste the winning beers the Judges decisions/choices can not be criticised.

Click to expand...

It's nothing like that, and in fact engaging with judges is part of the process. All judges are required to put cntact details on the feedback sheets, so you can even speak to them after the event. The problem is the number of bottles it takes to be able to offer tastings of winning beers. The CBA last year asked for six bottles - that's a lot for a brewer to give up, and a lot to store. We're asking for two. One will be tasted, with the other in reserve should anything go wrong. The second bottle of first placed beers accross categories will likely be used for Best of Show judging.

As I just mentioned in another post (which is just below), you are free to bring extra bottles to share after judging has taken place, but we won't be organizing formal tastings.

lancsSteve said:

Have just spotted the 'small print':

"The judging floor will be closed to all except judges, stewards and organizers. The announcement of results, awards ceremony and raffle will be open to the public, starting at around 4 p.m. Entry will be free.

It should be stressed that this is a competition NOT a festival and no tastings of entries will be offered."

http://www.bristolhomebrewcompetition.o ... tion=rules

Click to expand...

So - err, what IS going on while judging is happening? Is this AHA/BJCP (American prohibition?) rules being zealously applied, a quirk of licensing laws or something else?

Much as I'm excited by BJCP categories and adopting this approach the national CBA was a fantastic event because we got to try each other's beers, meet other brewers, give feedback and generally socialise and learn a lot. There were talks from brewlabs and then tastings - all laid out.

So - is that 'no beers unless you're a judge'? Or is there scope for informally bringing and sharing a few extra bottles as well?

I.E. the organisers won't be 'offering' but the entrants can : , or is there some quirk of AHA rules or british licensing that will make this a dry homebrew festival? :cry:

Click to expand...

The focus of this is as a competition, rather than as a festival, but that doesn't mean it will be dry. During judging there is nothing else organized, but as has already been pointed out, judges will be encouraged to share beer with stewards, as a opportunity for them to learn as much as sample.

After judging has taken place, individuals not involved in judging/stewarding will be free to come for the announcing of results, prize-giving and raffle. At this pint if you want to bring a few extra of your beers to share you can, and you can retrieve anything that's left. There won't be a formal opportunity for tastings, but that doesn't mean it can't happen (as you correctly surmised the organizers won't 'offer'). I should point out that the venue, which belongs to the Bristol Beer Factory will want to sell you some beer as well. Nothing about this has to do with rules or laws, more with the practicalities of the event.

Stewards and judges will as get lunch and beer for their troubles.

dennisking said:

One thing I really liked at the spring thing was to taste and talk to fellow brewers about their beers.

Click to expand...

I think this is important, and I hope that people will take the opportunity after judging to socialize with one another and talk about their beers. Who knows, you might even be one of the lucky winners!