Big Brew Day Brew-Off

Thanks for your interest in participating in the Lawrence Brewers Guild’s second Big Brew Day Brew-Off! We couldn’t put on this competition without your support, and we look forward to receiving your entries!

The LBG Big Brew Day Brew-Off is AHA-sanctioned and open to any amateur homebrewer age 21 or older. The categories and subcategories are limited and will be judged according to the 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines. The competition committee reserves the right to combine categories based on the number of entries. All possible effort will be made to combine similar styles. All beers in combined categories will be judged according to the style for which they were originally entered.

Competition registration site: http://lawrencebrewers.org/competition

ACCEPTED CATEGORIES

  • CATEGORY 1: STANDARD AMERICAN BEER (1A. American Light Lager, 1B. American Lager, 1B. Cream Ale, 1D. American Wheat Beer)
  • CATEGORY 4: PALE MALTY EUROPEAN LAGER (4A. Munich Helles, 4B. Festbier, 4C. Helles Bock)
  • CATEGORY 6: AMBER MALTY EUROPEAN LAGER (6A. Marzen, 6B. Rauchbier, 6C. Dunkles Bock)
  • CATEGORY 8: DARK EUROPEAN LAGER (8A. Munich Dunkel, 8B. Schwarzbier)
  • CATEGORY 9: STRONG EUROPEAN BEER (9A. Doppelbock, 9B. Eisbock, 9C. Baltic Porter)
  • CATEGORY 10: GERMAN WHEAT BEER (10A. Weissbier, 10B. Dunkles Weissbier, 10C. Weizenbock)
  • CATEGORY 16: DARK BRITISH BEER (16A. Sweet Stout, 16B. Oatmeal Stout, 16C. Tropical Stout, 16D. Foreign Extra Stout)
  • CATEGORY 18: PALE AMERICAN ALE (18A. Blonde Ale, 18B. American Pale Ale)
  • CATEGORY 20: AMERICAN PORTER AND STOUT (20A. American Porter, 20B. American Stout, 20C. Imperial Stout)
  • CATEGORY 21: IPA (21A. American IPA, 21B. Specialty IPA)
  • CATEGORY 23. EUROPEAN SOUR ALE (23A. Berliner Weisse, 23B. Flanders Red Ale, 23C. Oud Bruin, 23D. Lambic, 23E. Gueuze, 23F. Fruit Lambic)
  • CATEGORY 24: BELGIAN ALE (24A. Witbier, 24B. Belgian Pale Ale, 24C. Bière de Garde)
  • CATEGORY 25: STRONG BELGIAN ALE (25A. Belgian Blonde Ale, 25B. Saison, 25C. Belgian Golden Strong Ale)
  • CATEGORY 27: HISTORICAL BEER (Gose)
  • CATEGORY 29: FRUIT BEER (29A. Fruit Beer, 29B. Fruit and Spice Beer, 29C. Specialty Fruit Beer)
  • CATEGORY 30: SPICED BEER (30A. Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer, 30B. Autumn Seasonal Beer, 30C. Winter Seasonal Beer)
  • SPECIAL THEME CATEGORY: MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU: Let’s have some fun celebrating Star Wars Day! This special category will include beers inspired by the Star Wars episodes and characters or space. Entries could include anything utilizing your favorite out of this world hop like Comet, Galaxy or Apollo; a black hole inspired black IPA; a Chewbacca Baltic Porter; or a milk stout brewed with Moon Pies. Entries must include the beer’s base style and any adjuncts, spices, flavorings, etc. added. We’ll include the name during judging, so make sure you’re clever! You’re only limited by your own creativity. Do or do not. There is no try.

ENTRANT ELIGIBILITY

  • All entries must be handcrafted products, containing ingredients available to the general public and made using private equipment by hobbyist brewers (i.e., no use of commercial facilities or brew on premises operations, supplies, etc.).
  • There is no limit on the number of entries per person or per category by person.

ENTRIES

  • This competition is capped at 150 total entries.
  • Competition registration begins at noon Saturday, March 16.
  • All entries are due by 10 p.m. Wednesday, April 17. Entries can be shipped or dropped off. Please allow for shipping time. No late entries will be accepted.
  • SHIPPING LOCATION
    • Leigh Keck’s house, 2231 Barker Ave., Lawrence, KS 66046
  • DROP-OFF LOCATIONS
    • Leigh Keck’s house, 2231 Barker Ave., Lawrence, KS 66046 (arrange drop-off by emailing leighkeck@gmail.com or texting 913.579.5192)
    • Ryan Metcalf’s house, 8420 Legler Road, Lenexa, KS 66219 (arrange drop-off by emailing ryanmetcalf@gmail.com or texting 913.667.9261)
    • Bowe Neuenschwander’s house, 5768 Bower St., Kansas City, MO 64133 (arrange drop-off by emailing bneuensc@gmail.com or texting 785.675.1968)
  • Each entry requires two 12-ounce bottles (with rubberband, no markings, etc.) Any lettering or graphics on the caps should be completely obscured with a black marker so as to maintain anonymity. Bottles will not be returned to entrants.
  • The competition organizers are not responsible for mis-categorized entries, mailed entries that are not received by the entry deadline or entries that arrive damaged.

ENTRY FEES

  • There is a $8 per entry fee for non-Lawrence Brewers Guild members.
  • There is a $6 per entry fee for Lawrence Brewers Guild members.
  • Payment can be made via PayPal to payment@lawrencebrewers.org or via check attached to entries. Make checks payable to Lawrence Brewers Guild.

SCORING

  • There will be no scoring limits or minimums to place. Minimum score of 13 will be used for problematic beer.
  • Scoresheets will be uploaded and postmarked within one week of competition winners announced.

JUDGING

  • Judging will take place 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, and 7-9 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at Free State Brewing’s production facility, 1927 Moodie Road, Lawrence, KS 66046.
  • Qualified judging of all entries is the primary goal of our event. Judges will evaluate and score each entry. The average of the scores will rank each entry in its category. We aim to have at least one BJCP certified judge in each flight.
  • The Best of Show judging will be determined by a Best of Show panel based on a second judging of the winners of each standard category. The winning entry of the May the Fourth Be with You category will NOT be included in the BOS judging. The Best of Show winner will be awarded a scale-up at Free State Brewing. (The scale-up beer cannot have Brett or mixed-fermentation, be barrel-aged or wild.)
  • Winners will be announced at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 4, during the LBG’s annual Maifest and Big Brew Day celebration at Lawrence Creates Makerspace, 512 E. Ninth St., Lawrence. The portion of the event that includes announcement of the winners is open to anyone who entered beers in the competition.

AWARDS & SCALE-UPS

  • The Best of Show winner will be awarded a scale-up at Free State Brewing. (The scale-up beer cannot have Brett or mixed-fermentation, be barrel-aged or wild.)
  • The winner of the May the Fourth Be with You category will be awarded a scale-up at 23rd Street Brewery. (The scale-up beer cannot have Brett or mixed-fermentation, be barrel-aged or wild.)
  • Medals will be awarded for first, second and third place for each category. In addition, first place finishers will receive a prize.
  • The competition organizers reserve the right to combine styles for judging and to restructure awards as needed depending upon the quantity and quality of entries.

TIMELINE

  • Noon Saturday, March 16: Competition registration window opens.
  • 10 p.m. Wednesday, April 17: Competition registration window closes and entries are due.
  • 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, April 24: Judging takes place at Free State Brewing’s production facility, 1927 Moodie Road, Lawrence, KS 66046
  • 7-9 p.m. Thursday, April 25: Judging takes place at Free State Brewing’s production facility, 1927 Moodie Road, Lawrence, KS 66046
  • 2 p.m. Saturday, May 4: Winners are announced during the LBG’s annual Maifest and Big Brew Day celebration at Lawrence Creates Makerspace, 512 E. Ninth St., Lawrence. The portion of the event that includes announcement of the winners is open to anyone who entered beers in the competition.