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Rules
Wee County Brewers are running a Thanksgiving brewing competition in conjunction with Mourne Mountains Brewery, Mo Chara and the National Homebrew Club.
Think American styles, whether light, malty, hoppy or sour to be enjoyed thankfully at any time of year.
Mourne Mountains Brewery will brew the winning beer
This competition is open to any amateur homebrewer age 21 or older.
All entries must be received at the drop off location by the drop-off deadline.
All entries will be picked up from drop-off locations on the day of the drop-off deadline.
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.).
The competition organizers are not responsible for mis-categorized entries, mailed entries that are not received by the entry deadline, or entries that arrived damaged.
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.
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. Each flight will have at least one BJCP judge.
Brewers are not limited to one entry in each category but may only enter each subcategory once.
The competition committee reserves the right to combine overall style categories based on number of entries. All possible effort will be made to combine similar styles. All brews in combined categories will be judged according to the style they were originally entered in.
The Best of Show judging will be determined by a Best of Show panel based on a second judging of the top winners.
Bottles will not be returned to entrants.
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BJCP 2021 Judging Styles
If a style's name is hyperlinked, it has specific entry requirements. Select or tap on the name to view the subcategory's requirements.
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Number of Bottles Required Per Entry: 2
Judging Sessions and Dates
Mo Chara
Saturday 25 November, 2023 10:00, GMT
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Best of Show
Winning entry will be brewed by Mourne Mountains Brewery
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Awards
The awards ceremony will take place once judging is completed.
Places will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category/table.
The 1st place entry in each category will advance to the Best of Show (BOS) round with a single, overall Best of Show beer selected.
Additional prizes may be awarded to those winners present at the awards ceremony at the discretion of the competition organizers.
Both score sheets and awards will be available for pick up that night after the ceremony concludes. Awards and score sheets not picked up will be mailed back to participants. Results will be posted to the competition web site after the ceremony.
1st Prize: Winning entry will be brewed by Mourne Mountains Brewery
Additional prizes include
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Awards Ceremony
Mo Chara
19 Roden Pl, Townparks, Dundalk, Co. Louth, A91 AH7W, Ireland
Saturday 25 November, 2023 15:00, GMT
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Recognizable as an IPA by balance
Entry Info: Entrant MUST specify a strength (session, standard, double); if no strength is specified, standard will be assumed. Entrant MUST specify specific type of Specialty IPA from the list of Currently Defined Types identified in the Style Guidelines, or as amended by Provisional Styles on the BJCP website; OR the entrant MUST describe the type of Specialty IPA and its key characteristics in comment form so judges will know what to expect. Entrants MAY specify specific hop varieties used, if entrants feel that judges may not recognize the varietal characteristics of newer hops. Entrants MAY specify a combination of defined IPA types (e.g., Black Rye IPA) without providing additional descriptions.
A dry, hoppy IPA with fruitiness and spiciness of Belgian yeast. Often lighter in color and more attenuated, similar to a Belgian Tripel that has been brewed with more hops.
Entry Info: Entrant MUST specify a strength (session, standard, double); if no strength is specified, standard will be assumed.
A beer with the dryness, hop-forward balance, and flavor characteristics of an American IPA, but darker in color. Darker malts add a gentle and supportive flavor, not a strongly roasted or burnt character.
Entry Info: Entrant MUST specify a strength (session, standard, double); if no strength is specified, standard will be assumed.
Hoppy, bitter, and moderately strong like an American IPA, but with dark caramel, chocolate, toffee, or dark fruit character as in an American Brown Ale. Retaining the dryish finish and lean body that makes IPAs so drinkable, a Brown IPA is a little more flavorful and malty than an American IPA without being sweet or heavy.
Entry Info: Entrant MUST specify a strength (session, standard, double); if no strength is specified, standard will be assumed.
Hoppy, bitter, and moderately strong like an American IPA, but with some caramel, toffee, or fruit character as in an American Amber Ale. Retaining the dryish finish and lean body that makes IPAs so drinkable, a Red IPA is a little more flavorful and malty than an American IPA without being sweet or heavy.
Entry Info: Entrant MUST specify a strength (session, standard, double); if no strength is specified, standard will be assumed.
An American IPA with spicy, grainy rye malt. The rye gives a bready and peppery flavor, a creamier body, and a dry, grainy finish.
Entry Info: Entrant MUST specify a strength (session, standard, double); if no strength is specified, standard will be assumed.
A fruity, spicy, refreshing version of an American IPA, but with a lighter color, less body, and featuring the distinctive yeast or spice additions typical of a Witbier.
Entry Info: Entrant MUST specify a strength (session, standard, double); if no strength is specified, standard will be assumed.
A very pale, hop-forward American IPA variant with a bone-dry finish, very high carbonation, and a restrained bitterness level. Can be suggestive of a sparkling white wine or Champagne. The hop character is modern, and emphasizes flavor and aroma dimensions.
Entry Info: Entrant MUST specify a strength (session, standard, double); if no strength is specified, standard will be assumed.
Most often drier and fruitier than the base style suggests. Fruity or funky notes range from low to high, depending on the age of the beer and strains of Brett used. May possess a light non-lactic acidity. Intended for beer with or without oak aging that has been fermented with Sacch and Brett, or with Brett only.
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify either a Base Style, or provide a description of the ingredients, specs, or desired character. The entrant MAY specify the strains of Brett used.
A sour and funky version of a base style of beer. Intended for beer fermented with any combination of Sacch, Lacto, Pedio, and Brett (or additional yeast or bacteria), with or without oak aging (except if the beer fits instead in 28A or 28D).
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying yeast or bacteria used and either a Base Style, or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer.
An American Wild Ale with fruit, herbs, spices, or other Specialty-Type Ingredients. Intended for variations of a Base Style beer from style 28A, 28B, or 28D. These variations may include the addition of one or more Specialty-Type Ingredients; aging in non-traditional wood varieties that impart a significant and identifiable wood character (e.g., Spanish Cedar, Amburana); or aging in barrels previously containing another alcohol (e.g., spirits, wine, cider).
Entry Info: Entrant MUST specify any Specialty-Type Ingredient (e.g., fruit, spice, herb, or wood) used. Entrant MUST specify either a description of the beer, identifying yeast or bacteria used and either a Base Style, or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
A pleasant integration of fruit with beer, but still recognizable as beer. The fruit character should be evident but in balance with the beer, not so forward as to suggest an artificial product.
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type(s) of fruit used. Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items. Fruit Beers based on a Classic Style should be entered in this style, except Lambic
A tasteful union of fruit, spice, and beer, but still recognizable as beer. The fruit and spice character should each be evident but in balance with the beer, not so forward as to suggest an artificial product. Use the definitions of Fruit in the preamble to Category 29 and Spice in the preamble to Category 30; any combination of ingredients valid in Styles 29A and 30A are allowable in this category. For this style, the word
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type of fruit, and the type of SHV used; individual SHV ingredients do not need to be specified if a well-known blend of spices is used (e.g., apple pie spice). Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
A appealing combination of fruit, sugar, and beer, but still recognizable as a beer. The fruit and sugar character should both be evident but in balance with the beer, not so forward as to suggest an artificial product. A Specialty Fruit Beer is a Fruit Beer with some additional ingredients, such as fermentable sugars (e.g., honey, brown sugar, invert sugar), sweeteners (e.g., lactose), adjuncts, alternative grains, or other special ingredients added, or some additional process applied. A Specialty Fruit Beer can use any style within the Fruit Beer category as a base style (currently, 29A, 29B, or 29D).
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type of fruit used. The entrant MUST specify the type of additional ingredient (per the introduction) or special process employed. Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
An appealing fusion of spices, herbs, or vegetables (SHVs) and beer, but still recognizable as beer. The SHV character should be evident but in balance with the beer, not so forward as to suggest an artificial product. Often called Spice Beer, regardless of whether spices, herbs, or vegetables are used.
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type of spices, herbs, or vegetables used, but individual ingredients do not need to be specified if a well-known spice blend is used (e.g., apple pie spice, curry powder, chili powder). Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
A malty, spiced beer that often has a moderately rich body and slightly warming finish suggesting a good accompaniment for the cool fall season, and often evocative of harvest or Thanksgiving traditions. Autumn Seasonal Beers are beers that suggest cool weather and the autumn harvest season, and may include pumpkins, gourds, or other squashes, and associated spices.
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type of spices, herbs, or vegetables used; individual ingredients do not need to be specified if a well-known blend of spices is used (e.g., pumpkin pie spice). Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
A stronger, darker, spiced beer that often has a rich body and warming finish suggesting a good accompaniment for the cold winter season. Winter Seasonal Beers are beers that suggest cold weather and the Christmas holiday season, and may include holiday spices, specialty sugars, and other products that are reminiscent of the festive season.
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type of spices, sugars, fruits, or additional fermentables used; individual ingredients do not need to be specified if a well-known blend of spices is used (e.g., mulling spice). Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
An appealing combination of spices, herbs, or vegetables (SHVs), sugars, and beer, but still recognizable as beer. The SHV and sugar character should both be evident but in balance with the beer, not so forward as to suggest an artificial product. A Specialty Spice Beer is a 30A Spice, Herb, or Vegetable (SHV) Beer with some additional ingredients, such as fermentable sugars (e.g., honey, brown sugar, invert sugar, maple syrup), sweeteners (e.g., lactose), adjuncts, alternative grains, or other special ingredients added, or some additional process applied. 30B Autumn and 30C Winter Seasonal Beers already allow additional ingredients, and should not be used as a base in this style.
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type of SHVs used, but individual ingredients do not need to be specified if a well-known spice blend is used (e.g., apple pie spice, curry powder, chili powder). The entrant MUST specify the type of additional ingredient (per the introduction) or special process employed. Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
A base beer enhanced by or featuring the character of additional grains. The specific character depends greatly on the added grains. An Alternative Grain Beer is a standard beer (Classic Style or not) with additional or non-standard brewing grains (e.g., rye, oats, buckwheat, spelt, millet, sorghum, rice) added or used exclusively. Gluten-free (GF) beers made from completely gluten-free ingredients may be entered here, while GF beers using process-based gluten removal should be entered in their respective base style categories.
Entry Info: he entrant MUST specify the type of alternative grain used. Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
A tasteful integration of sugar and beer, but still recognizable as beer. The sugar character should both be evident and in balance with the beer, not so forward as to suggest an artificial product. An Alternative Sugar Beer is a standard beer (Classic Style or not) with added sweeteners, including fermentable sugars (e.g., honey, brown sugar, invert sugar, molasses, treacle, maple syrup, sorghum), unfermentable sugars (e.g., lactose), sugar alcohols (e.g., sorbitol), and any other sweetener (natural or artificial) that affects the flavor profile. The beers may or may not have any residual sweetness; it depends on the type of sugar, but flavor contributions are expected.
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type of sugar used. Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
A pleasant enhancement of the base beer style with the characteristics from aging in contact with wood. The best examples will be smooth, flavorful, well-balanced, and well-aged. This style is intended for beer aged in wood without added alcohol character from previous use of the barrel. Bourbon-barrel or other beers with an added alcohol character should be entered as 33B Specialty Wood-Aged Beer. This category should not be used for base styles where wood-aging is a fundamental requirement for the style (e.g., Flanders Red, Lambic). Beers made using either limited wood aging or products that only provide a subtle background character may be entered in the base beer style categories as long as the wood character isn
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type of wood used and the toast or char level (if used). If an unusual varietal wood is used, the entrant MUST supply a brief description of the sensory aspects the wood adds to beer. Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
