[THC] 2009 Cincinnati Bockfest Homebrew Competition

[L.A. Swihart]

THANKS TO LLOYD for a really fun Teach a Friend day Saturday, even if it 
was bitter bitter chilly and way too windy.  And that chili was sooooo good.

On Saturday several people expressed interest in hearing more about 
being a judge or steward at beer competitions.  And then just a little 
while ago I got the email down below the ------- line, from Darryl 
Dieckman and the Cincinnati Malt Infusers.

COMPETITIONS ALWAYS WELCOME BEGINNER JUDGES.  Novices get put with 
experienced judges and lots of learning happens.

Beer judging is crazy fun and *quite* challenging and educational.  Lots 
of people say "more fun than is commonly legal."

Anyone who is at all interested should consider volunteering to judge or 
steward (all the fun and less responsibility!), as soon as they can fit 
a competition into their schedule and travel plans and wallet.  (It 
usually involves some gas to get there, and about half or a little less 
of the time there are "beds for judges" with local homebrewers, but the 
other 68% of the time you have to spring for a hotel room.)

UPCOMING in the not-too-far-away areas (and some of us in THC can vouch 
for most of these, having participated):

12/13/08 Happy Holiday Hombrew Comp St. Louis MO (St. Louis 
Brews)<http://www.stlbrews.org/index.asp> but it's way out of date right 
now.

2/28/09 Babble Brew-off Mundelein IL BABBLE (Brewer's Association Behind 
Beer & Libations Extraordinaire, but they usually call themselves "Lake 
Co Homebrewers.") 
<http://www.babblehomebrewers.com/brewoff/bo08/docs/Leap%20Beer%202008%20Results.pdf>

3/07/09 Bockfest Cincinnati OH CMI (Cincinnati Malt Infusers)
<http://www.bloatarian.org/content/view/54/62/>

3/14/09 Drunk Monk Challenge  Aurora IL, UKG (Urban Knaves of Grain)
<http://knaves.org/dmc/victor/VICTORS2008.htm>


Full calendar of BJCP-AHA Sanctioned Competition schedule is at
http://www.bjcp.org/apps/comp_schedule/competition_schedule.php

Below are some regional beer comps which are not on the BJCP calendar 
yet, but these have been the same for years:

Indiana State Fair Brewers' Cup Competition has been second Sat in July 
since 2004.  This event is huge, fun, good food, and has a pro entry 
division and a HB entry division. <http://www.brewerscup.org/Results.htm>
BUZZ Brew-Off in Champaign-Urbana has been 1st Sat in June since 2004 
<http://buzzbrewclub.org/wp/brew-off/14th-boneyard-brew-off/>
BOSS Beer Cup Challange (Brewers of South Suburbia, many south Chicago 
and Hammond, Calumet, etc members) has been the last Sat or March or the 
first Sat in Apr for past four times. 
<http://www.bossbeer.org/challenge2008.htm>



Here's the note about Bockfest:

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----- Forwarded message from Darryl Dieckman <darryl at rottiron.com> -----

Fellow homebrewers,

I would like to invite you and the members of your homebrewing club to
enter your bock beers in a special Bock-only competition.  The 
Bloatarian Brewing League will be sponsoring the 2009 Bockfest homebrew 
competition on Saturday March 7th, 2009. This bock-only competition will 
be held at Bockfest Hall in downtown Cincinnati and is part of the 
weekend long celebration of all things bock.

Categories: The Bockfest Competition is strictly limited to the 
following categories as defined in the 2008 BJCP Style Guidelines.

    5A - Maibock/Helles Bock
    5B - Traditional Bock
    5C - Doppelbock
    5D - Eisbock
   15C - Weizenbock
   22* - Smoked and Wood Aged (bocks)
   23* - Specialty (bocks)

   * Base style must be 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, or 15C and must be clearly 
indicated on the entry.

We are currently looking for entries, judges, and stewards for the
event. The competition is BJCP-sanctioned, and BJCP points will be
awarded. Additional information and online registration for entries,
judges, and stewards will be available shortly at
www.bloatarian.org/bockfest.html.

Information for the Cincinnati Bockfest celebration including the 
parade, brewery tours, music, and venues can be found at www.bockfest.com.

Entry Information: All entries must indicate both a category number and
sub-category letter in addition to a written description of the style. 
All entries will be judged according to the appropriate sub-category 
style guidelines. However, categories may be combined with related 
categories for the purpose of awarding prizes.  Multiple entries per 
style are allowed.

Entry Fee: The Bockfest Competition is $6.00 for the first entry and 
$4.00 for additional entries. Make checks payable to the Bloatarian 
Brewing League.

Eligibility and Registration: Anyone may enter. Beer must be entered 
under the names of all brewers who participated in the beer. Beers 
brewed in commercial licensed facilities are ineligible. Please 
pre-register online. Entry deadline is Friday, February 27th, 2009.

Entry Requirements: THREE 10 to 14 oz. brown or green bottles are 
required for each entry. Kegs may be pre-registered and hand carried by 
a judge or steward. Please print out the completed entry sheet, fold so 
your name appears on the front, and attach it to the beer bottles with a 
rubber band. Be certain that each bottle is clearly identified. Include 
entry fee (fold within label if you like). Flights will be fixed prior 
to event, so no late entries will be accepted.

Mailing/Drop-off Instructions: Entries must be received between the 
dates of 2/23/08 - 2/27/08, unless they are pre-registered and hand 
carried by a judge and/or a steward.

   Listermann Manufacturing Co., Inc.
   Attn: Bockfest Competition
   1621 Dana Ave.
   Cincinnati, OH 45212-0251

Awards: Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place for 
each category (to be determined based on the numbers of entries in each 
style, etc.). An additional prize will be awarded for "Best Bock Beer"
(BOS).

Special Prize: The Christian Moerlein brewing company will select one 
entry from categories 5A(Maibock/Helles Bock) or 5B (Traditional Bock) 
to be used as the recipe for the 2010 Hudepohl Bock release.

Website: www.bloatarian.org/bockfest.html

Contact:
   Ray Snyder, Competition Organizer, raysnyder at fuse.net, (513) 759-2573
   Darryl Dieckman, Head Web Monkey, darryl at rottiron.com, (513) 235-8712

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