2014 National Homebrew Competition

It's that time of year again when home brewers across the country will get their shot at glory. The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) will be conducting the National HomeBrew Competition again with new changes from previous years.

First major change is that you have to be an AHA member to participate this year. So if you want to participate and you are not a member you need to sign up for an AHA membership by the end of the week. You can sign up for an AHA membership at any of the local homebrew shops around town or online through the AHA website. As an AHA member who didn't get in last year I applaud this change.

The second major change is the registration process. Starting next Monday, January 27, members can go to the registration page and indicate how many beers they want to enter (limit of 6 entries) and what location they want to send it to. Members have all week until registration is cut off on , February 2. At this point if you were a judge, steward, or competition organizer from the 2013 competition you are guaranteed in the competition, it pays to volunteer. For the rest of us, we will have to wait and see if our names are selected in a lottery system. The hope is that everyone will get in. Sometime between Feb. 10 and Feb. 19 you will be notified if you are selected to participate and will have 3 days to pay your entry fees of $14 per entry. Failure to pay within three days of notification will result in dismissal from the 2014 competition and could be grounds for disqualification from the 2015 competition.

Once you pay your entry fees you are officially in the competition and will ship your beers to 1 of 12, first round judging locations. Kansas City will once again be one of the participating locations. KC Bier Meisters will be hosting and will be needing volunteers.

If you make it past the first round your beer will go on to the final round at the AHA National Homebrew Conference, June 12-14 in Grand Rapids, MI. Last year 2,187 home brewers participated, entering 7,757 entries. 894 entries moved on to the final round. So good luck to all that enter!!!

The National Homebrew Conference will have a similar lottery style registration as the competition. You will need to be an AHA member and register during the open period sometime in late February. Grand Rapids is within reasonable driving distances and there is an organized effort to try to take a charter bus or caravan of local home brewers up to this year’s conference so we can participate in Club Night. More info will be forth coming.

More information about the AHA National Homebrew Competition
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/news/2014-national-homebrew-competition-registration/

More information about the AHA National Homebrew Conference
http://www.ahaconference.org/

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