Charity Homebrew Competition

Thanks to Everyone Who Sent Entries and/or Helped Out!

The competition went well, we had a lot of fun, and we have selected a winner!  (Well, a number of winners.)

Here we go:

Category #1: 6A-D Light Hybrid Beers

• Eric Koenig – Style 6C Kwai Kolsch

Category #2: 1A-E Light Lagers, 2A-C Pilsners , 20 Fruit Beer, 16A Witbier

• Richard Monk – Style 20 Monkenhaven’s Countdown to Cherry

Category #3: 27A-E Standard Cider & Perry

• Dennis Pierson – Style 28B Semi-Sweet Cherry Cider

Cetegory #4: 15A-D German Wheat & Rye Beers, 16B Belgian Pale Ale, 18B Belgian Dubbel

• Eric Koenig – Style 15A Apocalypse Weiss

Category #5: 10A-C American Ales, 11A-C English Brown Ales

• Mike Melton – Style 11C Busta Nut Brown Ale

Category #6: 14A-C India Pale Ales

• Michael Cohen – Style 14C Damn that’s Hoppy

Category #7: 23 Specialty Beer (Honey Beer), 3A-B European Amber Lagers, 5A-C Bocks

• Michael Cohen – Style 5C Mike’s Mighty Ultimator

Category #8: 13A-F Stouts, 23 Specialty Beer (Stout)

• Eric Koenig – Style 23 Breakfast of Champions

And our Best of Show Winner is…

• Michael Cohen – Style 5C Mike’s Mighty Ultimator – Scheduled to be brewed in November, so watch for it on the menu at the Lagerhaus, and make sure you get down there to try it before it runs out.

Congratulations to our Winning Brewers!

Giving is an important part of success, and of life in general.  Here’s a great opportunity to give something back to the community, help a great cause, and have a ton of fun in the process.

New Drop-Off Sites Added, See Below

Brew for the Dogs?

No, not for the dogs to drink, but to raise money for the dogs.  And cats.  And George the Goose.  Rescuing abused animals by itself is not that expensive, but caring for them until we can find them good homes, especially medical care, is very expensive.  Here’s a fun way you can help.  The Suncoast Animal League, as part of the Safety Harbor Oktoberfest event, is sponsoring what is hoped to be the largest homebrew competition in Florida.

The competition is sanctioned by the American Homebrewers Association/Beer Judge Certification Program (AHA/BJCP) and will be conducted in accordance with their rules.

Whats In It For You?

Besides the warm, fuzzy feeling of doing a great thing for the community, you ask?  All qualified entries will receive beer scores and comments from our panel of certified judges.  In addition, all entries scoring a minimum of 30 points and winning any of the 28 style categories will receive an award and compete for Best of Show.

Best of Show

The judges will select one beer to receive the top prize, Best of Show. The talented brewer who receives this prize will not only get Public Recognition in front of thousands of people, and unequaled Bragging Rights for a full year,  but some tangible prizes as well.

He or she will receive a trophy and a certificate for a free entry into the AHA/BJCP National Homebrew Competition.  But wait, there’s more (as they say.)  The Best of Show beer will be brewed commercially by Award-winning Master Brewer Franz Rothschald* at his brewpub The LAGERHAUS Brewery & Grill in Palm Harbor, FL.  The winning brewer will have the opportunity to brew their beer on commercial equipment and learn from one of the great brewers from Austria, the public will have the opportunity to buy the winning beer, giving the winning brewer even more public love and adoration, and the winning brewer will be able to go to the Lagerhaus, be a big shot, and drink his or her beer for free.

Out of Town?

No problem!  If you can’t make it to Florida to brew with Franz, you can participate via webcam.  You’ll participate remotely and see everything happening, from the comfort of your own computer.  You’ll have to supply your own beverage of choice, but you’ll still get the same one-on-one time learning from the brew master himself, asking questions, giving pointers, discussing differences, and most importantly having fun.

You can access the complete rules and registration info for download here, but here’s the skinny:

• The deadline for entry is October 1, 2009.
• $11 tax deductible donation to the Suncoast Animal League for your first entry.
• $9 for additional entries
• Judging will take place October 3-4, 2009
• Winners will be announced and celebrity judging will take place on Saturday afternoon, October 10, 2009, during the Suncoast Animal League Oktoberfest event.  The event runs October 9-11, 2009.

Drop Off Sites for Entries

1)    The Lagerhaus, located at 3438 East Lake Rd in Palm Harbor, will be receiving entries between 3pm – 6pm, or 9pm – midnight, starting on September 15, and continuing through Friday, October 2^nd.  Note this is the only location accepting entries after October 1^st!!

2)    Bring entries to the September 17 meeting of the Dunedin Brewers Guild.

3)    Bring entries to the Tampa BEERS club, c/o Dunderbaks, 14929 Bruce B Downs Blvd, Tampa.

4)    Ship entries to the SAL Homebrew Competition, 6936 W. Linebaugh Ave, Tampa, FL 33625

Learn more about the Suncoast Animal League

Please contact Dan for judging and sponsorship opportunities.

Special Thanks to our Sponsors:

The Lagerhaus in Palm Harbor

Brewcraft USA

New Zealand Hops, Ltd.

* Due to limitations of equipment and other concerns, Franz reserves the right to modify or substitute ingredients, or even the entire recipe, of the winning beer.