CO-CHAIR: J. R. Felger, Canning and Food Preservation
CO-CHAIR: Ruthie Kneupper, Canning
CO-CHAIR: Ruthie Kneupper, Homemade Wines and Home Brews
COMMITTEE: Cliff McClendon, Ann McClendon, Cherie Rinehart, Nelrose Koepp,
Entries will be accepted between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 26. Judging for canning and food preservation will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 26, beginning at 7:00 p.m. Wine judging will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 7:00pm. No spectators are allowed during the judging process. The screening committee and/or the Chairperson must accept all entries and their decisions are final. All entries must be picked up on Sunday, September 30, between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. or Monday, October 1, between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.
One exhibitor’s admission pass will be given for each “quart-equivalent” entry accepted for canning and Food preservation.(Example: 1 quart = 1 pass, 2 pints = 1 pass, or 4 half pints = 1 pass, etc.). One exhibitor’s admission pass will be given for each entry of homemade wine, home brew, homemade flavored oil, or homemade favored vinegar exhibit.
Rules for Canning and Food Preservation:
All entries for canning and food preservation must be in a standard Ball, Kerr or Mason ½ pint, 12-ounce, 1 pint, 1½ pint, or quart canning jar, sealed and processed using the standard Ball Canning Guidebook’s hot water canning process.
No paraffin seals are accepted. No standard canning jar brand of jar (other than Ball, Kerr, or Mason) is accepted for judging for tri-color ribbons or trophies. If the standard canning jar can be sealed using the hot water canning method, it can be judged for blue, red, or white ribbon, but not for tri-color or trophy as our show is sponsored by Ball Canning.
Go towww.freshpreserving.comor towww.homecanning.com for directions and guidelines on the hot water canning method and to get started in learning to can and preserve.
No paraffin sealed products will be accepted for food safety reasons and due to extreme heat conditions in the exhibit halls. Also for food safety reasons, no items will be accepted that have not been canned using the hot water sealing process as defined by Ball Canning Corporation. See the websites listed above for more information.
To be considered for judging for tri-color and trophy prizes, entries must be presented in 1 pint or larger canning jars. Jars smaller than 1 pint may be considered as a group, 4 oz (1/4 pint) or 8 oz (1/2 pint) jars…such as those used for jams and jellies… will be grouped together to make 1 pint for display and will be judges as one entry for blue, red or white ribbons only.
Seals, rings, and jars should be clean of labels, names and other markings.NO RUSTY SEALS OR RINGS WILL BE ACCEPTED. All home canned foods must have been prepared within the last calendar year (October 2011 – September 2012).
Adult
Tri-color award winners will be awarded only for entries in Ball or Kerr pint size jars or larger with matching jars and lids/seals.Jarden Home Brands, makers of Ball and Kerr Fresh Preserving Products is proud to recognize today’s fresh preserving (canning) enthusiasts, so Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion awards will be given to those individuals judged as the best in designated recipe categories.
A panel of judges will select the two best entries submitted by an adult for Fruit, Vegetable, Picked Food, and Soft Spread categories. Entries must be preserved in Ball or Ball Collection Elite Jars sealed with Ball Lids and Bands or Ball Collection Elite Lids and Bands. In addition, soft spread entries will be limited to recipes prepared using Ball Pectin: Original, No Sugar Needed or Liquid. A proof of purchase for Ball pectin must be provided at time of entry.
1) Best Fruit (Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion)
2) Best Pickled Foods (Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion
1) Best Vegetable (Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion)
2) Best Soft Spread (Grand Champion and Reserve Grand Champion)
Prizes for tri-color award winners come from the Jarden Home Brands Company and, beyond submitting winners’ names, the Comal County Fair Association has no control over the delivery of awards.
Youth
We encourage entries in the Youth Canning and Food Preservation Division from participants under age 18, but still enrolled in school. To win, entries must follow the same guidelines as adult entries listed above. We encourage families to cook and can together as a family project. Tri-color awards for Grand Champion will be award to youth in the following categories:
1) Best Fruit
2) Best Pickled Foods
3) Best Vegetable
4) Best Soft Spread
Home Brews, Homemade Wines, and
Homemade Flavored Oils & Herbal Vinegars
Home Brew Competition Official Rules
This contest is for all home brewers. The competition is restricted to non-commercial, home-brewed beer. Beers produced on the premises of commercial brewers including brew-on-premises establishments are not eligible. Home brew means it is made in your home.
Entry Requirements
Each competition entry:
- Two bottles must be submitted per entry
- Each bottle in the entry must hold a minimum of 10 ounces in volume and be filled with no less than 10 ounces of beer
- The bottles may be of any color
- Each bottle must be free of ink, paint, or paper labeling other than beer bottle identification form (provided at registration).
- If there is any lettering or graphic on the cap of the bottle, it must be obliterated with a permanent black marker
Samples of home brewed beer will be tasted and judged, therefore for food safety reasons, bottles such as Grolsch-type swing tops and 22 ounce Bomber bottles are not allowed.
- Bottles may be either corked or capped. If corked, the foil must be removed
- Bottles with raised glass lettering are acceptable
- All bottles must be clean with properly completed beer bottle identification form attached to the bottle by a rubber band (provided at registration)
Bottles not meeting the above requirements will be disqualified.
Home brews entered into competition shall be judged on (1) Aroma, (2) Appearance, (3) Taste, and (4) Overall Impression.
For each beer entered the Category and, as appropriate, the sub category must be specified on the bottle entry form (provided at registration). The Comal County Fair Association recognizes the following Categories for this year’s competition. If enough entries in a category provide for subcategories, a list of sub categories will be provided to participants at registration.
- Malty Brown Ales
- Pale Ales and Golden Lagers
- Porters and Stouts
- Wheat, Rye or Specialty
Entry Dates and Times
Entries for Home Brews will be accepted between 8:00am and 6:00pm, Wednesday, September 26thin the Canning and Food Preservation Division. Judging will take place on Wednesday, September 26thbeginning at 7:00pm. No spectators are allowed during the judging process.
One exhibitor’s admission pass will be given for each two bottle entry accepted.
The overall Best Home Brew will receive a tri-color ribbon and trophy. Additional ribbons and awards will be awarded by the judges as appropriate to the number of entries received.
Disclaimer
The screening committee and/or the Chairperson must accept all entries and their decisions are final. Be assured that every effort will be taken to create an uncompromising, blind-tasting environment for the judging of all entries. Entries that do not meet these rules will not be judged.
Entries should be clean, sanitary, well sealed and FREE OF ANY LABELS, NAMES, and/or MARKINGS.
Homemade Wine Competition Official Rules
This contest is open to all home wine makers. The competition is restricted to non-commercial wine. Wines produces on the premises of commercial wineries including on-premises wine making establishments are not eligible. The wine must be made in your home.
Entry Requirements
Each Competition entry:
- One standard 750 ml wine bottle or two 375 ml bottles are required. The bottle(s) must be filled with a volume of wine appropriate to the size of bottle
- The bottle may be of any color
- Each bottle must be free of ink, paint, or paper labeling other than wine identification form (available at registration)
Samples of homemade wine will be tasted and judges, therefore for food safety reasons, bottles such as Grolsch-type swing tops and 22 ounce Bomber bottles are not allowed
- Bottles may be either corked or capped. If corked, the foil must be removed. If there is any lettering/graphics on the cap of the bottle it must be obliterated with a permanent black marker
- Bottles with raised glass lettering are acceptable
- All bottles must be clean with a properly completed wine bottle identification form attached to the bottle by a rubber band (available at registration)
Bottles not meeting the above requirements will be disqualified.
Entry Limitations
For each wine entered the Category and, as appropriate, the sub category must be specified on the bottle entry form (provided at registration). If enough entries in a category provide for subcategories, a list of sub categories will be provided to participants at registration. Please note that categories may be combined in the event the number of entrants in a category fails to meet the minimum requirements for judging of the category.
Homemade wine entered into competition shall be judged on (1) Aroma, (2) Appearance, (3) Taste, and (4) Overall Impression.
The Comal County Fair Association recognizes the following categories of wine for this year’s competitions
(1) Wild Mustang Grape Wines
(2) All Other Grape Wines (any red, black or green grape)
(3) Fruit Wines (such as apple, peach, orange, apricot, etc.)
(4) Berry Wines (dewberry, agarita, blackberry, strawberry, etc.)
(5) Blended Wines and Miscellaneous (cactus pear, mesquite bean, etc,)
Entry Dates and Times
Entries for Homemade wines will be accepted between 8:00am and 6:00pm, Wednesday, September 26thin the Canning and Food Preservation Division. Judging will take place on Wednesday, September 26thbeginning at 7:00pm. No spectators are allowed during the judging process.
One exhibitor’s admission pass will be given for each 750 ml (one or two bottle) wine entry accepted.
The overall Best Homemade Wine will receive a tri-color ribbon and trophy. Additional ribbons and awards will be awarded by the judges as appropriate.
Disclaimer
The screening committee and/or the Chairperson must accept all entries and their decisions are final. Be assured that every effort will be taken to create an uncompromising, blind-tasting environment for the judging of all entries. Entries that do not meet these rules will not be judged.
Homemade Wine and Home Brew trophies are donated by Cottontail Ranch, Calvin and Ruthie Kneupper.
Homemade Flavored Oils and Herbal Vinegars
Homemade Flavored Oils and Herbal Vinegars are judged on appearance, color, clarity and quality of preservation and canning technique. Products will not be unsealed.
- The bottle may be of any color
- Each bottle must be free of ink, paint, or paper labeling other than flavored oil or herbal vinegar identification form (available at registration)
- Bottles may be either corked or capped and may be dipped in wax.
- Bottles with raised glass lettering are acceptable
- All bottles must be clean with a properly completed flavored oil or herbal vinegar bottle identification form attached to the bottle by a rubber band (available at registration)
All judges’ decisions are final. One overall best homemade flavored oil or herbal vinegar will receive a tri-color ribbon.