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.