Home Brew & Wine Contest

Home Brew

CHAIR: Margie Erben

CO-CHAIR: Mandie Erben, Home Brew

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 for 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

(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 sub-categories, a list of sub-categories will be provided to participants at registration.

Categories:

• Malty Brown Ales
• Pale Ales and Golden Lager
• Porters & Stouts
• Wheat Rye
• Specialty Brew

Entry Dates and Times:

Entries for Home Brews will be accepted between 8:00am and 6:00pm, Wednesday, September 25th in the Canning and Food Preservation Division. Judging will take place on Wednesday, September 25th beginning at 7:00pm. No spectators are allowed during the judging process.

The overall Best Home Brew will receive a tri-color ribbon and trophy. Additional ribbons and awards will be awarded by the judges/Chairperson as appropriate to the number of entries received in each category.

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

CHAIR: Margie Erben

CO-CHAIR: Mandie Busselman, Homemade Wine Competition

This contest is open to all home wine makers. The competition is restricted to non-commercial wine and wine not made in "make it here" type wine kit places. Wines produced on the premises of commercial wineries including on-premises wine making establishments are not eligible. The wine must be made in your home, from scratch.

Anyone living in Comal County or any of the counties touch Comal County may enter this contest.

Entry Requirements for each competition entry:

• One standard 750 ml wine bottle is preferred (The equivalent of at least 12 ounces in volume makes up a single entry.)
• 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 clean and free of ink, paint, or paper labeling other than wine identification form (available at registration).
• 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 (entry tag) attached to the bottle by a rubber band (available at registration).

Bottles not meeting the above requirements, or deemed unsafe to be judged by the screening committee, will be disqualified.

Entry Limitations:

Each wine entered should be listed as into one of the five (5) categories listed below on their entry tag.

Homemade wine entered into competition shall be judged on:

(1) Aroma

(2) Appearance

(3) Taste

(4) Overall Impression.

The following categories of wine for this year’s competitions:

(1) Wild Mustang Grape Wines

(2) All Other Grape Wines (red, black or green other grape)

(3) Fruit Wines (apple, peach, orange, apricot, etc.)

(4) Berry Wines (dewberry,agarita, berry, blackberry, cranberry, strawberry, etc.)

(5) Blended Wines and Miscellaneous (cactus pear, mesquite bean, etc,)

Awards:

Best overall receives a trophy and a tri-color ribbon. Each category winner receives a tri- color ribbon.

Entry Dates and Times:

Entries for Homemade Wines will be accepted between 8:00am and 6:00pm, Wednesday, September 25th in the Canning and Food Preservation Division. Judging will take place on Wednesday, September 25th beginning at 7:00pm. No spectators are allowed during the judging process.

The overall Best Homemade Wine will receive a trophy. Additional ribbons and awards will be awarded by the judges/Chairperson as appropriate.

All entries must be cited up on Sunday, September 29th, between 5:00pm and 8:00pm or Monday, September 30th, between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.

Disclaimer: