Reuben’s Brews is holding a homebrew competition and the winning beer will be recreated at our brewery and distributed for all to enjoy! We’ll also plan to take it to Denver to compete in the Pro-Am competition at GABF!
It’s been six years since Adam’s homebrewed Roasted Rye IPA won the People’s Choice at a commercial beer festival and got Reuben’s Brews started on its path. As homage to the roots of Reuben’s, a desire continue to support the homebrew community that got us started, and a love of creating new beers, we have wanted to start a homebrew competition for some time. At last we can announce our inaugural competition!
Given our love of hops, we wanted to focus our competition on hoppy styles. American IPAs, Northeast Style IPAs, Imperial IPA, Hoppy Wheat Ales, Triple IPAs – you name it, if it’s hoppy it’s eligible!
This will be a BJCP certified homebrew competition at our brewery and the winning beer will be brewed on our professional system and may be distributed throughout the Pacific Northwest. We will also aim to enter this beer into the 2017 Great American Beer Festival as a Pro/Am entry, as well as the Washington Brewers Awards Pro-Am competition (both subject to timing and eligibility criteria). And of course, the winner will be invited to Reuben’s Brews to help us replicate their award winning homebrew!
REQUIREMENTS:
-Hop forward brews will be accepted for this competition in 2015 BJCP Style Guideline categories 21, 22 and 34. Beers will be judged against the BJCP style guidelines, so please ensure that you have the correct category to ensure fair and reasonable judging.
Please read over the category descriptions on the BJCP website.
-Beers must be submitted between Monday January 16, 2017 and Thursday January 19, 2017. Unfortunately we cannot make any exceptions to this time window.
-The competition judging will be held on Saturday January 21, 2017. If there are too many entries to complete judging that day, judging may not be completed until January 28, 2017.
-We anticipate making the winners announcement on January 30, 2017 at the taproom at 6pm. More details as we get nearer the date!
-You may submit up to a maximum of 5 different beers.
-There is a $5 entry fee for each beer submitted. Make checks payable to “Reuben’s Brews LLC” and all entry fees will go to support Seattle Children’s. Along with the chance to have one of your own beers brewed and distributed, you will also be helping us raise money for Seattle Children’s as we will donate all entry fees to Seattle Children’s.
-Each Homebrewer must fill out one BJCP Recipe Form for each submission.
-You must send at least three (3) bottles of each beer, 12oz or larger.
-Each beer must have a BJCP Bottle ID filled out and taped to it. These can be downloaded here.
-Bottles should be carefully packaged and either hand delivered or shipped to our Taproom:
Hop Idol Homebrew Contest
Reuben’s Brews
5010 14th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
Please note that it is illegal to ship alcoholic beverages via the U.S. Postal Services. Private shipping carrier’s rules and regulations concerning the shipment of beer or alcoholic beverages may vary. We strongly encourage you to check with your shipping carrier prior to shipping your entry. It is solely the entrant’s responsibility to follow all applicable laws and regulations.
-The beers will be kept in our cold room until time of contest.
-You must be an AHA member at the time of this competition throughout 2017 to qualify for this competition. If you are not a member, head here to join.
-Your score sheets will be returned to you in a timely manner via USPS. Please enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope with your submission.
– Any questions please reach out to Liz.Reubensbrews@gmail.com.
Awards!
Reuben’s Brews will take the winning recipe and reproduce, as faithfully as possible to the original recipe, on a professional scale with the help of the homebrewer.
If the brew is brought to market, the homebrewer will receive a one-time royalty of $250.00.
Prizes will also be awarded to first, second and third placed beers in the competition under a best of show format. We’ll be awarding Reuben’s merchandise as prizes.
Eligibility and legal stuff:
This home brew contest is open to non-professional home brewers who members of the AHA, are 21 years of age or older at the time of entry, and who are legal residents of the United States. All entries must not be brewed at a place that brews beverages for commercial purposes, whether for commercial research, production or any other purpose, including brewpubs and other brew-on-premises establishments or is brewed for commercial sale. Employees of Reuben’s Brews or its distributors are not eligible. Entrants must list all persons responsible for creation of each brew. Eligibility is subject to all federal, state and local laws and regulations. Entries that do not meet all requirements herein will be automatically disqualified. All beers and bottles submitted will become the property of Reuben’s Brews and will not be returned. Entries must not (a) violate any third party rights, including, but not limited to, copyrights, trademark rights, or rights of privacy and publicity; or (b) be obscene or indecent. Any elements that appear in the submission, including, without limitation, images, text, or other materials used must be entirely original and created by the entrant, or be in the public domain. Use of any elements that are not original or in the public domain will result in disqualification of a submission, in the Reuben’s sole discretion.
By submitting a brew entry, entrant represents that (a) entrant is the creator of the brew, (b) entrant owns all rights to the brew, and (c) the brew does not infringe upon or violate the intellectual property, privacy, or other rights of any third party.
Judging: All entries will be judged by a panel comprised of Reuben’s Brews associates (the “Judges“). Beers will be judged in accordance with BJCP guidelines. The decision of the Judges or Reuben’s, as applicable, shall be final and legally binding.
Reuben’s Use of Brews: Reuben’s Brews, at its sole discretion, may use the winning home brew recipe for production and sale to the general market. Also, at Reuben’s Brews sole discretion, Reuben’s Brews may enter the winning home-brew recipe and product in other beer contests including, but not limited to the 2017 Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am Competition. The winning homebrewer will receive a one-time royalty of $250.00. The winning homebrewer (and any co-brewer(s)) agree to fully assign any and all patent and intellectual property rights in the winner’s brew to Reuben’s Brews, if requested. The winning homebrewer must disclose the complete winning recipe to Reuben’s Brews, and grant to Reuben’s Brews an irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free license to all commercial and intellectual property rights to the winning beer, subject only to the winner’s right to receive the $250.00 one-time royalty. If a time can be mutually arranged between Reuben’s Brews and the winning homebrewer, Reuben’s Brews may in its sole discretion arrange for round trip transportation and accommodation from within the U.S. to Seattle, WA to assist with brewing the winning batch. In such event, the value of all travel, accommodations and related expenses shall not exceed $1,000.00. All taxes on prize, royalty and travel are the responsibility the winning homebrewer.
By entering the contest, entrants permit Reuben’s Brews to use their respective recipe, the recipe name, entrant’s name, likeness, picture, signature, voice, audio and video recordings and biographical information in any manner or media whatsoever (whether now known or hereafter devised) anywhere in the world in perpetuity for the purpose of manufacturing, promoting, advertising and trade, of any product by Reuben’s Brews without further compensation, unless prohibited by law. Reuben’s Brews may withhold payment if it determines that the winner has behaved in a manner that is substantial and damaging to the contest or to home brewing. Entrants are responsible for accurately following all entry requirements. Reuben’s Brews reserves the right to change these rules in order to, in its sole discretion, secure the proper administration of the contest.
Miscellaneous: All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Nothing herein shall constitute an employment, joint venture, or partnership relationship between entrant and Reuben’s Brews. In no way is entrant to be construed as the agent or to be acting as the agent of Reuben’s Brews.
If any provision of these official rules is found to be unlawful, void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from these official rules and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions.
Except where prohibited, entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this contest or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by a federal or state court located in the state of Washington any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this contest, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (3) under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, indirect, punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased.
All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these official rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Sponsor in connection with the contest, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Washington, U.S.A., without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of the State of Washington or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Washington.