Calling all home brewers: the 5th Annual Home Brewer's Brew Off is currently looking to fill a few remaining spots for the upcoming locals-only home brewer competition taking place on Sunday, Nov. 4.
If you have an amazing recipe for your favorite ale, stout, porter or pilsner, now's the time to share it with South Florida.
You never know: with the right amount of support you could be making beer in your very own brewery, like Mike and Jody Halker of Boynton's Due South Brewing. The Halkers credit the Brew Off as part of the reason they decided to open Due South after winning two years running with their popular Caramel Cream Ale.
The first Brew Off began several years ago as a way to celebrate craft beer, and the
real craft brewers in South Florida -- the home brewers. For the past five years, Lake Worth's Havana Hideout has been showcasing the area's best amateur brewers, hosting yearly spring or winter Brew Offs. However, since event co-founder and host Chrissy Benoit sold Havana last year, she has decided to carry on the tradition of hosting the event at her new restaurant, The Little House in Boynton Beach.
"There were so many beer enthusiasts coming to Havana, and I started to see just how many guys were brewing at home," said Benoit, who created the event alongside local home brewer Dan Walsh and Palm Beach Post's "Beer Guy" Dan Oliver. "And what better way to thank our healthy beer-guzzling population than to honor those who not only drink it, but also make their own?"
The event gives home brewers the chance to share their recipes with others while competing for the chance to win one (or both) of two $500 prizes. The event will feature as many as 20 local brewers who will be pouring free samples and competing for one of two top prizes: the "People's Choice" selected by event participants, and the "Judges' Choice" selected by a panel of beer experts.
As always, entry is free to any home brewer that would like to participate. Home brewers are asked to bring their own tent, table, ice bucket, tap, handle and -- of course, the beer -- which can be in a slim keg or bottles, as long as there are at least five gallons to go around. Brewers are also asked to bring only one guest assistant to keep beer flowing at a steady pace. The Little House will be providing ice and 3-ounce sample cups.
Unlike previous years, this year's fall Brew Off will not be free to patrons, however. To make the event manageable, and to ensure there is enough beer to go around, Benoit said she will be selling just 100 tickets ($20 each for advance purchases, and $25 any tickets left for sale the day of the event). Tickets are on sale now, and can be purchased at The Little House.
However, show up to The Little House and mention this Clean Plate Charlie blog, and you can get your Brew Off tickets for just $15.
The 2012 Brew Off will take place Sunday, November 4th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., and will feature live music from The People Upstairs.
To learn more, ask questions, or register for the event, contact Chrissy Benoit at The Little House in Boynton Beach by email at t[email protected].
