Homebrewers, clear your calendar. Fans of experimental brews might want to do the same.
In two weeks, on September 21st at 7 p.m., Fort Lauderdale's venerable craft beer hotspot The Riverside Market will be hosting a homebrewing competition to mark the end of summer.
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Individual brewers or brewing teams can register for up to five of the 12 total beer categories, which include IPA, Stout, Amber, Lager, and Tutti Frutti. The cost of submitting beer for the contest is $25 for up to two categories, or $50 for up to the maximum of five. You have until Tuesday the 10th of September to register.
If you're brewing, make sure you have at least 240 ounces, or just about two gallons, of brew available for judges. Bottles, growlers, and kegs will be accepted. If you haven't brewed yet, there's probably just enough time to get it done this weekend and force carb for the 21st. However, there are a few stipulations.
According to the folks at Riverside: "Your homebrew cannot have been brewed on equipment used to brew beverages for any commercial purpose, whether for commercial research, production, or any other purpose; including equipment at brew-on-premises establishments... No bad chemistry allowed!"
A competition would just be an exhibition without a winner, right? That's why Riverside is pulling out the stops with an all-star lineup of beer experts to judge the entrants. Expect to have critiques from owner Julian Siegel, Adam Fine (owner of Native Brewing), Brett Hubbard (BJCP judge and host of By The Glass Show), and Matt Meltzer (editor of Thrillist Miami).
But you don't have to be a beer expert to try some of these experimental brews. As the competition is open to the public, spectators can pay $10 to join in and make their voices heard through the People's Choice segment, voting on their favorite brews of the night.
"Summer has so much significance in South Florida," Riverside's owner Julian Siegel explains. "For children it means that school is out, for families it is vacation time and for students it is time to go back to work before going back to college. For beer enthusiasts it marks a huge transition; out with the fruit flavored lagers, the shandy's the super citrus IPA's and the wheats. In with the Pumpkins, the farmhouse ales, the sessions and the stouts... The end of summers upon us and we are still searching for the perfect brew!""
For information regarding the rules and regulations, visit the Riverside Market Home Brew Competition event page or their online registration form.
Of course, the Market will also still be stocked with over 550 different craft beers, so if homebrew isn't your thing, you can still pick out one of your favorite commercial beers and watch the competition from the sidelines.
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