Melbourne Brewers Beerfest, 2013

[itguy1953]

Hi,

Once again Melbourne Brewers will be running Beerfest on Friday 15th and Saturday 16th of February at Grand Ridge Brewery http://www.grand-ridge.com.au in 2013

This event is Victoria's largest club run and oldest amateur brewing competition and indeed is also the largest club organized competition nationally.
Beerfest has been running since the early 1990s and over the years has built itself up to be a worthwhile competition for amateur brewers to enter: whether for the great prizes on offer the feedback on judging forms or the fun to be had over the weekend. Entry is open to anyone from anywhere in the country, regardless of whether you belong to a brewclub, a brew forum or are fiercely independent, whether you are a mash brewer, extract brewer or kit/kilo brewerr. You just need to submit beer you brewed/fermented on non commercial premises*.

We have a number of confirmed sponsors this year who will be offering some fantastic prizes for category winners. We have a few more to be confirmed but among those currently supporting the event we have Grain and Grape ( http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/ ), Brewer’s Den ( http://www.thebrewersden.com.au ), Bintani ( http://bintani.com.au) , Core Brewing Concepts ( http://www.corebrewingconcepts.com.au ), Temple Brewing Company ( http://www.templebrewing.com.au ), Mornington Peninsula Brewery ( http://mpbrew.com.au ) and of course the hosts: Grand Ridge Brewery (link above).

Both Mornington and Grand Ridge are sponsoring the two major prizes – Grand Ridge with Beer of Show prize ($500) and Mornington with Champion Brewer prize (the opportunity for the winner to brew a batch of beer on the Mornington system in conjunction with the head brewer). This beer will be officially launched at a premium Melbourne Craft beer venue.

Judging takes place over the course of two days – beginning on Friday evening and moving into Saturday evening with winners announced soon afterwards (ie Saturday evening).

While this list maybe subject to some slight changes, the categories and relevant styles to be judged may be found here: http://melbournebrewers.org/index.php?opti...&Itemid=123

There is a golf course nearby and a golf day is usually organized on the Friday should you wish to come up early. Accommodation is available through the brewery (http://www.grand-ridge.com.au/accommodation.html) and there are other accommodation options including limited camping spots nearby and the possibility of roughing it in the scout hall next door: both of these may be available for a nominal fee. Club members and non-members alike are welcome to come down for a day or the weekend. The event is family friendly but being a beer competition there may be some boisterous behaviour in the early AMs so don’t be too precious. As always, drunken fun is OK but alcohol related antisocial behaviour is not tolerated (nor any anti-social behavious besides sitting in a corner and brooding a lot). Drink responsibly and be responsible for what you drink.

The brewery has a restaurant and bar and there are a number of other eating options available in town, including a supermarket for those who wish to be self sufficient. Melbourne Brewers will run a barbecue on the Saturday evening which will be free for members and volunteers (judges, stewards etc) only.

Entries will be via compmaster ( http://www.compmaster.com.au ) but for those who struggle with online entries (and some older, excellent brewers are not well versed in such things) there will be paper entry forms available. Actual entries (as in the beer to be judged) will need to be dropped off at one of the official drop off points (to be confirmed but usually one of the main independent homebrew shops in Melbourne and metro areas). Entries open 4th January, 2013

http://www.compmaster.com.au/page/instructions

Cost will be $10 per single entry for independent brewers or $9 for all recognized Australian Brewing Club members. Those entering via compmaster receive a further $1 discount per entry and those entering more than 1 beer will receive $2 off subsequent entries.

Thus independent brewers: $10 for a single entry and $8 each for subsequent entries entered using paper based forms

OR

$9 for a single entries and $8 each for subsequent entries.

Recognised club members will pay $9 for a single entry and $7 each for subsequent entries entered using paper based forms

OR

$8 for a single entries and $6 each for subsequent entries.

Entries must be limited to one entry per style, two beers per category.
Please label beers correctly so that they can get judged correctly.
Entries close February 2nd, 2013 and entries must be dropped off at designated entry points by COB. Designated drop off points are as follows:

Grain & Grape, 5/280 Whitehall St., Yarraville.
Greensborough Home Brewing Supplies, 22 Louis Street. Greensborough.
The Brewer’s Den, 253 Dorset Road Boronia 3155
NB: Postal entries are to be sent to The Brewers Den

Later on the Saturday afternoon, MB will also run the Gippsland Cup which is a slightly less formal but still fun competition for brewers local to the area.

Finally, anyone interested in judging or stewarding, let me know and I will pass your details onto our judge director. Judging is fun – you get to taste some good beer (and some not so good), and train your palate (even experienced judges need more experience). You do not need to be BJCP qualified or an experienced judge although it is likely you will be paired with at least one other who is. As it is a voluntary role, actual details are slightly dependent on numbers but most likely, you will be grouped with an experienced/qualified judge, you will be given vouchers for the barbecue and some kind of discounted meal and you will enjoy yourself.

Stewards are also necessary so if you don’t feel up to judging (or you’ve done it a million times and feel like a break or whatever) then put your hand up. Stewards get to learn about judging should they wish or need to but more importantly, get to taste all the beers, including the winners. Again, PM me if you are interested and I will pass the details on.

That’s it: hope this year is even bigger and better than last year. Great beer, great prizes, great weekend. See you there.

*The competition is judged under AABC guidelines and therefore Fresh Wort Kits (fermented on non commercial premises) and the results of Brew on Premises type beers are allowable entries (see section D3 of the AABC rules here: http://www.aabc.org.au/docs/AABC_AimsRules...eb_20090319.pdf )

Just entered some beers into compmaster. As a club member I was expecting $8 for first beer plus $6 thereafter. Rates on the site are $9 and $7 respectively. There is no discount for entry online as per previous advice. Who is right??

 

[itguy1953]

That might be referring to beerfest 2012.

I'd go by the compmaster website which states 2nd Feb.

I'll post again if I hear anything to the contrary.

So far we have some great prizes from some very generous sponsors including Grand Ridge, Mornington Peninsula Brewery, Keg King, Grain and Grape, Temple Brewing Company, Bintani, Purvis Cellars, Buckley's Brewing, Core Brewing Concepts, Dr Draught and Brewer's Den. Sorting out the prizes is going to be a challenge.

Melbourne Brewer's web site says close date is Feb 9, 2013 NOT 2012.

What is the right close date? Feb 2 or 9??

 

[manticle]

I understand the date to be 2nd and compmaster confirms.
As for the discounts - I may have stuffed up in my original post. If I did, I apologise and will buy you a beer if you are there on the weekend.

I will check both of these and post the final answer here.

 

[koots]

entries in the post, can't friggin wait!

 

[browndog]

A question, I've entered online. When I go to print out the bottle label you can see the entry # on the first line, the category on the second, but the third line seems to be a garble of the style and cap ID on the same line. Will this still accurately ID the entry Folks. I can post a scan if required.

cheers

Browndog

 

[carniebrew]

A question, I've entered online. When I go to print out the bottle label you can see the entry # on the first line, the category on the second, but the third line seems to be a garble of the style and cap ID on the same line. Will this still accurately ID the entry Folks. I can post a scan if required.

I had exactly the same issue, and posted such a page or so back in this topic. I dropped 'em off anyway, hoping the barcode will be what matters.

I tried scanning the code using my QR reader, and the scan worked (albeit returned a code I don't know), so that was something I guess.

 

[browndog]

I had exactly the same issue, and posted such a page or so back in this topic. I dropped 'em off anyway, hoping the barcode will be what matters.

I tried scanning the code using my QR reader, and the scan worked (albeit returned a code I don't know), so that was something I guess.

Thanks, good to know it's not just me then.

 

[Andyd]

Just entered some beers into compmaster. As a club member I was expecting $8 for first beer plus $6 thereafter. Rates on the site are $9 and $7 respectively. There is no discount for entry online as per previous advice. Who is right??

Sorry guys - the discount for clubs wasn't loaded in there. all fixed now. If anyone has already entered and believes they've been charged too much let e know and we will arrange a refund of the additional fee.

Just let me know:

Name
Entry Number
Club Name

Cheers!

Andy

 

[Andyd]

Folks,

Just to confirm, Entries will close on the 9th of Feb, not the 2nd of Feb as originally stated.

Hopefully that won't put anyone out (we figured going the other way may have done).

Cheers!

Andy

 

[browndog]

well that's great news Andy, it was planned that some of the boys from the Ipswich Brewers Union would drop their comp bottles at my place today for posting in mass, unfortunately most were cut off and I don't know when they will be able to get here.

 

[fcmcg]

What time will pick up be on Sat , from the grain and grape ?

 

[Andyd]

Brown dog, sorry to hear they're affected. Saw the news today and it looked pretty rough.

Ferg, 12pm cutoff....

Andy

 

[jc64]

Sorry to be a PITA, pickup at G&G cut's off at 12pm on the 9th of Feb? Is that on the money?

 

[mxd]

Sorry to be a PITA, pickup at G&G cut's off at 12pm on the 9th of Feb? Is that on the money?

that's how it reads

 

[Andyd]

Sorry to be a PITA, pickup at G&G cut's off at 12pm on the 9th of Feb? Is that on the money?

No prob JC. That is correct.

Andy

 

[manticle]

To any brewers from Gippsland area - we hold a small, much less formal competition open to all brewers from Gippsland.

To enter, you only need to bring your beer to the brewery on the day and ask for it to be entered.
(Saturday afternoon, 16th Feb)

Judges will offer feedback and there will be a prize for the winning brewer.

To everyone else - get your entries in. AndyD should be posting up a paper based entry attachment soon if you don't want to enter via compmaster.

 

[Andyd]

Paper form is available now at the Melbourne Brewers website

Cheers!

Andy

 

[WarmBeer]

Andy / Manticle

Can either of you confirm that Keg King is a viable drop-off location for entires?

The Compmaster "Competition Instructions" page states it is, but the PDF from the Melbourne Brewers website does not mention Keg King in the list of delivery points.

Would hate to roll up there with a bunch of entries, only to have Kee look at me weirdly and give me a "whut?"

Cheers.

 

[manticle]

Keg king is definitely a drop off point.

 

[WarmBeer]

Keg king is definitely a drop off point.

Thanks mate.