Hello Florida Homebrewers,

The 2012 Best Florida Beer Championships entry deadline of February 8th is rapidly approaching. Rummage through the cellar, fill bottles from your kegs and gather your entries.

Awards Ceremony tickets now for sale! For more information on BFBC competitions and events please visit:  www.bestfloridabeer.org

Online entry

The online entry form can be found on the BFBC website – click on the Click here to submit your entries!  link under the HOW TO ENTER section. As always, it’s $6 per entry and requires 3 bottles. Visit the website for complete entry rules.

If you have entered any Florida Circuit competition in 2011 (except Sunshine Challenge), you already have an online account set up with Reggie – the online registration system.  Use the same First Name, Last Name, and Password that you used previously.  If you have forgotten your login information, just enter the email address that you had previously registered with, and Reggie will send you your login info.

Entry Drop Off

Entries can be dropped off at The Beer and Wine Maker’s Pantry in Pinellas Park or at Dunderbak’s in Tampa or shipped to The Beer and Wine Maker’s Pantry in Pinellas Park.  If you need to make other arrangements, please contact competition organizer Jim Colvard, jcol26@... or Cellar Master Mike Cotherman, mjcother@....

Awards Ceremony

Awards ceremony will be held on February 25 at Yuengling from 7PM to 10PM. Tickets are $15 and go on sale online February 2nd.  Wicked Wiches will be providing the catering and beer will be flowing from the BFBC beer trailer. There will be a brewery tour in the afternoon. Come on out and collect you medals or cheer on your fellow home brewers! Click here to buy tickets on the BFBC website.

Judging

We will need your help to judge all of the entries. We will be using queued judging again this year. BJCP and experienced judges welcome.  Please email judge director Jim Colvard, jcol26@... if you are interested. Please RSVP early so we can assign judges to flights and arrange lunch. An email will be sent the evening before with your judging assignments. We will also need stewards. If you are interested in stewarding, please contact Head Steward Todd Baker, tbaker76@....

Judging Sessions:

·       Saturday, Feb 11,  Southern Brewing and Winemaking, 9AM to 4PM

·       Sunday, Feb 12,  Dunedin House of Beer, 9AM to 4PM

·       Saturday, Feb 18, Dunedin House of Beer, 9AM to 4PM

·       Sunday, Feb 19, TBD  if needed

·       BFBC Competition - February 25, Yuengling 9AM to 5PM

Host Hotel

Our host hotel this year is the Tampa Clarion. Call them and ask for the special BFBC rate, and get the room for $59 a night. (813) 971-4710. Rates good for Friday February 24 and Saturday February 25 and includes full American breakfast buffet. Book by February 10 to get the block rate.

Group Name: Best Florida Beer Home Brewing Competition

Clarion Hotel & Conference Center

2701 East Fowler Avenue

Tampa, FL 33612

Get the map here

Try This!

Try This! will be held on Friday evening February 24 at Southern Brewing and Winemaking from 7PM to 10PM. A food and beer pairing event to satisfy your inner gourmand as well as the beer lover. Last year’s event had over 20 pairing stations with appetizers to desserts. Some dishes were Stilton, Maytag Blue and Cheddar & Barleywine , Belgian Beef Stew & Brown Ale, Chicken Tikka Masala & IPA and Vanilla shakes & Cigar City Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout (oh boy were they delicious!), to name just a few. For the complete 2011 menu and to buy tickets, visit the Try This! page on the BFBC website. If you bring a food and beer pairing, you get in for free. You will need enough food and beer for small sample servings for 75 to 100 people. Contact Try This! Beer and Food Pairings Organizer Karen Hahn kvhahn93@... for more details and to volunteer.

Brewers Ball

Brewers Ball will be held at Skippers Smokehouse on Sunday March 4 from noon to 5pm.  Tickets cost $30.  Price includes lunch and samples of the Gold Medal winning beers from the Best Florida Beer Championships commercial competition.  Best of Show Awards are announced for the Homebrew and Commercial competitions. There will also be a homebrew keg competition (contact Rodney, rodney@..., if you would like to participate) and Beer Raffle.  Live music will be provided by Damon Fowler Band (http://damonfowler.com).

Brewer’s Ball Homebrew Keg Competition

Last but not least is the keg competition at the Brewer’s Ball. Entry is free, just bring your keg with you to the Brewer’s Ball. Other drop off locations are being worked on right now. Judging is a “People’s Choice” system. A large, fabulous prize is awarded to the winning. Contact Rodney Sedillo rodney@... for more information. 

Contacts

Jim Colvard -- Competition Organizer and Judge Director

Mike Cotherman – Cellar Master

Nelson Crowle – Registrar

Erik Beach – Assistant Prize Coordinator

Todd Baker – Head Steward

Charmaine Martinez – Awards Ceremony Coordinator

Looking forward to all of your entries and hope you can help out with judging and stewarding.

Thanks,

Jim Colvard

BFBC Homebrew Championships Organizer