GABF Instructions -- Beer Info

Entering Your Beers Into the U.S. Open Beer Championships Judging

Be sure to review the category list carefully to identify the appropriate categories for your beer brands.
When completing the registration form, remember the importance of entering your beer into the appropriate category and subcategory and be sure to indicate the appropriate category number and subcategory letter.
Fax in Registration Form, Liscense Agreement and credit card information.

Supplemental Information
Supplemental information is required for judging when entering beers in certain categories and subcategories (see table below). Failure to provide this information will place your entry at a significant disadvantage to other entries. After you have chosen appropriate categories and subcategories for your entries, please review the table below and add supplemental information as needed.

Helpful Suggestions:

Specify the requested information in the block on the registration form titled "Specify Ingredients and/or Classic Style." Use extra paper if needed, and enter “See Attachment” in the box.
When entering beers with ingredients like fruit, vegetables, spices or chocolate (or others), avoid words like extract, puree, fresh, all natural, artificial, concentrate, frozen or canned - just indicate which ingredient is used. For example, both “Fresh Raspberries” and “Raspberry Extract” would be indicated simply as “Raspberry”.
Do not specify any regional information that could compromise the anonymity of your entry. For example, "Arizona Wildflower Honey" should be listed as "Wildflower Honey."
If possible try to limit the specialty information you submit to 30 character spaces. If you need to provide longer descriptions or narrative information, feel free to do so. The information you provide will be reviewed by the competition manager and abstracted down to the essential information needed by the judges to evaluate the beer during judging according to competition guidelines.

Category Number	Category Name	Supplemental Information Required
4a	Fruit Beer	The brewer must list what fruits are used, and may also list a classic style of base beer
4b	Fruit Wheat Beer	The brewer must list what fruits are used
4c	Vegetable Beer	The brewer must list what vegetables are used, and may also list a classic style of base beer
5a	Herb and Spice Beer	The brewer must list what herbs and/or spices are used, and may also list a classic style of base beer
5b	Chocolate/Cocoa Flavored Beer	The brewer must list the classic or experimental style of the base beer
6	Coffee Flavored Beer	The brewer must list the classic or experimental style of the base beer
7	Specialty Beer	The brewer must explain the special nature (ingredient(s) used and achieved character) of the beer
9	Specialty Honey Lager or Ale	The brewer must list the traditional or experimental style of the base beer
10a	Experimental Beer	The brewer must identify the experimental style/process or ingredients used to make the beer unique
10b	Gluten Free Beer	The brewer may identify the ingredients used to make the beer, and may also list the classic beer style most closely being approximated
11a	Wood- and Barrel-aged Pale to Amber Beer	The brewer must explain the special nature (wood used, base beer style and achieved character) of the beer
11b	Wood- and Barrel-aged Dark Beer	The brewer must explain the special nature (wood used, base beer style and achieved character) of the beer
12	Wood- and Barrel-aged Strong Beer	The brewer must explain the special nature (wood used, base beer style and achieved character) of the beer
13a	Ale or Lager Aged from 12-24 months	The brewer should provide the classic style or experimental nature of the beer being aged, as well as the kind of material in which the beer was aged or other information describing the ageing process. Beer entries not accompanied by this information will be at a disadvantage during judging.
13b	Ale or Lager Aged from 25-48 months	The brewer should provide the classic style or experimental nature of the beer being aged, as well as the kind of material in which the beer was aged or other information describing the ageing process. Beer entries not accompanied by this information will be at a disadvantage during judging.
13c	Ale or Lager Aged from 49-72 months	The brewer should provide the classic style or experimental nature of the beer being aged, as well as the kind of material in which the beer was aged or other information describing the ageing process. Beer entries not accompanied by this information will be at a disadvantage during judging.
13d	Ale or Lager Aged more than 72 months	The brewer should provide the classic style or experimental nature of the beer being aged, as well as the kind of material in which the beer was aged or other information describing the ageing process. Beer entries not accompanied by this information will be at a disadvantage during judging.
14a	Kellerbier or Zwickelbier/Unfiltered Lager	Brewer must provide the classic style on which the entry is based, in order to be assessed properly by the judges
14b	Cellared or Unfiltered Ale	Brewer must provide the classic style on which the entry is based, in order to be assessed properly by the judges
15b	Smoke-Flavored Beer (Lager or Ale)	The brewer must list the traditional or experimental style of the base beer and may explain the special nature of the beer (e.g. “alder smoked dry stout”)
54d	Other Belgian-and French-Style Ale	The brewer must provide the historical or regional tradition of the style, or his interpretation of the style, in order to be assessed properly by the judges
55c	Belgian-Style Fruit Lambic	The brewer must list the fruit used in the beer
55e	Other Belgian-Style Sour Ale	The brewer must provide the historical or regional tradition of the style, or his interpretation of the style, in order to be assessed properly by the judges
56c	Other Belgian-Style Abbey Ale	The brewer must provide the historical or regional tradition of the style, or his interpretation of the style, in order to be assessed properly by the judges
57c	Other Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale	The brewer must provide the historical or regional tradition of the style, or his interpretation of the style, in order to be assessed properly by the judges
68	Other Strong Ale or Lager	The brewer must provide what base style is being created stronger an/or appropriately identify the style created (for example: double alt, triple fest, or quadruple Pilsener)

Entries must be bottled or canned. If your product is only available in draft, you must hand bottle your entries for the Judging. If your product is bottle conditioned, and you wish it poured carefully, please add a label to the beer with that request.
The brewery must provide at least (6) 12-ounce containers; (4) 22-ounce containers; or the equivalent of at least 72 ounces for each judged entry–regardless of size, send a minimum of 4 bottles of each brand being judged.
Containers sent for the judging panel cannot be returned.
All beers to be judged must be shipped to:
U.S. Open Judging

Auburn, AL
Attn: Warehouse Dock
These beers must be received between June 1 and 8, 2008.
Late entries will not be accepted. Last minute brand changes or late entries are a significant cause of sample handling problems and database inaccuracies. U.S. Open Beer Championships will not be responsible for any aspect of judging or beer handling for samples that arrive after September 8, 2006.
Breweries that do not bottle or can should clearly label their beers to be judged, using the pre-printed labels provided, with the name of the beer, the category number and name, and the subcategory name and letter.
This information should match the information provided on your registration form. Be sure to label your bottles correctly. U.S. Open Beer Championships will not be responsible for bottles that are mislabeled.