Enter your crafty brew to win big
Craft brewers are invited to enter the third annual national craft brewers championships.
The competition, hosted by The South African Breweries (SAB) and Craft Beer South Africa (CBSA) invites professional craft brewers to enter their finest products for the recognition and reward they deserve.
“Craft brewing is about exploring less conventional beer recipes, a creative expression, a sense of place and a story, and we at SAB are excited to be co-hosting the country’s premier craft competition,” says Petr Vesely, SAB chief brewer.
The competition aims to reward the craft beer movement for their contribution to growing the culture of beer in South Africa.
“Craft beers, once only available in the bigger cities, are now spreading to smaller towns with more craft brewers setting up shop.
“All this means greater competition and can only lead to better brews for the public,” says Brian Stewart, CBSA chairman.
“However, so much choice can often be confusing and we hope the championships will assist beer lovers in identifying the finest products.”
Vesely adds: “We want people to be curious about what is in their glass, to be interested and to ask questions.
“So whether it is a lager, pilsener or an India pale ale they are drinking, we want consumers to be engaged and the craft beer movement has certainly helped to create that engagement.”
The Championship continues to evolve each year. “The 2014 edition added a cider category and the 2015 edition boasts a Journalist’s Choice Award in both the beer and cider categories.
“The winners of these will be decided upon by our panel of beer-loving journalists,” said Stewart.
The rules state that a brewer can enter any beer they regularly brew and is commercially available, as long as it fits in the categories as laid out in the Beer Judge Certification Programme style 2015 guidelines.
Adding to the competition’s credibility, it will once again be audited by Grant Thornton and judging will be overseen by Sean Watts, a well-known BJCP judge and three-times convenor of the National Craft Brewer Championships.
Aside from hops and malt, the prizes include huge cash incentives.
In the beer category the top three brewers will take home R50 000, R30 000 and R10 000 respectively from SAB.
The third prize winner will also receive R12 000 worth of consultancy or training from Global Beverage Solutions.
In the cider category, there are only cash prizes of R50 000, R30 000 and R10 000 respectively.
For those entering the Journalist’s Choice Award, the winners of both the best beer and best cider category will win all-inclusive participation in SAB’s annual Heritage Tour to George, Caledon and Cape Town for two people
To enter go to the website and complete the entry form.
The competition closes October 23 at 5pm.
Beer samples must be delivered to the SAB Cyril Ramaphosa World of Learning in Kyalami, Johannesburg.
Judging will take place on October 24.
Winners will be announced at an event at SAB’s central office in Johannesburg on December 3.
