[smkranz]

The 2014 Maryland Microbrewery Festival and Homebrew Competition will be held on Saturday, September 27.  The site of the event is the beautiful and historic Union Mills Homestead just north of Westminster, Maryland.

The 2014 Competition Registration site is now OPEN for Judge registration:  http://mdmicrobrewfest.brewcompetition.com.  Please sign up early if you are interested in Judging.  We welcome Provisional Judges who have passed the online Entry Exam and are looking for judging experience prior to sitting for the BJCP Tasting Exam, as well as Novice Judges who are studying and practicing for the Entry Exam.

Last year's competition featured 200 entries.  Judging takes place indoors, in the historic Mill on the Union Mills Homestead grounds.  The competition is open to all beer categories with the exception of Sours.  We anticipate a full day of judging, with morning and afternoon sessions unless enough Judges sign up to do all entries in the morning.  The winning homebrewer's recipe is scaled up and brewed commercially (with the winner's help, of course!) by Dog Brewing Company of Westminster, MD for draft sales at Buffalo Wild Wings' restaurants throughout Maryland, and (at the option of Dog Brewing Co.) bottled sales in area liquor stores.  The winner will also qualify for the Pro-Am Competition at the GABF (also at the option of Dog Brewing Co.)

In addition to getting Judging Points and giving back to the homebrewing community, Judges will receive the following perks:

• Judges receive free admission to the Festival, and a tasting mug.
• The organizing club will host a complimentary Judges Thank-You Dinner the evening before the festival, on Friday, September 26 at Johansson's, our local brewpub.
• Complimentary Friday night accommodations for out-of-area Judges may also be available on request from host club members...could be a spare room, or a fully-outfitted camper...please respond here or via PM if you are interested in taking advantage of this option.
• Judges will receive what is widely considered to be the best Judges' Breakfast in the world (or at least in Maryland ), prepared by our club's fine cooks.  For those with more basic requirements, yes we'll also have bagels and cream cheese.
• Judges' and Stewards' Lunch is sponsored and provided by Buffalo Wild Wings.

Cheers, please post back or PM with any questions.

[smkranz]

We could use some more judges for the Maryland Microbrewery Festival Homebrew Competition.  BJCP not necessary, though all flights will have at least one BJCP-ranked judge.  BJCP points are awarded to all Judges so if you ever plan to take the exam, your points will follow you.

http://mdmicrobrewfest.brewcompetition.com/

We're up to about 145 entries at this writing, with one more week of registrations to go.  Hopefully there will be enough judges on hand to do the whole thing in one morning session, and judges can enjoy the festival in the afternoon.

In addition to the above information, the following edits apply:

1.  We are accepting sours for judging and prizes, though not for BOS.
2.  Out-of-town judges may bring their entries with them if a drop-off point is not conveniently located near them.
3.  Overnight accommodations for out-of-town judges are actually about full.  But we're still taking names, as there are always a few judges whose plans change and they wind up canceling.

Please send a PM with any questions.