What is a BJCP-sanctioned homebrew competition and why should I enter my beer?

By Jim Koebel

DCHB decided to have this year’s Cherry Blossom Competition sanctioned by the BJCP for a few reasons, all to ensure that we make this year’s competition, and those in the future, the best ever.

The Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) certifies and ranks beer judges through an examination and monitoring process.  By judging in sanctioned homebrew competitions, folks who earn the BJCP credential earn points that contribute to their rank.  So, by registering this year’s CBC with the BJCP, we’re able to attract qualified beer judges to evaluate and score the entries.  This makes the process fairer, especially since we have some pretty sweet prizes at stake.

Speaking of prizes, by making this competition BJCP-sanctioned, we’ve been able to attract better prize donors than in the past.  And by the way, you can’t win if you don’t enter!

We’ll also be using the BJCP Style Guidelines to classify entries and organize prize categories.  This gives the competition a well-defined structure and ensures that the beers are judged objectively against the guidelines, not somebody’s personal preferences.  Check out the guidelines before entering your beer to make sure you are selecting the most appropriate category.  If you’re not sure, have a friend try your homebrew and help you classify it.

 Finally, and most importantly, you’ll receive detailed feedback from judges explaining why they scored your beer the way they did.  Your scoresheets will include a breakdown of the point allocation and total score assigned to your beer, the judges’ descriptions of your beer’s aroma, appearance, flavor, and mouthfeel, and suggestions for correcting any flaws they may have perceived.  That’s feedback you can use to brew better beer.

The CBC is limited to 240 entries, so get brewing!  We want DC Homebrewers to OWN this competition.