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Entry Registration
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Rules
The 2025 Nordeast Brewers Alliance Sour Times Homebrew Competition is here!
Brew. Drink. Compete.
Account registration is open now! Entry registration is open May 1-30.
- Entry limit is capped at 100 paid entries.
Eligibility
- Anyone of legal drinking age may enter and volunteer.
- Beers must be entered under the name of all brewers who helped.
- Must be homebrew. Entries brewed in commercial facilities are ineligible.
- All entries will be picked up from drop-off and shipping locations promptly after entry deadline. Entries received after the deadline may not be included in the judging and will not be refunded.
Entry Fee
- $10 per entry via PayPal.
Entry Requirements
- Three (3) 10-16oz bottles or cans will be accepted, as well as swing top and corked bottles.
- Print your labels prior to the end of the entry deadline.
- Attach one label to each bottle or can using a RUBBER BAND ONLY.
- All attempts to make the entry anonymous must be taken. Bottles or cans must be free of labels or other identifying marks.
- Bottles or cans will not be returned to contest entrants.
- All entries become the property of the Nordeast Brewers Alliance
- All entries MUST be registered ONLINE – no paper entries allowed. (Please contact nba.operations@gmail.com if you have problems with the registration database.)
- Sour and Funky beer only:
- 'Fruit Beer and 'Specialty Fruit Beer categories' need to declare a base style from the other open categories in this competition (e.g., Flanders with raspberries, Gose with watermelon).
General Notes
- The competition committee reserves the right to combine or split categories based on number of entries.
- All possible effort will be made to combine similar styles.
- All beers in combined categories will be judged according to the style provided at entry registration.
- All entries will be evaluated by more than one judge.
- Entries will be chilled.
- Entries will be disqualified for rules infractions. These entries will be judged if possible, but will not be eligible for awards and prizes.
- All decisions of the judges and competition committee are final.
- No entries will be returned for any reason.
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BJCP 2021 Judging Styles
If a style's name is hyperlinked, it has specific entry requirements. Select or tap on the name to view the subcategory's requirements.
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Number of Bottles Required Per Entry: 3
Judging Sessions
TBD: Pre-Judging Sessions
Saturday, June 7, 2025 12:00 AM, CDT through Saturday, June 7, 2025 1:27 PM, CDT
Based on entries and categories, we may have opportunity for judging some evenings the days leading up. If you are available, please register here and we will be in touch.
Saturday In-Person AM - Session 1
Saturday, June 7, 2025 9:00 AM, CDT
Saturday In-Person AM - Session 2
Saturday, June 7, 2025 10:00 AM, CDT
Saturday In-Person PM - Session 3
Saturday, June 7, 2025 11:00 AM, CDT
Saturday In-Person PM - Session 4
Saturday, June 7, 2025 11:00 AM, CDT
Saturday In-Person PM - Session 5
Saturday, June 7, 2025 11:00 AM, CDT
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Best of Show
The Best of Show Award will be mailed by the end of the month of judging.
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Awards
Awards will be mailed by the end of the month of judging.
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A complex, refreshing, pleasantly sour Belgian wheat beer blending a complementary fermented fruit character with a sour, funky Gueuze.
Entry Info: The type of fruit used MUST be specified. The brewer must declare a carbonation level (low, medium, high) and a sweetness level (low/none, medium, high).
Most often drier and fruitier than the base style suggests. Fruity or funky notes range from low to high, depending on the age of the beer and strains of Brett used. May possess a light non-lactic acidity. Intended for beer with or without oak aging that has been fermented with Sacch and Brett, or with Brett only.
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify either a Base Style, or provide a description of the ingredients, specs, or desired character. The entrant MAY specify the strains of Brett used.
A sour and funky version of a base style of beer. Intended for beer fermented with any combination of Sacch, Lacto, Pedio, and Brett (or additional yeast or bacteria), with or without oak aging (except if the beer fits instead in 28A or 28D).
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying yeast or bacteria used and either a Base Style, or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer.
An American Wild Ale with fruit, herbs, spices, or other Specialty-Type Ingredients. Intended for variations of a Base Style beer from style 28A, 28B, or 28D. These variations may include the addition of one or more Specialty-Type Ingredients; aging in non-traditional wood varieties that impart a significant and identifiable wood character (e.g., Spanish Cedar, Amburana); or aging in barrels previously containing another alcohol (e.g., spirits, wine, cider).
Entry Info: Entrant MUST specify any Specialty-Type Ingredient (e.g., fruit, spice, herb, or wood) used. Entrant MUST specify either a description of the beer, identifying yeast or bacteria used and either a Base Style, or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
A pleasant integration of fruit with beer, but still recognizable as beer. The fruit character should be evident but in balance with the beer, not so forward as to suggest an artificial product.
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type(s) of fruit used. Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items. Fruit Beers based on a Classic Style should be entered in this style, except Lambic
A tasteful union of fruit, spice, and beer, but still recognizable as beer. The fruit and spice character should each be evident but in balance with the beer, not so forward as to suggest an artificial product. Use the definitions of Fruit in the preamble to Category 29 and Spice in the preamble to Category 30; any combination of ingredients valid in Styles 29A and 30A are allowable in this category. For this style, the word
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type of fruit, and the type of SHV used; individual SHV ingredients do not need to be specified if a well-known blend of spices is used (e.g., apple pie spice). Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
A appealing combination of fruit, sugar, and beer, but still recognizable as a beer. The fruit and sugar character should both be evident but in balance with the beer, not so forward as to suggest an artificial product. A Specialty Fruit Beer is a Fruit Beer with some additional ingredients, such as fermentable sugars (e.g., honey, brown sugar, invert sugar), sweeteners (e.g., lactose), adjuncts, alternative grains, or other special ingredients added, or some additional process applied. A Specialty Fruit Beer can use any style within the Fruit Beer category as a base style (currently, 29A, 29B, or 29D).
Entry Info: The entrant MUST specify the type of fruit used. The entrant MUST specify the type of additional ingredient (per the introduction) or special process employed. Entrant MUST specify a description of the beer, identifying either a Base Style or the ingredients, specs, or target character of the beer. A general description of the special nature of the beer can cover all the required items.
A refreshing fruited sour wheat beer with a vibrant fruit character and a clean lactic acidity. The restrained alcohol, light body, elevated carbonation, and lack of perceived bitterness allows the fresh fruit to be highlighted. The fruit is often, but not always, tropical in nature.
Entry Info: Entrant MUST specify the types of fresh fruit(s) used.