Southern New England Regional Homebrew Competition
Entries
Judging
Entry Registration
Account Registration
Judge Registration
Steward Registration
Entry Drop-Off
Entry Shipping
Rules
If you are willing to judge or steward, please return to register on or after Wednesday, July 1, 2026 9:00 AM, EDT.
This competition is BJCP sanctioned and open to any amateur homebrewer age 21 or older.
We require TWO (2) bottles/cans per entry.
All mailed entries must be received at the mailing location by the shipping deadline - please allow for shipping time.
All entries must be handcrafted products, containing ingredients available to the general public, and made using private equipment by hobbyist brewers (i.e., no use of commercial facilities or Brew on Premises operations, supplies, etc.).
The competition organizers are not responsible for mis-categorized entries, mailed entries that are not received by the entry deadline, or entries that arrived damaged.
The competition organizers reserve the right to combine styles for judging and to restructure awards as needed depending upon the quantity and quality of entries.
Qualified judging of all entries is the primary goal of our event. Judges will evaluate and score each entry. Each flight will have at least one BJCP judge.
The Beer Best of Show and Mead/Cider Best of Show judging will be determined by Best of Show panels based on a second judging of the top winners.
You must be present at the award ceremony to receive prizes (other than winners' medals).
For more information, or to leave us a comment, go to the SNERHC page on Facebook. The award ceremony will be live streamed on the Facebook page, along with any updates on timing during the event.
Entry Acceptance Rules
We require TWO (2) bottles/cans per entry.
12oz bottles/cans are preferred. 6oz - 8oz "ponies" or "splits" are acceptable for mead. Oversize bottles, swing-tops, corked/caged bottles, etc. will be accepted as long as they are reasonably anonymous.
Please remove all labels and identifying information other than the printed entry label, held on by clear tape. Please black out printed caps.
Extra bottles and cans will not be returned to contest entrants.
Bottle labels can be printed directly from this website. Attach labels to bottles with clear tape. Packing tape is preferred, especially if it completely covers the label.
Be meticulous about noting any special ingredients that must be specified. Failure to note such ingredients may impact the judges' scoring of your entry. For judges safety, we will not accept any non-alcoholic or cannabis-infused entries.
Please read the instructions about packaging for both shipped and dropped-off entries.
Whether shipping or dropping off entries, please indicate 'SNERHC' clearly on outside of packaging!
Entry Info
Pay Entry Fees
After creating your account and adding your entries to the system, you must pay your entry fee(s). Accepted payment methods are:
- Credit/debit card and e-check, via PayPal
BJCP 2021 / 2025 Styles Accepted
Indicates that the style's entry limit has been reached and no more entries of that style will be accepted.
| 1A American Light Lager | 1B American Lager | 1C Cream Ale |
| 1D American Wheat Beer | 2A International Pale Lager | 2B International Amber Lager |
| 2C International Dark Lager | 3A Czech Pale Lager | 3B Czech Premium Pale Lager |
| 3C Czech Amber Lager | 3D Czech Dark Lager | 4A Munich Helles |
| 4B Festbier | 4C Helles Bock | 5A German Leichtbier |
| 5B Kölsch | 5C German Helles Exportbier | 5D German Pils |
| 6A Märzen | 6B Rauchbier | 6C Dunkels Bock |
| 7A Vienna Lager | 7B Altbier | 8A Munich Dunkel |
| 8B Schwarzbier | 9A Doppelbock | 9B Eisbock |
| 9C Baltic Porter | 10A Weissbier | 10B Dunkels Weissbier |
| 10C Weizenbock | 11A Ordinary Bitter | 11B Best Bitter |
| 11C Strong Bitter | 12A British Golden Ale | 12B Australian Sparkling Ale |
| 12C English IPA | 13A Dark Mild | 13B British Brown Ale |
| 13C English Porter | 14A Scottish Light | 14B Scottish Heavy |
| 14C Scottish Export | 15A Irish Red Ale | 15B Irish Stout |
| 15C Irish Extra Stout | 16A Sweet Stout | 16B Oatmeal Stout |
| 16C Tropical Stout | 16D Foreign Extra Stout | 17A British Strong Ale |
| 17A1 Burton Ale | 17B Old Ale | 17C Wee Heavy |
| 17D English Barley Wine | 18A Blonde Ale | 18B American Pale Ale |
| 19A American Amber Ale | 19B California Common | 19C American Brown Ale |
| 20A American Porter | 20B American Stout | 20C Imperial Stout |
| 21A American IPA | 21B Specialty IPA | 21B1 Belgian IPA |
| 21B2 Black IPA | 21B3 Brown IPA | 21B4 Red IPA |
| 21B5 Rye IPA | 21B6 White IPA | 21B7 Brut IPA |
| 21C Hazy IPA | 22A Double IPA | 22B American Strong Ale |
| 22C American Barleywine | 22D Wheatwine | 23A Berliner Weisse |
| 23B Flanders Red Ale | 23C Oud Bruin | 23D Lambic |
| 23E Gueuze | 23F Fruit Lambic | 23G Gose |
| 24A Witbier | 24B Belgian Pale Ale | 24C Bière de Garde |
| 25A Belgian Blond Ale | 25B Saison | 25C Belgian Golden Strong Ale |
| 26A Belgian Single | 26B Belgian Dubbel | 26C Belgian Tripel |
| 26D Belgian Dark Strong Ale | 27A Historical Beer | 27A1 Kellerbier |
| 27A2 Kentucky Common | 27A3 Lichtenhainer | 27A4 London Brown Ale |
| 27A5 Piwo Grodziskie | 27A6 Pre-Prohibition Lager | 27A7 Pre-Prohibition Porter |
| 27A8 Roggenbier | 27A9 Sahti | 28A Brett Beer |
| 28B Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer | 28C Wild Specialty Beer | 28D Straight Sour Beer |
| 29A Fruit Beer | 29B Fruit and Spice Beer | 29C Specialty Fruit Beer |
| 29D Grape Ale | 30A Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | 30B Autumn Seasonal Beer |
| 30C Winter Seasonal Beer | 30D Specialty Spice Beer | 31A Alternative Grain Beer |
| 31B Alternative Sugar Beer | 32A Classic Style Smoked Beer | 32B Specialty Smoked Beer |
| 33A Wood-Aged Beer | 33B Specialty Wood-Aged Beer | 34A Commercial Specialty Beer |
| 34B Mixed-Style Beer | 34C Experimental Beer | LSX1 Dorada Pampeana |
| LSX2 IPA Argenta | LSX3 Italian Grape Ale | LSX4 Catharina Sour |
| LSX5 New Zealand Pilsner | C1A Common Cider | C1B Heirloom Cider |
| C1C English Cider | C1D French Cider | C1E Spanish Cider |
| C2A New England Cider | C2B Applewine | C2C Ice Cider |
| C2D Fire Cider | C3A Fruit Cider | C3B Spiced Cider |
| C3C Experimental Cider | C4A Common Perry | C4B Heirloom Perry |
| C4C Ice Perry | C4D Experimental Perry | M1A Dry Mead |
| M1B Semi-Sweet Mead | M1C Sweet Mead | M2A Cyser |
| M2B Pyment | M2C Berry Mead | M2D Stone Fruit Mead |
| M2E Melomel | M3A Fruit and Spice Mead | M3B Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Mead |
| M4A Braggot | M4B Historical Mead | M4C Experimental Mead |
Drop-Off Locations
Entry bottles accepted at our drop-off locations Saturday, September 19, 2026 9:00 AM, EDT — Saturday, October 10, 2026 8:00 PM, EDT.
Please pay attention to the notes provided for each drop-off location. There could be earlier deadlines for some drop-off locations listed, particular hours when entries are accepted, certain individuals to leave your entries with, etc. All entrants are responsible for reading the information provided by the organizers for each drop-off location.
Brew Free Or Die C/o Jill Crawford
26 Seaverns Bridge Road, Amherst, NH 03031
603 732 7404
*Drop off window starts Sept 22nd - drop in carport, in box labeled 'SNERHC'
246 Beaver Meadow Rd, Haddam, CT 06438
8609444947
*Anyone can drop off their beers Fridays 10-6 or Saturdays 10-5. Most other times and days are available as well if they call/text/email me ahead of time with a time they would like to stop by.
175 Amity Road, Woodbridge, CT 06525
203-387-2222
SNERHC Headquarters
194 Sam Hill Rd, Guilford, CT 06437
203-530-7873
*Please leave entries on front porch if no one is home. Entries should be in sturdy 6-pack holders or boxes and protected from the sun.
18 North Street, Willimantic, CT 06226
860-456-7704
Shipping Info
Entry bottles accepted at our shipping location Saturday, September 19, 2026 9:00 AM, EDT — Saturday, October 10, 2026 8:00 PM, EDT.
Ship entries to:
Paul Hayslett
194 Sam Hill Rd, Guilford, CT 06437
Packing and Shipping
For drop-offs: Please pack entries in sturdy boxes with some sort of separators (e.g., in 6-pack holders). Loose entries, entries in paper bags, entries in flimsy packaging: all of these create difficulty for our valued drop-off spots and risk loss or breakage. Please write "SNERHC" clearly on the box in big letters so the entries don't get lost or mixed up with those going to other competitions.
For shipping: We strongly recommend using purpose-built packaging when shipping glass bottles: Whale Pod, Spirited Shipper, or clamshells. These are reusable, cutting down on waste and landfill. They are easier on the staff. And they provide MUCH better protection against breakage.
If you choose to use bubble-wrap or equivalent, please note: For the safety of our volunteers, we will not handle bubble-wrapped entries covered in broken glass. Therefore, we reserve the right to disqualify all entries in any box where bubble-wrapped bottles have broken. Again, please use purpose-built packaging.
Whether bottles or cans, purpose-built packaging or bubble-wrap, please use sturdy boxes lined with plastic bags to contain any leakage. (UPS drivers to not like leaks in their trucks.) Label the boxes "Fragile" and indicate proper side up. Use UPS, not USPS.
Judging Sessions
Pre-judging Session - East
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 7:00 PM, EDT
Pre-judging Session - West
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 7:00 PM, EDT
Main Judging - Morning
Sunday, October 25, 2026 9:00 AM, EDT
Main Judging - Afternoon
Sunday, October 25, 2026 1:00 PM, EDT
Awards
All winners will be posted once BOS judging is completed.
Places will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category/table.
The 1st place entry in each category will advance to the Best of Show (BOS) round with a single, overall Best of Show beer selected and a single, overall Best of Show mead or cider selected.
Winners' medals and trophies will be mailed within two weeks of the competition to anyone not present at the award ceremony. Prizes (other than medals/trophies) will not be shipped. You must be present to collect them.
Results will be posted to the competition web site after the ceremony concludes.
Announcement time is approximate and we are unlikely to be able to update this competition site during the day - please check the SNERHC Facebook page where we will be livestreaming for day-of updates. If you can join us at NEBCO for the awards in person, please come early and hang at the taproom.
Awards Ceremony
New England Brewing Co
175 Amity Rd, Woodbridge, CT 06525
Sunday, October 25, 2026 5:00 PM, EDT
Volunteers
Judges and Stewards
If you are willing to judge or steward, please return to register on or after Wednesday, July 1, 2026 9:00 AM, EDT.
Staff
If you would like to volunteer to be a competition staff member, please register or update your account to indicate that you wish to be a part of the competition staff.
Staff can indicate their availability for the following non-judging sessions:
- Sorting – Sunday, October 18, 2026 12:00 PM, EDT
Other Volunteer Info
We will be using online scoresheets provided by the BCOE&M competition management system. Judges should bring a laptop, tablet, phone, or other device they feel comfortable using all day. (We cannot be responsible for loss or or damage to such devices.) The venue has excellent WiFi and plenty of outlets.
If you've never used online scoresheets before, please review the materials at https://www.brewcompetition.com/judging-with-electronic-scoresheets
Sponsors
Contact
Use the links below to contact individuals involved with coordinating this competition:
- – Organizer
- – Judge Coordinator
- – Awards MC
- – Cellar Master
- – Chief Steward
- – Prize Committee