SOBA National Homebrew Competition - CLOSING THIS FRIDAY!

[Brendon]

All,

Get them in quick...

Here's the fabulous prize list:

Champion brewer - The SOBA Champion brewer is sponsored by Brewcraft. The Champion brewer will win a Brewcraft keg system and a Brewcraft still system.

Best overall beer - The hopping good folk at Hallertau have once again chosen to sponsor the Best overall beer award. The winner of the Best overall beer will have their beer commercially brewed by the Hallertau team.

Hop balanced beer - New Zealand Hops does it again and have chosen to sponsor the Hop balanced beer award. The winner of the Hop balanced beer award will receive a voucher for $150 worth of hops to include in their next brew.

Malt balanced beer - The good folk at Liberty Brewing have chipped in by offering a voucher worth $150 off your next malt purchase.

Need more information? Check out the soba.org.nz website.

Important dates:
Entries start - Friday 3rd July 2009
Entries close - Friday 24th July 2009 at 18:00
Entries received before or after the entry dates will not be entered in the contest.
Judging dates - Saturday 1st August - Sunday 2nd August with a reserve judging day of Saturday 8th August if there are large number of entries
Announcement of results - tentatively scheduled for Sunday 30th August

Get involved:
A competition like this doesn't happen without the help and participation of many dedicated individuals. Volunteering to help at the beer competition is rewarding and great fun. What could be better than chatting about beer to other like minded souls! You don't have to be a homebrewer - just a beer lover.
We need Wellington based volunteer organisers, stewards and judges. If you are available to help on the dates above please let me know at [e-mail]

The beer styles will follow the BJCP 2008 style guidelines plus additional style descriptions to cover New Zealand styles:
http://www.bjcp.org/docs/2008_Guidelines.pdf

The New Zealand Style Guidelines to be used are:
http://soba.org.nz/files/New%20Zealand%20Styles_0.pdf

More information on last years competition can be found at the following links:
http://www.soba.org.nz/competition
http://www.soba.org.nz/node/125

If you have any questions please email me at [e-mail] . Alternatively, you can post here are I will try and get back to you as soon as possible.

Cheers,
Brendon

For results please go to http://www.soba.org.nz/competition-results

[Mike Neilson]

See I have a Shwatz beer on 1 keg and a APA on the other.... I allways after my first pint of the either craving and Swatz beer APA top!! (pint of swatz beer and about 100mls of APA on top) it tastes great!! is this wrong? Is it a style? is it a hybrid? I remeber the english asking for a pint of mixed, a ram and special, lite and bitter???? Can I do a blend and send that in to get judged??????

[Stu McKinlay]

Demise likes to top up her stout with something fruity.
The Twisted Hop guys always swear by the Golding-Challenger 50/50.
Luke likes Epic Pale Ale with a little Monks Habit.

Nothing is wrong but some beers are better than others. And some beers are more to style than others. Your blend may fit a style, or it may not. That's for you to decide and then put it to the judges.

[Mike Neilson]

Its like when I was back at Stream (college), Rugby that way soccer that way!! either you one or the other!! Demise full credit!! that the most sophisticated Guiness and black I seen!!

[Stu McKinlay]

I went another way altogether... the "specialty" way. I played basketball in the first year and then got away with not playing a winter sport again because I was an ok golfer and didn't have the time to play or practice their game. Fr. Dooley wrote me a note. They ended up giving me a "sports jersey" (the light blue ones) - myself and a golfing friend of mine were the first guys to ever receive one outside of 1st XI cricket or soccer, or 1st XV rugby, or Senior A Basketball. We both played off 3 handicaps. A 3 handicap is pathetic these days... you probably wouldn't even make a top club sides trials with that handicap.

[Mike Neilson]

Did you go to Stream? Apluad Stu!! for the Jerseys I was a 1st XV player so I cant realy comment but I do remember the goal post missing every time they put new one up like litarly every day!!

[Stu McKinlay]

Yep - 89 to 93. Wagged for golf a bit though, so you were as likely to find me at Shandon Golf Course (I didn't drink on school days though, even though the Black Draught was only about $2 a pint).

[Mike Neilson]

Waggin I was a school prefect and a house captain but I didnt give a sh1t me and the head boy alllways used top take off for 3 hrs of the school day for reflection and a smoke!! and talk about weds night at the tote!! we were only 17 gold!! maybe I shouldnt of said that? Father Dooley tried to tell us we were soft cock, he said he he could run through our pack!! it was a shame at the age of 90 he had lost his pace and I had to flatten him!! at least he had god on his side!!

[Stu McKinlay]

When were you there Mike? There's a couple of old Dooleys in SOBA.

[Mike Neilson]

I was one year out of winning Mc Evedy and first 1stXV team to beat NPBHS in 20 years that will test your history!!

[Stu McKinlay]

So that makes you a little younger than me, or fuckin' old as!

[Mike Neilson]

I left in 99. I must addmit it is no supprise that there are a few dooleys on here and 1 at least brewing beer!! I thought I might be the first!!

[Stu McKinlay]

Gerrard "Jabba" Jablonski at the Hove Beer Festival. Check the backdrop!!! Dooley and Yeastie.