WAHA Top News - Jan '11

The WAHA has started looking at what is going on in 2011 and it is going to be another great year. We've posted an initial 2011 WAHA planning calendar for you to start looking over. Start brewing ahead for the 2011 competition season.

In the next few months, we have some things already for you to start planning for. Here are some things to take note of looking into the beginning of the year.

Break out your entries, get ready to judge, and come be a part of what will be the largest homebrew competition hosted in Washington state! The National Homebrew Competition is the most prestigious homebrewing competition in the world, drawing collectively more entries than any other beer competition. Seattle will be hosting the 2011 Northwest Regionals of the competition and wants Washington to bring it strong! Homefield advantage makes a difference! Fresher beers, and let's face it, like palates taste alike!

The NHC is a two round competition. You first enter your regionals where you'll go up against brewers in our neck of the woods to qualify for the second round held at the National Homebrewers Conference (you only pay one entry fee). The top 3 beers scoring above 30 in each BJCP Category advance to the second round.

Because this is local, your beers will arrive fresh, well-treated, and be judged by a majority of judges that have a built-in appreciation for local flavor! The full details for the competition are available HERE

WE NEED EVERYONE WHO CAN OR WANTS TO JUDGE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMPETITION!!! Seriously here, we will have a ton of entries to judge! If all of our great BJCP judges as well as non-BJCP brewers who know their beer and want to get some more experience judging can show up on the weekend of April 2nd in the Seattle area to help judge, we will be able to process all of these entries quickly and show the AHA that Washington judges are a force to be recognized. Lunch will be provided, we'll have a raffle, and we are working on "after-judging" plans. We are expecting out of state/area judges to come in as well so if you need a place to stay or are willing to offer someone a place to crash, please contact Tim Hayner. This is a great chance to get exposed to some fantastic beers and judges from around the region.

If your availability changes after you've filled out the survey, please contact Tim Hayner.

The 2011 National Homebrewers Conference will be held in San Diego, CA from June 16th - 18th. Washington plans to make a strong showing and we hope that you'll be a part of it. BREW, GEBL, and the WAHA will be hosting tables at club night. Registration for the conference is open and hotel space is running out. Go to www.ahaconference.org for all of the details you need.

The WAHA is helping with coordination before the conference. You can go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WAHAAHAConf2011/ and sign us as a part of our group. We'll work together to figure out shipping down kegs and equipment, help people find roommates, and make sure Washington has a great showing down in California. Get registered and signed up today!

The Washington Homebrewers Association would like to invite all homebrewers and beer lovers to hear the fifth speaker of the WAHA's Educational Speaker Program - Jess Caudill of Wyeast Laboratories. Last year's talk was a great success and Wyeast has agreed to come back and talk some more.

Come to Big Al Brewing on April 8th to hear Jess speak about Berliner Weisse fermenting microbes and answer all of your yeast questions and answers. Come ready to learn more about your yeast and get all of your yeast questions answered.

Admission is free and the event is open to all homebrewers and beer lovers. We ask that people RSVP in advance at http://tinyurl.com/wyeasttalk.

We encourage people to come early, grab a few pints and support our host. All throughout the night you will be able to buy Big Al's great beers at the bar. If you home some around, please bring a few bottles of homebrew for Jess as a token of our thanks!

Event Details:
Date: Friday, April 8th, 2010
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Big Al Brewery
9832 14th Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98106
(206) 453-4487

The WAHA has been working to coordinate a bunch of BJCP exams for people interesting in taking the beer judging exam. In the next few months, there are tests in Washington in December, February, April, and May. Classes will be organized in support of some of these tests and for those interested in self-study, you can find materials and online video recordings of classes HERE.

There will be an exam in Bellingham on February 19th (also full) with some preparation classes in the area (details will be posted here when available). The next exams with spots available are a Mead Exam in Seattle on March 12th (contact Mark Emiley), a beer exam in Seattle in April (contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), and a beer exam in Yakima on May 7th (most spots reserved for Eastern Washington residents - contact Steve Antoch).

There are also exams scheduled in October and November. Both of these exams will have prep classes. The October class will be held at Larry's Homebrew Supply (contact Mark Emiley), and the November class will be held in Issaquah (contact Steve Antoch).

Given the very high demand for exams and limitations on exam scheduling, we are having to book exams further and further out. If you have a group that may be interested in having an exam near you, please contact us and we can help you get rolling!

Start your hopping now for the 2nd IPA Challenge on February 5th. This is the first competition of the 2011 season and a WHOTY qualifier. Go to www.gebl.org for all of the competition information.

It's never to early to get in a plug for judges. So if you are available on the 5th of February please come up to Everett and help us evaluate some of the most unique and best IPAs you will taste all year. Please RSVP to Will Fredin's email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

We will promise you it's going to rain that day so you might as well be indoors drinking IPA. After all the beers are evaluated in the morning we will be doing a bracketed final again this year. This makes for a fun speed dating like evaluation round, forcing you to defend you pick and ensuring the best beer(s) advance. If you didn't do it last year ask someone who did.

The Cascade Brewers Guild announces the 15th annual Cascade Brewers Cup homebrew competition!

The CBC is an AHA/BJCP sanctioned competition and a 2011 Washington Homebrewer of the Year competition qualifier.

We encourage entrants (and prospective judges or stewards) to register online starting February 4th, 2011. Entries can be dropped off at the locations listed below between February 18th and February 25th, and should include three, 12 oz bottles for beer entries and two bottles for mead/cider entries. The fee is $6 per beer, mead or cider entered.

The bulk of the judging will occur on March 5th at McKinstry Corporation in Seattle, WA. The Best-of-Show judging will take place at Redhook Brewery in Woodinville, WA on March 12th. Winners will be announced on March 12th at the 5th Annual ExBEERience Festival held at Redhook Brewery in Woodinville, WA. At the festival you will be able to witness live announcements of the winners for both the CBC and the 2010 Washington Homebrewers Association awards (Bert Grant, Golden Mash Paddle and Washington Homebrewer of the Year) and sample beer from local breweries and homebrewers.

The top three winners from each flight will receive certificates of award and sponsor donated prizes. Best-of-Show winners will receive certificates of award, sponsor donated prizes and medals.