The Northern California Homebrewers Festival is full of events, activities, and competitions, aside from tasting all the fabulous home brews at all the club booths. Be sure to check these out during the fest:
Club Keg Competition
Beer Comp Styles
Note: The NCHF Beer Comp is not a BJCP sanctioned competition; it is more a “popular vote” event. The brewer has more latitude with style. Beers should be recognized in the style they are entered, possess the “hallmarks” of the style, and achieve appropriate balance as to malts, hops, alcohol, etc.
Beer Style #1: HAZY IPA (BJCP 21C)
This is an American IPA with intense fruit flavors and aromas, a soft body, smooth mouthfeel, and often opaque with substantial haze. Less perceived bitterness than traditional IPAs but always massively hop-forward. Beer should present with intense hop aromas of stone, tropical, citrus or fruit quality (not grassy or herbal). Malt is clean and neutral without caramel or toast. Complimentary balance of esters from yeast and hops. Hazey in appearance to opaque but not cloudy or murky. High to very high fruity hop flavor as in aroma; low to medium malt flavor similar to aroma. Low to medium-high perceived bitterness, often masked by the fuller body and soft, off-dry to medium finish. The hop character in the aftertaste should not be sharp or harsh. Should not be sweet, harsh, creamy, viscous, acidic twang or raw starch texture. An emphasis on late hopping, especially dry-hopping, with hops with tropical fruit qualities lends the ‘juicy’ character for which this style is known. Heavy examples suggestive of milkshakes, creamsicles, or fruit smoothies are outside this style; this beer is always be drinkable.
Commercial Examples: Belching Beaver Hazers Gonna Haze, Hill Farmstead Susan, Other Half Green Diamonds Double IPA, Pinthouse Electric Jellyfish, Tree House Julius, Trillium Congress Street, WeldWerks Juicy Bits.
Beer Style #2: Fruit Beer (BJCP 29A)
A pleasant integration of fruit with beer, but still recognizable as beer. Balance is KEY. The fruit character should be evident but in balance with the beer, not so forward as to suggest an artificial product. The fruit character should be noticeable in the aroma. The fruit should add an extra complexity, but not be so prominent as to unbalance the resulting presentation. Appearance varies by base style and special ingredients. Haze is generally undesirable. Flavor varies by base style. As with aroma, distinctive fruit flavors should be noticeable, and may range in intensity from subtle to aggressive, but the fruit character should not be so artificial or inappropriately overpowering as to suggest a ‘fruit juice drink.’ Bitterness, hop and malt flavors, alcohol content, and fermentation byproducts, such as esters, should be appropriate for the base style, but be harmonious and balanced with the distinctive fruit flavors present. A raw, unfermented quality is a fault. Fruit should be identifiable. Balance, drinkability, and execution of the theme are the most important deciding factors. The fruit should complement the base style and not overwhelm it.
Preparing your beer for the Club Keg Competition
All beers are poured anonymously on our jockey boxes in the center tent (with the checkered roof, hard to miss!), with everyone in attendance voting for the winning beers in each style. The winning brewers and clubs get their names added to a trophy, on display for all to see each year at the beer competition tent. And of course, bragging rights!
A club can enter 1 beer in each category. So a maximum of 2 beers per club total, if entering both categories.
Clubs need to deliver their beers to the beer trailer Saturday morning between 10-11 AM for check-in. If you have your keg in a fermentation-sized bucket on ice, that’s great. If not, we will put all the kegs in a cold box until hook up, then in bins with ice. We can accept 2.5gal – 5gal corny kegs–either ball lock or pin lock–no Sanke kegs! Do NOT take your entries to the competition tent to check in !!!
The Club Comp has grown to be one of the most popular events at NCHF and this has necessitated a little more structure than what we have had in the past. Please note the following:
- The comp will be limited to 24 beers total between the two styles (this represents our jockeybox capacity)
- Competition slots will be allotted on a first-come, first served basis
- Competition registration will only be through registered Club Reps
- Entries accepted now through September 3
- Beers must be delivered to the beer trailer no later than 11:00 AM the morning of the fest
- Entrants are responsible for retrieving their kegs; this may done after conclusion of the final awards and raffle ceremony
- NCHO will provide CO2
Entrant must specify:
- Club name
- Style: #1 or #2
- Ball or Pin Keg (This is really important and speeds set up of the comp). No Sanke kegs!
Please go here and search for “keg”. Reserve this free product to register for the Keg Competition (One entry per club).
Hoppy Hour
Friday afternoon features Hoppy Hour which takes place in the Lake Francis “town square”. Hoppy Hour once again two fantastic clubs will be pouring some of their finest beers, in addition to some fantastic appetizers. This is a time for us to gather together and catch up with one another while we sample a beer or three.
Best Booth Decoration Competition
Each year, clubs decorate their booths, and often themselves, to reflect the theme of the event. What exactly does this mean? That’s up to you. Get creative! Every festival has been a great showing of creative talent from the clubs.
At the end of the day, Fest-goers vote for the best booth theme decoration, and a certificate is awarded.
Event Speakers
Saturday afternoon offers talks by nationally known speakers from the professional and amateur circles. Past speakers have included Fritz Maytag, Fred Eckhardt, Byron Burch, Fal Allan, Ken Grossman, Vinnie Cilurzo, and Matt Bryndilson, to name a few.
Best Booth Food Competition
One of the best features of the Festival, besides the amazing homebrew, is the food. Clubs pull out all the stops in their gastronomic treats. We acknowledge this effort with an award for Best Booth Food.