Red Brick Brew competition open for entries
By Sherry Lucas
Susan Rodriguez
The Red Brick Brew tasting garden will allow Red Brick Roads attendees (ages 21 and up) to sample brews and place their votes for the People’s Choice Award.
Entry registration is open for the Red Brick Brew Home Brew Competition, now approaching its 7th year with the Red Brick Roads Music and Arts Festival. The competition/celebration of home brew hobbyists and their tasty creations has become a standard and anticipated part of the annual fun.
“It is an integrated part of the Red Brick Roads festival,” organizer Allison Reno said. “It’s just kind of an expectation — everybody knows there’s going to be a tasting Saturday afternoon.”
Reno gave a thumbs up to the festival’s change from late summer to spring last year.
“Last year, the weather was perfect. Since we’ve moved it to spring, it’s really, really nice — wonderful weather with nice, crisp brews. It’s just like a great big party!”
The home brew competition takes place the week prior to the March 26-28 Red Brick Roads Music and Arts Festival, a joint production of Main Street Clinton, the Clinton Chamber of Commerce and the City of Clinton.
The competition is open to amateur home brewers, and participants must be at least 21 years old. Awards are given for Best of Show (selected by judges) and a People’s Choice Award (public vote on beers offered in the Red Brick Brew tasting garden at the festival Saturday, March 28). The beer garden is included in the price of admission to the festival that Saturday, for festival-goers age 21 and older.
Medal winners in first, second and third place in each category will be determined by the judges. All winners are announced onstage at the festival on Saturday, March 28.
To enter a home brew, review the competition rules and get more details on how the competition unfolds by following the link on the festival’s website, www.RedBrickRoads.com. Nine entries have already signed up. Entry registration is accepted through March 18. When registering, participants can enter their beer in the appropriate category, ambers to stouts to miscellaneous.
Registration is also open now through March 18 for certified judges and volunteers. Red Brick Brew is an AHA sanctioned/BJCP registered competition, with judging on the Sunday prior to the festival.
Entry bottles are accepted at the drop-off location, Olde Towne Depot, March 16-19, and judging takes place on March 22, the Sunday prior to the festival. Organizers ask competitors to please note drop-off hours on the competition website.
There is no competition entry fee, but participating home brewers must supply and be able to serve at least five gallons of beer for the Red Brick Brew tasting garden at the festival on Saturday, March 28. Those beers will be in the running for the People’s Choice Award, and festival-goers ages 21 and up can enter the tasting garden, get some sips, vote for their faves and hear all about home brew from the creators themselves.
