Competition Rules & Schedules

STRUCTURE IN BRIEF

There are 11 classes within one Championship. It is intended that each class will have Gold, Silver & Bronze winners. The Gold Awards winners in each class are re-judged to find the Champion. In all classes where the number of entries exceeds 7.5% of the total competitions, a further ‘highly commended’ certificate will be awarded. If entries are low medals maybe restricted. To assist entrants, each judging team will provide a short commentary on the ciders, which will be communicated at the end of the competition.

DEFINITION OF AN ENTRY & STRUCTURE OF FEES

An entry is defined as a branded product, in commercial production, from a commercial brewery or cider house and offered for sale to the public at local or national retail establishments licensed for this purpose at the time of entry and not later than 31st January 2019. Trial ciders cannot be accepted. The standard entry fee is £168 (plus UK VAT) for each beer entry and £165 (plus UK VAT) for cider entry. UK VAT is payable on all entries unless outside of EU or EU VAT number given.

Entrants are responsible to pay any bank charges and must ensure the full GBP amount is received. No sample will be presented for judging unless the entry fee has been received in full. Full payment is required by no later 31st January 2019.

We recommend the following deadlines for registration to ensure you receive timely entry information.

Rest of the World – 6th January 2019
Europe – 13th January 2019
UK – 20th January 2019

The latest date for receipt of completed entry forms is 31st January 2019.

Cider entries must arrive at the warehouse in Burton upon Trent on or before 24th February 2019.

Late withdrawal will be accepted up to 31st January 2019. Any withdrawal after this date, or non arrival of samples, the entry fee will not be refunded.

ORIGIN

Multiple entry registrations of the same cider in the same pack category from a single production site are not permitted. More than one entry of the same brand from a single production site may be entered only if the sample is presented in different pack categories.

E.g. one entry quantity of smallpack, one keg and one cask of the same brand would be permissible. (Bottle and can variants of the same cider from a site are both considered as smallpack and only one would be permitted). The same brand in the same pack from different production sites may be entered. e.g. a licensed brand, multisite brewed brand. For the purpose of judging the Awards, three pack categories are deemed acceptable.

1.Smallpack of any type (bottle, can, PET etc )
2.Keg
3.Cask

Production site means the site producing the cider liquid.

If an agent/distributor etc is entering cider on behalf of a producer, the agent must ensure that registration and entry details are approved by the brand owner, whose products are being submitted.

ENTRY DETAILS

Full delivery details and despatch labels will be forwarded to the competitor on receipt of completed entry forms and clearance of entry funds. Entrants from the UK will receive confirmation via post and Europe will receive confirmation via post up until entries received by 13th January 2019, thereafter confirmations will be sent via email. The Rest of the World will receive confirmations via email.

All entries must be sent at the competitor’s risk with carriage paid.

Full delivery details will be sent to entrants.

Molson Coors has kindly agreed to assemble all entries in Burton upon Trent. Freight must arrive on or before February 2019. Full address details will be forwarded to confirmed entrants.

Ciders entered in the competition will be showcased and sold at the judging venue in the ensuing International Beer & Cider Festival, organised by the National Brewery Centre.

FOR ENTRIES FROM OUTSIDE THE UK

Competitors must inform their forwarding agent of the total volume of their consignment and its %ABV strength. The Organisers cannot be held responsible for clearance by UK Revenue and Customs authorities. Shipping authorisations must make it clear that the entrant is responsible for the payment of any UK duty and VAT. The receiving agent in the UK will not be able to pay monies etc. owing on the entrant’s behalf. Failure to complete the instructions correctly will delay receipt of entry samples.

COMPLIANCE

Organisers reserve the right to challenge any entry which is deemed not to meet the type/style qualification of the class being entered. They may either advise a move to an appropriate category and/or class or may arrange a refund of the entry fee. Any entries which fail to comply with the Competition conditions will be disqualified.

Companies with a judge on the Competitions’ panel are not barred from entering as the judge will not be involved in tasting ciders direct from the container from their own company/affiliation, nor in the elimination rounds of judging. The Organisers reserve the right to analyse any entry for  % ABV as appropriate. All entries must fall within the specified ranges. Notwithstanding legal tolerance of different geographies, in the awards, an ABV tolerance of 0.5 % will be used. The Chairman of Judges has the authority to alter, modify or add to conditions. In all cases during judging, the decision of the Chairman of Judges is final. The Competition is run in good faith and, by entering, the entrant agrees that no legal recourse is available.

RECOVERY OF EMPTY LARGEPACK CONTAINERS UK

competitors must collect casks and kegs from Kegwatch in Burton upon Trent. Overseas competitors will be required to collect their containers from Burton warehouse within the time frame given. If the competitor does not wish to collect the container please inform the Organisers on the entry forms. The Competition Organisers cannot return any casks or kegs and accept no responsibility for loss or damage.

IF YOU WIN AN AWARD

Award winners in each class (Gold, Silver and Bronze) will be announced at the National Brewery Centre on the afternoon of 10th
March 2019.

Subsequently, the Championship winner will be announced alongside the BFBi National Luncheon, 26th April 2019. Medal winners will receive one free ticket per medal win to attend the Luncheon and may purchase further tickets direct from BFBi. Medals, certificates and Championship trophies will be presented at the BFBi National Luncheon, Guildhall, City of London, UK, 26th April 2019.

Medal winners may be asked to supply fully badged samples of their winning entries for tasting by guests at the event. All entrants are advised that it is the Organiser’s policy not to publish a complete list of entries. Statistical information will be issued, but only the Award-winning brands/company will be publicised.

USE OF THE AWARDS LOGO

There is an approved form of wording to describe the class and status of each Award. Companies whose entries receive an Award will be advised how that Award maybe described in that brand’s publicity, promotional and packaging material. Should you win the Championship trophy, this will be presented at Guildhall. Championship winners will receive a commemorative trophy to retain.

Submission of a cider for entry implies full acceptance by the entrant company and their advertising agents of the rules governing the fair and correct description of any Award.

ANY QUERIES ?

If entrants have any queries relating to the above rules, they may contact the Organisers.

Email organisation@brewingawards.org

Tel + 44 (0)1902 422303

Specific rules for entries in small pack, kegs and cask are displayed on the specific entrant information and cider entry forms are available on the website www.brewingawards.org

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR SMALL PACK ENTRIES 

24 glass bottles, cans or PET bottles should be submitted for each entry where bottle or can volume is less than 500mls. For bottles or cans over 500 mls then 12 bottles or cans are required. If bottles are of more than a litre in volume, please contact the organising team for guidance. Entrants have a choice of pouring temperature (4oc or 8oc – please specify on entry form) Labels showing the class number must be attached to 12 bottles, cans or PET bottles and the case address label completed with the brewery name and postal address. Labels for sediment beers are provided and should be attached where appropriate and on the same side of the bottle or can as the judging number label. No packaging material, cases or bottles will be returned.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR KEG ENTRIES

Keg beer must be entered in a container of minimum 20 litres or 6 US gallons and maximum of 50 litres or 15 US gallons. Keg beer must be filled into the commercial keg that is sold in the market. Entrants must specify the type of keg coupler required.

If your coupler type is not on the Organisers’ list, please send your coupler, securely attached to the container.

Entrants have a choice of dispense gas mixture (CO2 only or 30:70 (CO2:N2) and pouring temperature (4 o c or 8o c).

If the CO2 content of the beer is above 1.35 vols (2.7g/l), the Organiser will only be able to dispense using 100% CO2, due to the necessity to store kegs at ambient temperature and considerations of safe working pressures at that temperature.

*** All beers, including those electing for mixed gas dispense, will be served through an IMI Cornelius Dalex 200 Flow Control Tap.

It is possible to fit a restrictor plate (orifice plate) into the spout nozzle (Catalogue 84 4205 021) which does not have any further sparkler device fitted.

The plate dimensions are critical – only a stainless steel disc of o.d. 12.87 to 13.33mm, 0.92 to
1.08mm thickness will fit.

The intention to supply an orifice plate must be marked on the entry form and the plate securely
attached to the head of the keg in a strong envelope marked appropriately. If you do not supply an orifice plate, a standard nozzle (Catalogue 84 4207 001) with sparkler will be used.

There is NO opportunity for entrants to supply any of their own equipment beyond the orifice restrictor plate.

A label showing class number must be attached to the top and bottom of each keg and the container address label completed with the brewery name and postal address. Mixed gas and coupler/orifice plate labels will be provided.

Where appropriate, these must be affixed to the keg head.

Recovery of empty largepack containers - See General Competition Rules to ensure the safe return of your containers.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR CASK ENTRIES 

Cask beer must be entered in a container of 9 UK gallons / 40 litres or less. Cask beer must be entered in the commercial cask that is sold in the market.

The cask must allow traditional belly stillage with dispense via a keystone tap. The Organisers cannot accept ‘upright’ type containers dispensed using gas pressure. Beers must be fined ready for stillaging; no fining will be allowed at the Competition.

Beers will be poured at 12o c +/-2o c Casks should have plain wood or white plastic shives and keystones. A label showing the class number must be attached to the top and bottom of each cask and the container address label completed with the brewery name and postal address.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIALITY BEER ENTRIES

Entries in speciality Beer competition must be fermented primarily from a cereal source. The product must have been brewed with materials or processes such that the resulting beer is clearly discernible as not a "mainstream" product.

Several classes require specific information to be provided on special ingredients , flavours or processes to assist organisers with the management of judging . Please ensure this information in included with your entry .

Class 3 : the name of the Organisation validating the organic status is to be provided.

Class 7 : the list of non water ingredients is to be provided in this Zero Gluten class and may need to be obtained from the brewery where entries are made by a distributor .

Beers labelled as Gluten Free in geographies such as Europe that contain gluten ,but at a low level of less than 20 ppm, must NOT be entered in this class .

This class is for beer with ZERO gluten made from ingredients containing ZERO gluten. Those Gluten Free beers which contain gluten but at a level below 20 ppm can be entered in other classes in the competition according to their style.