Judge and Steward Registration is Open

If you have not registered and are willing to be a volunteer, please register.

If you have registered, log in and then choose Edit Account from the My Account menu indicated by the icon on the top menu.

Entry Registration is Open

This competition is the ACT Amateur Brewing Championship, a competition open to all residents of the ACT and/or members of the Canberra Brewers Club.

AABC Qualification

This competition is a registered Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) event brought to you by the Canberra Brewers and is the ACT qualifier for the Australian Amateur Brewing Championships. The top three placed beers in each AABC category are eligible for entry into the 2026 AABC.

All entrants will receive result scoresheets as soon as practicable after the competition.

ACT Champion Brewer of the Year

The ACT Champion Brewer of the Year is determined through results at the ACT Champs.

To have your entries considered for ACT Champion Brewer of the Year:

1. You must have 5 unique entries at ACTABC to be eligible.
2. You must have at least one lager and one ale in your combination of 5 entries.
3. Only 1 entry per AABC category will count towards your score for Champion Brewer. (i.e. no more than one entry from any one of the 18 beer categories)

Scoring Rules:

1. Your best five point scoring entries will be summed to give an overall total.
2. If a single brewer has the highest overall score, the brewer with the highestscore will be declared ACT Champion Brewer of the Year.

Bentspoke Bentbrewer

The competition is subsidised by the Canberra Brewers Club and supported by Bentspoke Brewing Co who are generously providing the judging venue. In addition, the first placed beers in each category (not meads or ciders) go into a separate best of show session to determine the Bentspoke Bentbrewer who will get their beer brewed and served at Bentspoke Brewing Co.

Style Guidelines

This competition is based upon the 2025 Australian Amateur Brewing Championship Style guidelines.

Amateur brews

The competition is restricted to amateur brews, that is to beers not subject to excise duty.

This means any beer not fermented on licensed brewing premises is eligible, including beers made using extract kits, wort kits, or any other source of fresh wort. Brew-On-Premises beers are ineligible as these are subject to excise duty.

Entries must be submitted under the brewer's own name.

Entry Registration is open until Midnight on Saturday 28 August

Drop offs are open from 9 pm on Friday 28 August until noon on Sunday 6 September

Quick links:

• Entry Acceptance Rules
• Drop-Off Locations
• Judging Sessions and Dates
• Styles Accepted

Entry Acceptance Rules

Two entries are allowed per Category and only one entry per Style.

Example:
You can enter two beers into the Pale Ale Category (AABC Category 4) and they must be in different styles, Cream Ale style (BJCP 1C) and Australian Sparkling Ale style (BJCP 12B).

One bottle/can per entry must be provided.
Minimum bottle/can sizes:

• 450ml

All entries must be void of all identifying information, including labels and embossing. Printed caps are allowed, but must be blacked out completely.

Bottle/can labels must be attached securely with clear tape. The Club and CompSec are not responsible for any mislabelled entries or entries missing labels. If you are having difficulty with labels please contact the competition organisers.

Ensure you fill out the entry forms completely. Be meticulous about noting any special ingredients or information that must be specified. Failure to note such details may impact the judges' ability to score your entry.

Entry Fees

$8.00 (AUD) per entry.

Entry Limits Per Participant

Per Style Entry Limit:

1

Pay Entry Fees

After creating your account and adding your entries to the system, you must pay your entry fee(s). Accepted payment methods are:

• Credit/debit card and e-check, via PayPal

AABC 2022 Styles Accepted

Indicates that the style's entry limit has been reached and no more entries of that style will be accepted.

Drop-Off Locations

Entry bottles accepted at our drop-off locations Friday 28 August, 2026 9:00 PM, AEST — Sunday 6 September, 2026 12:00 PM, AEST.

Please pay attention to the notes provided for each drop-off location. There could be earlier deadlines for some drop-off locations listed, particular hours when entries are accepted, certain individuals to leave your entries with, etc. All entrants are responsible for reading the information provided by the organizers for each drop-off location.

Brew Your Own At Home
Shop 5/66 Primmer Ct, Kambah ACT 2902
(02) 6296 1412
*Please note BYOAH do not have cold storage (fridge) available for your entries.

Mr Ed's: By Appointment Only
15 Kerridge St, Kingston
0416492606

Nicname's House
171 Brigalow St Lyneham
0439030544
*Please leave entries in Esky on front verandah

Rob's Place - By Appointment (Evenings And Weekends)
24 Forbes St, Turner, ACT 2612
0420749535

Judging Sessions

1st Session - Friday Evening
Friday 11 September, 2026 7:00 PM, AEST

2nd Session - Saturday Morning
Saturday 12 September, 2026 8:30 AM, AEST

3rd Session - Saturday Afternoon
Saturday 12 September, 2026 1:30 PM, AEST

4th Session - Sunday Morning
Sunday 13 September, 2026 8:30 AM, AEST

Best of Show

The first placed beers in each category (not meads or ciders) go into a separate best of show session to determine the Bentspoke Bentbrewer who will get their beer brewed and served at Bentspoke Brewing Co.

Awards

The ACT Champion Brewer of the Year is determined through results at the ACT Champs.

To have your entries considered for ACT Champion Brewer of the Year:

1. You must have 5 unique entries at ACTABC to be eligible.
2. You must have at least one lager and one ale in your combination of 5 entries.
3. Only 1 entry per AABC category will count towards your score for Champion Brewer. (i.e. no more than one entry from any one of the 18 beer categories)

Scoring Rules:

1. Your best five point scoring entries will be summed to give an overall total.
2. If a single brewer has the highest overall score, the brewer with the highestscore will be declared ACT Champion Brewer of the Year.

Awards Ceremony

Canberra Brewers monthly meeting at the White Eagle Polish Club, O'Connor
38 David St, Turner ACT
Thursday 5 November, 2026 7:00 PM, AEST