Hoppy Halloween Challenge
Entries
Judging
Entry Registration
Judge Registration
Steward Registration
Entry Drop-Off
Entry Shipping
Rules
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.
OVERVIEW
The Hoppy Halloween Challenge held in Fargo, ND is open to any homebrewer from within the United States and Canada. Affiliation of entrants with American Homebrewers Association is NOT a requirement. Contestants will be considered as an individual entrant on the basis of person's name appearing on the registration form. Combinations of brewers should appear in the same order on all entries. Applicable entry fees and entry limitations shall apply.
A homebrewer may not use homebrewing facilities other than their own, unless brewed with the help of the owner of those other homebrewing facilities. Furthermore, in this case, the beer must be entered under the name of all brewers who helped. Beers brewed in commercially licensed facilities, brew on premise, whether for commercial research or production, or for any other purpose, are ineligible.
All entries that are shipped must be received at the designated location by the entry deadline - please allow for shipping time.
The competition organizers are not responsible for mis-categorized entries, shipped entries that are not received by the entry deadline, or entries that arrive broken or damaged.
Entries must be referred to by category and subcategory letter. Each entry should be entered according to the current AHA/BJCP Style Guidelines (2021 Beer, 2015 Mead, 2025 Cider), or the two custom categories.
Qualified judging of all entries is the primary goal of our event. Each flight will have at least one BJCP qualified judge and judges will evaluate, score, and leave feedback for each entry.
The Best of Show will be determined by a Blue Ribbon Panel based on a second judging of the winners of each eligible category.
ENTRIES
Entries for 2026 Hoppy Halloween Challenge are limited to 350. This will include a PER ENTRANT limit of FIVE. Please note that ONLY PAID ENTRIES will be eligible for the competition. If you do not pay when you submit your entry registration, and we reach our maximum number of entries prior to your payment, your entry will be forfeit. We advise that you do not ship your beer unless you have paid your entry fee.
AWARDS CEREMONY
The awards ceremony and banquet for the 2026 Hoppy Halloween Challenge will be a ticketed event, including dinner and a guest speaker. Details will be provided closer to the event.
We will also live stream the awards ceremony and post results in near real time on our Hoppy Halloween Challenge Facebook page.
SHIPPING GUIDELINES
Please note, updated shipping guidelines!
Print and attach an entry label using clear packing tape to each bottle.
Carefully pack your entries in a sturdy box. Line the inside of your carton with a plastic trash bag. Partition and pack each bottle with adequate packaging material. Write clearly: "Fragile - This Side Up" on the package.
Reasonable efforts will be made to contact entrants whose bottles have broken to make arrangements for sending replacement bottles.
Bottles will not be returned to entrants.
Entry Acceptance Rules
Halloween Theme beers will require only one bottle and ARE NOT eligible for Best of Show. Brewers ARE allowed to enter more than one beer in the Theme category, but they must be obviously different beers.
Fresh Killed Hops beers require two bottles, and ARE eligible for Best of Show. Brewers ARE allowed to enter more than one beer in this custom category, but they must be obviously different beers.
For the competition, homebrewing competitors must enter two bottles for each beer entered (except for Halloween Theme beers.)
Bottles must be glass or plastic of ANY style and clean and free of any labels (inked, paper, or otherwise). Entrants are encouraged to use brown, long-neck bottles for maximum protection from light and breakage.
Cans will also be accepted if they are free of any labels or markings.
Soft drink or other printed crowned caps are acceptable; however, they need to be blacked-out with a black marking pen to ensure anonymity in all judging situations.
Only 1 ENTRY per Sub-Category will be allowed except in categories 23F, 27, 29, 30A, 32, 33, 34, M2B-E, M3, M4, C2B, C2E, C2F only if the entries are VERY obviously not the same beer or mead. If the entries are determined that they may be the same, then both will be disqualified.
By submitting an entry to this competition, winning brewers agree to provide a recipe, if requested.
All entry fees, names of competitor, address, phone number, Class and Subcategory entered must be entered when entries are submitted. No entries will be returned whether received late or otherwise. All entries become property of the Prairie Homebrewing Companions Competition Committee.
Beers will be disqualified for entry requirements infractions. These entries may still be judged but will be ineligible for awards or prizes.
Please fill out the entry information online completely. Be meticulous about noting any special ingredients that must be specified per the applicable BJCP Style Guidelines. Failure to note such ingredients may impact the judges' scoring of your entry.
Entry Info
Entry Limits
- Entry Limit:
- 350
- Entry Limit – Paid:
- 350
Entry Limits Per Participant
- Entry Limit Per Participant:
- 5
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
BJCP 2021 / 2025 Styles Accepted
Indicates that the style's entry limit has been reached and no more entries of that style will be accepted.
| 1A American Light Lager | 1B American Lager | 1C Cream Ale |
| 1D American Wheat Beer | 2A International Pale Lager | 2B International Amber Lager |
| 2C International Dark Lager | 3A Czech Pale Lager | 3B Czech Premium Pale Lager |
| 3C Czech Amber Lager | 3D Czech Dark Lager | 4A Munich Helles |
| 4B Festbier | 4C Helles Bock | 5A German Leichtbier |
| 5B Kölsch | 5C German Helles Exportbier | 5D German Pils |
| 6A Märzen | 6B Rauchbier | 6C Dunkels Bock |
| 7A Vienna Lager | 7B Altbier | 8A Munich Dunkel |
| 8B Schwarzbier | 9A Doppelbock | 9B Eisbock |
| 9C Baltic Porter | 10A Weissbier | 10B Dunkels Weissbier |
| 10C Weizenbock | 11A Ordinary Bitter | 11B Best Bitter |
| 11C Strong Bitter | 12A British Golden Ale | 12B Australian Sparkling Ale |
| 12C English IPA | 13A Dark Mild | 13B British Brown Ale |
| 13C English Porter | 14A Scottish Light | 14B Scottish Heavy |
| 14C Scottish Export | 15A Irish Red Ale | 15B Irish Stout |
| 15C Irish Extra Stout | 16A Sweet Stout | 16B Oatmeal Stout |
| 16C Tropical Stout | 16D Foreign Extra Stout | 17A British Strong Ale |
| 17A1 Burton Ale | 17B Old Ale | 17C Wee Heavy |
| 17D English Barley Wine | 18A Blonde Ale | 18B American Pale Ale |
| 19A American Amber Ale | 19B California Common | 19C American Brown Ale |
| 20A American Porter | 20B American Stout | 20C Imperial Stout |
| 21A American IPA | 21B Specialty IPA | 21B1 Belgian IPA |
| 21B2 Black IPA | 21B3 Brown IPA | 21B4 Red IPA |
| 21B5 Rye IPA | 21B6 White IPA | 21B7 Brut IPA |
| 21C Hazy IPA | 22A Double IPA | 22B American Strong Ale |
| 22C American Barleywine | 22D Wheatwine | 23A Berliner Weisse |
| 23B Flanders Red Ale | 23C Oud Bruin | 23D Lambic |
| 23E Gueuze | 23F Fruit Lambic | 23G Gose |
| 24A Witbier | 24B Belgian Pale Ale | 24C Bière de Garde |
| 25A Belgian Blond Ale | 25B Saison | 25C Belgian Golden Strong Ale |
| 26A Belgian Single | 26B Belgian Dubbel | 26C Belgian Tripel |
| 26D Belgian Dark Strong Ale | 27A Historical Beer | 27A1 Kellerbier |
| 27A2 Kentucky Common | 27A3 Lichtenhainer | 27A4 London Brown Ale |
| 27A5 Piwo Grodziskie | 27A6 Pre-Prohibition Lager | 27A7 Pre-Prohibition Porter |
| 27A8 Roggenbier | 27A9 Sahti | 28A Brett Beer |
| 28B Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer | 28C Wild Specialty Beer | 28D Straight Sour Beer |
| 29A Fruit Beer | 29B Fruit and Spice Beer | 29C Specialty Fruit Beer |
| 29D Grape Ale | 30A Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | 30B Autumn Seasonal Beer |
| 30C Winter Seasonal Beer | 30D Specialty Spice Beer | 31A Alternative Grain Beer |
| 31B Alternative Sugar Beer | 32A Classic Style Smoked Beer | 32B Specialty Smoked Beer |
| 33A Wood-Aged Beer | 33B Specialty Wood-Aged Beer | 34A Commercial Specialty Beer |
| 34B Mixed-Style Beer | 34C Experimental Beer | 701HT Halloween Theme (Custom Style) |
| LSX1 Dorada Pampeana | LSX2 IPA Argenta | LSX3 Italian Grape Ale |
| LSX4 Catharina Sour | LSX5 New Zealand Pilsner | 701FK Fresh Killed Hops (Custom Style) |
| C1A Common Cider | C1B Heirloom Cider | C1C English Cider |
| C1D French Cider | C1E Spanish Cider | C2A New England Cider |
| C2B Applewine | C2C Ice Cider | C2D Fire Cider |
| C3A Fruit Cider | C3B Spiced Cider | C3C Experimental Cider |
| C4A Common Perry | C4B Heirloom Perry | C4C Ice Perry |
| C4D Experimental Perry | M1A Dry Mead | M1B Semi-Sweet Mead |
| M1C Sweet Mead | M2A Cyser | M2B Pyment |
| M2C Berry Mead | M2D Stone Fruit Mead | M2E Melomel |
| M3A Fruit and Spice Mead | M3B Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Mead | M4A Braggot |
| M4B Historical Mead | M4C Experimental Mead |
Entry Delivery
Entry bottles accepted at our drop-off locations Monday, September 28, 2026 9:00 AM, CDT — Friday, October 9, 2026 7:00 PM, CDT.
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.
Jon Stika
2139 12th Street West, West Fargo, ND, 58078
701-290-3270
Shipping Info
Entry bottles accepted at our shipping location Monday, September 28, 2026 9:00 AM, CDT — Friday, October 9, 2026 7:00 PM, CDT.
Ship entries to:
Jon Stika
2139 12th Street West, West Fargo, 58078
Packing and Shipping
Please note updated shipping guidelines
Print and attach an entry label using clear packing tape to each bottle.
Carefully pack your entries in a sturdy box. Line the inside of your carton with a plastic trash bag. Partition and pack each bottle with adequate packaging material. Write clearly: "Fragile - This Side Up" on the package.
Reasonable efforts will be made to contact entrants whose bottles have broken to make arrangements for sending replacement bottles.
Bottles will not be returned to entrants.
Judging Sessions
Wednesday "A" 5:30p
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 5:30 PM, CDT
Wednesday "A" 8p
Wednesday, October 14, 2026 8:00 PM, CDT
Sunday 1p
Sunday, October 18, 2026 1:00 PM, CDT
Sunday 3p
Sunday, October 18, 2026 3:00 PM, CDT
Wednesday "B" 5:30p
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 5:30 PM, CDT
Wednesday "B" 8p
Wednesday, October 21, 2026 8:00 PM, CDT
Friday 2p
Friday, October 23, 2026 2:00 PM, CDT
Friday 5:30p
Friday, October 23, 2026 5:30 PM, CDT
Friday 8p
Friday, October 23, 2026 8:00 PM, CDT
Saturday 9a
Saturday, October 24, 2026 9:00 AM, CDT
Saturday 11a
Saturday, October 24, 2026 11:00 AM, CDT
Best of Show - 2p
Saturday, October 24, 2026 2:00 PM, CDT
Halloween Theme Beer Judging - 4p
Saturday, October 24, 2026 4:00 PM, CDT
Best of Show
The Best of Show will be determined by a Blue Ribbon Panel based on a second judging of the winners of each eligible category.
Best of Show Beer and Best of Show Mead/Cider will receive a themed trophy and prizes.
Halloween Theme beers are not eligible for Best of Show.
Awards
The awards ceremony will take place once judging is completed.
Results will be announced LIVE on the Hoppy Halloween Challenge Facebook page during the Awards Ceremony. https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1961FkUQoX/
All beers placing 1st, 2nd or 3rd will win a Hoppy Halloween Challenge Medal hung from a special hand-crafted Halloween themed lanyard that will be shipped to all the winners.
The Halloween Theme Beer and Fresh Killed Hops Beer winners will also receive awards.
If you would like to attend the banquet dinner in person, please RSVP in advance: contact hoppyhalloween@gmail.com to RSVP and pay the $35/person fee. Fee includes dinner, guest speaker, and awards ceremony presentation. First come, first served until we reach maximum capacity - if you do not receive a confirmation via email, we have not received your RSVP and we may not have capacity when you arrive.
Awards Ceremony
Country Inn & Suites
3316 13th Ave S, Fargo, ND 58103
Saturday, October 24, 2026 8:30 PM, CDT
Circuit Qualification
The Hoppy Halloween Challenge is a participating competition in the Midwest Homebrewer of the Year and the High Plains Brewer.
Volunteers
Judges and Stewards
If you have registered, log in and then choose Edit Account from the My Account menu indicated by the icon on the top menu.
If you have not registered and are willing to be a judge or steward, please register.
Staff
If you would like to volunteer to be a competition staff member, please register or update your account to indicate that you wish to be a part of the competition staff.
Sponsors
Contact
Use the links below to contact individuals involved with coordinating this competition:
- – Admin
- – Judging Coordinator
- – Competition Coordinator
- – Cellar Master, Entry Shipping Location