10th Manitowoc County Fair Blue Ribbon Brew Competition
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.
Entry Registration is Open
This competition is AHA sanctioned and open to any amateur homebrewer age 21 or older.
All mailed entries must be received at the mailing location by the entry deadline – please allow for shipping time.
All entries must be handcrafted products, containing ingredients available to the general public and made using private equipment by hobbyist brewers. (i.e. no use of commercial facilities or Brew on Premises operations, supplies, etc.)
The competition organizers are not responsible for mis-categorized entries, mailed entries that are not received by the entry deadline, or entries arrived damaged.
Brewers are not limited to one entry in each category but may only enter one entry in each subcategory.
Each participant may submit a maximum of six (6) entries. The contest will be limited to one hundred (100) entries.
Entry Fee is $10.00 per entry. Payable via PayPal.
Qualified judging of all entries is our primary goal of our event. Judges will evaluate and score each entry. The judges will determine an overall score based on their individual scores and will rank each entry in its category. Each flight will have at least one BJCP judge.
Both the first and final round of judging will use a check-list style evaluation method for beer entries which was developed by the BJCP. Review the beer checklist score sheet, score sheet instructions and beer fault list to be familiar with the judging process for beer.
The competition organizers reserves the right to combine categories for judging and restructure awards as needed based on the number of entries. All brews in combined categories will be judged according to the style they were originally entered in.
The Grand Champion Best of Show and Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show judging will be determined by a Best of Show Panel based on a second judging of the top winners.
Submitting Your Entry
Each entry will consist two (2) 10 to 12 ounce capped bottles or cans that are void of all identifying information, including labels and embossing - but raised lettering is ok. Caps must be blank or blacked out completely.
Bottle labels (which the online registration tool creates for entrants when they enter their beers) must be printed and placed in a plastic bag. Attach plastic bag with label inside to each bottle or can with a rubber band. Do not use tape or glue, since these will be disqualified.
An entry form will also be created for each beer as it is registered in the software. Please fill out the entry forms completely. Be meticulous about noting any special ingredients that must be specified per the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines. Failure to note such ingredients may impact the judges’ scoring of your entry.
Bottles will not be returned to the entrants.
Entry Acceptance Rules
Each entry will consist two (2) 10 to 12 ounce capped bottles or cans that are void of all identifying information, including labels and embossing - but raised lettering is ok. Caps must be blank or blacked out completely.
Bottle labels (which the online registration tool creates for entrants when they enter their beers) must be printed and placed in a plastic bag. Attach plastic bag with label inside to each bottle or can with a rubber band. Do not use tape or glue, since these will be disqualified.
An entry form will also be created for each beer as it is registered in the software. Please fill out the entry forms completely. Be meticulous about noting any special ingredients that must be specified per the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines. Failure to note such ingredients may impact the judges’ scoring of your entry.
Bottles will not be returned to the entrants.
Entry Info
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 2015 / 2021 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 |
| 30A Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | 30B Autumn Seasonal Beer | 30C Winter Seasonal 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 | LSX4 Catharina Sour |
| LSX5 New Zealand Pilsner |
Drop-Off Locations
Entry bottles accepted at our drop-off locations Saturday, August 1, 2026 9:00 AM, CDT — Friday, August 14, 2026 3:00 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.
Grape, Grain & Bean Home Brewing Supply
1226 South 35th Street, Manitowoc, WI 54220
920-682-8828
*Last Pick up of entries from this location will be on August 17, 2026.
4921 Expo Drive, Manitowoc, WI 54220
920-683-4378
*Drop Off Monday thru Friday 9am to 3pm by appointment. Please call 920-683-4378 to schedule a drop off appointment.
1921 S Washburn St, Oshkosh, WI 54904
920-517-1601
*Last Pick up of entries from this location will be on August 16, 2026.
14260 W National Avenue, New Berlin, WI 53151
262-788-0944
*Last Pick up of entries from this location will be on August 16, 2026.
Shipping Info
Entry bottles accepted at our shipping location Monday, August 3, 2026 9:00 AM, CDT — Friday, August 14, 2026 3:00 PM, CDT.
Ship entries to:
Manitowoc County Expo
4921 Expo Drive, Manitowoc, WI 54220
Packing and Shipping
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. Please do not over pack!Write clearly: Fragile. This Side Up. on the package. Please only use bubble wrap as your packing material.
Enclose each of your bottle labels in a small zip-top bag before attaching to their respective bottle or can. This way it makes it possible for the organizer to identify specifically which entry has broken if there is damage during shipment.
Every reasonable effort will be made to contact entrants whose bottles have broken to make arrangements for sending replacement bottles.
Judging Sessions
Mtwc Cty Fair Friday Evening
Friday, August 21, 2026 6:00 PM, CDT
Mtwc Cty Fair Saturday Morning
Saturday, August 22, 2026 10:00 AM, CDT
Mtwc Cty Fair Saturday Afternoon
Saturday, August 22, 2026 1:00 PM, CDT
Best of Show
Grand Champion Best of Show & Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show Awards Ceremony will happen during the Manitowoc County Fair* (4921 Expo Drive, Manitowoc)
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at 6:30pm.
*Admission required. $15 admission includes rides and grandstand
Grand Champion Best of Show Winner will receive a plaque and a $100.00 gift card to a Brew Supply Store.
Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show Winner will receive a plaque and a $75.00 gift card to a Brew Supply Store.
Awards
The awards ceremony will take place at the Manitowoc County Fair
Places and medals will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category/table.
Additional prizes may be awarded to the winners at the awards ceremony at the discretion of the competition organizers.
The 1st place entry in each category will advance to the Grand Champion Best of Show round. One beer will be selected as the Grand Champion Best of Show and one beer will be selected at the Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show. Additional prizes may be awarded to these winners at the discretion of the competition organizers.
Score sheets and awards will be available for pick up after the Best of Show Ceremony. Awards and score sheets not picked up will be mailed back to participants. Results will be posted to the website after the ceremony concludes.
Awards Ceremony
Manitowoc County Fair
4921 Expo Drive, Manitowoc, WI 54220
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 6:30 PM, CDT
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.
Other Volunteer Info
If you would like to be a part of the Annual Brew Competition please sign up or contact us. We would love to have you.
Sponsors
Contact
Use the form below to contact a competition official. All fields with a star are required.