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Entry Registration is Open

Eligibility

To be eligible to enter the Maryland Craft Beer Competition, breweries must hold a valid Maryland manufacturer’s license and be a current member of the Brewers Association of Maryland.

The Maryland Craft Beer Competition is BJCP-sanctioned.

Entry Registration

All entries must be registered through this website by 5:00 PM on September 16, 2026. Entries submitted after the registration deadline will not be eligible for judging.

Breweries may enter a maximum of 10 beers total, with no more than two entries in any single category. Each beer may be entered only once in the competition.

The entry fee is $50 per beer.

Please do not send a check. The Brewers Association of Maryland (BAM) will issue an invoice for all registered entries.

Entry Drop-Off

Drop-Off Window
September 8–22, 2026

Entries may be dropped off at Oliver Brewing Company, 8370 Jumpers Hole Rd., Millersville, MD 21108, Monday through Friday between 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM during the September 8–22 drop-off window.

All entries will be stored under refrigeration from the time they are received until judging begins.

Entries must be received during the designated drop-off window. Entries delivered before September 8 or after 3:00 PM on September 22 will not be eligible for judging.

Judging

Entries will be judged within the 20 competition categories listed under the Info tab. Competition organizers reserve the right to combine categories or create additional categories as needed based on the number and distribution of entries received.

Awards will be presented to deserving entries within each category, regardless of any category combining or restructuring necessary to balance judging panels.

Best of Show will be determined through a separate Best of Show judging round following completion of the category judging.

Entry Acceptance Rules

Entry Categories

Pale Ale - GABF 62, 63, 68, 69C, 69D, 70B, 89A, 89B, 89C, 90, 92A, 93, 94, 95

American IPA - GABF 100, 102

Specialty IPA - GABF 23A, 47A, 91

Double IPA - GABF 98, 99

Juicy/Hazy/Fruity IPA - GABF 101

Sour Beers and Wild Ales - GABF 29A, 29B, 30, 31, 64A, 64B, 65A, 65B

Smoked or Wood-Aged - GABF 32, 33, 34, 35A, 35B, 37A, 37B, 37C, 37D, 37E, 37F

Fruit Beers - GABF 2, 3, 4

Spiced Beers - GABF 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Pale Lager and Pilsner - GABF 36A, 36B, 38A, 38B, 39A, 39B, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46A, 46B, 47B, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54A, 54B

Amber, Dark Lagers and Bocks - GABF 20A, 49A, 49B, 49C, 55, 56, 57A, 57B, 57C, 58, 59, 60A, 60B, 60C, 60D, 61A, 61B

Amber Ales and Brown Ales - GABF 17E, 17F, 66A, 69A, 69B, 70A, 71A, 71B, 71C, 72, 73, 81, 87A, 87B, 92B, 96, 97A

Porters and Stouts - GABF 11A, 11B, 23B, 82A, 82B, 83, 84A, 84B, 85A, 85B

Wheat Beers - GABF 1, 67A, 67B, 67C, 67D

Belgian Style Beers - GABF 22B, 66B, 66C, 74, 75A, 75B, 76A, 76B, 76C, 77, 78A, 78B, 78C, 78D, 79A, 79B, 79C, 79D, 79F, 80A, 80B

Specialty/Experimental Beers - GABF 12A, 12B, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22A, 24A, 24B, 26, 27, 28, 79E

Session Beer - GABF 17A, 17B, 17C, 17D, 18

Strong Beer - GABF 19A, 19B, 20B, 20C, 21A, 21B, 86A, 86B, 87C, 87D, 87E, 88A, 88B, 88C, 97B

Historical Beer - GABF 25A, 25B, 25C, 25D, 25E, 25F, 25G, 25H

Local Ingredient - Custom Style. Any style listed above brewed with 100% ingredients grown locally (Maryland or any county touching Maryland), excluding local requirement for hops and yeast.

Bottles

Bottled entries must be submitted in sealed, capped or corked bottles that clearly identify the entry through a label, tag, sticker, or embossing. Printed caps are permitted.

12 oz. brown glass bottles are preferred, but green or clear glass bottles, swing-top bottles, and corked bottles will also be accepted. Bottles between 12 and 22 oz. are permitted.

A minimum of four 12 oz. bottles, or the equivalent volume, must be provided per entry.

Cans

Canned entries must be submitted in sealed cans that clearly identify the entry through a label, tag, or sticker.

12 oz. cans are preferred, but 16 oz., 22 oz., and larger cans will also be accepted.

A minimum of four cans, regardless of size, must be provided per entry.

Growlers and Crowlers

Growlers and crowlers are accepted but are not preferred. Each must be sealed and clearly identify the entry through a label, tag, or sticker.

Growlers and crowlers between 16 and 64 oz. are permitted, with a minimum of 48 oz. of beer per entry.

Entry Labels

Every entry must include the correct entry label printed directly from this website. Please double-check that the label matches the beer being submitted.

The entry label should be securely attached to each bottle, can, growler, or crowler, preferably using clear packing tape. Do not submit paperwork loose in the box or case.

Before dropping off your entries, verify that:

The correct label is attached to the correct beer.
Each container is clearly identified.
All required information is complete and legible.
Any special ingredients, fruit, spices, flavorings, wood treatment, or other required entry details are clearly listed where requested.

Please be meticulous when identifying special ingredients or required entry information. Judges evaluate entries based in part on the information provided. Missing or incorrect information may negatively affect how your beer is judged.

Bottle / Can / Growler Returns

Bottles, cans, crowlers and growlers will not be returned to entrants.

Entry Fees

$50.00 (USD) per entry.

Entry Limits Per Participant

Entry Limit Per Participant:

10

BA Styles Accepted

If a style's name is hyperlinked, it has specific entry requirements. Select or tap on the name to access the Brewers Association styles as listed on their website.

Entry Delivery

Entry bottles accepted at our drop-off locations Tuesday, September 8, 2026 08:00, EDT — Tuesday, September 22, 2026 17:00, EDT.

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.

Oliver Brewing Company
8370 Jumpers Hole Rd. Milersville, MD
410-555-1212
*Visit the website to confirm hours for dropoff

Judging Sessions

First Rounds MCBC 20246
Saturday, September 26, 2026 09:00, EDT

Final Round/Best of Show
Saturday, September 26, 2026 16:00, EDT

Best of Show

Gold, silver and bronze winners will be awarded in 20 categories and will receive medals and tin tackers. Gold medal winners will receive a $300 reimbursement to enter a beer in the World Beer Cup or Great American Beer Festival. Additionally, three Best in Show winners will receive trophies.

The Ceremony will also include awards for Ambassador of Craft Beer, Craft Beer Bar or Restaurant of the Year, and Craft Beer Bottle Shop of the Year. These winners will also receive trophies. The nominees for these three awards will be voted on by BAM Brewery Members.

All winners will be featured in a BAM passport to be distributed at the end of the event, will receive the option to be featured in a BAM reel to promote their brewery, and will receive social media frames and a press release template to promote their win.

Awards

The Awards Ceremony will be held at Heavy Seas on Friday November 6, 2026. It is a ticketed event open to breweries and the general public that will include a Brewers’ Happy Hour for breweries who submitted beers to the competition, followed by the awards announcement and ceremony open to the public, and a brewery after-party. The event will also include a vendor market and silent auction.

Awards Ceremony

MD Craft Beer Competition Awards Ceremony
HEAVY SEAS BEER 4615 Hollins Ferry Rd. Halethorpe, MD 21227
Friday, November 6, 2026 18:00, EST