Motown MASH
Entries
Judging
Entry Registration
Judge Registration
Steward Registration
Entry Drop-Off
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.
The Motown Mash Homebrew Competition is AHA sanctioned and open to any amateur homebrewer 21 years of age or older.
Judging will be conducted according to the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines, and entries are accepted in all beer, mead, and cider categories.
Eligibility
All entries must be:
- Handcrafted by amateur homebrewers.
- Produced using ingredients available to the general public.
- Brewed on privately owned equipment.
- Not produced using commercial brewing facilities, Brew-on-Premises operations, or similar commercial equipment.
Judging
Our primary goal is to provide high-quality, constructive judging for every entry.
- All entries will be evaluated by qualified judges.
- Each judging flight will include at least one BJCP judge.
- Judges determine medal placements based on the quality of the entries within the flight. Scores alone do not guarantee placement.
- Large flights may use a mini Best of Show (mini-BOS) round to determine award rankings.
Categories
- Brewers may submit multiple entries across a BJCP category.
- Each BJCP subcategory may only be entered once per brewer, unless otherwise specified.
- Example: A brewer may enter both 10A Weissbier and 10B Dunkles Weissbier, but may not enter two 10A Weissbiers.
If necessary, the competition committee may combine categories based on entry counts. When categories are combined, similar styles and characteristics will be grouped together, and every entry will still be judged according to the style in which it was originally entered.
Additional Information
- Competition organizers are not responsible for:
- Mis-categorized entries
- Entries not received by the deadline
- Entries damaged before arrival
- Competition organizers reserve the right to restructure judging flights and awards based on the quantity and quality of entries.
- Bottles will not be returned after the competition.
Entry Acceptance Rules
Entry Requirements
Each entry must consist of two (2) containers.
Entries received with only one container will be judged in their respective category but may not be eligible for Best of Show, as a second container may be required for BOS judging.
Acceptable Containers
All containers must be free of identifying information, including labels, embossing, or other markings.
Accepted container types include:
- 12 oz brown glass bottles (preferred)
- Green or clear glass bottles
- Swing-top bottles
- Corked bottles
- 22 oz bombers
- Cans
Printed bottle caps are permitted but must be completely blacked out.
While the above container types are accepted, 12 oz brown glass bottles are strongly preferred, as larger bottles, swing-tops, corked bottles, and cans require additional handling during judging.
Bottle Labels
Each container must have the appropriate competition bottle label attached using rubber bands only.
Do not tape or glue labels directly to bottles or cans.
Entries with labels attached by any method other than rubber bands will not be accepted.
Entry Forms
Please complete all entry information carefully, especially when entering styles that require declaration of special ingredients, fermentation characteristics, or other required information.
Incomplete or inaccurate information may negatively impact the judges' evaluation of your entry.
Entry Info
Entry Limits
- Entry Limit:
- 350
- Entry Limit – Paid:
- 250
Entry Limits Per Participant
- Entry Limit Per Participant:
- 5
- 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
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 |
| 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 | LSX1 Dorada Pampeana |
| LSX2 IPA Argenta | LSX3 Italian Grape Ale | LSX4 Catharina Sour |
| LSX5 New Zealand Pilsner | C1A New World Cider | C1B English Cider |
| C1C French Cider | C1D New World Perry | C1E Traditional Perry |
| C2A New England Cider | C2B Cider with Other Fruit | C2C Applewine |
| C2D Ice Cider | C2E Cider with Herbs/Spices | C2F Specialty Cider/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 |
Drop-Off Locations
Entry bottles accepted at our drop-off locations Monday, August 17, 2026 12:00 PM, EDT — Friday, September 4, 2026 5:00 PM, 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.
135 Main Street, Suite B, Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889
(908) 823-4227
*This location only accepts hand delivered entries. Entries shipped via UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc., will not be accepted.
50 Parsippany Rd., Whippany, NJ 07981
973-240-7506
*This location only accepts hand delivered entries. Entries shipped via UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc., will not be accepted.
Keystone Homebrew Supply
3361 Bethlehem Pike, Souderton, PA 18964
(215) 855-0100
*This location only accepts hand delivered entries. Entries shipped via UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc., will not be accepted.
The Thirsty Quaker
492 Monmouth St, Jersey City, NJ 07302
(201) 659-2304
*This location only accepts hand delivered entries. Entries shipped via UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc., will not be accepted.
The Wine Barrel Maplewood
1886 Springfield Ave, Maplewood, NJ 07040
(973) 275-0400
*This location only accepts hand delivered entries. Entries shipped via UPS, FedEx, USPS, etc., will not be accepted.
Judging Sessions
Dan's Garage 1
Friday, September 18, 2026 12:00 AM, EDT
Dan's Garage 2
Friday, September 18, 2026 12:00 AM, EDT
Dan's Garage 3
Friday, September 18, 2026 12:00 AM, EDT
Virtual Place Holder
Friday, September 18, 2026 12:00 AM, EDT
Morning Session
Saturday, September 19, 2026 9:00 AM, EDT
Afternoon Session
Saturday, September 19, 2026 12:30 PM, EDT
Final Final Judging Session
Friday, September 25, 2026 12:00 AM, EDT through Friday, September 25, 2026 1:11 PM, EDT
Dan's garage has the beers
Best of Show
The First Place beer from each beer category will advance to the Best of Show (BOS) round, where a dedicated BOS panel will select a single overall Best of Show beer.
Awards
Awards
The awards ceremony will be held at Double Tap in Whippany, New Jersey on September 26.
We anticipate the ceremony beginning shortly after the brewery opens, at approximately 12:30 PM.
Category Awards
Awards may be presented for First, Second, and Third Place within each judging table.
Judges reserve the right to withhold awards if, in their opinion, no entry meets the standard of quality expected for that placement.
Results & Scoresheets
Digital scoresheets will be available through your participant login on the competition website following the competition.
Arrangements for delivery or pickup of Best of Show awards will be made individually with each winning brewer.
Official results will be published on the competition website following the conclusion of the awards ceremony.
Awards Ceremony
Double Tap Brewing
50 Parsippany Rd, Whippany, NJ 07981
Saturday, September 26, 2026 12:30 PM, EDT
Circuit Qualification
New Jersey Circuit Competition
Motown Mash concludes the current New Jersey Homebrewer of the Year (HBOTY) season while simultaneously kicking off the next New Jersey Homebrew Club of the Year (HBCOTY) season.
Awards earned at Motown Mash contribute toward statewide standings, making it one of New Jersey's premier homebrew competitions.
For current standings, participating competitions, and additional information, visit NJHBOTY.com.
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.
Staff can indicate their availability for the following non-judging sessions:
- Bottle Sort – Sunday, September 13, 2026 9:00 AM, EDT
Other Volunteer Info
We anticipate that first-round judging sessions will be held in person at the American Legion in Madison, New Jersey on September 19.
The awards ceremony will be held at Double Tap in Whippany, New Jersey on September 26.
More detailed instructions will be sent in the weeks leading up to the competition. Please be sure to register as a judge or steward if you are available to help.
Sponsors
Contact
Use the form below to contact a competition official. All fields with a star are required.