32nd Annual Spirit Of Free Beer (SOFB) 2026 Homebrew 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 year's competition will only accept BEER.
- On-line registration is required.
- More than one entry may be made per sub-category, however they must be from different fermentations or of different ingredients. Identify the different entries on the entry form and bottle labels (for example, IPA#1, IPA#2, etc.).
- Please list any and all Co-Brewers under the "General" heading on the "Add an Entry" page.
- BEER entries shall consist of (2) two 10-12 oz. capped bottles, or (2) two 10-12 oz aluminum cans. DO NOT submit a combination of one bottle and one can for an entry. An entry must be two bottles OR two cans.
- All BEER entries will be transported in standard 4x6-pack case boxes.
- Bottles may be brown or green glass and must be free of any labels. In addition, these should not have raised glass designs, etched logos, or any other identifying marks. Bottle caps must be either plain or blacked out with a magic marker. Attach the bottle label to each bottle with a rubber band.
- Cans should be aluminum cans and must be free of any labels, designs, logos, or any other identifying marks. Attach the can label to each can with a rubber band.
- Note: Irregular shaped bottles require special handling and increase the risk of accidental mishandling.
- All entries must be brewed at home. Beer brewed in a Brew on Premise is acceptable, but beer brewed in a commercial brewery will not be accepted.
- All entries become the property of Brewers United for Real Potables.
- It is the entrant's responsibility to enter his or her BEER in the proper category, as specified in the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines. No entry will be reclassified.
- While it is not necessary to provide full recipe information for each entry, those wishing to qualify for the Bill Moe Award for the best extract-based (at least 50%) BEER should specify that their entry is extract-based and include recipe information. Entries do not have to be completely extract based.
- Entries in some BEER categories/sub-categories need to specify special ingredients and/or classic style information on the entry form and bottle labels. See the 2021 BJCP guidelines for more info.
- The entry fee is ten dollars ($10) per entry. Payment will only be accepted using PayPal (which also accepts credit cards). When dropping off or sending bottles, please attach your PayPal or credit card receipt.
- Registration deadline is Thursday, April 2nd, 2026. All entry drop-offs must be received by 1 pm on Friday, April 3rd, 2026.
- Winners will be posted on this site by 12:00 PM on April 13th. Scoresheets will be available on the website as soon as possible thereafter. Ribbons and prizes will be distributed at a later date.
- Any questions about the competition regulations, procedures, awards, etc., should be directed to the organizer (see under Contacts).
Entry Acceptance Rules
- BEER entries shall consist of (2) two 10-12 oz. capped bottles, or (2) two 10-12 oz aluminum cans. DO NOT submit a combination of one bottle and one can for an entry. An entry must be two bottles OR two cans.
- All BEER entries will be stored at the remote judging sites in standard 6 bottle (six-pack) holders.
- Bottles may be brown or green glass and must be free of any labels. In addition, these should not have raised glass designs, etched logos, or any other identifying marks.
- Bottle caps must be either plain or blacked out with a magic marker.
- Cans should be aluminum cans and must be free of any labels, designs, logos, or any other identifying marks. Attach the can label to each can with a rubber band.
- Note: Irregular shaped bottles require special handling and increase the risk of accidental mishandling.
- Entries brought to drop-off points should be delivered in 4-pack or 6-pack holders. Loose bottles are difficult for drop-off points to handle and run a high risk of breakage.
- Attach a bottle/can label to each bottle or can entered with a rubber band.
**NOTE, our friends at DC Homebrew are hosting their annual Cherry Blossom Homebrew Competition (CBHB) two weeks before this one. They use DC Brau — one of our drop-off locations — as a drop-off location. If you choose to enter their competition as well, you can drop off your CBHB entries along with your Spirit entries, and we'll get them sorted appropriately. You can sign up for CBHB at https://dchbcompetition.com/ **
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 |
| 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 | LSX5 New Zealand Pilsner |
Drop-Off Locations
Entry bottles accepted at our drop-off locations Sunday, February 1, 2026 12:00 PM, EST — Friday, April 3, 2026 1:00 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.
4146 Elizabeth Lane, Annandale, VA 22003
(804)-367-2941
*Entrants from Virginia are welcome to bring their entries to the BURP Homebrew Club March meeting to be held on Sat, Mar 24 from 1:00 - 5:00 PM.
3178-B Bladensburg Rd NE, Washington, DC 20018
202-621-8890
9790 Center St. Manassas, VA 20110
703-361-2908
9017 Mendenhall Ct. Suite C, Columbia, MD 21045
410-290-3768
8401 Colesville Rd #150, Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-288-1112
7301 Calhoun Pl #600 Rockville, MD 20855
301-388-8172
1781 N. Market St. Frederick, MD 21701
301-663-4491
Shipping Info
Entry bottles accepted at our shipping location Sunday, February 1, 2026 12:00 PM, EST — Friday, April 3, 2026 1:00 PM, EDT.
Ship entries to:
Maryland Homebrew
9017 Mendenhall Ct. Suite C, Columbia, MD 21045
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 bottles. 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
Morning Session at Silver Branch Rockville Beerworks (Rockville, MD)
Sunday, April 12, 2026 9:00 AM, EDT
Afternoon Session at Silver Branch Rockville Beerworks (Rockville, MD)
Sunday, April 12, 2026 1:00 PM, EDT
Best of Show Judging at Silver Branch Rockville Beerworks (Rockville, MD)
Sunday, April 12, 2026 5:00 PM, EDT
Awards
- Medals will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each of the prize categories as determined by the organizers. Because of the large number of beer style categories in the 2021 BJCP Guidelines, organizers reserve the right to combine categories as necessary into a manageable number of overall prize categories.
- In addition to medals, Best of Show winners will also receive cash prizes as follows:
1st Place BOS - $100
2nd Place BOS - $50
3rd Place BOS - $25
If a BOS winnner prefers, the cash prize may be exchanged for a gift certificate of equal value to be used at one of the sponsoring homebrew supply shops:
The Flying Barrel (Frederick, MD)
Maryland Homebrew (Columbia, MD)
Jay's Brewing (Manassas, VA)
If you are a BOS winner, please consider supporting our local area homebrew shops by exercising this option. - The Bill Moe Award will be given to the entrant with the highest scoring extract-based BEER. Entries do not have to be completely extract based. However, at least 50% of the fermentables must be based on malt extract. Those wishing to compete for this award should provide recipe information to include the amounts and types of malt extracts used.
- Competition winners will be posted on this site by 12:00 PM on April 13th.
Awards Ceremony
BURP April Meeting
Rockville, MD
Sunday, April 19, 2026 1:00 PM, EDT
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
Judging will be held in-person at Silver Branch Rockville Beerworks (Rockville, MD location) on Sunday, April 12th. The Best of Show will be held after the conclusion of the afternoon session.
Silver Branch Rockville Beerworks (Rockville location) is located in Rockville, MD at 7301 Calhoun Pl #600
If you have any questions, please contact the organizer.
Sponsors
Contact
Use the form below to contact a competition official. All fields with a star are required.