How to Enter
You've decided that your New Mongolian IPA smokes the competition and want to prove it or maybe there's something off about it and you want the unbiased feedback. How do you get your twelve-ounce bottles before a judge?
I have a beer with a special ingredient. Does it need to be entered as a specialty?
Can you taste or smell the special ingredient? If so, then yes it's a specialty. If a judge detects an unusual ingredient in a classic category, say coffee in a stout category, they will judge the beer harshly.
Find a list of upcoming competitions on the BJCP website. Choose a good local or regional competition to receive feedback appropriate for your region. Tastes for things like hops can vary by location. Take note of the entry due date, the entry fee, and the competition's website. Most competitions offer online registration to help complete your entry labels.
For shipping your entry the U.S. Postal Service is out because sending alcohol by mail is a federal offense. The major shipping companies follow alcohol policies of varying strengths. Rather than taking a chance, open an online account with your preferred carrier. Weigh, measure, and pack the box at home. Register the shipment online and print a label, then drop your box off at a retail location for minimal interference.
The final decision you need to make will ultimately affect the feedback you receive. What style do you want your beer judged against? Don't make the mistake of entering what you were trying to brew, enter what you brewed. You may have meant to brew an American pale ale, but if it tastes, looks, and smells like an IPA, enter it as an IPA. The only person who knows that you missed your target is you, and it doesn't matter because you're alone in the brewery.
Fill out the label with your style choice and other information, print it, and prepare to ship the beer just in time for the competition. Before packing the bottles, double-check that they are the right size, clean, and free of distinctive marking and that an appropriate bottle label is rubber banded to the bottle.
