With the second annual Craft Brewers Championship underway, I’ve had a few folks asking ‘but what about me, I’m a homebrewer – can I enter?’. The answer is no, you can’t.

But why would you need to enter? You have your own competition to participate in. This year the SouthYeasters, in conjunction with the Wort Hogs, are organising the National Homebrew Champs and entries are now open.

There will be drop-off points around the country, with entries then couriered to Cape Town or Jo’burg to be judged by some of SA’s increasing army of BJCP judges (on a side note, if you’d like to join that army, read this).

You can enter anything from BJCP categories 1-23 and each brewer can enter two beers. Entry costs are R100 for one beer, R150 for two and the winners will be announced at the Cape Town Festival of Beer in November. Prizes are still to be announced, but will of course include everlasting glory (alongside some generous gifts from the sponsors).

Online entries close on October 1st and beers must be delivered by October 24th, so get brewing!

Full competition details can be found at www.nationalhomebrew.co.za. Good luck!