FOAM Cup 2011 Rules and Entry Requirements

Homebrew Competition Hosted by the Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers
Sanctioned by the American Homebrewers Association

Registration opens October 10, 2011
Entries Accepted: October 17 - November 12, 2011

Judging: November 18-19, 2011
Awards Banquet: November 19, 2011

A. Eligibility

1. This competition is open to all homebrewers.

2. Commercial and/or Brew-on-Premises (BOP) beers are not eligible.

3. This is an AHA-sanctioned competition and all standard rules apply.

B. Entry Requirements and Information

1. Submit two (2) bottles per entry: crown-capped; 10-14 ounces; brown or green glass. (Meads that are in 375ml wine bottles should send two bottles. Only one 750ml bottle is required) Bottles must be clean, and free of inked or paper labels and other identifying marks. Obliterate any lettering or graphics on the cap with a permanent black marker. For each entry use a rubber band to attach one bottle identification form to each bottle. Do not use glue or tape. Entry fees and bottles will NOT be returned for disqualified entries.

2. Use the 2008 BJCP Style Guidelines, available on line at www.bjcp.org. Refer to categories by number, and to subcategories by letter.

3. We will accept all BJCP beer and mead styles, categories 1-28 (note: only categories 1 - 19 and 22 are eligible for MCAB).
   

4. Only one entry per sub-category will be permitted with the exception of categories 16E, and 20-26, (e.g. You may enter an American Pale and an American Brown Ale, both in category 10, but you cannot enter 2 American Pale Ales)
   

5.  We encourage you to save money and register online. OR, you can download the entry and bottle forms and register by mail. Either way, go online to www.alemakers.com and follow the links.

C. Entry Fees and Deadlines

1. For those who register on line, the fee is $7/entry. For those who do not register on line the fee is $8/entry. You can register on line, or download paper entry forms at our website, www.foamcup.us.
   

2.  We will accept online payments this year or you may send a check or money order with your entries. Please include a copy of the invoice for online payment. Make all checks payable to Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers.
   

3.  We will begin accepting entries at the High Gravity shop at 10:00 a.m. CDT Monday, October 17 to Saturday, November 12, 2011.
   

4.  All entries must arrive at High Gravity by 5:00 p.m. CDT Saturday, November 12, 2011.

D. Deliver or Ship all Entries to:

High Gravity Homebrew and Winemaking Supplies
FOAM Cup 2009
7164 S. Memorial Dr.
Tulsa, OK 74133
Telephone: (918) 461-2605
www.highgravitybrew.com

E. Questions and Additional Information

Visit the FOAM web site at www.foamcup.us 
Contact FOAM Cup Organizer Desiree Knott via E-mail at desiree@highgravitybrew.com.

Rules and Policies

1. Judging, Storage, and Handling
   
   Judging at the FOAM cup is something we take very seriously, but enjoy and have fun doing. Our competition staff does the very best to draw BJCP-qualified judges and professional brewers to evaluate entries. FOAM now has 16 BJCP judges and we encourage other judges to join us. Preliminary judging for large flights will take place November 15-18 at locations to be determined. The main judging events will take place Friday November 18, and Saturday November 19, 2011 at the Marshal Brewing Company located at 618 S. Wheeling in Tulsa Oklahoma 74104.
   
   FOAM is soliciting qualified judges and stewards. You will receive points for the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). FOAM Cup is an AHA-sanctioned event, and recognized by the BJCP. If you would like to participate as a judge or steward, please contact FOAM Cup Organizer Desiree Knott via E-mail at desiree@highgravitybrew.com, or by telephone at (918) 461-2605.
   
   We will store entries upon receipt in a large commercial refrigerator to minimize character changes. We will try to minimize handling to avoid disturbing bottle-conditioned beers with natural sedimentation. Occasionally this is unavoidable and scores for appearance may reflect this.
   

2. The FOAM Cup Committee is working hard to round up as many sponsors and cool prizes as we can. At a minimum, all brewing category winners will receive custom-cast medallions for first, second, and third place in each style category. Judges are solely responsibility for determining whether an entry is deserving of a medal. The FOAM Cup Committee will combine or split categories and/or subcategories as necessary to maintain competition integrity. In general, we will require that there be at least six entries in a category before we award a full set of medals. We will award Best of Show (BOS) medals for beer and for mead. Remember, we will judge all beers and meads (BJCP Categories 1-26), but we will not judge any ciders or perries (BJCP Categories 27 or 28). All decisions of the judges, competition staff, and organizer will be final, without exception.
   
   In addition to the medals, FOAM will award the following prizes:
   
   Best All Grain Beer Given to the single highest-scoring all-grain beer.
   
   Best Extract Beer Given to the single highest-scoring beer made from at least 50% commercial malt extract(s)
   
   New Brewer Award Highest single beer score for a brewer with fewer than 2 years homebrewing experience
   
   Okie Cup This award recognizes the best overall Oklahoma brewer based on total points per place, awarded as follows:
   1ST PLACE = 3 POINTS
   2ND PLACE = 2 POINTS
   3RD PLACE = 1 POINT
   * BREWER MUST BE A RESIDENT OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA TO BE ELIGIBLE.
   
   If a tie-break is needed, the winner will be decided by number of 1st place medals.
   Best Beer Name Awarded to the best beer name. The top 10 names will be determined by the FOAM Cup committee. The winner is taken from these 10 names and decided by a vote of the stewards and judges present at the FOAM Cup Competition.
   Paper Cup Award Given to the brewer with the most entries.
   
   The homebrew club scoring the most points will be crowned FOAM Cup Champion.
   

3. Scores, Score Sheets, and Prizes Delivery
   
   This year we will announce the winners and BOS at an Awards Banquet. The location is to be determined. Medals will be handed out but scores sheets and prizes will mailed to the winners.
   
   Cost for the awards banquet is TBD and can be purchased online at Highgravitybrew.com.
   
   FOAM will process all score sheets promptly. We will strive to post the results on the FOAM website (www.alemakers.com) as soon as possible, and no later than Monday, September 21st. We will hand-deliver score sheets and prizes to all FOAM members and Tulsa-area residents at the FOAM Oktoberfest party. Those who are unable to collect their scores and prizes at the party can collect them in person at the High Gravity shop beginning September 25th. We will ship score sheets and prizes to all non-local entrants via U.S. Mail or other common carrier the week after the competition.
   

4.  High Plains Brewer of the Year 2011
   FOAM Cup is a participating competition for the High Plains Brewer of the Year. This award goes to an individual brewer from the Midwestern United States (Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, or Minnesota) demonstrating outstanding and consistent brewing skills. The award winner is determined by performance in regional competitions. To be eligible, a brewer must reside in one of the aforementioned states, or belong to an AHA-registered club from one of the states. The FOAM Cup Organizer will forward your FOAM Cup points to the HPBOTY organizers.
   

5.  FOAM Cup Schedule
   
   First Entries Accepted October 17, 2011 10:00 a.m.
   
   Entry deadline November 12, 2011 5:00 p.m.
   
   Preliminary judging November 15-17, 2010*
   
   1st round judging November 18, 2010 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. at Marshall Brewing Co.
   
   1st/2nd round judging November 19, 2011 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Marshall Brewing Co.
   
   BOS judging November 19, 2011 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. at Marshall Brewing Co.
   
   Post results on line November 21 on www.alemakers.com
   
   *If necessary to accommodate the number of entries, FOAM will conduct preliminary judging rounds during evening hours of November 15 - 17. We will notify all registered judges and stewards of the times and locations of these preliminary rounds.
   To get more information or to volunteer as a judge, contact FOAM Cup Organizer Desiree Knott via E-mail at desiree@highgravitybrew.com, or by telephone at (918) 461-2605.  
   
   
   Drop or mail entries between October 17 – November 12, 2011 to:
   High Gravity Homebrew and Winemaking Shop
   7164 S. Memorial Dr.
   Tulsa, OK 74133
   www.highgravitybrew.com
   Telephone (918) 461-2605