Got A New Harlem Beer Idea? Submissions Are Open For The 4th Annual NY State Craft Beer Competition

The New York State Brewers Association (NYSBA) is now accepting submissions for its fourth annual New York State Craft Beer Competition. Sponsored by 1886 Malt House, the Competition is the largest beer competition in N.Y. and the second largest state beer competition in the United States. Open to all licensed New York State Breweries, NYSBA is expecting to receive over 1,000 beer submissions for the 2020 competition.

The New York State Craft Beer Competition will be held on March 14, 2020 in Rochester, N.Y. with the help of Raise a Glass Foundation, an organization with expertise in coordinating beverage competitions of the highest caliber. The Competition will bring together 60 of the most respected and influential people in the New York beer industry to judge the submitted beers, including Brewmasters, Cicerones, BJCP judges, educators, retailers and industry writers and consultants.

All entries will be blind judged by a panel based on pre-established criteria and using a custom scoring sheet developed by New York State Brewers Association (NYSBA). The top three finishers in each of 25 beer style categories will receive gold, silver and bronze medals. The overall winner will receive the Governor’s Excelsior Cup to the “Best of Show” beer which will be awarded by a member of the Cuomo administration.

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on April 3, 2020 as part of the third annual NYS Craft Brewers Conference presented by DWS. The awards ceremony will be live streamed from the Desmond Hotel in Albany, N.Y.

“Each year the New York State Craft Beer Competition continues to grow- both in the number of entries and in the quality of submissions,” said Paul Leone, Executive Director, New York State Brewers Association. “We are incredibly proud of the beer being produced by our members. This competition showcases the amazing and diverse craft beer of New York State and elevates New York as a foremost craft beer state.”

The cost of submitting a 72 oz. entry is $45 for New York State Brewers Association (NYSBA) members and $65 for non-members. Each NYSBA member receives one free beer entry with their membership and there is no limit to the number of beers a brewery can submit. Beers must be entered online no later than March 10, 2020 and arrive at the warehouse no later than March 11, 2020.

Beers may be submitted for the following 25 beer style categories:

• Light Lagers
• Amber and Dark Lagers
• Wheat Beer (American, Wit, Hefe)
• Golden/Blonde Ale (American, Kolsch, Cream Ale)
• Amber/Red Ale (British, American, Irish, Scottish)
• Pale Ale
• Hazy Pale Ale
• American IPA
• Hazy IPA
• American IPA Variations
• American DIPA
• Barrel Aged Sour
• Barrel Aged (Non-Sour)
• Belgian Farmhouse
• Belgian Other (Trappist, Strong, etc.)
• Experimental
• Fruit and Spice Beer – Non-Sour
• Fruit and Spice Beer – Sour
• Brown Ale (American & British)
• Porter (Non-Imperial)
• Stout (Non-Imperial)
• Imperial Stout and Porter
• Strong Ale (Non-Belgian)
• Kettle and Simple Sours
• Wild and Sour Ale

In 2019, the New York State Craft Beer Competition received 813 entries – the largest number of entries in the competition’s history – from 160 breweries across New York State. Seventy-four medals were awarded to 53 breweries and the 2019 Governor’s Craft Beer Cup was awarded to Prison City Pub & Brewery out of Auburn, N.Y. for their Wham Whams in the experimental beer category.

For additional information about the 2020 Competition, visit:
https://newyorkcraftbeer.com/2020-competition/.

Founded in 2003, New York State Brewers Association (NYSBA) promotes, protects and educates about the culture and business of New York State breweries. Their goal is to defend the vital interests of the New York State brewing industry while encouraging the consumption of fresh, local beer across the Empire State. With over 400 breweries, it’s easy to Think NY, Drink NY. More information is available at https://newyorkcraftbeer.com/.

The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 4,800-plus U.S. breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, SAVOR™: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, Homebrew ConTM, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The New Brewer® magazine, and Brewers Publications® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com® and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association® and the free Brew Guru® mobile app. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.