17th Annual ZEALOTS Homebrew Inquisition (2023) Info

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  • Account Registration
  • Awards
  • Awards Ceremony
  • Circuit Qualification
  • Entry Acceptance Rules
  • Entry Registration
  • Judging Sessions
  • Judging Styles
  • Rules

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Rules

The 17th Annual Austin Zealots Inquisition has returned!

This competition is open to any homebrewer age 21 or older.  You must brew your beer on a homebrew system (not on a commercial system at a brewery).  Each entry requires two bottles (11 to 26 ounce bottles with labels removed and caps marked out).   Be sure to enter special ingredients and descriptions for categories 7 through 11.

All mailed entries must be received at the mailing location by the entry deadline - please allow for shipping time.  All entries will be picked up from drop-off locations the day of the entry deadline.  (if you are dropping off on the last day, please bring your entries to the club meeting at Thirsty Planet by 3 p.m.)

All entries must be handcrafted products, containing ingredients available to the general public, and made using private equipment by hobbyist brewers (i.e., no use of commercial facilities or Brew on Premises operations, supplies, etc.).

The competition organizers are not responsible for mis-categorized entries, mailed entries that are not received by the entry deadline, or entries that arrived damaged.

Qualified judging of all entries is the primary goal of our event. Judges will evaluate and score each entry. The average of the scores will rank each entry in its category.  Beers will be judged on a 100-point scale. Judges will allot 15 points for appearance, 30 points for aroma, 45 points for flavor and 10 points for overall presentation.   In addition to the score, judges will supply comments on all aspects of the beer, including suggestions for improvement when they can.  The judges’ decisions are final.

The Best of Show judging will be determined by a Blue Ribbon Panel based on a second judging of the top winners.

Bottles will not be returned to entrants, but will be disposed of according to TABC regulations.

A portion of your entry fee will pay for a temporary membership to the Austin ZEALOTS Homebrew Club.  

If you have any questions, contact [dandew3@gmail.com].

ZEALOTS Inquisition Beer Categories (www.austinzealots.com)

1.) Malty or Sweet Beers - Beers for which a malty or sweet flavor is the dominant or co-dominant flavor. Beers in this category are judged on overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), with special consideration paid to the quality of the malty or sweet character of the beer within the context of the beer’s overall sensory profile. Beers are not judged according to their level of maltiness or sweetness. In other words, the maltiest or sweetest beer will not necessarily be the winner. (Scottish ales, milk stouts, beers with lots of crystal malt)

2.) Bitter or Hoppy Beers 2A.) Hoppy Beers - Beers for which hop bitterness, flavor or aroma is the dominant or co-dominant characteristic. Beers in this category are judged on their overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), with special consideration paid to the quality of the hop character of the beer within the context of the beer’s overall sensory profile. The impression of the hop character is more important than the IBU rating of the beer, but we expect most beers in this category to rate between 35 and 60 IBUs. (American pale ales, IPAs)
2B.) Hop Monsters - Bitter or hoppy beers brewed such that only a hop head could love them. Beers in this category will be judged primarily on the quality of the hop characteristics in the beer as other aspects of the beer may be partially or totally obscured. Although the impression of hop character is more important than the IBU rating of the beer, beers should probably have over 60 IBUs to be entered in this category. Beers are not judged according to their level of bitterness, hop flavor or aroma. The bitterest beer will not necessarily be the winner. (double IPAs)

3.) Balanced Beers 3A.) Session Beers - Beers that exhibit a pleasing balance of beer flavors and aromas and are refreshing and “drinkable.” There is no gravity restriction on this category, but be aware that there is a strong beer category and that alcohol is a characteristic that needs to be in balance. Session beers — “beers to have when you’re having more than one” — belong in the category. (any good, drinkable style of beer)
3B.) Lawnmower beers - There are session beers and then there are “it’s 100 °F in the shade and I’ve been mowing the lawn and want something refreshing”-type session beers. Got real thirst-quencher? Enter it in this category.

4.) Strong Beers 4A.) Strong Beers - Beers for which alcoholic strength is the dominant or co-dominant characteristic. Beers within the category are judged on overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), not by alcoholic content. In other words, the strongest beer will not necessarily be the winner. The strong beer category is for beers around 6–8% ABV. (wee heavies, doppelbock, IPA)
4B.) Big and Boozy - Beers that are not just strong, but positively boozy (at least 8% ABV). As in the strong beer category, the strongest beer will not necessarily be the winner. (barleywines, imperial stouts)

5.) Dark Beers 5A.) Dark-colored beers - Beers for which dark malt characteristics are the dominant or co-dominant characteristic. (Examples of dark malts include dark crystal malts, chocolate malts, roasted barley, black patent malts.) Beers in this category are judged on overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), with special consideration paid to the quality of the dark grain character of the beer within the context of the beer’s overall sensory profile. Beers are not judged according to their depth of color. In other words, the darkest beer will not necessarily be the winner. Category 5A is for dark colored beers with a small to moderate dark grain character, but without a lot of roast or burnt malt character. (brown ales, bocks, brown porters)
5B.) Roasty Beers - Dark beers brewed with sufficient amounts of very dark malts (roasted barley, black patent malt) to give a roasty (or perhaps even burnt) edge to them. (robust porters, stouts)

6.) Yeasty/Belgian Beers - Beers for which fermentation characteristics, other than the usual characteristics of ale and lager yeasts, are a major contributor to the beer’s character — i.e. the “funky” beers. These include beers with a banana, clove or bubblegum elements, such as Bavarian Weissbiers, and Belgian-style ales with phenolic or other characteristics derived from the use of “special” yeast strains. This category also includes beers in which flavors derived from yeast in suspension contribute to the character of the beer. Beers in this category are judged on overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), with special consideration paid to the quality of the yeast-derived characteristics within the context of the beer’s overall sensory profile. Beers are not judged according to their overall yeastiness — i.e. the beer with the “biggest banana” will not necessarily win. (Weissbiers, wits, many Belgian styles)

7.) Lagers - Beers brewed with lager yeast. (Lager beers may be entered in other categories, as appropriate.) Please describe your beer online as a Helles, Doppelbock, etc.

8.) Flavored Beers - Beers for which a flavor not listed above is a dominant or co-dominant characteristic. Beers in this category are judged on overall presentation (appearance, aroma and flavor), with special consideration paid to the “other” flavor within the context of the beer’s overall sensory profile. Subcategories are: 8A.) Sour Beers 8B.) Smoky Beers 8C.) Fruit Beers 8D.) Spiced Beers 8E.) Other Flavored Beers (please specify what other flavor your beer exhibits)

9.) Meads & Ciders 9A.) Meads - Please note whether you used anything else besides honey (i.e. spices, fruit, etc.).
9B.) Ciders - Please note whether you used anything else besides apple juice (i.e. spices, fruit, etc.).

10.) Open Category - A free-for-all. A popularity contest. A chance to show your beer can take on all comers. Any beer can be entered in this category for any reason. Although we have made an effort to define broad, inclusive categories, we realize that there are some beers that may fall outside the boundaries of the listed categories. Additionally, some brewers may feel their beer — even if it fits well in another category — is blessed and need fear no other beer. Beers in this category will be judged solely on how well the judges like them. Include a description.

11.) The Crusade - Our categories go to eleven. This category will be a special, ZEALOTS-mandated mission to any homebrewers who choose to accept. Winners in this category are granted admission to homebrew heaven. This year’s special category is: This Beer Truly Goes to 11. Make a beer that is 11 SRM and 11 IBU (we will do our best to judge the IBU). Make any style you want and it will be judged on how close it is to those statistics as well as the overall enjoyment of the beer. We go to 11!

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BJCP 2021 Judging Styles

If a style's name is hyperlinked, it has specific entry requirements. Select or tap on the name to view the subcategory's requirements.

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Number of Bottles Required Per Entry: 2

Judging Sessions

Main Judging Session
Saturday, July 22, 2023 11:00 AM, CDT

Second Judging Session
Saturday, July 29, 2023 11:00 AM, CDT

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Awards

The awards ceremony will take place once judging is completed.

Places will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category.

The 1st place entry in each category will advance to the Best of Show (BOS) round with a single, overall Best of Show beer selected, plus a Runner-Up, and a 2nd Runner-Up.

Additional prizes may be awarded to those winners present at the awards ceremony at the discretion of the competition organizers.

See www.austinzealots.com for details on the award ceremony.  We invite all entrants to attend!!

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Awards Ceremony

Emma Long Park
Austin, Tx
Saturday, August 12, 2023 2:00 PM, CDT

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Circuit Qualification

This event is part of the Lone Star Circuit.

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