Feast of Saint Arnold Homebrew Competition 2026
Entries
Judging
Entry Registration
Judge Registration
Steward Registration
Entry Drop-Off
Entry Shipping
Rules
Judge and Steward Registration is Open
If you have not registered and are willing to be a volunteer, please register.
If you have registered, log in and then choose Edit Account from the My Account menu indicated by the icon on the top menu.
This competition is AHA sanctioned and open to any amateur homebrewer age 21 or older. Initially the entry limit will be 5 per brewer, with a maximum competition entry limit of 100. After 4/24/2026 that limit may be raised based on volunteer and entrant participation
No entries using Cannabis / Hemp are allowed or accepted. Any entries using these components will be disqualified, will not be returned, and will not receive feedback.
All mailed entries must be received at the mailing location by the shipping deadline - please allow for shipping time.
All entries will be picked up from drop-off locations the day after the drop-off deadline.
This competition is open to all 2021 BJCP Style Guideline styles, except Mead and Cider. There is also a special category, "What Would Saint Arnold Brew?". Some styles require additional information to be fairly judged. Please check the style guidelines and include where applicable.
There will be two Best of Show categories, one for all styles, and one for the "What would Saint Arnold Brew". Please refer to https://brewbrosco.com/feast-of-saint-arnold-homebrew-competition/ for explanation and examples.
All entrants to the “What Would Saint Arnold Brew” category should select that category, and provide a narrative answering the following questions regarding their entry along with their submission (Attach to bottle with entry label and / or ):
- Base style - This is what we made and why.
- Any ingredients/additives - What ingredients did you choose and why?
- Why would St. Arnold have brewed this beer? (Historical or Fictional narratives are accepted).
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.
The competition organizers reserve the right to combine styles for judging and to restructure awards as needed depending upon the quantity and quality of entries.
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. Each flight will have at least one BJCP judge.
Brewers are not limited to one entry in each category but may only enter each subcategory once.
The competition committee reserves the right to combine overall style categories based on number of entries. All possible effort will be made to combine similar styles. All brews in combined categories will be judged according to the style they were originally entered in.
The Best of Show judging will be determined by a Best of Show panel based on a second judging of the top winners.
Bottles will not be returned to entrants.
The following bonuses are still being confirmed, but we expect that:
- All entrants get $5 off their ticket to the Feast of Saint Arnold Festival on 6/13/2026. Tickets must be bought online. A discount code will be supplied.
- Top 3 entries in each Best of Show (Standard and What would Saint Arnold Brew) category receive a medal custom made for this competition, and a free companion ticket to the Festival on June 13th, 2026.
- All entrants and volunteers get guaranteed entry into the festival even if the gates are closed.
Entry Acceptance Rules
Each entry will consist of capped or corked bottles that are void of all identifying information, including labels and embossing. Printed caps are allowed, but must be blacked out completely.
12oz brown glass bottles are preferred; however, green and clear glass will be accepted. Swing top bottles will likewise be accepted as well as corked bottles.
Bottles will not be returned to contest entrants.
All requisite paperwork must be submitted with each entry and can be printed directly from this website. Entry paperwork should be attached to bottles by the method specified on the bottle label.
Be meticulous about noting any special ingredients that must be specified. Failure to note such ingredients may impact the judges' scoring of your entry.
Direct any questions to the competition organizer using the contact form on this site.
Entry Info
BJCP 2015 / 2021 Judging Styles
Indicates that the style's entry limit has been reached and no more entries of that style will be accepted.
| 1A American Light Lager | 1B American Lager | 1C Cream Ale |
| 1D American Wheat Beer | 2A International Pale Lager | 2B International Amber Lager |
| 2C International Dark Lager | 3A Czech Pale Lager | 3B Czech Premium Pale Lager |
| 3C Czech Amber Lager | 3D Czech Dark Lager | 4A Munich Helles |
| 4B Festbier | 4C Helles Bock | 5A German Leichtbier |
| 5B Kölsch | 5C German Helles Exportbier | 5D German Pils |
| 6A Märzen | 6B Rauchbier | 6C Dunkels Bock |
| 7A Vienna Lager | 7B Altbier | 8A Munich Dunkel |
| 8B Schwarzbier | 9A Doppelbock | 9B Eisbock |
| 9C Baltic Porter | 10A Weissbier | 10B Dunkels Weissbier |
| 10C Weizenbock | 11A Ordinary Bitter | 11B Best Bitter |
| 11C Strong Bitter | 12A British Golden Ale | 12B Australian Sparkling Ale |
| 12C English IPA | 13A Dark Mild | 13B British Brown Ale |
| 13C English Porter | 14A Scottish Light | 14B Scottish Heavy |
| 14C Scottish Export | 15A Irish Red Ale | 15B Irish Stout |
| 15C Irish Extra Stout | 16A Sweet Stout | 16B Oatmeal Stout |
| 16C Tropical Stout | 16D Foreign Extra Stout | 17A British Strong Ale |
| 17A1 Burton Ale | 17B Old Ale | 17C Wee Heavy |
| 17D English Barley Wine | 18A Blonde Ale | 18B American Pale Ale |
| 19A American Amber Ale | 19B California Common | 19C American Brown Ale |
| 20A American Porter | 20B American Stout | 20C Imperial Stout |
| 21A American IPA | 21B Specialty IPA | 21B1 Belgian IPA |
| 21B2 Black IPA | 21B3 Brown IPA | 21B4 Red IPA |
| 21B5 Rye IPA | 21B6 White IPA | 21B7 Brut IPA |
| 21C Hazy IPA | 22A Double IPA | 22B American Strong Ale |
| 22C American Barleywine | 22D Wheatwine | 23A Berliner Weisse |
| 23B Flanders Red Ale | 23C Oud Bruin | 23D Lambic |
| 23E Gueuze | 23F Fruit Lambic | 23G Gose |
| 24A Witbier | 24B Belgian Pale Ale | 24C Bière de Garde |
| 25A Belgian Blond Ale | 25B Saison | 25C Belgian Golden Strong Ale |
| 26A Belgian Single | 26B Belgian Dubbel | 26C Belgian Tripel |
| 26D Belgian Dark Strong Ale | 27A Historical Beer | 27A1 Kellerbier |
| 27A2 Kentucky Common | 27A3 Lichtenhainer | 27A4 London Brown Ale |
| 27A5 Piwo Grodziskie | 27A6 Pre-Prohibition Lager | 27A7 Pre-Prohibition Porter |
| 27A8 Roggenbier | 27A9 Sahti | 28A Brett Beer |
| 28B Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer | 28C Wild Specialty Beer | 28D Straight Sour Beer |
| 29A Fruit Beer | 29B Fruit and Spice Beer | 29C Specialty Fruit Beer |
| 29D Grape Ale | 30A Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | 30B Autumn Seasonal Beer |
| 30C Winter Seasonal Beer | 30D Specialty Spice Beer | 31A Alternative Grain Beer |
| 31B Alternative Sugar Beer | 32A Classic Style Smoked Beer | 32B Specialty Smoked Beer |
| 33A Wood-Aged Beer | 33B Specialty Wood-Aged Beer | 34A Commercial Specialty Beer |
| 34B Mixed-Style Beer | 34C Experimental Beer | LSX1 Dorada Pampeana |
| LSX2 IPA Argenta | LSX3 Italian Grape Ale | LSX4 Catharina Sour |
| LSX5 New Zealand Pilsner | 50A What would Saint Arnold Brew? (Custom Style) |
Drop-Off Locations
Entry bottles accepted at our drop-off locations Saturday, May 2, 2026 11:00 AM, MDT — Saturday, May 16, 2026 5:00 PM, MDT.
Please pay attention to the notes provided for each drop-off location. There could be earlier deadlines for some drop-off locations listed, particular hours when entries are accepted, certain individuals to leave your entries with, etc. All entrants are responsible for reading the information provided by the organizers for each drop-off location.
105 West Brewing Co (Castle Rock Location)
1043 Park St. Castle Rock, CO 80109
303 325-7321
Fermentations Homebrew Supply
5765 N Academy Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
719 598-1164
Old West Homebrew Supply
229 E Pikes Peak Ave Colorado Springs, CO 80903
719 635-2443
*Closed on Tuesday
Quirky Homebrew Supply
425 W 115th Ave #6, Northglenn, CO 80234
303 457-3555
Shipping Info
Entry bottles accepted at our shipping location Saturday, May 2, 2026 11:00 AM, MDT — Saturday, May 16, 2026 5:00 PM, MDT.
Ship entries to:
Old West Homebrew Supply
229 E Pikes Peak Ave, Colorado Springs CO 80903
Packing and Shipping
Carefully pack your entries in a sturdy box. Line the inside of your carton with a plastic trash bag. Partition and pack each bottle with adequate packaging material. Please do not over pack!
Write clearly: Fragile. This Side Up. on the package. Please only use bubble wrap as your packing material.
Enclose each of your bottle labels in a small zip-top bag before attaching to their respective bottles. This way it makes it possible for the organizer to identify specifically which entry has broken if there is damage during shipment.
Every reasonable effort will be made to contact entrants whose bottles have broken to make arrangements for sending replacement bottles.
Judging Sessions
Session 1
Saturday, May 30, 2026 9:00 AM, MDT
Awards
The awards ceremony will take place at the Festival on June 13th, 2026 - listen for announcements from the main stage.
Places all standard styles will be awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category/table.
Places for "What Would Saint Arnold Brew" will be awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category/table.
The 1st place entry in each category will advance to the Best of Show (BOS) round with a 1st, 2nd and 3rd place Best of Show beer selected for standard, and a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Best of Show for the "What would Saint Arnold Brew?" category. Two best of shows total.
See rules for discounts and free tickets awarded to winners and entrants.
Score sheets will be available here at the competition web site, and awards will be available for pick up during the Feast of Saint Arnold Festival on June 10th, 2023. Awards not picked up will be mailed to participants. Results will be posted to the competition web site after the ceremony concludes.
Awards Ceremony
Feast of Saint Arnold's Festival
8 4th St, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Saturday, June 13, 2026 2:00 PM, MDT
Volunteers
Judges and Stewards
If you have registered, log in and then choose Edit Account from the My Account menu indicated by the icon on the top menu.
If you have not registered and are willing to be a judge or steward, please register.
Staff
If you would like to volunteer to be a competition staff member, please register or update your account to indicate that you wish to be a part of the competition staff.
Other Volunteer Info
- Judges - We will be using electronic scoresheets, please bring a laptop or tablet / keyboard, or whatever electronic setup you prefer for judging
The following bonuses are still being confirmed, but we expect that:
- Volunteers receive a discounted $30 ticket and an early entrance, 11:00, to the festival along with judging and / or stewarding points if applicable.
- All volunteers get guaranteed entry into the festival even if the gates are closed.
- Direct any questions to the competition organizer using the contact form on this site.
Sponsors
Contact
Use the links below to contact individuals involved with coordinating this competition:
- – Competition Coordinator