Competition bubbling for home brewers

For the second time in as many years, Carson City and Gardnerville will see homebrewers come out of their basements and garages to enter the Thirsty Boy Homebrew Competition.The competition started last year, a collaboration between the owner of the Carson City homebrew store Just Brew It and Gardnerville’s Battle Born Wines.Entries will be accepted at either store starting Monday in advance of the deadline for entries, Jan. 23, and of the judging, awards ceremony and after party on Jan. 26.This year the competition is sanctioned by the American Homebrewer Association with between six to 10 certified judges.“It’ll be better than last year’s (competition,)” said Trevor Rotoli, owner of Just Brew It. “Last year we didn’t have certified judges.”Becoming a certified judge is no easy task, Rotoli said.“AHA certification is not an easy thing to do,” he said. The beers will be judged on how well they conform to the guidelines of the style of beer they are, from color to each individual flavor present.The brews are “judged on how close to the style they are,” he said.Even if a brewer doesn’t win, he will get back the notes sheets the judges use to evaluate the beers. Rotoli said he expects 50 entries, from beers to cider to meads, although the competition is not for homebrewed wines. Last year the competition gathered 50 entries, which ended up in eight categories. The beer that wins its category will go into the best-of-show part of the judging, in which one beer is raised above the rest.Each brew entry costs $8 and brewers should bring three 12-ounce bottles of each brew, although two 22-ounce bottles will suffice. The competition is limited to four entries per person and the entry fees will go toward the prizes and awards. The bottles should be unlabeled because they will be assigned an identification number, to allow a blind judging.The awards ceremony and after party 2-4 p.m. Jan. 26 will be at the High Sierra Brewery.Entries may be delivered to Just Brew It at 1210 N. Carson St. or Battle Born Wine at 1448 Main St. in Gardnerville. Entries are due by Jan. 23. Just Brew It can be reached at 775-461-0641 and Battle Born Wine at 775-782-7684.