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.

Entry Registration is Open

» Brewers are limited to two entries in each category but may only enter each subcategory once.

» One bottle/can per entry (500ml minimum - 750ml preferred) - See special requirements for the Voyarger Malt Category

» All entries must have labels attached. 

Labels can be printed directly from this website. After registering, print the label and attach it to the bottle/can with sticky tape. 

All entries must be handcrafted products made using private equipment by hobbyist brewers (i.e., no use of commercial facilities or Brew on Premises operations).

The competition organisers are not responsible for mis-categorised entries or entries that arrived damaged.

The primary goal of our event is qualified judging of all entries. Judges evaluate and score each entry, and the average of the scores ranks each entry in its category. 

The competition committee reserves the right to combine categories based on number of entries. All possible efforts will be made to combine similar styles. All brews in combined categories will be judged according to the style in which they were originally entered.

Bottles will not be returned to entrants.

PRIZE CATEGORIES

1) American Ales

• American Pale Ale [BJCP 18B]
• American Amber Ale [BJCP 19A]
• American Brown Ale [BJCP 19C]
• America Strong Ale [BJCP 22B]

2) British Ales

• Ordinary Bitter [BJCP 11A]
• Best Bitter [BJCP 11B]
• Strong Bitter [BJCP 11]
• Dark Mild [BJCP 13A]
• British Brown Ale [BJCP 13B]
• Scottish Light [BJCP 14A]
• Scottish Heavy [BJCP 14B]
• Scottish Export  [BJCP 14C]
• Wee Heavy [BJCP 17C]

3) Belgian Ales

• Belgian Single [BJCP 26A]
• Belgian Dubbel [BJCP 26B]
• Belgian Tripel [BJCP 26C]
• Belgian Dark Strong Ale [BJCP 26D]

4) SOUR & WILD ALE

• Lambic [BJCP 23D]
• Gueuze [BJCP 23E]
• Fruit Lambic [BJCP 23F]
• Flanders Red Ale [BJCP 23B]
• Oud Bruin [BJCP 23C]
• Brett Beer [BJCP 28A]
• Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer [BJCP 28B]
• Wild Specialty Beer [BJCP 28C]

5) FRUIT & SPICE BEER

• Fruit Beer [BJCP 29A]
• Fruit and Spice Beer [BJCP 29B]
• Specialty Fruit Beer [BJCP 29C]
• Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer [BJCP 30A]
• Autumn Seasonal Beer [BJCP 30B]
• Winter Seasonal Beer [BJCP 30C]
• Specialty Spice Beer [BJCP 30D]

6) SMOKED & WOOD AGED BEER

• Classic Style Smoked Beer [BJCP 32A]
• Specialty Smoked Beer [BJCP 32B]
• Wood-Aged Beer [BJCP 33A]
• Specialty Wood-Aged Beer [BJCP 33B]

7) Voyager Craft Malt Challenge

We are excited to announce that Voyage Craft Malt will sponsor the knockout competition this year.
Entrants will receive 5kg of Voyager undermodified pilsner malt to brew any beer they want.  Best beer wins

How to enter: To enter this part of the competition, you must enter 2 x 750ml bottles or 3 x 500. We will randomly assign beers for the comp, and they will be judged head-to-head over several rounds to determine whose beer is best. Beers will not be judged according to BJCP styles; instead, a panel of judges will vote on their favourites in each round until an ultimate champion is found.

See instructions on the Info page.

Entry Acceptance Rules

» One bottle/can per entry (750ml preferred) -  See special requirements for Voyager Malt Beer Category

» All entries must have labels attached (Labels can be printed directly from this website). 

• We will be using the BJCP 2021 guidelines https://www.bjcp.org/news/bjcp-releases-2021-beer-style-guidelines/
• Brewers can enter up to two entries per category, but not two entries into the same style.
• Exception for the Voyager Malt Category where only 1 entry per brewer is allowed
• Entrants must nominate a designated Style.

A panel of at least two judges will judge the beers in each category. The completed scoresheets will be returned to the entrants.
You must be a resident of Victoria to enter.

Entry Fees

$10.00 (AUD) per entry.

Entry Limits

Entry Limit:

140

Entry Limits Per Participant

Entry Limit Per Participant:

8

Per Style Entry Limit:

1

Pay Entry Fees

After creating your account and adding your entries to the system, you must pay your entry fee(s). Accepted payment methods are:

• Credit/debit card and e-check, via PayPal

BJCP 2015 / 2021 Styles Accepted

Indicates that the style's entry limit has been reached and no more entries of that style will be accepted.

Drop-Off Locations

Entry bottles accepted at our drop-off locations Friday 24 January, 2025 12:00 AM, ChST — Saturday 21 February, 2026 9:00 AM, ChST.

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.

Backyard Homebrew
8 Cypress Ave, Brooklyn VIC 3012

Keg King
48 Smith Rd, Springvale VIC 3171
(03) 9089 0122

KegLand
410 Princes Hwy, Noble Park North VIC 3174
(03) 9018 7935
*24 Hour Drop Off Location

Judging Sessions

Morning (189 Canterbury Rd Heathmont)
Saturday 28 February, 2026 9:00 AM, ChST

Afternoon (189 Canterbury Rd Heathmont)
Saturday 28 February, 2026 12:00 PM, ChST

Best of Show

Voyager Malt Comp

Voyager Craft Malt has generously donated grain for this year's competition.  Entrants in this category will get 5 KG of Voyager undermodified pilsner malt to brew any beer they want. Beers will not be judged according to BJCP styles. Instead, a panel of judges will vote on their favourite in each round until an ultimate champion is found.

To enter, please register a beer under VUP1 Voyager Undermodifdied pilsner. You must register to receive your malt, but you can edit your beer name and description until the entry deadline.


To enter this part of the competition, you must submit 2 x 750ml bottles (or 3 x 500ml). 

How do I get my grain?

Grain can be picked up after 9 November.  This is some very fresh malt. Voyager is hand-delivering it for competition. We will contact you after you register to organise a pickup time, but if you do not hear from us, please email info@melbornebrewers.org.

The pickup location is in Heathmont, but if you are part of a Victoria homebrew club, we can arrange to drop off a club supply at a nominated location.

FAQ

1) Why aren't styles specified?

Many beers do not strictly match a BJCP style. We wanted to test your creativity and allow people to brew anything they want for this part of the competition.  

2) What can I brew?

You can brew anything you want! You must use all 5kg in your brew, but any additional malts, hops, and yeast are free game.  

3) How do I enter?

The entry is the same as the other categories. Select VUP1 Voyager as the style and briefly describe the beer. You need to enter 2x750ml (or 3 x 500ml) bottles to ensure we have enough if you make it to the final rounds. 

4) How are the beers going to be judged?

Beers will be sampled head-to-head by a panel of judges who will vote on which beer they prefer. It is single elimination. The winner of each matchup moves on to the next round. Once you lose a round, you are out of the comp.

5) Will I get feedback?

There will be no written feedback for this part of the competition. You will be able to see which beers you were judged against and which the judges preferred  (all other categories will receive the standard BJCP scorecards)

6) What is undermodificed pilsner malt?

Description form Voyagers beersmith bmxs file https://voyagercraftmalt.com.au/products/

Delight in the rich history of brewing with our Traditional Under-Modified Pilsner Malt, a product that harks back to the golden era of brewing excellence, proudly holding the legacy of generations of maltsters who mastered the art of producing exceptional malt for the perfect Pilsner.

Crafted with precision and care, this malt exemplifies the cherished traditions of generations past, ensuring your brews are infused with a touch of nostalgia and an authentic taste that aficionados have cherished for centuries.

This malt is meticulously produced using carefully selected, premium-quality new world Riverina grown barley, ensuring a consistent and reliable brewing process. Its under-modification retains a greater portion of the grains original enzymes, and protein assisting enhanced mouthfeel, body and assisting with head retention and haze stability.

Complex yet delicate flavor profile. This malt delivers a light, honey-like sweetness that blends seamlessly with subtle biscuity undertones, culminating in a crisp and clean finish that is the hallmark of a true Pilsner

Awards

The awards ceremony will take place once judging is completed.

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

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