Cactus Challenge

Bluebonnet Brew-off drop off with be available 4:00pm - 4:30pm Friday 3/23, 9:00am - 9:30am Saturday 3/24, in the Lobby of the Sheraton hotel (BBO Host Site.) When registering please be sure to select the proper drop off location.

Please be sure to check out the rules and requirements before entering.

 

The 21st Annual Cactus Challenge will be open to all BJCP categories and our infamous Area 51 - most unusual ingredient category. We will be utilizing the 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines. 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.

 

Awards / Event Location:

The awards and social event on Saturday, May 12th, 2016. Festivities are still being planned. Score sheets will be sent out after the awards ceremony.

Schedule

Entry Period: Mar. 10 - 31 (registration opens at noon March 10th and closes at noon March 31st)
Entry Check-in: March 31st 1:00pm Location TBD
1st Round Judging: Apr. 6-7, Apr. 13-14, Apr. 20-21, Apr. 27-28 (if necessary)
Final Round Judging: May 4-5 and May 11-12 (if necessary)
Event: May 12th
Awards Ceremony: May 12th

Judging

First Round Judging will be held on the weekends of Apr. 6-7, Apr. 13-14, Apr. 20-21, Apr. 27-28 (if necessary), location TBD. There will be three judging sessions each weekend, one on Friday at 6:00pm and two on Saturday at 1:00pm and 6:00pm.

Second round judging will take place on May 4-5 and May 11-12 (if necessary) location TBD. Best of Show judging will follow.

The Official Rules for the 20th Annual Cactus Challenge can be found on the Rules and Requirements page. Please see this page to learn more about this year's new entry limits.

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Cat. 1-3: Standard American Beer, International and Czech Lagers (10 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Pete Train	A Finer Shiner	International Dark Lager	Bay Area Mashtronauts
2nd	Matthew Cogburn	Covenant Wheat	American Wheat Beer	Big Country Homebrewers Assoc
3rd	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	Fluster Cluck	American Lager	Cane Island Alers

Cat 4 & 6: Pale and Amber Malty European Lagers (12 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Ricardo Fritzsche	Fritz Fest	Festbier	Austin Zealots
2nd	Eric Heinz Co-Brewer: Kyle Autry	Hell Yes!	Munich Helles	Foam Rangers
3rd	Eric Heinz Co-Brewer: Kyle Autry	Turbo Bock	Helles Bock	Foam Rangers

Cat 5 & 7: Pale Bitter and Amber Hoppy European Lagers (17 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Pete Train	Lawnmower Lager	Kolsch	Bay Area Mashtronauts
2nd	Eric Heinz Co-Brewer: Kyle Autry	Czech Engine Lite	German Leichtbier	Foam Rangers
3rd	James Petty	Matagorda	Altbier	Austin Zealots

Cat 8 & 9: Dark and Strong European Lager (13 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	May The Schwarzbier With You	Schwarzbier	Cane Island Alers
2nd	Ricardo Fritzsche	Fritz Bock	Doppelbock	Austin Zealots
3rd	Justin Holman	Justin's Doppelbock	Doppelbock	Cane Island Alers

Cat. 10: German Wheat Beer (6 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	Ollie's Weissbier	Weissbier	Cane Island Alers
2nd	Janine Weber Co-Brewer: Phil Verdieck (Inglorious Malt-tards)	Pass The Banana	Weissbier	Foam Rangers

Cat. 11 & 12: Pale English and English Bitters (9 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Jason VanRoeyen	Peshekee Brewing ESB	Strong Bitter	Cane Island Alers
2nd	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	Charley Bit My Finger!	English Golden Ale	Cane Island Alers
3rd	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	Pennyworth IPA	English IPA	Cane Island Alers

Cat. 13 & 16: Brown English and Dark British Beer (14 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	Pennyworth Brown	English Brown Ale	Cane Island Alers
2nd	Kevin Jones	Kevin's Coffee Stout	Sweet Stout	Austin Zealots
3rd	Philip Verdieck Co-Brewer: Janine Weber (Inglorious Malt-Tards)	Underneath The Mangrove Tree	Tropical Stout	Foam Rangers

Cat. 14 & 15: Scottish and Irish Beer (8 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Matthew Cogburn	Deliverance Irish Stout	Irish Stout	Big Country Homebrewers Assoc
2nd	Ronnie Lawson	IRA Baby	Irish Red Ale	Austin Zealots

Cat. 17 & 22: Strong British and Strong American Ales (14 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Craig Loerwald	Gnarleywine	English Barleywine	Austin Zealots
2nd	Eric Heinz Co-Brewer: Kyle Autry	Double Clutch IIPA	Double IPA	Foam Rangers
3rd	Dean Weaver	Deanitude Heavy Wee Wee	Wee Heavy	NTHBA

Cat. 18: Pale American Beer (10 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Matthew Cogburn	Peppermill Golden Ale	Blonde Ale	Big Country Homebrewers Assoc
2nd	Denise Whitney	El Scorcho	American Pale Ale	Foam Rangers
3rd	Pete Train	Zombie Lust	American Pale Ale	Bay Area Mashtronauts

Cat. 19: Amber and Brown American Beer (9 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	Twunt Ale	American Amber Ale	Cane Island Alers
2nd	Matthew Cogburn	Peppermill Amber	American Amber Ale	Big Country Homebrewers Assoc
3rd	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	The Brown Note	American Brown Ale	Cane Island Alers

Cat. 20: American Porter and Stout (11 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	Big Bad Voodoo Stout 2015	Imperial Stout	Cane Island Alers
2nd	Aaron Pachlhofer	Choda Boy	American Porter	Basin Brewers
3rd	Dean Weaver	Deanitude F'n Cluster	American Stout	NTHBA

Cat. 21: IPA (12 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Kevin Jones	Kevin's RIPA	Specialty IPA	Austin Zealots
2nd	Eric Heinz Co-Brewer: Kyle Autry	P.O.I.P.A	American IPA	Foam Rangers
3rd	James Hammontree	Miracle Worker	American IPA	Austin Zealots

Cat. 23 & 28: European Sour Ale and American Wild Ale (9 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Paul Dietert	Old Ezekiale	Oud Bruin	Barley Coherent
2nd	Mark Schoppe	Mark's Sour Witbier	Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer	Austin Zealots
3rd	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	My Brother Was Killed By A Funky Cold Madina	Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer	Cane Island Alers

Cat. 24, 25 & 26: Belgian, Strong Belgian and Trappist Ale (22 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Stan Hudson	Belgian And Stealin'	Belgian Dark Strong Ale	The Cap and Hare Homebrew Club
2nd	Eric Heinz Co-Brewer: Kyle Autry	Olivia	Belgian Golden Strong Ale	Foam Rangers
3rd	Dean Weaver	Deanitude Resuscitating Belgian	Belgian Tripel	NTHBA

Cat 27, 31, 34.: Historical, Alternative, Speciality Beer (12 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Mark Schoppe	Mark's Lichtenhainer 2011	Historical Beer	Austin Zealots
2nd	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	Here I Gose Again On My Own	Historical Beer	Cane Island Alers
3rd	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	Here I Gose Again On My Own V2	Historical Beer	Cane Island Alers

Cat. 29: Fruit Beers (6 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Andy Scherzinger Co-Brewer: James Gould	Your Face Is Red, Like A Strawbrary!	Fruit Beer	Cane Island Alers
2nd	Matthew Cogburn	Harvest Peach Wheat	Fruit Beer	Big Country Homebrewers Assoc
3rd	Bill Arning	24 Hours Of Lemons	Fruit Beer	Bay Area Mashtronauts

Cat. 30: Spiced Beer (13 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Mark Schoppe	Mark's Elderflower Berliner Weisse	Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer	Austin Zealots
2nd	Kerry Martin	Mounds Porter	Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer	Austin Zealots
3rd	Bill Arning	Fleur De Lait	Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer	Bay Area Mashtronauts

Cat. 32 & 33: Smoked and Wood Age Beer (6 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Michael Rensing	Tim Horton Has A Brew.	Specialty Wood-Aged Beer	Cane Island Alers
2nd	Justin Holman	Justin's BA Weizenbock	Specialty Wood-Aged Beer	Cane Island Alers
3rd	Ronnie Lawson	GB-37	Specialty Wood-Aged Beer	Austin Zealots

Cider and Perry (12 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Cindy Oberlin	The Bunny Trail	Specialty Cider/Perry	Bay Area Mashtronauts
2nd	Cindy Oberlin	Thanks For The Scraps!	Cider with Other Fruit	Bay Area Mashtronauts
3rd	Justin Holman	Alek's Sparkling Applewine	Applewine	Cane Island Alers
HM	Cindy Oberlin	Pink Elephant	Cider with Other Fruit	Bay Area Mashtronauts

Mead (15 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Cindy Oberlin	Happy	Berry Mead	Bay Area Mashtronauts
2nd	Mark Schoppe	Mark's Cherry Hydromel	Stone Fruit Mead	Austin Zealots
3rd	Matthew Chrispen	Berry Bomb	Berry Mead	Austin Zealots

Category 51 (3 entries)

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Dan Dewberry	Huate Oatmeal Stout	Category 51	Austin ZEALOTS

Best of Show

Pl.	Brewer(s)	Entry Name	Style	Club
BOS	Kevin Jones	Kevin's RIPA	Specialty IPA	Austin Zealots
Reserve	Pete Train	A Finer Shiner	International Dark Lager	Bay Area Mashtronauts

Updated 05/08/2017 12:03am to include co-brewers.