Updated 6:20 p.m. March 16: The judging and tasting have been postponed indefinitely, the planning committee announced today. The tasting event, open to the public, had been scheduled for Friday, April 24. “We are investigating options for hosting the event in early summer,” the organizers said in their . “If we are not able to find a solution that maintains the quality of the competition and our commitments to entrants, we will cancel the competition and refund entry fees.”
Think you need to be a master brewer — or ever have brewed at all — to enter the Staff Brewing Competition? Think again!
“Before my first year, I’d never brewed a beer, or even liked beer all that much,” said Carlos Barahona, systems architect in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy. “Seeing the process and learning what makes beers different helped me find those I like.”
And, guess what? Barahona and his Beer Pressure teammates, Eri Furukawa and Joe Schneider, earned the Judges’ Choice award for best pale ale last year! Schneider is an admissions recruitment specialist in the School of Law. Furukawa worked at the School of Law at the time of last year's competition, but has since moved to the School of Veterinary Medicine where she is an external relations specialist. They are teaming up again this year.
Beyond the brewing, Barahona said, “The competition and the event itself introduced me to a lot of staff around campus that I never would have interacted with, and has built friendships with others I knew only professionally before.”
Now, as an organizer, he’s recruiting teams for the 2020 competition. In addition, tickets are on sale for the tasting event to be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, April 24.
The is for ٺƵ affiliates only — from the Davis or Sacramento campuses or outlying locations — while the tasting event is open to all (minimum age 21).
This year’s brewing categories are porter, hazy NEIPA (New England India pale ale) and cider. Another one of the organizers, Lina Layiktez, director of Conference and Event Services, said ciders are a tasters’ favorite: “They are really easy to drink, and for people who don’t really like beer, they are a nice option that allows them to participate in the event along with a significant other or friends who do love beer.”
Admission to the tasting event will include a souvenir glass and up to 24 2-ounce samples. Tasters will be invited to vote for the People’s Choice Award.
For brewers
Teams must comprise at least two people and no more than six. Each participant can be on one or two teams (but, if you’re on two teams, they must brew different styles). Each style is limited to 15 teams, and each team can submit one or two brews.
To be eligible for awards, competitors must attend the tasting event and serve their brews. Brewers are advised to plan accordingly when figuring how mush beer or cider to make.
The team fee is $10 per brewing submission.
Team fees do not include the per person entry fee for the tasting and event. Each team member must register separately at the discounted price of $10.
The tasting event
The tasting event will be held at the , and food vendors will be on site.
Admission for noncompetitors is $15 for staff, faculty and members of the Cal Aggie Alumni Association, $20 for others. (All guests are on their own for food.) All fees go toward the cost of the facility, tasting glasses and prizes for the best brews.