I just realized that the beers that I entered into a local competition are going to be disqualified because I taped the labels onto the bottles. To add insult to injury, I used clear packing tape to tape the labels onto the bottles, which means that it is going to take some effort to remove them from the bottles. If my entries are disqualified for having taped-on labels, I hope that the club hosting the competition will allow me to claim my entries. I would like to have the opportunity to remove the labels and enter the beers in another competition.
Did they send you notice that they are going to be disqualified or are you just assuming? That’s sucks but I’ve never run or participated in a competition so I’m sure there are good reasons for using rubberbands and not tape.
I also hear a lot of comp people say they hate when people use peanuts. I can agree there…I hate those stupid things.
Good luck with this comp or getting you entries back for a different one.
This sounds like an assumption.
As someone who runs competitions and goes through bottle check in, I will assure you that you will be cursed and grumbled at. But it is unlikely that you will be disqualified.
you should contact the organizer and offer apologies. People are generally pretty nice. (stuff) happens. Someone is always entering their first competition and it happens more than you think. I suspect the organizing crew will curse you out a bit and do whatever they can to remove the labels.
As one who was a steward at a local comp I can tell you that yes, we cursed but didn’t disqualify the entries but check in with them anyways to be sure:) good luck!
+1 - An apology up front will definitely be appreciated and certainly wouldn’t hurt your cause.
I have a special voodoo doll for entries like yours, but I’ve never disqualified one.
That’s funny ! If he has any phantom pains after the comp, I guess he’ll understand.
I hope that everyone is right. The directions clearly stated that entry forms were to be attached using rubber bands, which is how I attached my entry forms. However, the bottle labeling directions were not clear (i.e., there was no mention of how they were supposed to be attached).
I bet you’ll be just fine. They’ll grumble but they’ll judge 'em anyway. You live, you learn. You forgive, you forget.
I am not a hyper competitive person. I pretty much avoided amateur-level brewing competitions during the decade that I brewed before taking almost an eleven-year hiatus from the hobby. I only entered one contest during that period of time, and that contest was held in 1998. I decided to enter this contest because I wanted to get more involved with the local brewing community.
Yeah you’ll likely be fine. Not that many entries actually get disqualified from competitions. They just say that you can/will be to ensure you follow the rules. Rules are there to make life easier for all the volunteers.
Stuff like this happens even to those that regularly enter
I just recently shipped off beers to a local comp and got an email a few days later saying I broke the rules by entering two beers in one category, clearly stated as a NO in the rules:( no biggie, through a suggestion from the coordinator another category was recommended for one that fit another style well so he facilitated the switch for me…easy deal!
Should’ve added - I only laugh because I’ve been there . Sorry. I taped my labels on in my first comp despite very clear directions to not do so, out of excitement, ignorance or some of both ! I didn’t get disqualified, and paid a little better attention after.
also, when the OP wins a medal, expect to hear “I nearly had to use a chainsaw to get that guy’s label off the bottle; he owes me a beer!” 
Both of my entries are borderline within their style categories.
Just noticed the obliterate requirement on the caps! Thankfully. My caps are the simple Brewers Best so they have a big B on them…
I have caps from a brewery. I need to get a good marker.
I wonder if anyone has ever entered a category 1 in a Sam Adams bottle with a blotted out Sam Adams cap? Would really make you wonder huh? Especially if it was like a 49 point beer…
With no sediment, it would probably get dinged for oxidation… 