My apologies if this has been covered already, but if I want to enter the NHC competition, can I? I don’t have a club (yet) nor am I anywhere near a ‘regional’ area. Where should I send my bottles, and how many should I send, etc? Pointing me to a link and telling me to RTFM is totally fine, btw.
Ok, here’s a clarification I need: da rules say “no 22-oz bombers.” That’s 65cl; I’ve bottled in 50cl bottles. Would those be allowed if they’re under the max size guidelines for the “case box slot” size (7cm x 7cm x 22.9 cm)? I have to measure to be sure…
All I can see in the rules is that there’s a minimum (10 fl oz), with no maximum. As long as your bottles fit, I’d think they’re fine. I kind of doubt they’ll fit though.
I’d be careful about the bottle sizes. A friend entered some Belgian style beers a few years back in large (750 ml.?) corked bottles. Went through the first round just fine, and advanced to final round. But the bottles were rejected for final round because they were a non standard size and that made storage of them difficult. He was upset since they made it through first round, but technically they shouldn’t really have been allowed there. It’s really a pragmatic kinda thing…your bottles can’t make it difficult for the people who have to cellar the beer. I’d say that either use standard bottles or contact Janis to see what the ramifications of non standard bottles might be.
I’d think so, but check with Janis to be sure.
Hi Phil,
Yes you can enter the NHC. You don’t need to be a member of a club. You may choose any of the 9 Judging Centers for your entry. You’ll need to ship the entry by a private shipping company. If you are entering from France, your entry will need to get through Customs. The Canadian entrants to the Final Round also go through Customs, and they do not include the entry form or payment with the entries. I’m not sure why.
I have asked Harold Gulbransen for any words of advice he may have, since the San Diego Judging Center received foreign entries in previous years.
For all the details of the competition, RTFM should cover it. Check the size of your bottles, as they may be slightly too big for the bottle requirements. Good luck in the competition!
Cheers,
Janis
Thanks a bunch everybody, I’ll be measuring the bottle size as soon as I get home. Hopefully all is well. If not, there’s always next year 
I helped unpack and sort the entries for Cincinnati 2008. (Think 8 dumpsters full of packing material!) Oversize bottles are a pain in the keester, but we did not reject anybody for bottle size or shape. I cannot conceive of being so strict as to reject an entry for such a minor issue.
Do you know Schneider Aventinus? That’s the type of bottle I’m using.
That’s a half liter bottle. Although legal it is much taller than a 12 ounce long neck and taller still than a stubby (Anchor type). Why not get some 330cl bottles - most of the Belgians we get here come in those sizes.
I have two cases of these hanging around, and the beer I want to enter is almost gone, and can’t be re-bottled. I’ll send it in anyway, and if it works, great; if it doesn’t, I hope somebody drinks the beer as opposed to throwing it out. It’s pretty good.
Hi Phil,
The bottle is slightly out of spec, but tell me to which Judging Center you are sending your entries, and I’ll let the organizers know about the odd size. Good luck in the competition!
Cheers,
Janis
Janis, you ROCK!
You do indeed rock Janis. Thanks a bunch for this. Future submissions will be to spec, of course, but I’m glad I get a chance to compete. I’m submitting to the Troy, NY location, shipping by Chronopost.