We are happy to announce the first Brew Local homebrewing contest by West Coaster.

Celebrate our vibrant cornucopia of local ingredients and DIY ethic. Simply brew a beer, cider, or mead utilizing a local ingredient. Spices, herbs, vegetables, fruits, and anything else you can dream up are all fair game. Look to our farmers’ markets, your garden or kitchen for inspiration.

Entries will be judged on how well the base style is crafted and how well the local ingredient works harmoniously with it.

Contest Rules:

— 2 plain unmarked bottles per entry.

— $5 cash must be paid when you drop off your beer(s).

— Submit as many entries as you want (but we are capping the contest at 50 entries).

— You must tell us what Southern California ingredient(s) you used and where you sourced them.

— Homebrews only. No commercial system-made brews may be entered.

— West Coaster staff and contributors are not allowed to enter this contest.

— Bottle drop-off is at The Homebrewer between May 4th-11th.

— Read and use the BJCP 2008 Guidelines. Categories that will be accepted in this contest:

16E: Belgian Specialty

17F: Fruit Lambic

20A: Fruit Beer

21A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer

21B: Christmas / Winter Specialty Spiced Beer

23A: Specialty Beer

25B: Pyment

25C: Other Fruit Melomel

26A: Metheglin

25C: Open Category Mead

28B: Fruit Cider

28D: Other Specialty Cider / Perry

— We will have prizes as well as recognition in West Coaster magazine for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Runner-Up award winners. Enter online here… Start Brewing!