The following information provides details about brewery eligibility and important guidelines for the 2024 competition. Please take a moment to review each section thoroughly.
Beer Entry Fees
| Competition Entry Fee | Pricing |
|---|---|
| BA Member | $185 per entry |
| Non-Member | $425 per entry |
How many beers can I enter in the competition?
Update: As of July 17, the entry cap has been raised to a maximum of 12 entries.
Each brewery is expected to be allowed to enter up to a maximum of 8 entries into the competition, based on availability (in other words, this cap could increase or decrease based on brewery interest for the competition).
Please note: our goal is to accommodate as many breweries as possible in an effort to host a robust competition; if demand for the competition exceeds capacity, breweries with a higher number of entries may be asked to reduce their entry count. Alternatively, if there is additional available competition space after registration closes on July 12, we may allow breweries to enter more beers, beyond the original entry cap.
No single brewing location is allowed to enter more than the designated maximum number of competition beer entries determined.
Groups that own multiple breweries/have multiple locations will not be limited to an entry cap (subject to change, based on availability).
The number of brewery applications by a multiple-location group may not exceed the total number of physical brewing locations in that group.
See Brewery of the Year to help you determine how your brewery should be entered.
Can I enter one beer into multiple categories?
Nope, each beer brand may be entered only once. Just pick the best category for that beer.
- A beer brand may not be renamed and entered in multiple categories
- Beer brands produced at multiple locations may not be entered by more than ONE brewery. This includes brands made at various locations within a chain of stores or breweries, by breweries with related names or aligned marketing strategies, or by multiple breweries that have collaborated on a brand.
Can I enter two or more beers into the same category?
Yes! As long as it’s not the same beer… that would be weird.
Is my brewery eligible?
Breweries must meet ALL THREE of the following conditions as of June 11, 2024. Breweries not meeting these criteria, homebrewers, and breweries in planning (i.e. not open, operational, or meeting the criteria below) as of this date are not eligible to enter.
- Brewery must be fully licensed to both produce AND sell beer in the U.S.
- Brewery must have a Basic Permit/Brewers Notice on file with the TTB (U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax & Trade Bureau).
- Brewery must be currently open and operating with at least one beer that is currently commercially available for sale at retail to the public (e.g. taproom, bar, restaurant, retail store).
Breweries not meeting all criteria above and that register for the Great American Beer Festival and/or competition are subject to disqualification without further notice or refund of registration/entry fees.
What if my beers/ciders are contract brewed by another producer?
If you own the rights to a brand, but your beer is produced by another brewery, you are still eligible to enter the GABF. The facility producing your beers must meet the brewery eligibility requirements above. Enter the beers under the name of your brand, not the name of the brewery at which your beers are produced.
Enter the TTB Basic Permit/Brewers Notice number of the brewery producing the beer on your registration entry. Any award won by a contract brand is property of the winning contract brewery which owns the brand, not the brewery producing the beer.
Are my beers/ciders eligible?
In order for beer to be eligible for entry, your brewery must first meet all above brewery eligibility requirements. If your brewery does not meet all of the requirements, your beer is not eligible for entry.
All beer entries must possess the characteristics generally attributed to and conforming to the consumer understanding of “beer”.
Eligible
- At least 51% of the fermentables must be derived from grain. Beverages made with malt substitutes, honey, fruit or fruit juices, or anything other than grain as the majority of fermentables are not eligible to participate.
- Competition beer entries must contain hops. Exceptions to this include gruit or other historical beer styles that traditionally use other herbs or spices (such as heather or yarrow).
- All beer entries must be commercially available and comply with all TTB regulations, including formula approval requirements (as stated in Title 27, Chapter 1, Part 25, Subpart F, §25.55 of the Code of Federal Regulations).
- All beer entries must comply with the Brewers Association Advertising & Marketing Code. Entries not in compliance will be disqualified immediately. The entry will not be judged , and no refund will be given.
Not Eligible
- Mead, spirits, seltzers, hard soda, hard water, and flavored malt beverages including kombucha and most shandies and radlers (see first and second bullet point in “eligible” section) are not eligible to be entered in the GABF competition.
- Beer brands whose volume contains more than 50% of beer liquid manufactured outside the U.S. are ineligible (i.e. collaborations with non-U.S. breweries where the majority of the beer was produced abroad).
- Brands that have greater sales of beer imported into the U.S than sales of that brand produced/manufactured in the U.S. are ineligible.
- Any beer or cider entries that contain any substances not authorized for use in human food, or which are made with ingredients that contain such substances, or which are made in contact with materials not authorized as food contact materials, all in accordance with the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act as interpreted and administered by FDA. Common examples of these compounds and ingredients include, but are not limited to: Coumarin (Tonka Beans, Amburana Wood), Safrole (Motherwort, Sassafras), Thujone (Artemesia/Wormwood/Mugwort), Cannabinoids (THC/CBD/Cannabis). Very rare exceptions may occasionally be made and must get explicit competition approval to be eligible
- Many other ingredients are not considered safe for food and beverage contact by FDA. Brewers and cidermakers are responsible for ensuring their beers comply with all food safety requirements. When asked, brewers must be able to provide an approved Statement of Process from TTB showing the use of any ingredient is approved and possible lab analysis showing beer does not contain any trace of unauthorized compounds.
- Entries that do not comply with the Brewers Association Advertising & Marketing Code will be disqualified from the competition and will not be refunded for competition fees
The Brewers Association retains sole discretion to determine eligibility for the Great American Beer Festival.
A full refund of competition entry fees is given only in the event that your brewery cancels by July 26, 2024.
No refunds will be given for beers or badges that are canceled after this date. This includes instances where beers are not shipped for competition and beers that are not received by the shipping deadline for judging. It is the brewery’s responsibility to track their shipments to ensure arrival in a timely manner.
All regulatory and financial burdens associated with submitting and sending samples to the Great American Beer Festival are the sole responsibility of the entering brewery. In the event the competition is canceled the Brewers Association will only refund breweries their competition entry fees. The Brewers Association is unable to reimburse or pay for competition entry shipping fees. Any shipments sent as “C.O.D” will be refused upon arrival.