Independent's Day - ProAm Homebrew Competition 2026 Info
Account Registration
You can create your account today through Friday 26 June, 2026 12:00, AEST.
Judges and stewards may register now through Saturday 4 July, 2026 18:00, AEST.
Entry Registration
You can add your entries to the system today through Friday 26 June, 2026 12:00, AEST.
Entry Fees
$10.00 (AUD) per entry.
BJCP 2021 Styles Accepted
If a style's name is hyperlinked, it has specific entry requirements. Select or tap on the name to view the subcategory's requirements.
| ABC1 Akasha Brewing Company (Custom Style) | BBC1 Bracket Brewing (Custom Style) | BLB1 Badlands Brewery (Custom Style) |
| BRB1 Bridge Road Brewers (Custom Style) | BWB1 Blackwattle Brewery (Custom Style) | CBC1 The Coastal Brewing Company (Custom Style) |
| DBC1 Depot Brewery (Custom Style) | DDB1 Dad & Dave's Brewing (Custom Style) | MCB1 Mountain Culture (Custom Style) |
| RRB1 Rocky Ridge Brewing (Custom Style) | SLB1 Slow Lane Brewing (Custom Style) | TSB1 The Social Brewers (Custom Style) |
Pay Entry Fees
After creating your account and adding your entries to the system, you must pay your entry fee(s). Accepted payment methods are:
- Credit/debit card and e-check, via PayPal
Entry Acceptance Rules
Number of Bottles Required Per Entry: 1
The Sydney Beer Week – ProAm Homebrew Competition is BJCP sanctioned and open to any amateur homebrewer aged 18 or older who is resident in NSW.
The competition will be sponsored by commercial breweries and have multiple flights, one for each participating brewery.
The homebrewer winning a flight will work with the sponsoring brewery to brew their beer commercially for Sydney Beer Week.
By entering the competition, the entrant acknowledges and agrees to surrender all intellectual property rights associated with their recipe, and waives any commercial claims on proceeds from the use of that recipe by the sponsoring brewery.
If multiple breweries have selected the same BJCP style, entrants can only enter the style once and must choose their preferred brewery.
An entrant can enter multiple flights but can only place first in one flight which will be with their highest scoring beer, the organisers reserve the right to make the final decision on rule interpretation as required.
If a winner of a flight no longer wishes to be a part of the Pro-Am competition, this will pass to the 2nd place winner and so on.
All entries must be handcrafted products, containing ingredients available to the general public, and made using private equipment by hobbyist brewers (i.e. no use of commercial facilities or Brew on Premises operations, supplies, etc.)
All mailed entries must be received at the shipping location by the deadline - please allow for shipping time. All entries will be picked up from drop-off locations the day of the drop-off deadline.
The competition organisers are not responsible for entries entered into the wrong style, mailed entries that are not received by the entry deadline, or entries that arrive damaged.
Qualified judging of all entries is an important goal of our event. Judges will evaluate and score each entry. The consensus of the scores will be used to rank each entry in its category.
In the event of tied scores in determining the first places, this will be resolved either by the judging panel during judging or using a progressive countback until the tie is resolved based on:
- highest score for Overall Impression;
- highest score for Flavour;
- smallest spread of individual judge scores
- the judging panel and/or head judge will resolve the tie.
Containers will not be returned to entrants.
Each entry will consist of capped/corked bottles or cans that are devoid of all identifying information, including labels and embossing. Printed caps are allowed but must be blacked out completely.
Each entry must consist of a single container of at least 500ml in volume. Cans and bottles, glass or plastic are acceptable. Swing top bottles, corked bottles and carbonation caps are also acceptable. Containers should not have any unique identifying features other than possibly a batch code.
Printed labels must be submitted with each entry and can be printed directly from this website (see printer symbol next to the entry in your entries table.) Entry labels should be attached to bottles/cans.
Be meticulous about noting any special ingredients that must be specified. Failure to note such ingredients may impact the judges' scoring of your entry.
Payment for entry is via PayPal, with credit/debit card or PayPal balance, entrant pays transaction surcharge.
In registering for the competition and providing your name, email address and mobile number, you consent to receiving future communications from Sydney Beer Week, NSW Amateur Homebrew Association and our sponsors in connection with your entries into their category. Your information will be used solely for the purpose of sending relevant information, relating to this and future competitions. Your personal information will not be shared with third parties, except as required by law. You can opt out at any time by contacting us directly using the contact form
Drop-Off Locations
Entry bottles accepted at our drop-off locations Monday 1 June, 2026 10:00, AEST — Friday 26 June, 2026 12:00, AEST.
Please pay attention to the notes provided for each drop-off location. There could be earlier deadlines for some drop-off locations listed, particular hours when entries are accepted, certain individuals to leave your entries with, etc. All entrants are responsible for reading the information provided by the organizers for each drop-off location.
50 Sydney St, Marrickville NSW 2204
(02) 9516 3008
Unit 11 / 12 Hearne St, Mortdale NSW 2223
0400 755 967
*Check opening hours
Shipping Info
Entry bottles accepted at our shipping location Monday 1 June, 2026 10:00, AEST — Friday 26 June, 2026 12:00, AEST.
Ship entries to:
The Hop & Grain Brew Store
50 Sydney St, Marrickville NSW 2204
Packing and Shipping
Carefully pack your entries in a sturdy box. Line the inside of your carton with bubble wrap. Partition and pack each conatiner with adequate packaging material. Please do not over pack!
Write clearly: Fragile. This Side Up. on the package. Please only use bubble wrap as your packing material.
Enclose each of your container labels in a small zip-top bag before attaching to their respective bottle/can. This way it makes it possible for the organiser to identify specifically which entry has broken if there is damage during shipment.
Every reasonable effort will be made to contact entrants whose containers have broken to make arrangements for sending a replacement.
Judging Sessions
Belvedere Hotel - Morning
Saturday 4 July, 2026 10:30, AEST
Belvedere Hotel - Afternoon
Saturday 4 July, 2026 13:30, AEST
Best of Show
The 1st place entry in each category will be offered the opportunity to work with the sponsoring brewery.
Styles in each brewery’s section are as follows:
Akasha Brewing Company
Badlands Brewery
Blackwattle Brewery
Bracket Brewing
Bridge Road Brewers
Dad & Dave's Brewing
Depot Brewery
The Coastal Brewing Company
Mountain Culture
Rocky Ridge Brewing
Slow Lane Brewing
The Social Brewers
Awards
The awards ceremony will take place once judging is completed.
Places will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category/table.
The 1st place entry in each category will have the opportunity for a Pro-Am day with the sponsoring brewery and to have their beer brewed commercially.
The commercial brews will be judged and receive public votes during Sydney Beer Week at Hotel Sweeney's.
Past Winners
Judging Sessions
Belvedere Hotel - Morning
04/07/2026 10:30, AEST.
Belvedere Hotel - Afternoon
04/07/2026 13:30, AEST.
Account Registration Open
Account registrations accepted 01/05/2026 10:00, AEST through 26/06/2026 12:00, AEST.
Registrations for judges or stewards accepted 01/05/2026 10:00, AEST through 04/07/2026 18:00, AEST.
Entry Registration Open
30 entries have been added to the system as of 04:33, AEST, Sunday 24 May, 2026.
6 paid entries are in the system as of 04:33, AEST, Sunday 24 May, 2026.
Entry registrations accepted 01/05/2026 10:00, AEST through 26/06/2026 12:00, AEST.Entry Drop-Off Closed
Please pay attention to the notes provided for each drop-off location. There could be earlier deadlines for some drop-off locations listed, particular hours when entries are accepted, certain individuals to leave your entries with, etc. All entrants are responsible for reading the information provided by the organizers for each drop-off location.