Celebrating 10 Years of Ontario-Hopped Craft Beer at the OFVC!
The ONHops BrewOff (OHBO) is back at the OFVC! This year we’re celebrating 10 years of friendly competition highlighting Ontario grown hops and Ontario craft beer! Formally “The Great Ontario-Hopped Craft Beer Competition”, OHBO was conceived to bring together Ontario hop producers and the most significant end-user of the crop, the Ontario brewing industry. The goals are to:
- Create a credible venue for hop growers and brewers to work together and encourage commerce.
- Introduce the next generation of Ontario brewers to the hop growing community.
- Promote the use of Ontario-grown hops.
In honour of our milestone, we are returning to the inaugural 2013 beer style: BJCP 21A American IPA. Here’s the description from the BJCP Style Guidelines:
“A decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong, pale American ale. The balance is hop-forward, with a clean fermentation profile, dryish finish, and clean, supporting malt allowing a creative range of hop character to shine through… A prominent to intense hop aroma often featuring American or New World hop characteristics, such as citrus, floral, pine, resin, spice, tropical fruit, stone fruit, berry, or melon. Low to medium-low clean, grainy maltiness supports the hop presentation.”
Continuing in 2023 – Closed Judging and Public Event:
The ONHops BrewOff has adopted a new set of timelines and judging procedures to ensure the competition is able to run in person, or virtually if required. Closed judging will take place during the week of January 16th to determine the winners of the competition. The public event will take place at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention at 14:00 on February 22nd. This event will feature a judging panel headed by our Lead judge. The top three submissions will be re-evaluated, judges will discuss the process and the entries with the audience, and everyone can participate in the hop rub featuring all the hop submissions.
Competitors are invited to attend and participate in the public event. Be prepared to discuss hop production and brewing practices with the audience. Winners will be advised in confidence prior to the public event and asked to attend. They will receive their awards at the Farmers and Friends Gala Event immediately following the public event.
If it becomes necessary to cancel the public event (e.g., due to pandemic concerns), participants will be informed as early as possible. An online version of the public event will take place instead and the winners will receive their awards by mail.
Important New Requirement – Showcase at the Farmers and Friends Gala Event:
This year, to celebrate the 10th year of the competition, we ask that all entrants brew enough beer to potentially provide 48 beers for the Farmers and Friends Gala Event. This is in addition to the six bottles required for the competition. Attendees of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention will then have an opportunity to taste the winner’s submissions. We will contact the three winning teams to arrange to purchase and transport the beer in time for the event. Unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to share samples of all the submissions. Therefore, only the winning teams will be contacted to provide beer for this event.
Critical Dates:
- Registration: Organizers must receive completed entry form and registration fee by 16:00, October 28th. Registration will close once 18 entrants have been accepted.
- Hops delivery: Hop growers must email the competition (onhopsbrewoff@ofvc.ca) to confirm hops have been delivered to the brewer. Brewer must email the competition organizers to confirm hops have been received.
- Shipped / Delivered entries accepted (Simcoe): By 16:00, January 13th.
- Closed Judging: Takes place the week of January 16th (Date TBD).
- Public Judging and Awards: 14:00-18:00, February 22nd.
For complete style information, the rules, critical dates and to register, please visit the competition webpage at: https://www.ofvc.ca/ONHOPS_about.html