Come one, come all, to the greatest annual spectacle in home brewing, and/or, who wants to enter their beer into BURP's largest annual contest, the 32nd Annual Spirit of Free Beer Home Brew Contest? That's right folks, Spirit is back again for it's 32nd iteration, and we're very excited about it! Additionally, our great friends at Silver Branch Brewing Co in Rockville, MD are hosting us again this year!

What are the important details, what do you need to know to enter? I'm glad you asked:

• Entry Registration Deadline: Thursday, April 2, 2026- 11am
• Entry Dropoff Deadline: Friday, April 3, 2026 - 1pm
• Entry Check-in:  Saturday, April 4, 2026
• SOFB Competition/Judging - Sunday, April 12, 2026 - Silver Branch Brewing, currently planned for their new location in Rockville, MD
• Awards Ceremony - Sunday, April 19, 2026 - SoFB Leftovers Meeting (see burp.org for details)
• Website: https://brewingcompetitions.com/sofb/
• Entry Requirements: BEER entries shall consist of (2) two 10-12 oz. capped bottles, or (2) two 10-12 oz aluminum cans. DO NOT submit a combination of one bottle and one can for an entry. An entry must be two bottles OR two cans. Bottles may be brown or green glass and must be free of any labels. In addition, these should not have raised glass designs, etched logos, or any other identifying marks. Bottle caps must be either plain or blacked out with a magic marker. Cans should be aluminum cans and must be free of any labels, designs, logos, or any other identifying marks. Attach the can label to each can with a rubber band.
• Please check the website for additional competition information, drop-off locations, etc.

Also, SOFB needs YOU! Do you want to be a judge or a steward? Well, have I got a deal for you! Go to the Spirit website to sign up.

Any questions or comments, please direct them to Chuck Hughes, the 2026 SOFB Coordinator. <amuckbrewing@gmail.com>