NHC 2026 Registration Opens Feb. 3 10 AM MT, Closes Feb. 25

Homebrewers have a three-week window to enter the National Homebrew Competition, with registration open Feb. 3 at 10:00 AM Mountain Time and closing Feb. 25 at 8:00 AM Mountain Time. The American Homebrewers Association is running the contest and calls entrants to "put your beer, cider, or mead to the test" in what it describes as the largest beer competition on the planet.

The AHA frames 2026 as a milestone year: "2026 marks the NHC’s 48th year, proudly brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association and supported by the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP)." Entrants can submit beer, cider, or mead, and competing requires current AHA membership. "The National Homebrew Competition is open to American Homebrewers Association (AHA) members only. Join the AHA today to enter," the association notes.

Practical rules and logistics were clarified in an AHA forum Q&A by competition leadership. Charlie and Jen, the NHC Competition Chairs, explained operational details and site capacity. Charlie wrote, "Entrants may ship entries to multiple first-round sites. The phrase 'select their First Round judging site' refers to the selection process during registration, not a limit on the number of sites an entrant can use. The 'first-come, first-served' language addresses site capacity constraints - sites may fill up based on when entries are confirmed. However, entrants should not send identical beers to multiple sites (which would create potential issues if the same beer advanced from different locations) and that is also mentioned in the rules."

First-round judging will deliver BJCP scoresheets via BAP once judging is complete, and the Bronze, Silver and Gold in each category advance to the Final Round. "If you have advanced to the Final Round, you will be notified before May 1," the AHA site states. Final Round judging dates and receiving dates are to be confirmed by May 1; the forum post by the chairs describes the competition as "comprised of 11 different events. 9 First Round judging locations, Final Round judging and the Awards Ceremony during Homebrew Con in Asheville, NC."

Labeling and bottle handling guidance matters this year because of changes to BAP labels. Charlie told a forum user, "Dan, you can absolutely mark through identifying marks on your cap with a marker. Rubberbands are preferred this year as the BAP labels will be such that entries do not need to be relabeled. Tape secures the labels in ways that rubber bands cannot as sometimes they break or slip off. If you prefer rubber bands you can continue without risking disqualification." The forum also notes a 10-entry limit intended "to allow for maximum participation," though entrants asked whether that limit might be adjusted if sites do not fill.

Why this matters now: NHC judging is a chance for detailed feedback from BJCP, Cicerone, and community judges, and more than 170,000 entries have been judged since 1979. For anyone planning to enter, join or renew AHA membership, prepare entries with the updated BAP-friendly labeling approach, and register within the Feb. 3-25 window. Watch BAP for First Round scoresheets and expect Final Round notifications before May 1.

Note: A forum opening post referred to 2026 as the NHC’s 47th year; the AHA site lists it as the 48th year and should be treated as the organizer’s official wording. For questions about BAP and anything NHC-related, reach out to the AHA by phone or email and follow the AHA forum for chair updates from Charlie and Jen.