2006 Label Contest Winners!
Every year we make room in our Brew Your Own warehouse for the onslaught of packages containing your homebrewed labels. OK, BYO doesn’t have a warehouse, but the pile of boxes in the editorial office is getting bigger every year. In fact, our intern’s desk was buried for over a month as the labels rolled in. And every year the Label Contest gets a little more difficult to judge. We fly in Editor Chris Colby from his satellite office in Bastrop, Texas, call in our panel of dedicated judges and assemble around “The Big Table” in our Manchester, Vermont headquarters. The judging process is more sophisticated than anything the BJCP could fathom . . . but it WORKS! When it was all said and done (26 hours and many broken hearts later) we had a Grand Champion. We had a Gold, Silver and Bronze medalist. We had 19 honorable mention winners and 16 Editor’s Choice labelists. Our hats go off to all of you — Cheers!
Grand Champion
Barry Fitzgerald • Lawrence, KS
This label was inspired by an acrylic painting of Barry’s. The painting was one in a series of images depicting women, music and wine. Barry’s wife is not a beer drinker and his friends speculate that it is unfortunate that she doesn’t appreciate his homebrew efforts. In his mind, the situation leaves more homebrew for him!
Prizes: Gift Certificate from Grape and Granary; Infrared thermometer from Tempgun.com; Party Pig set-up package from Quoin Industrial; Gift Certificate from Quality Wine and Ale Supply.
Gold Medal
Joe Myers • Sheboygan Falls, WI
This label was inspired by Joe’s father-in-law’s “very special barleywine.” In a letter to us, Joe referred to this concoction as the “Mother of All Hangovers.” The label is pen and ink, scanned into Photoshop, colorized and embellished with the logo. Joe comments that “every detail was carefully considered as to fully illustrate the supernatural stupor that resulted from enjoying some of the finest barleywine on the planet Earth!”
Prizes: Counter-pressure bottle filler from Foxx Equipment Company; Gift certificate from High Gravity Homebrewing and Winemaking; Yeast coupons from White Labs, Inc.; Gift certificate from Quality Wine and Ale Supply.
Silver Medal
Will McNair • Austin, TX
This label was designed by Will’s sister-in-law for he and his wife Iliana’s wedding. As a joke, their friends called them “Wiliana,” so they named their home brewery after the term. The Saison was just one of seven beers served at the wedding, all with their own label. They saved a few six packs of each for memorabilia.
Prizes: Keg charger and two 6-packs of cartridge refills from Genuine Innovations; Six Molson tulip glasses from BeerCollections.com; Gift certificate from Quality Wine and Ale Supply.
Bronze Medal
Lenny Eckstein • Golden, CO
This label and beer came to be during Lenny’s two-year stint in Boston, Massachusetts. After he realized that New England has “one hell of a beer scene,” and some “bomb @#$ fried clams,” he felt obligated to produce something to commemorate his short residence in the area. The beer came first, it was brewed using 8 ounces of fresh minced New England clams, added during the last 20 minutes of the boil. The label was a work in progress for the following year, and after catching wind of the Label Contest, he wrapped it up and sent it in. Lenny says the beer was “actually quite good,” and we here at BYO agree that at least the label was worthy of a prize!
Prizes: Fleece jacket from Muntons p.l.c.; Yeast coupons from White Labs, Inc.; Gift certificate from Quality Wine and Ale Supply.
Honorable Mention Awards
Gabriel Follis • Elgin, IL
Prize: Yeast coupons from White Labs, Inc.; Gift certificate from Quality Wine and Ale Supply.
Jason Lynch • Edinboro, PA
Prize: Mug from Genuine Innovations.
Chris Vest • Dolores, CO
Prize: Fleece jacket from Muntons p.l.c.
J.C. Romero • Fullerton, CA
Prize: Gift certificate from Homebrewers Outpost.
Bill Guinen • Wauwatosa, WI
Prize: Carboy heat panel from Quickheat Exports Ltd.
Lydia Martin • Escondido, CA
Prize: Gift certificate from Homebrewers Outpost.
Adam Crockett • Westbury, NY
Prize: Yeast coupons from White Labs, Inc.; Gift certificate from Quality Wine and Ale Supply.
William Norris • Carolina, Puerto Rico
Prize: Bottle opener from Genuine Innovations.
Paul Dlugokencky • Centerport, NY
Prize: Yeast coupons from White Labs, Inc.; Gift certificate from Quality Wine and Ale Supply.
Jen Goodwin • Hampden, ME
Prize: Hooded sweatshirt from White Labs, Inc.
Tim Gerst • Boynton Beach, FL
Prize: Fleece jacket from Muntons p.l.c.; Gift certificate from Quality Wine and Ale Supply.
Paul Andrew Sgroi • Oxford, PA
Prize: Gift certificate from Wine & Beer Emporium; Gift certificate from Quality Wine and Ale Supply.
Leah Dienes • Louisville, KY
Prize: Infrared thermometer from Tempgun.com.
Antony Rozwadowski • Culpeper, VA
Prize: The book “How to Brew” from Brewers Publications.
Jim Wagner • Kansas City, MO
Prize: T-shirt from Genuine Innovations.
Ken Hall • Derby, CT
Prize: Gift certificate from Homebrewers Outpost; Gift certificate from Quality Wine and Ale Supply.
Mike Johnson • Eagle River, AK
Prize: Gift certificate from Homebrewers Outpost.
Ken Melnrick • Fort Collins, CO
Prize: Long sleeve denim shirt from White Labs, Inc.
Lance Saeger • Eagan, MN
Prize: 2 lbs. of hop pellets from BrewCitySupplies.com
