Entry Fees and Requirements
ENTRY DATES & FEES FOR 2024
Commercial Division
Early-Season Registration, Jan. 17 – March 10: $75 per entry
Late-Season Registration, March 11 – April 14: $90 per entry
Noncommercial Division
Early-Season Registration, Jan. 17 – March 10: $20 per entry
Late-Season Registration, March 11 – April 14: $30 per entry
The entrant must pay all customs, duty, and shipping fees.
To accommodate “in planning” entrants who may wish to become commercially licensed, any entrant who desires to enter the Commercial Division under an assumed business name may do so.
Entrants who request a refund of their entry fees while the registration window is open are entitled to a 90% refund. Refunds are not available after the registration window is closed.
All entries become the property of the MCA. Entries remaining after the award announcements will be disposed of by the MCA.
Sample Requirements
Commercial Division: Please submit three (3) cans or bottles size 330ml (11.1 ounces) or larger for each entry.
*Note that two (2) 750ml bottles are not sufficient to meet the above requirements. Entries that advance to Best in Class Finals are judged at three different sessions, so three (3) 750ml bottles are required.
Exceptions
- For Ice Cider and Fortified Cider entries in bottles that are 375ml or larger, please submit two (2) of each bottle.
- For Ice Cider and Fortified Cider entries in bottles that are at least 187ml but less than 375ml, please submit three (3) of each bottle.
- For Spirits entries, the total volume submitted must be at least 375ml. One (1) bottle is sufficient if it is at least 375ml.
Noncommercial Division: Please submit two (2) cans or bottles size 330ml (11.1 ounces) or larger for each entry.
Exceptions
- Ice Cider entries may be submitted in bottles as small as 187ml. Two (2) bottles per entry are required, regardless of volume.
All samples must arrive at the designated collection point no later than the close of business on Friday, April 26, 2024.
Judging Protocol
All judging will be conducted using “blind” panels. Each entry will be identified by a randomly assigned registration number. Judges will see only that number and important information needed to properly evaluate the entry, such as style, level of carbonation, level of sweetness, and any special ingredients or processes used in production.
Judges will be a combination of cider industry professionals, cider experts, sensory analysis experts, experienced BJCP and non-BJCP judges, and select members of the media.
Commercial Division entries will be poured out of sight of judges and identified only by a random registration number. Noncommercial Division entries will also be poured out of sight of judges and identified only by a random registration number; in the event of a shortage of stewards, judges will pour samples for themselves. The bottles will have no identifying marks aside from the random registration number assigned to that entry.
Sweetness Levels
- Dry: Below 0.9% RS (Below 1.004 SG)
- Semi-Dry: 0.9%-1.8% RS (1.004-1.007 SG)
- Semi-Sweet: 1.8-4.5% RS (1.007-1.017 SG)
- Sweet: Above 4.5% RS (Above 1.017 SG)
Carbonation Levels
- Low: <0.75 volumes of CO₂ (Still / Perlant)
- Medium: 0.75 to 2 volumes of CO₂ (Petillant)
- High: >2 volumes of CO₂ (Sparkling)
Best in Class Awards
The best ciders in each style category will have a chance to move on to the Best in Class judging. These are the award classes for 2024:
Commercial Division — 20 Classes
- Modern Cider
- Dry
- Sweet
- Heritage Cider
- Dry
- Sweet
- Traditional Cider
- Dry
- Sweet
- Natural Cider
- Rosé Cider
- Modern Perry
- Traditional Perry
- Fruit Cider
- Hopped Cider
- Botanical Cider
- Wood Aged Cider
- Wood Aged Specialty Cider
- Specialty Cider and Perry
- Unlimited Cider and Perry
- Ice Cider
- Fortified Cider
- Spirits
Noncommercial Division — 6 Classes
- Modern Cider
- Heritage Cider
- Traditional Cider, Natural Cider, or Rosé Cider
- Perry (Modern Perry or Traditional Perry)
- Fruit Cider
- Specialty Cider (all Specialty Styles plus Ice Cider)
Use of Competition Awards in Marketing
Use of any award in a misleading way may result in the award being rescinded and the offending producer being barred from future competitions. Producers are responsible for ensuring that distributors, retailers, and restaurants use awards in advertising and marketing per competition rules.
Feedback is supplied to aid producers in understanding how ciders were perceived by judges, and what the relative strengths and weaknesses were perceived to be. Feedback from judges may not be quoted for marketing purposes without the express prior approval of GLINTCAP/MCA.
The Competition wishes to encourage experimentation and help producers discover their strengths. Consequently, entries from trial batches are permitted. However, awards given to entries from trial batches may not be referenced by the producer or its distributors and retailers for marketing purposes without the express prior approval of GLINTCAP/MCA. Trial batches are defined as those that represent less than 100 gallons (US) or less than 1% of total production—whichever represents the greater volume—or batches that are not available for sale to the public.
