Professional craft beer brewers, listen up: the second annual SA National Craft Brewers Championship is now open for your entries. Sponsored by the South African Breweries (SAB) World of Beer, the competition aims to recognise the growing craft beer movement in the country and its contribution to the culture of beer in South Africa.

Sean Watts, convenor of judges, said that last year’s competition had been a pilot and that this year’s would be bigger and include better prizes. “The 2014 SA Craft Brewing Championship is more inclusive than previously, as we have opened up the styles. A brewer can enter any beer they regularly brew, as long as it fits in the first 23 categories as laid out in the Beer Judge Certification Programme (BJCP) style guidelines.” The competition is now also audited by accounting firm Grant Thornton.

This year, the first-prize winner will take home R50 000 from The World of Beer, in addition to 100kg of malt from SAB Maltings; 2kg of hops from SAB Hop Farms; R10 000 worth of consulting or training from Global Beverage Solutions; and R7500 worth of speciality malts and dried yeast from The Brew Master. The second prize includes R30 000 from The World of Beer, malt and hops; and third prize will be R10 000 cash, plus malt and hops.

Craft Brew Championships 2013 winners

The winner of last year’s inaugural competition was The Dog and Fig Brewery. “We were honoured to walk away with the top spot for our American Stout and the prize money was put to good use in the expansion of our brewery,” said the outfit’s Morne Barradas.

The judging panel of the SA National Craft Brewers Championship brings together experts from all corners of the country. Judge and MC Lucy Corne said she was looking forward to seeing what entrants had to offer. “Craft brewers are not only

producing excellent American, German, Belgian and English-style beers, they’re also coming up with some really interesting South African twists – beers featuring buchu, rooibos and fynbos, as well as using local malt and hops.”

How to enter

Click here to complete the entry form. Beer samples must be delivered to the World of Beer from Monday 1 September until 5pm on Friday 12 September 2014. (Judging will take place on Saturday 13 September.) The winners will be announced at an event at the SAB World of Beer in Newtown, Johannesburg, on 3 October 2014.