The Beer Dabbler Highland Fest (July 16th) is fast approaching, and we've got a sweet homebrew contest to go along with it. Tickets to the festival are $30 online or at several liquor stores (http://www.thebeerdabbler.com/highland/index.html). With your entry fee to the festival, you are allowed to submit up to 3 beers for free. If you'd like to enter, please go to http://www.thebeerdabbler.com/highland/homebrew-signup.html and register your beers by Saturday, July 9th. You'll then need to bring two bottles of each beer (appropriately labeled) to the festival on Saturday, July 16th, to drop off at our tent. It's that easy.

Although we will not be doing ciders and meads, we're accepting entries from any of the BJCP recognized categories and subcategories. Medals will be awarded for 1st place in individual categories, and we've got some awesome prizes lined up for the winners of the Best of Show. There will also be a separate prize awarded for the best beer brewed by a first-time competition entrant.

Even if you cannot attend the festival, I hope that some of you will be able to help out with judging and stewarding. As of right now,judging will be held on Saturday, July 23rd, upstairs at the Nomad World Pub on 501 South Cedar Avenue in Minneapolis. The number of sessions will depend on how many entries we get, but right now we'll probably have a morning session and an afternoon session. The contest is registered with BJCP, so you will receive judging points. Also, for those of you interested in learning more about judging, please sign up to steward or judge. This will be a fairly low-key competition, and judges with limited experience will be paired with certified or higher judges to help guide them through the process. If you sign up for both sessions, you will receive lunch. If you'd like to sign up, please register online at http://www.thebeerdabbler.com/highland/homebrew-judge.html