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Ohio Brew Week Brew BQ Contest Rules

The 1st Ohio Brew Week Brew BQ Cook-off Competition will be held from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Friday, July 18, 2008 in the Toscano’s parking lot (4 Depot Street) and around the Athens Train Depot, on West Union Street in Athens, Proceeds from the event will benefit local charities and scholarship funds. The Brew BQ Cook-off Competition includes entries in the ribs, beef brisket/pork butt, chicken or vegetarian categories and contestants will enter in the professional cooks and chefs, semi-professional chefs or amateurs category.

Professional is defined as an individual who earns a substantial part of his/her income as a chef, or works for a restaurant or other eating establishment. Semi-professional is someone who occasionally earns income as a chef, or is in formal training to become a professional chef or cook. An amateur does not earn income from cooking.

Fill out the entry form and mail in with entry fee, recipe ingredients by July 11, 2008.

Contestants may set up starting at noon on Friday, July 18. Food should be ready to serve by 4 p.m. You may bring your own grill set up. OBW will provide grill space and charcoal for entrants who request it. If you opt to use any grill enhancements (wood chips, etc.) you need to be there to supervise your grill area set-up.) Entrants must prepare enough food to serve 35-50 people, sampling size portions. (5 of those will be judge’s portions).

The public will arrive at 5 p.m. to start sampling foods; sample sizes can be served from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Judges will visit each entrant’s table by 4:30 p.m.

The public will provide your booth with two tickets per tasting sample (two ribs, sample size of beef brisket/pork butt, chicken or vegetarian entry.) Public will also vote for favorite foods by depositing voting tickets into a basket or jar at your station. Best of Each Category Prizes will be determined by the judge’s ballots and feedback, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes will be determined by a combination of judges’ votes and the counting of voting tickets from the public.

Prizes will be awarded in these categories:

Ohio Brew Week BBQ Cook-off Best Ribs, Professional, Semi-pro, Amateur category

• Ribs: 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, Professional
• Ribs: 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, Semi-pro
• Ribs: 1st, 2nd, 3rd place, Amateur

• Chicken: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Professional
• Chicken: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Semi-pro
• Chicken: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Amateur

• Vegetarian: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Professional
• Vegetarian: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Semi-pro
• Vegetarian: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Amateur

Ohio Brew Week BBQ Cook-off Best Beef Brisket/Pork Butt, Professional, Semi-Pro, Amateur category

• Vegetarian: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Professional
• Vegetarian: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Semi-pro
• Vegetarian: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Amateur

Ohio Brew Week BBQ Cook-off Best Use of Ohio Microbrew

• Professional category
• Semi-pro category
• Amateur category

Leeners Best Use of Leeners BBQ Kit.

Barbecue is defined by the sponsors as meat (fresh and uncured) prepared on a wood or charcoal fire, basted or not, as the cook sees fit with any non-poisonous substances and sauces as the cook believes necessary. The categories are ribs or chicken. A pork rib is defined by the OBW sponsors as the portion containing the ribs, and further defined as a spare rib or pork loin rib portion.

For this OBW Competition, sponsors are also including a vegetarian category, which will consist of any combination of vegetables and non-meat foods, such as tofu, soy products etc.).

Teams or individuals may cook with any type of wood or charcoal. Other flammables (propane, compressed or liquid gas) may be used ONLY to START the initial fire. No type of flammable may be used within the cooker/grill area once the meat is placed there. Flammables may be used outside and away from the cookers/grill to make additional coals. Local fires law and safety laws may prevent use of gas anywhere on the grounds, and if so, these laws shall prevail.

There is no electrical access on this site.

Meat for the contest may be fresh or frozen. Meat may not be pre-cooked, sauced spiced or injected prior to official meat inspection. Meat must be maintained at a temperature below 40 degress Fahrenheit prior to cooking and at or above 140 degrees Fahrenheit after cooking

Each contestant shall supply all meat, seasonings, cooking utensils, barbeque grills and other equipment necessary to prepare samples for judging. OBW will provide a regulation cooking area. If a larger area is needed, special arrangements need to be made with OBW Brew BQ Cook-off organizers. Contestants must adhere to all OBW, city, county, state or federal codes pertaining to fire and electricity.

Contestant’s vehicle access will be limited in barricade area. Contestants must make all deliveries of equipment, stoves, supplies and other items between noon and 2 p.m. Parking rules and regulations will be issued with the application letter. Vehicles of any kind other than passenger cars or trucks are not permitted on festival grounds.

Each contestant may have as many assistants as are necessary for such chores as handling meat and wood and encouraging the cook. During the judging only (4) assistants will be allowed in the cooking area, those listed on the entry form. Any assistant who handles food must comply with these rules.

Each contestant must comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the City/County Health Department including but not limited to the following:

1. Meat must be 40 degrees or less before cooking. Your coolers with ice will keep it cold enough.
   
2. After cooking, meat must be maintained at 140 degrees or above in a covered container.
   
3. Aprons and hats must be worn by the cook and all food-handling assistants. Entry fee includes an apron for the cook. Additional aprons and t-shirts may be purchased for an additional charge of $10 per apron.
   
4. Smoking or chewing tobacco during judging times is prohibited.
   
5. Cleanliness of the cook, assistants and contestants is required.
   
6. No live animals, are allowed in the cooking area.
   
7. Dug pits are not permitted.
   
8. Beer, ice, soft drinks or vendor trucks are not permitted in Brew BQ cook-off area unless a sponsor.
   
9. Each contestant must check in at the registration area. At that time, contestant number and cooking area assignments will be issued and meat will be checked for compliance with entry category requirements. (See definition in rule #1) A member of the OBW Brew BQ Committee must inspect your meat prior to cooking.
   
10. Judging will be on site and blind. (They will have your entry only by number and category.) Winners will be announced at 9 p.m.
    
11. Contestants may/may not enter other categories. Separate entry form for each category.
    
12. There is a $15 application fee for each category entered. No refunds of application fees will be made after you are accepted, whether you appear or not. All checks should be made payable to: Ohio Brew Week Brew BQ Cook-off, 9950 SR 682, Athens, OH 45701.
    
13. Due to limited space, applications submitted after July 11, 2008 may not be accepted.
    
14. It is the responsibility of each contestant to see that the contest area is kept clean and that the area is cleaned and inspected after the contest. All concrete blocks must be hauled away and all equipment must be removed from the site. All fires must be put out. Any space left unclean with trash and garbage will be disqualified from future participation. Trash receptacles will be on the grounds. The Committee requests that all contestants cooperate in disposal of trash and keeping the area clean.
    
15. The Chief Cook is responsible for the conduct of his team and guests. Excessive use of alcoholic beverages, profane or abusive language will be grounds for disqualifications. Under no circumstances are alcoholic beverages to be distributed to the general public by contestants. We want each team to have a good time, and we want a good atmosphere for those who attend.
    
16. No live bands or combos will be allowed in individual cooking areas without written permission of the competition organizers. No entertainment when judging starts at 4:30 p.m.
    
17. Open fires are prohibited. Fires for the purpose of making coals must be contained in a proper container fire box, screened and placed well away from the general public.
    
18. The BBQ Committee is not responsible for cookers or other equipment left unattended before, during or after the competition. The Committee reserves the right to make additional regulations as the situation warrants.
    
19. All decisions of the Brew BQ Committee Chairman and Judges are final.
    
20. Violation of the rules and regulations of the contest may result in disqualification, expulsion from the grounds and/or disqualification from future contests.
    
21. Cooking and prep space approximately 6’ x 12’. More space is available, if needed.

Entry Form

Click here to download the 2008 Ohio Brew Week Brew BQ Contest entry form.

©Copyright Ohio Brew Week 2008