State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine today announced that the Great New York State Fair is teaming up with one of the state’s largest breweries to offer one home beer hobbyist the opportunity of a lifetime.

It all begins with the State Fair’s annual Home Brew competition, which takes place on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1, 2013.  In 2012, dozens of amateur beer brewers submitted bottles of their best work for judging.  Judges from the Salt City Brew Club handed out bronze, silver, gold and double gold medals in the American Homebrewers Association-sanctioned event.  This year, there’s an additional prize for the best beer in the competition.

Utica’s F.X. Matt Brewing Company, brewers of Saranac beers, will offer the winner the opportunity to have his or her beer recipe brewed in Saranac’s new pilot brewery, its research and development facility.  The beer that results from the work in the pilot brewery will be entered in the Pro Am Competition at the Great American Beer Festival in Colorado.

“This is a great opportunity for us to work more closely with the homebrewing community,” said F.X. Matt’s Product Development Manager Rich Michaels, who runs the state-of-the-art pilot brewery.  “There’s actually a chance for us and the homebrewer to win a medal.”

Michaels said that the winner will provide him with two bottles of the winning brew.  The beer will then be analyzed in the pilot brewery.  The recipe may undergo slight modification, if necessary, so it can be brewed in a commercial facility.  Michaels will set a date for the beer to be brewed and the winning homebrewer will be on hand to watch and assist in the production of the final product to be sent to the competition.

“This competition and our partnership with F.X. Matt Brewing Company is one more way that the Fair will live up to its theme of ‘Sharing the Bounty and Pride of NY’ and its mission of showcasing the state’s agricultural industry,” said New York State Agriculture Commissioner Darrel J. Aubertine.  “Our support of amateur brewers in turn helps them support a growing sector within agriculture, strengthening farms and local economies.”

“I see the State Fair as a great opportunity for people to come from all around the state to taste the products that make the state’s brewing industry great,” said Nick Matt, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of F.X. Matt Brewing Company.  “This competition is exactly the kind of thing that brings emphasis to New York State products.”

Home brewers interested in entering the competition should be advised that the deadline for entries is May 16.  Full entry rules and instructions can be found on the State Fair website at:

http://www.nysfair.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2013-Home-Brew-rules-classes.pdf

http://www.nysfair.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2013-Home-Brew-entry-form.pdf

The New York State Fair features competitions in a wide range of categories, involving animals, crops, cuisine, cars and more.  Any New York State resident can enter any State Fair competition.  You do not need to have won a local competition. 

In addition to the annual New York State Fair, the Fairgrounds host dozens of agricultural events throughout the year, including some of the Northeast’s most prestigious horse and livestock shows.

The home of the Great New York State Fair is a 375-acre exhibit and entertainment complex that operates all year. A year-round schedule of events is available on the Fair’s website.  Find The Great New York State Fair on Facebook or follow NYS Fair on Twitter. Also, New Yorkers are invited to send their ideas on the Great New York State Fair at statefairideas@agriculture.ny.gov.