Beer Forum

So I am reading through the NHC bottle requirements and was wondering if I could use the sam adams bottles even though they have the raised lettering. The rules dont mention anything regarding lettering specifically. Anyone got a ruling on that?

Sounds acceptable to me as long as it is "free of ink, paint, or paper labeling." I've never seen anyone bat an eye at a Sam Adams bottle in a competition.

Heck, I even remember a Miller twist-off bottle at NHC06 and while it raised an eyebrow at the table initially, it got judged just like everything else.

DannyW wrote:Sounds acceptable to me as long as it is "free of ink, paint, or paper labeling." I've never seen anyone bat an eye at a Sam Adams bottle in a competition.

Heck, I even remember a Miller twist-off bottle at NHC06 and while it raised an eyebrow at the table initially, it got judged just like everything else.

Its a shame that Colt 45 doesnt put their beer into 12 oz amber bottles with raised logos. how awesome would that be.

You can always send an email to the competition directing and ask if the bottles are acceptable...It would give you piece of mind. Nothing worse than hearing that your entries were rejected because of the wrong kind of bottle.

Brant wrote:So I am reading through the NHC bottle requirements and was wondering if I could use the sam adams bottles even though they have the raised lettering. The rules dont mention anything regarding lettering specifically. Anyone got a ruling on that?

I've used them and never got knocked for it - althought it does seem to be against the rule that bottles be free of markings.

I preferred Sam Adams bottles because they were refillables, I don't think Sam ever used them that way but they were thicker and stronger than normal bottles regardless. I think Sam has stopped using these, or is at least phasing them out because not all the Sam I buy now is in the raised letter bottles, some feel like the lighter cheaper normal 12 ouncers.

I was just reading through the "Club-Only" competition requirements for AHA (http://www.beertown.org/homebrewing/club.html) and saw:
Rubber-band a completed Bottle ID Form to each of two (2) brown or green glass, 10 to 14 ounce bottles of brew. Clear-glass bottles will be disqualified. [b]Bottles with raised glass lettering are discouraged[/b].
Using a permanent black marker, obliterate any and all words or pictures on the caps.
I realize that these are two different contests but if you have other bottles available, I would use them. After all the hard work in your brewing, fermenting, conditioning and bottling, why would you fuck with chance?
just my $0.02.

When packaging my entries for the 2008 Mayfaire, I noticed that one of these bottles got mixed in, so I hope this doesn't cause any issues. Since Sam Adams supports Homebrewing as much as they do, I would think that this would be a minor issue.
If the bottles were Miller, your fucked!!!!
-Greg

The rule against markings is a good rule - we know judging is blind because there are no identifying marks on the bottle.

But raised lettering is taking it way too far, every single homebrewer in the country can get ahold of Sam Adams bottles if they want to - there is no way that it's an identifying mark.