The Erie County Fair is raising a glass to creativity with the return of its popular Best of the Bar Department, featuring the Home Brew and the Home Cider Making Competitions. Entries officially open April 1, inviting home brewers and cider makers from across New York state to compete for a chance to see their recipes professionally produced and shared with thousands of fairgoers.
Open to New York state residents ages 21 and older, the competitions offer an opportunity for the winning recipes to be professionally produced and distributed through Try-It Distributing.
The Home Brew Competition welcomes entries in all Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) styles offered as classes, with the Best of Show recipe professionally brewed by Hamburg Brewing Company. The Home Cider Making Competition will also see its Best of Show cider professionally produced by BlackBird Cider Works.
Winning entries from both competitions will be professionally produced, canned, and offered on tap during the 2026 Erie County Fair, with products also available for purchase at local retail locations. Judging will emphasize creativity and originality, celebrating fun, Fair-ready, summertime beer and cider experiences designed to delight fairgoers.
The deadline to enter and drop off Home Brew and Home Cider entries is May 4 at noon. Entries can be dropped off at The Fairgrounds Main Office (Monday thru Friday 9:00am-4:00pm), Resurgence Brewing Company and Hamburg Brewing Company.
Full rules, class listings and entry information are available at www.ecfair.org. Questions regarding the Fair’s Competitive Exhibits may be directed to ceoffice@ecfair.org or (716) 649-3900, ext. 6407.
Brian Campbell is co-founder and Brand Manager of the Buffalo Beer League, and writes the weekly Buffalo Beer Buzz column. If you have beer news that should be included in the Beer Buzz, Brian can be reached at brian@buffalobeerleague.com, on X (@buffbeerleague), Instagram, Threads and Untappd (@buffalobeerleague), and Facebook (@thebuffalobeerleague).
