Why should producers of beer, cider or mead enter The Aurora International Taste Challenge?
Winners of The Aurora International Taste Challenge will enjoy bragging rights and display their award artwork in their tasting room, in email signatures, on the product itself as well as digital and print media, royalty-free.
Superior products will be granted Gold and Double Gold status, to reward excellent quality. Exceptional products that exceed expectations will be eligible for trophy awards. Besides the normal technical criteria used during judging, wow factor and the reading on the judge’s hedonic scale of enjoyment will be taken into account. The winners will be determined on the basis of score, and the amount of winners will not be limited to three per category.
Winning producers will be able to display award artwork on the product itself, in digital media, and in print media for a period of one year from when the awards are granted. Winners will receive a media kit with all the permutations of the artwork related to the award received, and will be able to use the artwork subject to a non-exclusive licence agreement. No royalties are charged.
Stickers will also be available for purchase at R310 excluding VAT (approximately Euro 20 or USD 22) per 1000. A one-time print run will be done, and extra stickers will be available on a first come, first served basis. Winners are not obligated to order stickers.
Besides beer and cider, bottled water and other drinks will also be judged.
Here is a close approximation of what the 25 x 25 mm sticker will look like.
Winning producers will be able to display award artwork on the product itself, in digital media, and in print media for a period of one year from when the awards are granted. Winners will receive a media kit with all the permutations of the artwork related to the award received, and will be able to use the artwork subject to a non-exclusive licence agreement. No royalties are charged.
By winning an award you will make sure that your product is discovered, or rediscovered in a blind tasting, without bias or prejudice.
About the beer, cider and mead challenge
This year The Aurora International Taste Challenge 2020 will be held in South Africa, and will have some of the top sommeliers judging beer and cider from around the world. The goal is to identify and award the best-tasting beers, ciders and Meads available to consumers.
While many consumers are brand-loyal, most would choose an alternative if they had access to fair product ratings. The Aurora International Taste Challenge will grant merit and trophy awards to exceptional products readily-available worldwide. We are proud to be setting new quality standards in the food and drinks industry.
Are you top of the Hops? Are you the big Apple? An award will instantly set you apart.
Beer, cider and mead competition information
What sets one beer, cider or mead apart from another?
Products will be judged on aroma, flavour, mouthfeel and overall impression using a proprietary scoring system.
Products are tasted blind, and scored on their own merit. Judges score the products on their own in silence, without conferring with other judges.
The judge’s personal preference is not taken into account.
Can I use this award artwork for all the brands that this product is produced under?
The award artwork may only be used for the particular brand that was entered. If the company markets the exact same product under different brand names, additional non-exclusive licences will be granted to be used for the additional brands the product is sold under, at the price of the original entry fee.
Stickers will also be available for purchase at R310 excluding VAT per 1000. A one-time print run will be done, and extra stickers will be available at a first come, first served basis.
Who will be judging the competition?
Products will be judged by sommeliers who live and breathe drinks for a living, and who have an intimate knowledge of taste.
Are there any royalties involved?
No royalties are payable.
An electronic certificate will be emailed to winning participants. This will be accompanied by a non-exclusive license agreement that, after being signed by both parties and dependent on adherence to the stipulations of the agreement, will give the winners a non-exclusive licence to make use of the media kit, with various logos and award artwork on their product, in email signatures, digital and in print media for a period of one year from the time the awards are announced. No physical trophies or awards are awarded.
Entry Fees and dates
- 17 March 2020 – Entries open and Early bird special of R950 excluding VAT (approximately USD76 or EUR66) per entry.
- 2 July 2020 – Normal entry fee of R1200 excluding VAT (approximately USD96 or EUR84) after this date.
- 21 July 2020 – Late entries can be submitted for R1440 excluding VAT (approximately USD115 or EUR101) after this date.
- 28 July 2020 – Entries close.
For how long can I use the award artwork?
The award artwork may be used on the specific product and brand that was awarded, subject to non-exclusive licence agreement signed by both parties, for a period of one year, subject to the terms of the non-exclusive license agreement.
Exceptional products will be eligible for trophy awards in the following categories:
Cider and mead entries will be organised as follows:
- Alcohol level
- Sugar content
- Carbonation level
- Style
- Flavoured or unflavoured
Beer entries will be organised as follows:
- Alcohol level
- Style
- Flavoured
What awards are awarded?
Superior products will be granted Gold and Double Gold awards, to award products with excellent taste. These producers will be able to display this award artwork on the product itself, in digital and in print media for a period of one year from when the awards are granted, as long as the quality of the product does not change from that of the original sample, and dependent on the terms of a non-exclusive licence agreement signed by both parties.
Trophy awards will also be awarded to products that really stand out in their special area.
Other important information:
- Early bird entries before July 2nd, are R950 plus VAT (approximately USD76 or EUR66) each. Entries done between July 2nd and July 21st, are R1200 plus VAT (approximately USD96 or EUR84) each. Late entries before the close date of July 28th, are R1440 plus VAT (approximately USD115 or EUR101) each.
- Each entry requires a minimum of 6 containers as samples for products less than 500ml, and 2 containers for containers bigger than 500ml. These samples need to be in their final bottled format, and no tank samples are allowed. No Kegs are allowed.
- A product may only be entered once, even if it is available under a different brand name.
What Covid-19 protocols have you implemented, and does it amend any of your current rules and guidelines?
Because of the Coronavirus scourge we have a comprehensive Coronavirus / Covid 19 contingency plan that is posted on our website here.
In case the event cannot take place, it will be postponed to a later date, and if worse comes to worse all entries will be unconditionally refunded.
When do I send the samples after we entered?
Samples need to be delivered on the 3rd and 4th August 2020 between 9:00 and 16:00 at The Conference Centre, Joostenberg Deli, Stellenbosch South Africa.
You can make use of any courier, but we have partnered with DHL to allow for timely delivery. When making use of DHL, please ensure you send your samples to DHL Paarl, 35 Zandwyk Park, Old Paarl Road, Paarl, South Africa, for the attention of: “The Aurora International Taste Challenge C/o Marijke Douglas”.
Products from outside South Africa need the necessary time to clear customs. Also add the wording: “Samples of no commercial value – for attention The Aurora International Taste Challenge C/o Marijke Douglas”. Contact Marijke on Marijke.Douglas@dhl.com or phone her on +27 (0)21 872 4717 for more details.
Products that are sent that have to maintain the cold chain, need to be packed accordingly, and the DHL overnight service can be used.
Late entries might not be accepted.
With regards to DHL and overnight delivery, how certain can I be that the sample receives the necessary urgency to deliver on time?
When making use of DHL, please ensure you send your samples to DHL Paarl, 35 Zandwyk Park, Old Paarl Road, Paarl, South Africa, for the attention of: “The Aurora International Taste Challenge C/o Marijke Douglas”. Make sure you arrange with Marijke on Marijke.Douglas@dhl.com or phone her on +27 (0)21 872 4717 to make sure everything will be in order.
Does taxes and custom fees only relate to imports?
Only samples send from outside of South Africa will accrue taxes, clearance and customs fees.
As you have partnered with DHL, do entrants get a reduced-price option?
Because DHL consolidates deliveries, the prices will be reduced. Make sure you arrange with Marijke on Marijke.Douglas@dhl.com or phone her on +27 (0)21 872 4717 to get the necessary detail.
Overnight deliveries and deliveries from outside of South Africa will be at normal DHL rates.
Will you have a show for people / companies to attend if they are not entering the competition?
The Aurora International Taste Challenge is not a trade show or public event. Only the organisers and judges are present.
There is also no prize giving ceremony or trade/public tasting afterwards.
How do I enter and where do I get an entry form?
You can register online here and after registration enter online. Once you are registered, you can just go to this link here to enter products later.
At what stage do I pay for entries?
Payment must be done online before the close of entries.
By winning an award you will make sure that your product is discovered, or rediscovered in a blind tasting, without bias or prejudice.
Timeline for the 2020 Competition
Contacts and Delivery of Samples
Each entry requires a minimum of 6 containers comprising a minimum combined volume of 1500ml, and 2 containers for samples bigger than 500ml. These samples need to be in their final bottled format, and no tank samples are allowed. No kegs are allowed.
Participants may use any courier, but please ensure samples are delivered to the Conference Centre at Joostenberg Deli, Koelenhof Road, Stellenbosch, South Africa between 9:00 and 16:00 on August 3rd and 4th, 2020. Late entries might not be accepted.
Attention: Celia Gilloway / Tel: +27 82 782 1977/ Email: celia@eventsbycelia.com
We have partnered with DHL to allow for timely delivery. When making use of DHL, please ensure that you send your samples by to: DHL Paarl, 35 Zandwyk Park, Old Paarl Road, Paarl, South Africa, for the attention of: “The Aurora International Taste Challenge C/o Marijke Douglas”. Contact Marijke on Marijke.Douglas@dhl.com or phone her on +27 21 872 4717. DHL will consolidate the samples to make sure they are delivered on time. Late entries might not be accepted.
Products from outside South Africa need the necessary time to clear customs. Also add the wording: “Samples of no commercial value – for attention The Aurora International Taste Challenge C/o Marijke Douglas”. Contact Marijke on Marijke.Douglas@dhl.com or phone her on +27 (0)21 872 4717 for more details.
For additional information contact Sanet van Heerden at hello@aurorachallenge.com
Rules Particular to Beer and Cider
- Samples may not be past their sell by date.
- Entries must be commercially available.
- Al cost related to delivery, including customs fees and taxes etc. are for the participant’s expense.
- Only commercially-operating producers, which abide by the food laws of the country of origin, may enter.
- Winners will be asked to supply the competition with high resolution pack shots for use on its website, and in marketing material. By entering this competition the participant grants The Aurora International Taste Challenge unlimited use of these images.
- Be sure to securely wrap entries with bubble wrap, or similar to secure your entries against breakage. Please wrap your final package in a plastic bag and make it leak proof and to prevent leakage and damage to other products. Label samples as fragile.
- Specialised packaging material, or any other packaging material will not be returned. Specialised packaging material can greatly increase to final quality and viability of the sample being judged.
- If Styrofoam peanuts are used for packaging, please secure them in a container that will not cause leakage or spillage of the packaging material.
- International entries must take the necessary precautions to prevent breakage and hold-ups in customs, and are encouraged to use local agents to deliver samples.
- If more than one box of samples are delivered, please mark boxes as “Box 1 of 5”, “Box 2 of 5” etc.
- After winners are announced, no additional samples are needed.
