It’s time to start concocting your best home-brewed cider or mead to beat Jim Litch and Rachel Bishop – “Best Orcas Brew” first place winners for the past two years.

Last year, 18 Orcas Island home brews of ciders and meads were entered in the competition representing a plethora of varieties that took professional judges a long time to decide who would win the coveted one-of-a-kind Crow Valley plates.

This year competition will be held on Saturday, June 27 in conjunction with the Fifth Annual Orcas Island Cider and Mead Festival on the Eastsound Village Green.

Any Orcas Island home-brewer may compete.  Just bring a bottle of your best home-made cider or mead brews to the Home Brew Competition tent by 1 p.m. on June 27.  Competition will begin about 2 p.m. More than one brew may be entered.

This year, the Cider and Mead Festival main tasting tent will hold up to 25 producers from California to Canada offering 70-plus varieties of some of the best ciders and meads made in America. Just $10 will admit adults 21 and over into the tasting tent and will include tastes and a commemorative glass.  Bottles will also be available for purchase. The Cider Festival is a major fundraiser for the Orcas Island Farm to Cafeteria Program.