Greetings all:
First, an apology... I've been completely under water for a number of weeks with various business and family matters, and so I've been more than a bit derelict in responding to e-mails, not to mention tending to MCAB stuff.

As far as MCAB QE's for 2003 (and the years beyond)... "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Accordingly, unless the organizers of the individual competitions decline, the following will be the MCAB Qualifying Events ("QE's")for MCAB 6:
Boston Homebrew Competition
Kansas City Bier Meisters Competition
Regale and Dredhop
World Cup of Beer
Bluebonnet Brew Off
Drunk Monk Challenge
Sunshire Challenge
Spirit of Free Beer
BUZZ-Off
Aurora Brewing Challenge
Dixie Cup
Happy Holidays Homebrew Competition
Heart of the Valley Competition

Further, while the MCAB reserves the right to make additions or subtractions to this list in the future, the first twelve of these competitions will be "presumptive" MCAB QE's in all future years (meaning, unless the MCAB decides to terminate a competition as a QE, it will remain a QE in all future years). The Heart of the Valley Competition and Novembeerfest will similarly be considered "presumptive" QE's but we will stick with our prior practice of alternating them... meaning the Heart of the Valley competition is a QE in odd numbered years (2003, 2005, 2007, etc.) and Novembeerfest is a QE in even numbered years (2002, 2004, 2006, etc.).

Meanwhile, if you've not done so, check out the MCAB website (http://hbd.org/mcab) for details on MCAB 5, coming up in a couple of weeks in the Northern Virginia area. Looks like another killer beer geek weekend in the making! (Now if I can just get a certain case to settle so I can be there too...)

As always, lemme know if you have any questions, etc.

Louis K. Bonham