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Canned Beverages

•Hard Seltzer • Spiked Spritzers •Premixed / Ready-To-Drink (RTD) Cocktails • Alcohol Based Ice Teas and Lemonades •CBD-infused •THC-infused •Hemp-infused •Non-alcoholic •Mixers •Bitters •Hard Cider •Hard Kombucha •Sake 
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The Canned Challenge Plus is the world's first professionally judged competition to define excellence in ready-to-drink alcoholic and infused drinks. The Canned Challenge Plus Tasting Contest will be conducted double-blind by a prestigious panel of mixologists, bartenders, beverage professionals, sommeliers, buyers, and trade members. The Canned Challenge Packaging and Design Contest will be juried by a committee of art directors, designers, and retailers, focusing on critical elements that help a brand stand out.
The 2025 Canned Challenge Plus is now accepting canned and RTD beverages in all packaging types (canned, bottled, boxed, Bag-in-box, Tetra Pak®, pouch, etc.) in the following categories:

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Tasting Competition:
We are now organizing a prestigious panel of industry professionals consisting of Master Sommeliers, Directors, Journalists, and Retailers, Buyers. Our goal is to create a well-rounded panel of experts that will taste the products “double-blind” and achieve the fairest scoring results possible. For our popular categories, we may separate products into different price points to maintain an even playing field.

Packaging and Design Competition:
Packaging and design are crucial aspects of marketing and product positioning in the ever-crowded world of adult beverages. Many producers make enormous financial and time investments in trying to develop the perfect design.

The 2024 Canned Challenge will offer a separate packaging and design contest that will be judged by Art Directors, Designers, Marketers, and Retailers.

Awards Process:
Medal-winning spirits will be posted on this website within 7 days of the competition. Posted winners will remain listed in the results section of this website under the year that their products won a medal. Wine Country Network conducts an aggressive publicity campaign generating valuable media exposure for all winners.

Product Categories List:
Click here for our full list of product categories

Revised deadlines:
Online Entries: October 9, 2024
Samples delivered by: October 11, 2024
Final Judging: October 19-20, 2024

Location: Denver, Colorado, and conducted nationally with highly respected beverage professionals.

Entry Fee:
$250 per entry

For wines (only)
Entry Fee: $125 per entry

Sample Product Required:

•Tasting Contest
Please supply 8-12 OZ cans (or the equivalent of 96 ounces).

•Packaging and Design Contest
Please supply 1 can for Individual Packaging and Design, or 1 Can Each for Your Canned Series Entry.

Questions?
Please call Tel. (303) 665-0855 or email the Competition Director. cdavies@winecountrynetwork.com