It looks like the first annual Treasure Valley Organic Homebrew Challenge is shaping up to be a big success, as 25 local homebrewers have now entered the competition to see who can brew the best American Pale Ale with organic ingredients.

The official judging will be on July 26 at The Ram, and there will be a really cool public judging session/bbq afterwards for the public.

For $15 bucks, the first 50 people will be able to sample the 25 entries and vote themselves, and those votes will be tabulated as well. Then they get to drink some of the specialty beers the Ram makes and enjoy some delicious barbecue. For $15 — And if you don’t get there in time for the sampling, the charge is only $10!

That is some sweet deal — lets give some props to the Ram for hosting the event and providing such a deal to the craft beer drinking public in these days of $4.10 gas.

The public event begins at 5 p.m. and lasts until 9 p.m. So mark those calenders for July 26. I’ll remind people next week as well.

When I first wrote about the contest in May, there were only 18 entrants, so I am encouraged more people have entered — 25 is a much better number, considering there are hundreds of homebrewers in the greater Boise area.

What I really like about this contest is the narrow scope. All the brews must be made with organic grain, and the style is an American Pale Ale.

Each contestant must submit eight 22-ounce bottles, which should provide enough beer for the certified judges to rate the brew and leaves enough for the public tasting session.

The winner gets 50 pounds of organic grain; his or her beer brewed at Sockeye Grill & Brewery, where it will be kegged up and served at several locations with a limited amount bottled and sold at the Boise Co-op; and entry into the Pro-Am competition at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival with the guys from the Ram.

Finally, lets give some props to the folks at Boise Co-Op for coming up with the idea of the contest and running with it, and the people from the Ram and Sockeye brewpubs and homebrew stores Brew Connoisseurs and Nampa Brewers Center for working with them to make it such a killer event.

Boise is a good beer town, and it is awesome to see all these players working together to raise the profile of craft beer and homebrewing in the Treasure Valley. Hopefully, this will become an annual event. Cheers to that.