OK, enough with the categories and on to the prize giving. So far, we have a winner for beer and snow, one for beer and babies, another for beer portraiture and one for beer and place. Then there is the cham-peen of all cham-peens. How to give away prizes based on that. Just to remind you, here are the prizes:

♦For a lucky Ontarian, we have the annual gift pack from our great pals at Roland and Russell, importers of fine beverages. This is a real treat.
♦ The ever wonderful Stan Hieronymus has offered a number of books including Brew Like a Monk, Brewing With Wheat and maybe even a Beer Lovers Guide to the USA and he has also offered what I described as the "unavailable, unaffordable, unbuyable Beer Hunter on VHS." Excellent. It would only be better if it was a set of 45s or 51/4 inch floppy disks. These are US based gifties.
♦ Robert Curran of Creemore Springs has pledged "the same swag I did last year, hockey jersey, toque, had, bottle opener, tee shirt, what ever I can cram into a prioity post enevlope. I did pretty good last year making it all fit."
♦ Ian Coutts has sent me a copy of his boor Brew North which I reviewed here after he an dI had lunch.
♦ Joe Stange, author of Thirsty Pilgrim is providing a signed copy of Around Brussels in 80 Beers reviewed here.
♦ Lew Bryson, who can be found at Seen Through a Glass is giving away a signed newly revised fourth edition of Pennsylvania Breweries to a deserving beer photo nerd.
♦ Zak Avery, British Guild of Beer Writers' Writer of the Year 2008, of both Are You Tasting the Pith? as well as the Beer Ritz beer shop of Leeds, England has confirmed that "we can fill a small Jiffy bag with tat and send it out, no problem."
♦ Pete Brown, British Guild of Beer Writers' Writer of the Year 2009 has provided me with a full set of his complete beer writings in paperback, autographed.
♦ Martyn Cornell: his latest book Amber, Gold and Black.
♦ Beau's has given me a gorgeous XXL black heavy grade bowling shirt tag attacked with embroidered patches and.. stuff.
♦ Dave Selden has placed a 33 Beers prize under the tree.
♦ The kind people at All About Beer have offered four subscriptions... again... because they are so nice. And they will publish the winning photo again because editor Julie Johnson said so.
♦ Tami Kennedy of Shipyard Brewing in Maine, one of my dearest and oldest craft beer friends, has offered three t-shirts like the one shown up there.
♦ TAPS magazine and our pal Troy Burtch has given two subscriptions for TAPS, a t-shirt, a Canadian Brewing Awards glass and a number of Ontario Pub Books by Bill Perrie and stuff.

Wow. So that is a lot and I hope I have not missed anything. Since writing this, I remembered three extra gifts added to the list. I am such a bad contest administrator. If I have left out any others, let me know and we'll send it to the deserving with the great hullabaloo it deserves. I am also adding a few extras into the packages I am sending out, extra review copies of this or that, a t-shirt or two sent with a sample, an interesting coaster or sticker picked up over the year. Treats.

The Grand Cham-peen prize winner is getting a selection of prizes and the rest will get singles. I think it is a good thing to spread out the prizes to maximize the joy. Sound fair? Also, I do wish to point out that we are beholden to the good graces of those who have pledged. I have tried to limit gift giving access to those who have come though before big time. I think we have done well and have a lot of great people to thank for what you are all about to receive. I only wish there was enough for everyone.

So, the giving will begin soon - later today even. If I have missed anything, let me know. If you have any preferences, let me know about that, too.