Best in Sourdough Contest!
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Granger Fall Festival Sourdough Contest
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Think your sourdough has what it takes to be named Granger’s Best in Sourdough Contest?
Bring us your best loaf! Inspired by traditional baking competitions, Best in Sourdough celebrates home bakers, great bread and a little friendly competition.
COMPETITION CATEGORIES
PURE SOURDOUGH
Traditional artisan sourdough showcasing the baker’s fermentation and bread-making skills.
No commercial yeast or flavored inclusions.
SPECIALTY SOURDOUGH
Get creative! Specialty sourdough may contain inclusions such as cheese, herbs, peppers, fruit, cinnamon, chocolate, nuts, seeds or other ingredients.
Bread must still be naturally leavened using an active sourdough starter. No commercial yeast.
JUNIOR BEST IN SOURDOUGH
Open to bakers age 17 and younger.
Junior bakers may submit either a traditional or specialty sourdough loaf. The loaf must be made primarily by the registered junior baker.
ENTRY INFORMATION
Entry Fee: $10 per entry
Contest Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Entry Drop-Off: 9:00 AM–11:00 AM
All entries must be received by 11:00 AM to be eligible for judging.
Each entry consists of one whole, unsliced loaf.
Bakers may enter more than one category; however, a separate loaf, registration and $10 entry fee are required for each entry.
OFFICIAL RULES
1. Home Bakers
This competition is intended to celebrate home bakers.
All competition loaves must be prepared and baked in a home kitchen by the person whose name appears on the entry.
Professional or commercially produced bakery entries are not eligible.
2. Naturally Leavened Sourdough
All entries must be made using an active sourdough starter as the primary leavening agent.
**Commercial yeast is not permitted.
3. Whole Loaf Required
Each baker must submit one complete, whole and unsliced loaf.
Judges will cut the loaf during judging so that the crust, crumb and interior structure can be evaluated consistently.
4. Ingredient & Recipe Information
Each entry must be accompanied by a recipe or ingredient sheet that includes:
* Baker’s name
* Competition category
* Complete ingredient list
* Any inclusions or toppings
* Basic preparation/baking method
* Identification of common allergens, including milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts and tree nuts, when applicable
Recipes will be collected at check-in and will not be provided to judges with the baker’s identity attached.
5. Blind Judging
Entries will receive an identifying number at check-in.
Judges will evaluate the breads by entry number rather than baker name.
6. Food Safety
Entries showing evidence of spoilage, contamination or other conditions that make the bread unsuitable for judging may be disqualified.
Because entries are prepared in home kitchens, contest samples should not be represented as commercially prepared or inspected food.
7. Category Requirements
Pure Sourdough: No commercial yeast and no flavored inclusions. Traditional toppings or coatings used in artisan bread preparation ARE permitted.
Specialty Sourdough: Inclusions and creative flavors are encouraged. Commercial yeast remains prohibited.
Junior Best in Dough: Baker must be 17 years old or younger on the date of the contest. A parent or guardian may supervise for safety, but the junior entrant should perform the primary preparation and baking of the loaf.
8. Judging
All eligible entries will be evaluated using the official Best in Sourdough 100-point judging system.
Guest Local Celebrity-all decisions are final.
Contest organizers reserve the right to combine, modify or cancel a category if there are not enough eligible entries to conduct meaningful judging.
⸻
100-POINT JUDGING SYSTEM
FLAVOR & AROMA — 30 POINTS
Judges will consider:
Depth and balance of flavor; pleasant fermentation characteristics; aroma; appropriate acidity; flavor of inclusions when applicable; and overall eating quality.
CRUMB & TEXTURE — 25 POINTS
Judges will consider:
Interior structure; texture; moisture; tenderness or chew appropriate to the style; fermentation development; and absence of gummy, excessively dense or underbaked areas.
CRUST — 20 POINTS
Judges will consider:
Crust development; color; texture; thickness; crispness or chew appropriate to the style; and overall bake.
FERMENTATION & TECHNIQUE — 15 POINTS
Judges will consider:
Evidence of proper fermentation; rise and oven spring; dough development; scoring; shaping; and overall technical execution.
APPEARANCE — 10 POINTS
Judges will consider:
Overall visual appeal; shape; color; scoring; presentation and craftsmanship.
TOTAL POSSIBLE SCORE: 100 POINTS
AWARDS
1st, 2nd, and 3rd will be Awarded for:
Best Pure Sourdough
Best Specialty Sourdough
Junior Best in Sourough
Junior Best Specialty Sourdough
1 OVERALL WINNER!
🏆 2026 GRANGER BEST IN SOURDOUGH — GRAND CHAMPION
** please copy/paste fill out and email: [email protected] the below information.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Baker Name: _________________________________
Phone: _________________________________
Email: _________________________________
Age: __________
Required for Junior Best in Dough entries only.
Select Category
☐ Pure Sourdough
☐ Specialty Sourdough
☐ Junior Best in Dough
Number of Loafs: _________________________________
Brief Description:
Entry Fee: $10 per loaf
By submitting an entry, I confirm that this loaf was prepared by the registered baker in a home kitchen and complies with the rules of the selected category.
Baker Signature:
_________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature:
_________________________________
Required for entrants under 18.
BAKER DROP-OFF CHECKLIST
Please bring:
☐ One whole, unsliced sourdough loaf
☐ Completed recipe/ingredient sheet
☐ All allergens clearly identified
☐ Completed registration, if not registered in advance
☐ $10 entry fee per loaf, if not previously paid
DROP-OFF
Saturday, October 17, 2026
9:00–11:00 AM
Entries received after 11:00 AM may not be accepted for judging.
Good luck, bakers — and may the best loaf be named BEST IN SOURDOUGH!
Registration fees can be paid via PayPal, Cash or Check Accepted Day-OFF
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Think your sourdough has what it takes to be named Granger’s Best in Sourdough Contest?
Bring us your best loaf! Inspired by traditional baking competitions, Best in Sourdough celebrates home bakers, great bread and a little friendly competition.
COMPETITION CATEGORIES
PURE SOURDOUGH
Traditional artisan sourdough showcasing the baker’s fermentation and bread-making skills.
No commercial yeast or flavored inclusions.
SPECIALTY SOURDOUGH
Get creative! Specialty sourdough may contain inclusions such as cheese, herbs, peppers, fruit, cinnamon, chocolate, nuts, seeds or other ingredients.
Bread must still be naturally leavened using an active sourdough starter. No commercial yeast.
JUNIOR BEST IN SOURDOUGH
Open to bakers age 17 and younger.
Junior bakers may submit either a traditional or specialty sourdough loaf. The loaf must be made primarily by the registered junior baker.
ENTRY INFORMATION
Entry Fee: $10 per entry
Contest Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Entry Drop-Off: 9:00 AM–11:00 AM
All entries must be received by 11:00 AM to be eligible for judging.
Each entry consists of one whole, unsliced loaf.
Bakers may enter more than one category; however, a separate loaf, registration and $10 entry fee are required for each entry.
OFFICIAL RULES
1. Home Bakers
This competition is intended to celebrate home bakers.
All competition loaves must be prepared and baked in a home kitchen by the person whose name appears on the entry.
Professional or commercially produced bakery entries are not eligible.
2. Naturally Leavened Sourdough
All entries must be made using an active sourdough starter as the primary leavening agent.
**Commercial yeast is not permitted.
3. Whole Loaf Required
Each baker must submit one complete, whole and unsliced loaf.
Judges will cut the loaf during judging so that the crust, crumb and interior structure can be evaluated consistently.
4. Ingredient & Recipe Information
Each entry must be accompanied by a recipe or ingredient sheet that includes:
* Baker’s name
* Competition category
* Complete ingredient list
* Any inclusions or toppings
* Basic preparation/baking method
* Identification of common allergens, including milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts and tree nuts, when applicable
Recipes will be collected at check-in and will not be provided to judges with the baker’s identity attached.
5. Blind Judging
Entries will receive an identifying number at check-in.
Judges will evaluate the breads by entry number rather than baker name.
6. Food Safety
Entries showing evidence of spoilage, contamination or other conditions that make the bread unsuitable for judging may be disqualified.
Because entries are prepared in home kitchens, contest samples should not be represented as commercially prepared or inspected food.
7. Category Requirements
Pure Sourdough: No commercial yeast and no flavored inclusions. Traditional toppings or coatings used in artisan bread preparation ARE permitted.
Specialty Sourdough: Inclusions and creative flavors are encouraged. Commercial yeast remains prohibited.
Junior Best in Dough: Baker must be 17 years old or younger on the date of the contest. A parent or guardian may supervise for safety, but the junior entrant should perform the primary preparation and baking of the loaf.
8. Judging
All eligible entries will be evaluated using the official Best in Sourdough 100-point judging system.
Guest Local Celebrity-all decisions are final.
Contest organizers reserve the right to combine, modify or cancel a category if there are not enough eligible entries to conduct meaningful judging.
⸻
100-POINT JUDGING SYSTEM
FLAVOR & AROMA — 30 POINTS
Judges will consider:
Depth and balance of flavor; pleasant fermentation characteristics; aroma; appropriate acidity; flavor of inclusions when applicable; and overall eating quality.
CRUMB & TEXTURE — 25 POINTS
Judges will consider:
Interior structure; texture; moisture; tenderness or chew appropriate to the style; fermentation development; and absence of gummy, excessively dense or underbaked areas.
CRUST — 20 POINTS
Judges will consider:
Crust development; color; texture; thickness; crispness or chew appropriate to the style; and overall bake.
FERMENTATION & TECHNIQUE — 15 POINTS
Judges will consider:
Evidence of proper fermentation; rise and oven spring; dough development; scoring; shaping; and overall technical execution.
APPEARANCE — 10 POINTS
Judges will consider:
Overall visual appeal; shape; color; scoring; presentation and craftsmanship.
TOTAL POSSIBLE SCORE: 100 POINTS
AWARDS
1st, 2nd, and 3rd will be Awarded for:
Best Pure Sourdough
Best Specialty Sourdough
Junior Best in Sourough
Junior Best Specialty Sourdough
1 OVERALL WINNER!
🏆 2026 GRANGER BEST IN SOURDOUGH — GRAND CHAMPION
** please copy/paste fill out and email: [email protected] the below information.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Baker Name: _________________________________
Phone: _________________________________
Email: _________________________________
Age: __________
Required for Junior Best in Dough entries only.
Select Category
☐ Pure Sourdough
☐ Specialty Sourdough
☐ Junior Best in Dough
Number of Loafs: _________________________________
Brief Description:
Entry Fee: $10 per loaf
By submitting an entry, I confirm that this loaf was prepared by the registered baker in a home kitchen and complies with the rules of the selected category.
Baker Signature:
_________________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature:
_________________________________
Required for entrants under 18.
BAKER DROP-OFF CHECKLIST
Please bring:
☐ One whole, unsliced sourdough loaf
☐ Completed recipe/ingredient sheet
☐ All allergens clearly identified
☐ Completed registration, if not registered in advance
☐ $10 entry fee per loaf, if not previously paid
DROP-OFF
Saturday, October 17, 2026
9:00–11:00 AM
Entries received after 11:00 AM may not be accepted for judging.
Good luck, bakers — and may the best loaf be named BEST IN SOURDOUGH!
Registration fees can be paid via PayPal, Cash or Check Accepted Day-OFF
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Granger, Iowa, United States
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