The Capitol’s Finest Ferment: 2023 Hill Staff Homebrew Champion Crowned

Washington, DC  • Dec. 13, 2023 – Celebrating the spirit of bipartisan collaboration on Capitol Hill, the Brewers Association℠ and the American Homebrewers Association® revealed the 2023 winners of the Hill Staff Homebrew Competition.

Marking its sixth installment, this unique competition saw an impressive variety of homebrewed beer styles from Capitol employees. During the awards ceremony on Capitol Hill, Katie Marisic, the senior director of federal affairs at the Brewers Association, took center stage to announce the winners of this year’s competition.

“In every homebrewed beer, you taste more than just hops and malt —you taste the shared ingenuity of collaboration and community. It’s heartening to witness Capitol Hill colleagues embracing the bipartisan camaraderie, beer, and friendly competition," Marisic remarked. "Cheers to this year’s winners and a thank you to all participants who contributed to making this year’s event a delicious success.”

The 2023 Winners

• Capitol Hill Staff Homebrew Champion, Best of Show: "Irish Trip," Oatmeal Stout, by Will Lane, Office of Representative Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.-3)
• Second Place: "Liquid Legislating," Imperial Stout, by Jennifer Burks, Office of Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii)
• Third Place: "Red Sky at Night," Irish Red Ale by Matthew Knoedler – Office of Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA-16)

Images from the awards ceremony are available for use and download here.

Details on the competition, including rules, regulations, and beer style guidelines, can be found here. A distinguished panel of certified beer judges and seasoned professional brewers evaluated each entry.

About the American Homebrewers Association:

The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) has worked on behalf of the homebrewing community since 1978 and celebrates a membership of more than 36,000 homebrewers. The AHA organizes events including the Homebrew Con™, National Homebrew Competition, Big Brew for National Homebrew Day, and Learn to Homebrew Day. The AHA also publishes Zymurgy®, the longest-running magazine for homebrewers. The AHA is part of the Brewers Association®, whose Brewers Publications® division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers. Beer lovers, fermentation fans, and anyone interested in making their own homemade beer are invited to learn more at HomebrewersAssociation.org. Follow the AHA on and Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 11246 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.