World’s Best Homebrewers Honored at 43rd Annual National Homebrew Competition

From the Brewers Association:

5,045 beers entered; 126 medals awarded to recognize brewing excellence

Boulder, CO . — The American Homebrewers AssociationOpens in new window (AHA) awarded more than 120 medals in 40 categories to amateur brewers and homebrew clubs worldwide at the 2021 National Homebrew CompetitionOpens in new window awards ceremony. Winners of the world’s largest homebrew competition were recognized for the most outstanding homemade beer, mead, and cider during a ceremony livestream.

Over its 43-year history, 156,830 brews have been evaluated since the inaugural AHA National Homebrew Competition in 1979 in Boulder, Colo. This year’s competition saw more than 5,045 entries from 2,037 homebrewers located in 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and 13 countries.

Most-Entered Style Categories

The winners of the top five most-entered categories were:

Category 26: Strong Belgian Ale (246 entries)
GOLD: Daniel Kukuk, Grosse Point, Mich., Motor City Mashers
SILVER: John Thompson, Encinitas, Calif.
BRONZE: John Horton, Aurora, Colo., Aurora City Brew Club

Category 3: Pilsner (199 entries)
GOLD: Jeff Klatt, San Bruno, Calif., Worts of Wisdom Homebrewers
SILVER: Rob Hardisty, Fort Collins, Colo., Liquid Poets
BRONZE: Patrick Mousaw, Granger, Ind., Michiana Extract & Grain Association (MEGA)

Category 5: Amber European Beer (185 entries)
GOLD: Jon Serluco, Brooklyn, N.Y., Brewminaries
SILVER: Matt Lennon, Redwood City, Calif., Bitches & Studs Brew Club
BRONZE: Joe St. John, Los Angeles, Calif., Yeastside Brewers

Category 19: New England IPA (191 entries)
GOLD: Keith Linn, Rogers, Ark., Fayetteville Lovers of Pure Suds (F.L.O.P.S.)
SILVER: Jason Lowery, Amherst, Ohio, Brewly Homebrew Club
BRONZE: Paul Arends, Rockford, Mich., Brewsquitos Homebrewing Club

Category 23: Imperial Porter & Stout (191 entries)
GOLD: Mandy Naglich & Wesley Carmichael, New York, N.Y.
SILVER: Zach Rice, West Des Moines, Iowa, Iowa Brewers Union (IBU)
BRONZE: Ryan Stack, Saint Cloud, Minn., Cloudy Town Brewers

Major Awards

In addition to category style awards, six major awards recognizing overall brewing excellence were presented.

Samuel Adams Ninkasi Award – Sponsored by Samuel Adams
Recognizes the entrant who accumulates the most points in the final round of competition.
Jason Lowery, Amherst, Ohio, Brewly Homebrew Club

Homebrewer of the Year Award – Sponsored by Muntons Malted Ingredients
Ben Amidon, Arlington, Mass.

Cidermaker of the Year Award – Sponsored by Vermont Hard Cider Company
Jeff Carlson, Grand Rapids, Mich., Primetime Brewers

Meadmaker of the Year Award – Sponsored by Redstone Meadery
Stephen Kilburn, Bonita, Calif.

Homebrew Club Award – Sponsored by Country Malt Group
Awarded to the club accumulating the most total points in all categories of beer, mead, and cider in the final round of competition.
Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE), Walnut Creek, Calif.

Gambrinus Club Award – Sponsored by LD Carlson
Recognizes the club garnering the most final round points per total club entries.
Foam Rangers Homebrew Club, Houston, Texas

Homebrew Con™

This year’s 43rd annual Homebrew ConOpens in new window concluded with the National Homebrew Competition (NHC), the world’s largest international amateur beer competition recognizing outstanding homebrewed beer, mead, and cider. Homebrew Con is a three-day conference where homebrewers and fermentation hobbyists celebrate the art of brewing beer, making cider, mead, and kombucha, and learning fermentation techniques. This year, Homebrew Con was held online and featured a keynote speaker, a virtual expo hall, meetups, and more than 30 live seminars with access to post-event recordings.

“Once again, homebrewers around the world continue to amaze judges with their quality and creativity across all categories,” said John Moorhead, AHA competition manager. “Congratulations to this year’s winners of the National Homebrew Competition for their mastery of fermentation.”

A complete list of winners of the 2021 National Homebrew Competition can be found hereOpens in new window.

Editor’s note: Photos for media use are available upon request.

The 2021 AHA National Homebrew Competition was made possible in part by the generous support of its sponsorsOpens in new window.

Media contact: Mariel Fulton (on behalf of the Brewers Association) 970.963.4873 x1205

About the American Homebrewers Association

The American Homebrewers Association has worked on behalf of the homebrewing community since 1978 and celebrates a membership of more than 45,000 homebrewers. The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) organizes events including the National Homebrewers Conference and National Homebrew Competition. The AHA also publishes Zymurgy magazine. 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 and anyone interested in making their own homemade beer are invited to learn more at HomebrewersAssociation.org. Follow the AHA on TwitterOpens in new window, and join us on 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