Beer Competition

Peanut butter beers continue to be a craft sensation in 2025, turning childhood nostalgia into velvety, nutty masterpieces that pair roasted malts with that unmistakable creamy PB punch. Drawing from recent wins at the U.S. Open Beer Championship, Great American Beer Festival buzz, and fresh reviews from BeerAdvocate, Untappd, and craft communities, here’s our updated top 10—ranked by acclaim, innovation, and sheer craveability. These are all-American brews, with wide availability in cans, drafts, or select markets.

The top 10 Peanut Butter Beers are any beers using peanut, peanut butter or peanut butter extract as an adjunct in either the mash, kettle, primary or secondary fermentation, providing obvious, yet harmonious, qualities.

1. Sweet Baby Jesus! Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter – DuClaw Brewing Company Maryland 
This timeless 5.2% ABV porter pours a deep mahogany and unleashes waves of silky peanut butter swirled with dark chocolate and subtle roasted malt, like a grown-up Reese’s that’s balanced enough for multiple pints without tipping into dessert overload—its lighter body lets the nutty magic shine through every sip.

2. TraXXX Night Fury – Witch’s Hat Brewing – South Lyon, Michigan
Bourbon barrel aged Night Fury Imperial stout aged on Vanilla beans, Mindo cocoa nibs, coconut and peanut butter. ABV: 13.5%

3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter – Waconia Brewing – Waconia, Minnesota
Pours an almost opaque dark brown with a thin head. Smells nutty, slightly malty, sweet and chocolatey. Taste is peanuts up front, chocolate and slight hop bitterness with a strong malt presence. Mouthfeel is medium light and low carbonation with a smooth finish.

4. Peanut Butter Porter – Back Forty Beer Company – Gadsden, Alabama
It’s creamy, it’s big, it’s just what it sounds like. Brewed with crushed peanuts and a malt bill thick enough to slather on some bread, Peanut Butter Porter belongs on your grocery list right next to the jelly, bananas & bacon. Comfort food in a can!

5. Peanut Butter Jelly Time – Catawba Brewing – Asheville, North Carolina
This beer begins life as a light brown ale that provides the bready qualities of the base beer. After fermentation, it is rested on whole roasted peanuts and all-natural raspberry puree, which truly transforms this into a PB&J sandwich in a glass.

6. Peanut Butter Porter – Liquid Mechanics – Lafayette, Colorado
Peanut Butter Porter from Liquid Mechanics combines the sweetness of the peanut butter with the slight smokiness of the porter. Opaque dark appearance, strong smell of peanut butter and chocolate, rich in sweet flavors of peanut butter and chocolate, tastes very similar to Reese’s Puffs Cereal lol, creamy and thick mouth feel with a smooth finish.

7. Nut Crusher Peanut Butter Porter – Wild Ride Brewing – Redmond, Oregon
The brewers at Wild Ride Brewing love beer. and love peanut butter. Nut Crusher Peanut Butter Porter is here to bring the best of these two worlds together! With notes of chocolate and caramel, this porter is complemented by the addition of creamy peanut butter flavor. It’s a true liquid peanut butter cup, and it’s here for you to enjoy.

8. Mexican Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout – Belching Beaver Brewery – San Diego, California
Belching Beaver’s classic Peanut Butter Milk Stout with Mexican Chocolate (Abuelita) added in. Rolled oats and lactose add to the creamy body of this beer while heavenly aromas of roasted buttery peanuts and chocolate greet you with every sip.

9. Rapp Chocolate Peanut Butter Stout – Rapp Brewing – Seminole, Florida
Beautiful dark brown beer with two finger head served at the brewery on draft in a snifter. Mostly peanut butter aroma with some chocolate, coffee, and roast in thebackground. The taste is chocolate and peanut butter with a toasty backbone to balance the sweetness.

10. Willoughby Peanut Butter Cup Coffee Porter – Willoughby Brewing – Willoughby, Ohio
Winner of the Gold Award for Specialty Beer at the 2014 World Beer Cup, this truly unique taste experience is brought to you only by Willoughby Brewing Company. The brewers at Willoughby start by brewing a robust porter and infusing it with locally roasted coffee and then infusing peanut butter and chocolate. The result is a beer like no other you’ve had before. Some people say they taste more coffee than peanuts and some say the reverse.

NATIONAL PEANUT DAY
On September 13, National Peanut Day pays homage to mighty and tasty peanut.

Likely originating in South America around 3,500 years ago, this legume is not a nut. They grow underground like potatoes. Since they are an edible seed that forms in a pod, they belong to the family Leguminosae with peas and beans. When it comes to plants packing protein power, peanuts provide a whopping 8 grams per ounce, more than any other nut according to The Peanut Institute. And remember, it’s not a nut! Nuts grow on trees.

The peanut is also high in antioxidants. Not only are peanuts high in necessary nutrients such as vitamin E, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus, B6, iron, selenium, zinc and many others, but when paired with other nutrient-rich foods, studies have shown this amazing legume helps us absorb nutrients better.

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North Carolina’s craft beer scene shines every fall at the NC Brewers Cup, the state’s largest and most prestigious professional beer competition. Organized by the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild since 2001, the Cup brings together hundreds of entries from breweries big and small to be blind-judged by BJCP-certified and professional judges using the latest Brewers Association style guidelines. Medals are awarded in dozens of categories (everything from classic lagers and IPAs to wild ales and barrel-aged stouts), plus a special “NC Home-Grown” category that celebrates beers made with at least 50 % North Carolina ingredients. Winners are announced each November at the NC Craft Brewers Conference in Winston-Salem, with the Brewery of the Year trophy going to the shop that racks up the most points across all categories. Over the years the competition has grown into a beloved celebration of Tar Heel brewing excellence, spotlighting both legendary names (Highland, NoDa, Fullsteam) and rising stars while giving beer lovers across the state a trusted guide to the very best local pints.

North Carolina’s craft beer scene shines every fall at the NC Brewers Cup, the state’s largest and most prestigious professional beer competition. Organized by the North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild since 2001, the Cup brings together hundreds of entries from breweries big and small to be blind-judged by BJCP-certified and professional judges using the latest Brewers Association style guidelines. Medals are awarded in dozens of categories (everything from classic lagers and IPAs to wild ales and barrel-aged stouts), plus a special “NC Home-Grown” category that celebrates beers made with at least 50 % North Carolina ingredients. Winners are announced each November at the NC Craft Brewers Conference in Winston-Salem, with the Brewery of the Year trophy going to the shop that racks up the most points across all categories. Over the years the competition has grown into a beloved celebration of Tar Heel brewing excellence, spotlighting both legendary names (Highland, NoDa, Fullsteam) and rising stars while giving beer lovers across the state a trusted guide to the very best local pints.

2025 NC Craft Beer Cup Medal Winners

British Pale & Bitter Ale
Gold: Cricket Hill — Fullsteam Brewery
Silver: Iron Horse — Trolley Barn Fermentory
Bronze: “Made For Walkin’” — Salt Face Mule Brewing Company

Scottish & Irish Beer
Gold: Scott’s View — Compass Rose Brewery
Silver: Scott’s View — Compass Rose Brewery
Bronze: “Dawn of the Red” — Neoteric Brewing Company

British Porter & Brown Ales
Gold: Black Cat Porter — Lost Province Brewing Co
Silver: Grizzly Brown Ale — Cavendish Brewing Company
Bronze: “Boar Brown” — Pig Pounder Brewery
Honorable Mention: Gems & Rhinestones — Edit Beer Co.

American Porter, Amber, & Brown Ales
Gold: Green Man Porter — Green Man Brewery
Silver: Unibrown — Happy Valley Filling Station
Bronze: “Trains of Fayetteville” — North South Brewing
Honorable Mention: Might Be Better — Eno River Brewing

Stouts
Gold: The Throne — Cabarrus Brewing Company
Silver: Blue Tape Special 2024: Point of Origin — Eno River Brewing
Bronze: “Imperial Stout” — Town Brewing Company

Strong Ale
Gold: Forest Hills — Olde Hickory Brewery
Silver: Warrior Knight — Toasty Kettlyst Beer Company
Bronze: “King in the Castle” — Little Brother Brewing

Session IPA
Gold: Beach Beer — HopFly Brewing Company
Silver: Gentle Giant Session IPA — Primal Brewery
Bronze: “Season 34” — Edit Beer Co.
Honorable Mention: Trail Candy Tropical IPA — Lazy Hiker Brewing Co.

American Pale Ale
Gold: Dead West — Oklawaha Brewing Company
Silver: Turtle Speed — Wilmington Brewing Company
Bronze: “Beach Time” — Wilmington Brewing Company
Honorable Mention: Born for Dying — Incendiary Brewing Company

American-Style IPA
Gold: Tidal Break — Compass Rose Brewery
Silver: Lil’ Fish — Outer Dunes Brewing Company
Bronze: “Mindweaver” — Petty Thieves Brewing Co.
Honorable Mention:

Juicy/Hazy Pale Ale
Gold: Illusion Of Truth — Edit Beer Co.
Silver: Juice Whirled — Gypsy Road Brewing Company
Bronze: “Juice Train” — Seaboard Brewing

Juicy or Hazy IPA
Gold: 73 & Hazy — Royal Bliss Brewing Co
Silver: Foggy Nights VII — Leland Brewing Co
Bronze: “Trail Hazer” — Trailside Brewing Co.
Honorable Mention: Astrotrain v.6 — Seaboard Brewing

American-Style Sour Ale
Gold: Merican — Hatchet Brewing Company
Silver: Vera Sour — Diatribe Brewing Company
Bronze: “Rules of Acquisition” — Vaulted Oak Brewing
Honorable Mention: The Way Life Gose — Pitt Street Brewing Co.

European Hybrid Styles
Gold: Guidon Kölsch — Guidon Brewing Co.
Silver: Daycation Gold — Highland Brewing Company
Bronze: “Car Show Cosmo’s Kolsch” — Lake Norman Brewery

European Sour Ale
Gold: Gose — Ponysaurus Brewing Co.
Silver: Largesse — Divine Barrel Brewing
Bronze: “Beauty in the Cracks” — Twin Leaf Brewery

European Wheat
Gold: Broyhans Bock — Gilde Brewery
Silver: Banana Breeze — Pig Pounder Brewery
Bronze: “Hazy Skies Hefeweizen” — Pilot Brewing Company
Honorable Mention: 40 East — The Glass Jug Beer Lab

Belgian Ales
Gold: Cosmic Bloom — Eno River Brewing
Silver: Blonded by the Light — Fishtowne Brew House
Bronze: “Brushy Mountain Blonde Ale” — TwoBoros Brewery
Honorable Mention: Cast Net — Fishtowne Brew House

Saison
Gold: Saison — Flytrap Brewing
Silver: All is not lost — Petty Thieves Brewing Co.
Bronze: “New Slang Raspberry Saison” — Americana Beer Company
Honorable Mention: Songs To Fill The Air — Divine Barrel Brewing

Belgian Strong Ale / Monastic Ale
Gold: Hell Yes Ma’am — Raleigh Brewing Company
Silver: Luminosity — Twin Leaf Brewery
Bronze: “Reserve Ale” — Ponysaurus Brewing Co.
Honorable Mention: Death Machine — Hatchet Brewing Company

Pale European & International Lager
Gold: Phuket Sunset Thai Lager — Local Time Brewing
Silver: Pactolus Light Lager — Pitt Street Brewing Co.
Bronze: “Sexy Canoe” — Tarboro Brewing Company
Honorable Mention: Fire in the Mole — Mad Mole Brewing

Amber & Other Pale European Lager
Gold: Festbier — Resident Culture Brewing
Silver: Fontana Export — Mountain Layers Brewing Company
Bronze: “Tower Buzz” — Gaston Brewing Company
Honorable Mention: Yodeling Down Lake Starnberg — 760 Craft Works

Dark European Lager
Gold: Schwarzbier — Triple C Brewing Company
Silver: Midnight Waddle — Sneaky Penguin Brewing Company
Bronze: “Rain Czech” — Clouds Brewing
Honorable Mention: Duckin’ Funkel — Ghostface Brewing

German-Style Bock
Gold: Zuganator — Seaboard Brewing
Silver: Doppel Trouble — Ghostface Brewing
Bronze: “Bock Bock Goose” — Surf City Brewing Company
Honorable Mention:

Smoke Beer
Gold: Rauchbier — Diatribe Brewing Company
Silver: Embers and Periscopes — 760 Craft Works
Bronze: “East Meets West Rice Lager” — bmc brewing
Honorable Mention:

International Style Pale Ale & IPA
Gold: Yonder — Leland Brewing Co
Silver: New Zealand Pils — Diatribe Brewing Company
Bronze: “Drum>Space Galaxy” — Riverside Rhapsody Beer Company
Honorable Mention: Pyrle IPA — Little Brother Brewing

North American-Style Lager
Gold: Uno Mas — Lenny Boy Brewing Co.
Silver: Small Fires — Little Brother Brewing
Bronze: “Carolina Heritage” — Brunswick Beer and Cider

Pilsner-Style & Hoppy Lager
Gold: Heavy Hands — Little Brother Brewing
Silver: Foam Party — Trophy Brewing Company – Maywood
Bronze: “Wandering Waves” — Oaklyn Springs Brewery

North American-Style Amber & Dark Lager
Gold: Seaboard Oktoberfest — Seaboard Brewing
Silver: She Sells Seashells by the Sea Schwarz — Brunswick Beer and Cider
Bronze: “Last Day at the Office” — Neoteric Brewing Company

Other American Pale Lagers & Ales
Gold: Cotton Blonde — Cabarrus Brewing Company
Silver: User Friendly — Little Brother Brewing
Bronze: “Little Wing” — King Canary Brewing Company

Fruit Beer
Gold: Limelight — Ghost Harbor Brewing Company
Silver: Orange Hefe-Wit — Cavendish Brewing Company
Bronze: “Big SLURP” — NoDa Brewing Co.
Honorable Mention:Ultimo Hombre — Lower Left Brewing Company

Sour Fruit or Field Beer
Gold: Second Pick — Eno River Brewing
Silver: Manguava — Hatchet Brewing Company
Bronze: “Subject to Change (Blueberry Cheesecake Sour)” — Tobacco Wood Brewing

Field & Spiced Beers
Gold: Heat Seeking Pickle — Lower Left Brewing Company
Silver: Southern Basil — Fullsteam Brewery
Bronze: “Vanilla Cream Java Dream” — Hoptown Brewing Company

Brett, Mixed Culture, & Wild Ales
Gold: Raspberry Kaleidoscope — Lenny Boy Brewing Co.
Silver: Sisu 2025 — Cellarest Beer Project
Bronze: “Henotic 2025” — Cellarest Beer Project

Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer
Gold: Time Is Only Part Of The Equation — Divine Barrel Brewing
Silver: BBA Twice as Lonely with Macadamia & Vanilla — Resident Culture Brewing
Bronze: “Society #8” — DSSOLVR

Specialty Beer
Gold: Baklava Blond — Clouds Brewing
Silver: Belgian Moonlight — North South Brewing
Bronze: “Hops Mirage NA IPA” — Primal Brewery
Honorable Mention:Flashbacks — Trolley Barn Fermentory

Historic Beer
Gold: Smoke Over Lublin — Mountain Layers Brewing Company
Silver: You make me wanna Schopes — Gaston Brewing Company
Bronze: “Pleasing Gene” — Little Brother Brewing

NC Home-Grown
Gold: Sakura — Black Mountain Brewing
Silver: Time’s Arrow — Atomic Clock Brewing Company
Bronze: “Grandfather Paradox” — Atomic Clock Brewing Company
Honorable Mention: Spratt’s Lager — Town Brewing Company

About the The North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild
The North Carolina Craft Brewers Guild is the official voice and backbone of the Tar Heel State’s independent craft brewing community. Founded in 2000 by a handful of pioneering breweries (including Asheville’s Highland Brewing and Charlotte’s Olde Mecklenburg), the Guild was created to advocate for small, independent brewers at the state legislature, promote responsible growth, and foster collaboration in a rapidly expanding industry. Today it represents more than 300 brewery and brewpub members—from mountain towns to the Outer Banks—making North Carolina one of the top beer states in the country with over 400 independent craft breweries. The Guild hosts the annual NC Craft Brewers Conference, runs the hugely popular NC Brewers Cup competition, powers the NC Craft Beer Passport program, and fights for fair laws so local brewers can keep pouring world-class pints without red tape. More than just a trade group, it’s the heartbeat of North Carolina’s vibrant, independent beer culture.

 

Kansas City, Missouri – Dust off your fermenters and crack open a cold one, because the 2025 National Homebrew Competition by the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) announced the winners in Kansas City, Missouri, leaving a trail of hoppy glory and barley-fueled dreams in its wake. Held from June 26-28 at the iconic Boulevard Brewing Company, this 47th annual bash drew over 10,000 entries from homebrew wizards across the globe, turning the Heartland into a bubbling cauldron of creativity. Picture this: amateur alchemists shipping their liquid gold to first-round showdowns in Tampa, only for the elite suds to hop a flight to KC for the final judging frenzy. From crisp lagers that could make a Bavarian weep to wild-fermented sours that dance on your tongue like a tipsy tango, the competition showcased why homebrewing isn’t just a hobby—it’s a hoppy revolution. And with live-streamed awards that had viewers glued to screens from sea to shining sea, the 2025 NHC proved once again that great beer starts in garages and ends in legends.

Now, let’s raise a pint to the champions who stole the show at the 2025 National Homebrew Competition results! Tyler Miller from Mesa, Arizona, snagged the top honors with his masterful brew, repping the Arizona Society of Homebrewers like a desert cactus guarding a hidden oasis of flavor. Shoutout to the Ann Arbor Brewers Guild for their medal-hauling prowess, proving that Michigan’s mitten knows how to mitt-en the competition. Standouts included Cheyne’s fruit mead that married berries and booze in holy, honeyed matrimony, and the Specialty IPA bronze for “Go Big!”—a name that says it all about going bold with those juicy hops. Whether you’re eyeing the full AHA winners list for recipe inspo or plotting your 2026 entry (because why stop the party?), this event reminds us: the best brews are born from passion, a dash of science, and enough patience to wait out a secondary fermentation. So grab your grains, fire up the kettle, and remember—every pro started as a homebrewer with a dream and a dirty carboy. Cheers to the AHA for keeping the craft alive and the taps flowing!

2025 National Homebrew Competition Medal Winners 

About the American Homebrewers Association:
The American Homebrewers Association (AHA), the nation’s leading advocate for homebrewing enthusiasts, continues to champion the art and science of crafting beer at home with unmatched passion and resources. Founded in 1978 and headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, the AHA boasts over 40,000 members who share a love for turning grains, hops, water, and yeast into liquid masterpieces. From beginner-friendly guides and online forums buzzing with recipe swaps to the world-renowned National Homebrew Competition—now in its 47th year—the AHA empowers brewers of all levels to experiment, innovate, and elevate their craft. With educational webinars, exclusive discounts on brewing gear, and a vibrant community that spans garages to grandmasters, the AHA isn’t just an organization; it’s the heartbeat of the homebrewing revolution, proving that great beer begins with curiosity and a carboy.

As the craft beer movement surges forward, the American Homebrewers Association remains the go-to authority for fostering creativity, safety, and camaraderie in homebrewing. Members gain access to Homebrew Con, the ultimate annual gathering of suds-savvy souls, plus a digital library packed with pro tips, style guidelines, and troubleshooting hacks to turn potential boil-overs into brag-worthy brews. The AHA also advocates for sensible homebrewing laws nationwide, ensuring that every backyard brewer can legally pursue their pint-sized dreams. Whether you’re perfecting a hazy IPA, diving into sour beers, or bottling your first batch of mead, the AHA provides the tools, knowledge, and community support to make every brew day a victory. Join today at homebrewersassociation.org and discover why millions of bubbles later, the AHA is still the yeast that keeps the homebrewing spirit rising.

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Alaska Craft Brew & Barley Wine Festival
The 2025 Alaska Craft Brew & Barley Wine Festival, now in its 29th year and presented by the Brewers Guild of Alaska alongside Peak 2 Peak Events, lit up Anchorage’s Dena’ina Center on January 31 and February 1 with three epic four-hour sessions packed with over 250 samples from 65+ breweries, ciders, meads, seltzers, wines, and even non-alcoholic gems—proving the Last Frontier’s craft scene is as vast and bold as its wilderness. This isn’t just a beer fest; it’s the ultimate winter warmer for hopheads, featuring live local music, crave-worthy food pairings, and family-friendly vibes with activity booths, face painters, and a petting zoo outside for the kiddos. The star of the show? The Commercial Competition, where Reuben’s Brews from Washington snagged gold for their Three Ryes Men Barleywine, Midnight Sun’s Arctic Devil took silver in Alaska’s own backyard, and Glacier Brewhouse dominated Winter Warmers with their Jim Beam double-barrel-aged Eisboch—rare, boozy beasts that had tasters toasting the midnight sun. Tickets via MyAlaskaTix sold like hotcakes (watch for fakes!), and with Alaska’s 50+ breweries flexing everything from hazy IPAs to barrel-aged stouts, it’s the perfect excuse for a northern lights beer road trip. Sláinte to the north’s biggest pour—grab your parka and pint next January!

Here are the 2025 Alaska Craft Brew and Barley Wine Festival – Medal Winners
Barley Wine Winners
Gold – Three Ryes Men Barleywine – Reuben’s Brews – Washington
Silver – Arctic Devil – Midnight Sun Brewing – Alaska
Bronze – Apocalyptic Sky Trumpet – 49th State Brewing – Alaska
Honorable Mention – 2025 Barley Wine – Hoodoo Brewing – Alaska

Winter Warmer Winners
Gold – 2024 Jim Beam Double Barrel Aged Eisboch – Glacier Brewhouse – Alaska
Silver – Barrel Aged Black Pearl Imperial Coconut – Maui Brewing – Hawaii
Bronze – Reuben’s Brew Barrel Aged Stout – Reuben’s Brews – Washington

The Ultimate Alaska-Made Beverage Experience Returns
The largest gathering of Alaska-made beverages under one roof took place over the Dena’ina Center on January 31 and February 1 for the annual Alaska Craft Brew and Barley Wine Festival.

Over the course of two days and three four-hour sessions, more than 65 breweries were served craft beer lovers four-ounce sample pours of over 250 unique beverages.

Beyond Beer: A Festival for Every Palate
Despite its name, this festival isn’t just about beer. When it began in 1996 as a celebration of all things hoppy, Alaska had only eight breweries. Today, the state boasts more than 50 breweries—alongside a growing community of producers crafting wine, mead, cider, seltzers, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Now in its 29th year, the Alaska Craft Beer and Barley Wine Festival, presented in partnership with the Brewers Guild of Alaska and Peak 2 Peak Events, continues to evolve to reflect the ever-expanding world of craft beverages in Alaska and beyond.

“Our goal remains the same: to provide folks with delicious beverages,” said Lee Ellis, Brewmaster at Midnight Sun Brewing Co. and a member of the Brewers Guild of Alaska.

Expanding the Menu
One of this year’s standout non-brewery participants is Hive Mind Meadery, an Anchorage-based producer of honey wine. Owner Tristan Bellotti sees the event as a chance to introduce festival-goers to something beyond beer.

“We like to offer an alternative to IPAs—something that acts as a palate cleanser between beers,” Bellotti said. “This is one of the biggest alcohol-related events of the year, so it’s an incredible opportunity for exposure.”

Along with Hive Mind Meadery, other non-beer brands—Double Shovel Cider Company, Zip Kombucha, Alaska Ciderworks, and more—are adding variety to the festival’s lineup, making it more inclusive for those seeking gluten-free or alternative options.

For Bellotti, participation in this festival is particularly meaningful.

“I had to go gluten-free six or seven years ago, which meant I stopped attending for a while due to the lack of options,” he shared. “Now, we have people telling us they didn’t think they’d be able to drink at all—but they find our booth, and they end up staying there all night because they finally have something to enjoy.”

The Competition: Big, Bold Beers
While the festival showcased a diverse range of beverages, the official competition remains exclusively for barley wines and “winter warmer” beers—a category that includes porters, stouts, and Belgian-style quadruples.

“The Alaska Craft Beer and Barley Wine Festival continues its tradition of celebrating bold, world-class beers—the largest selection outside of the Great American Beer Festival,” said Ellis.

Each year, brewers can submit up to two barley wines and one winter warmer. On Friday night, beer critics with Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) credentials conduct the first round of judging. The final round, held on Saturday morning, is judged by Grand Master, Master, and National-ranked BJCP judges, who select the Best-of-Show winner.

Winners received the coveted gold pan trophy—along with serious bragging rights, as barley wine competitions are rare in the U.S. In 2024, Black Spruce Brewing Company took home both first and third place for different versions of its Reginald Van Horn Barley Wine, aged in Willet Bourbon and Heaven Hill Whiskey barrels, respectively.

A Two-Day Celebration
While the competition focuses on big, boozy, complex beers, breweries bring a wide variety of beverages for festival-goers to enjoy. Many, like Hive Mind Meadery, create exclusive, one-of-a-kind offerings just for this event. “We always try to bring something we haven’t done before,” Bellotti said.  Beyond the drinks, the festival offers live music, food vendors, and shopping opportunities—along with a lively crowd sporting everything from quirky costumes to brewery swag.  And speaking of costumes, Hive Mind Meadery has something special in store.  “We don’t want to ruin the surprise, but let’s just say one of our brewers may or may not be dressed as a house elf,” Bellotti teased. “This event is always a blast, and we love to have fun with it.”

 

Brewers Guild of Alaska
The Brewers Guild of Alaska (BGA), founded in 2000 as a scrappy non-profit by a band of visionary craft brewers, is the beating heart of the Last Frontier’s booming beer scene—championing over 50 independent breweries, cideries, and meaderies through fierce legislative advocacy, hands-on education, and epic community events that keep Alaska’s taps flowing with bold, boundary-pushing pours like hazy IPAs brewed with midnight sun barley and barrel-aged stouts infused with wild Alaskan berries. From hosting the legendary 29th Annual Alaska Craft Brew & Barley Wine Festival in January 2025 at Anchorage’s Dena’ina Center—where 65+ breweries slinged 250+ samples amid live music and food trucks—to powering the Boots & Brews Beer Fest in Fairbanks and the massive Alaska Crafted Festival in Eagle River, the BGA turns winter nights into hoppy havens and equips brewers with everything from financial workshops to biotransformation seminars at their November 2025 Alaska Crafted Conference. Whether you’re a local chasing that perfect Arctic Devil barleywine or a visitor plotting a northern beer road trip, the BGA’s all about raising a glass to sustainable sips, small-batch innovation, and the rugged spirit that makes Alaskan craft beer as untamed as its wilderness—sláinte to the guild keeping the north’s brew game strong!

 

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WISEACRE Brewing, a Memphis-based craft brewery, celebrated a triumphant showing at the 2025 Great American Beer Festival (GABF), securing two prestigious awards. Their newest creation, Sky Dog Amber, clinched the Gold Medal in the International Amber Lager category, while the beloved Tiny Bomb earned a Silver Medal in the highly competitive German-style Pilsener category, following its Bronze win in 2014.
These accolades elevate WISEACRE’s national award count to four, including the 2024 title of America’s Best Light Beer for Sky Dog and a Bronze Medal for their Oktoberfest at the 2025 World Beer Cup in the German-style Märzen category. The brewery’s commitment to crafting exceptional lagers continues to cement its reputation as a leader in the craft beer industry.

“We’re over the moon about our GABF wins,” said Davin Bartosch, WISEACRE’s master brewer. “Tiny Bomb’s Silver in one of the toughest categories is a huge honor, especially since it’s our flagship beer. And Sky Dog Amber taking Gold on its debut? That’s a testament to our team’s talent and dedication. We’re beyond proud.”
The 2025 GABF saw over 270 breweries compete across 108 beer and six cider categories, judged by a panel of industry experts. A GABF medal is a globally recognized mark of brewing excellence, celebrating precision, innovation, and quality. “Winning at GABF is a career-defining moment,” said Chris Williams, competition director for the Brewers Association. “These medals reflect the pinnacle of craftsmanship and skill.”
The awards underscore WISEACRE’s growing “Lager Legacy” in Memphis, where the brewery has been pushing boundaries since its founding in 2013. “Our goal was always to craft world-class lagers,” said Kellan Bartosch, co-founder alongside his brother Davin. “With five medals from top national and international competitions, we’re turning that vision into reality. We’re thrilled to share these award-winning beers with our Memphis community.”

The GABF awards were announced during a live-streamed ceremony on October 11, 2025, at the Colorado Convention Center. WISEACRE celebrated locally on October 17 at their original taproom (2783 Broad Ave.), pouring Sky Dog Amber (exclusive to taprooms), Tiny Bomb, Sky Dog, and Oktoberfest. Guests also enjoyed the new Panuzzo King pizza sandwiches, wines, batch cocktails, and non-alcoholic options, with DJ Leroy spinning vinyl to mark the occasion.

WISEACRE Brewing Company
WISEACRE Brewing Company was founded in 2013 by brothers Davin and Kellan Bartosch, Memphis natives who brought their passion for craft beer back to their hometown after honing their skills across the U.S. and abroad. Davin, trained at Germany’s prestigious Doemens Academy, and Kellan, with experience in brewery operations, set out to create a brewery that blended tradition with innovation. Starting with a single taproom at 2783 Broad Ave., WISEACRE quickly gained traction for its focus on quality and creativity, growing to two Memphis locations and distribution across 22 states. With over 60 employees, the brewery has become a cornerstone of the local craft beer scene, earning recognition in outlets like Men’s Health and Forbes for its bold vision and community roots.

Since its inception, WISEACRE has crafted over 170 beers, spanning crisp German-style lagers, hop-forward American IPAs, complex Belgian ales, and experimental barrel-aged brews. Their flagship, Tiny Bomb, a German-style Pilsener, has become a fan favorite, earning a Silver Medal at the 2025 Great American Beer Festival and a Bronze in 2014. The Sky Dog series, including the 2024 titleholder for America’s Best Light Beer and the Gold Medal-winning Sky Dog Amber in 2025, showcases their lager expertise. Their Oktoberfest, a German-style Märzen, also claimed Bronze at the 2025 World Beer Cup, solidifying WISEACRE’s reputation for crafting award-winning beers that balance tradition with a distinctly Memphis flair.

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The Ohio Craft Brewers Cup stands as Ohio’s premier professional brewing competition, celebrating the ingenuity and excellence of the Buckeye State’s vibrant craft beer scene by providing an equitable platform for breweries statewide to showcase their finest creations. Launched in 2018 and organized annually by The Dayton Beer Company, the event has grown exponentially since its inception, evolving from a modest gathering into a highly anticipated showcase that now features 27 diverse beer categories spanning traditional styles to innovative brews. Judged exclusively by panels of fellow Ohio professional brewers.
Website: https://www.ohiocraftbrewerscup.com/

2025 Ohio Craft Brewers Cup Medal Winners

AMBER/RED ALE
Gold: Three Tigers – Firehouse Amber
Silver: Hofbrauhaus Cleveland – CLE Red
Bronze: Inside the Five – Megaphone

AMERICAN IPA
Gold: Immigrant Son – IPA
Silver: Three Tigers – Danko
Bronze: Ghost Tree – Cash After Ten

AMERICAN LIGHT ALE
Gold: Ghost Tree – Canoe Brew
Silver: Sonder – Eagle Light
Bronze: Oncore – Swantucky Slammer

AMERICAN LAGER
Gold: Pilot Brewhouse – Mt Crushmore
Silver: Combustion – Sir Veza
Bronze: Municipal – Pre-Pro Lager

AMERICAN PALE ALE
Gold: Three Tigers – Small Axe
Silver: Medina Brewing – Sunset Pale Ale
Bronze: Southern Ohio – Range Ball

BELGIAN/FRENCH ALE
Gold: Aeonian Brewing – OPA!
Silver: Broadview Brewing – Quadrophenia
Bronze: Narrow Path – Tri-Kettle Trippel

BELGIAN/FRENCH SAISON
Gold: Blue Heron – Abbey Normal
Silver: Edison Brewing – Winnow
Bronze: Narrow Path – Saison Du Grail

BROWN/DARK ALE
Gold: Hofbrauhaus Cleveland – Dunkel
Silver: Sonder – Brobie Porter
Bronze: Third Eye – Inner Sight

COFFEE BEER
Gold: Brink – Lil Zoomie
Silver: Third Eye – Unleashed Potential
Bronze: Broadview – Covered in Chrome

EUROPEAN LAGER
Gold: Forbidden Root – Festhalle
Silver: Sonder – Nocturnal
Bronze: Combustion – Pelotonia Pils

OKTOBERFEST
Gold: Twin Oast – Proast
Silver: Counterbalance – Beneath the Leaves
Bronze: Hofbrauhaus Cleveland – Festbier

FRUIT BEER
Gold: Double Edge – Bright Side
Silver: Ghost Tree – Ghostberry
Bronze: Aenonian Brewing – Around the Sun

GERMAN STYLE ALE
Gold: Brink Brewing – Lucid Visions
Silver: Forbidden Root – Note to Self
Bronze: Immigrant Son – Hungarian Pearl Kolsch

HERB/SPICE/PEPPER
Gold: Ghost Tree – Yukon Cornelius
Silver: Municipal – Route 4 Revive Ale
Bronze: Inside the Five – The Mashing Pumpkins

IMPERIAL BEER
Gold: Market Garden – Olde Groudhog Barleywine
Silver: Dayton Beer Co – Oregon Alley Imperial IPA
Bronze: Medina Brewing – Citra Supernova

NEIPA/HAZY IPA
Gold: Yellow Spring Brewing – Creative Space
Silver: Three Tigers – Juicy Bazooka
Bronze: Counterbalance – Rip, Tear, Destroy

NEPA/HAZY PALE
Gold: Forbidden Root – Mostly Idaho
Silver: Forbidden Root – Good on Ya
Bronze: Third Eye – Prismatic Muse

SCOTCH/SMOKED BEER
Gold: Edison – Zigarre
Silver: Combustion Brewing – Brasky
Bronze: Third Eye – High Consciousness

SOUR/WILD WITH FRUIT
Gold: Forbidden Root – Up for Discussion
Silver: Sonder – Bella
Bronze: Counterbalance – Neon Tides

SPECIALTY/HYBRID BEER
Gold: Market Garden – Yuzu
Silver: Third Eye – Getting Twisted
Bronze: Inside the Five – Squares or Triangles Strawberry

SPECIALTY/ADJUNCT STOUT
Gold: Third Eye – Double Astral
Silver: Roundhouse – Mexican Hot Chocolate
Bronze: Missing Falls – Brutus

STOUT
Gold: Brink – Moozie
Silver: Olentangy River – I Cant Feel My Pants
Bronze: Lockport – Big Debbie

WHEAT BEER
Gold: Market Garden – Prosperity Wheat
Silver: Twin Oast – Oastweizen
Bronze: Blue Heron – Yes Hefe

WOOD BARREL UNDER 8% ABV
Gold: Hofbrauhaus Cleveland – Bourbon barrel aged Doppelbock
Silver: Forbidden Root – All the Positions
Bronze: Forbidden Root – Heaviest Snuggz

WOOD BARREL OVER 8% ABV
Gold: HofbrauHaus Cleveland – BBA Kaiser
Silver: Twin Oast – Meet your maker
Bronze: Combustion – Inch of Dust

BEST OF SHOW
BRINK – LIL ZOOMIE
(Finalist For Best of Show – Brink Lil Zoomie, Forbidden Root – Festhaus, Brink – Moozie)

Regional Awards
Central
Forbidden Root

Northwest
Twin Oast

Northeast
Ghost Tree Brewing

Greater Cleveland
Hofbrauhaus Cleveland

West Central
Yellow Springs Brewery

Southeast
Double Edge

Southwest
Third Eye

BREWERY SIZE Awards
Best Large Brewery (Greater than 15,000 bbls)
NA

Best Medium Brewery (Less than 15,000 but greater than 5,000 bbls)
Market Garden

Best Small Brewery (Less than 5,000 but greater than 1,000 bbls)
Third Eye Brewing

Best Nano Brewery (Less than 1,000 bbls)
Forbidden Root Brewing

For Fun Beer Facts, Trivia and more: Click Here

The 2025 Great American Beer Festival (GABF), hosted by the Brewers Association, takes place October 9–11 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. As the largest beer festival in the U.S., GABF showcases thousands of craft beers, ciders, seltzers, and other beverages, alongside a prestigious competition for independent craft breweries. Tickets are available now!

What’s New for 2025

This year introduces the Distilling Experience, featuring 20 distilleries offering 0.25-ounce samples of whiskey, vodka, gin, and more. Alongside beer, attendees can explore ready-to-drink cocktails, hard kombucha, cider, and zero-proof beverages.

The festival includes themed experience areas, such as:

• Prost! – German biergarten vibes

• Score! – Sports-themed zone

• Fright – Halloween-inspired setup

• Blast Off – Focus on beyond-beer drinks

• Chill – Relaxed backyard hangout with live music

• Meet the Brewer – Connect directly with craft brewers

• Mile High Stage – New for 2025, featuring live music and contests

Why Brewers Attend

GABF is a key platform for breweries to showcase innovation and connect with beer enthusiasts. The GABF competition awards medals across over 100 categories, often boosting winners’ sales and visibility. It’s also a networking hub for small breweries to engage with peers nationwide.

PAIRED Program

The PAIRED beer-and-food experience pairs small plates from top chefs with limited-release beers and cocktails. A separate ticket is required for this event.

Ticket Information

• General Session: $85 (Thursday, October 9), $95 (Friday, October 10 or Saturday, October 11)

• Three-Day Pass: $220

• PAIRED: $129 (standalone) or $199 (combined with GABF session)

Why Fans Love GABF

Beer enthusiasts flock to GABF to sample diverse styles from across the U.S., often including new and limited-release brews. The festival also offers themed entertainment, live music, silent discos, and costume contests.

Why It Matters

GABF remains the ultimate celebration of American craft brewing, offering brewers and fans alike a unique opportunity to explore and celebrate the industry. Secure your tickets now for this unparalleled event!

Great American Beer Festival History
The Great American Beer Festival (GABF), launched in 1982 in Boulder, Colorado, by nuclear engineer and homebrewing enthusiast Charlie Papazian, emerged as a pioneering celebration of American craft beer. Initially a modest event with 24 breweries, 47 beers, and 800 attendees, it was born from Papazian’s vision to showcase the burgeoning craft beer movement. Held under the auspices of the Brewers Association (then the American Homebrewers Association), the festival aimed to elevate small-scale brewing, spotlighting innovative flavors and techniques. By bringing together brewers and beer lovers, GABF laid the groundwork for a cultural shift, transforming beer from a mass-produced commodity into an artisanal craft, fostering a community that valued quality and diversity.

Over the decades, GABF has grown into the largest beer festival in the United States, now hosted annually in Denver at the Colorado Convention Center. By 2024, it featured over 2,000 beers from more than 500 breweries, drawing tens of thousands of attendees. The festival’s prestigious competition, judged by industry experts, awards gold, silver, and bronze medals across numerous beer style categories, setting benchmarks for excellence in craft brewing. GABF has not only championed the growth of independent breweries but also influenced global beer trends, making it a cornerstone of American beer culture. Its inclusive, festive atmosphere continues to attract enthusiasts and professionals alike, cementing its legacy as a catalyst for the craft beer revolution.

Scottsdale, AZ – Cheers to Pinnacle Brewing Company! Their Novo 11° Czech Dark Lager just took home the coveted “USA Beer of the Year” title in the Czech Lager category at the 2025 USA Beer Ratings Competition in San Francisco.

This isn’t just any win—Novo 11° wowed a panel of beer pros who judged based on Quality, Value, and Packaging through blind tastings. They raved about its “dark golden brown hue, sweet nutty aroma, and layered notes of toasted barley, oat, and coffee with a clean, complex finish.” Sounds like a pint worth sipping!

But wait, there’s more! Pinnacle didn’t stop at one win—they bagged Gold Medals for four other brews:

Surveillance Pigeon – Cold Double IPA
Springtoberfest – Maibock
Druid, Where’s My Car? – English Extra Stout
Tori – Japanese Rice Lager

Brewmaster Wyatt Wilson, the genius behind these brews, shared his excitement: “We’re all about crafting classic beers with a modern twist, inspired by my time in Europe. Czech lagers are my jam—they’re the best beers out there. So, seeing Novo 11° get this love is just awesome.”

More about Pinnacle Brewing
Pinnacle Brewing Company, founded in 2018 in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a family-owned craft brewery that has quickly become a standout in the American beer scene. With a mission to reimagine classic beer styles, Pinnacle draws inspiration from European brewing traditions while infusing modern creativity, earning them the motto “Beer Reinspired.” Starting as a small operation, Pinnacle has grown steadily, building a loyal following for its authentic yet inventive brews that celebrate both heritage and bold new flavors.

At the helm is Brewmaster Wyatt Wilson, whose passion for Czech lagers and European brewing techniques shapes Pinnacle’s distinctive portfolio. Wyatt’s hands-on approach ensures each beer stays true to its roots while offering a contemporary twist, blending tradition with originality. Alongside their award-winning Novo 11°, Pinnacle’s lineup includes standout beers like Surveillance Pigeon (Cold Double IPA), Springtoberfest (Maibock), Druid, Where’s My Car? (English Extra Stout), and Tori (Japanese Rice Lager), all of which earned Gold Medals in 2025. From crisp lagers to robust stouts, Pinnacle’s beers reflect Wyatt’s vision of crafting approachable yet sophisticated brews that appeal to beer lovers everywhere.

Top 10 Beer Festivals in America plus a few more: Click Here!