Northeast
Max Finnance
Up in the Northeast we’ve enjoyed gathering for a handful of great competitions over the past several months, including the Hudson Valley Homebrewers Annual Competition, the Southern New England Regional (SNERHC), Franklin County Ciderdays (a nationally regarded cider festival and competition), and of course the 7th Annual Brew Slam Homebrew Competition in Toronto, organized by Assistant Rep. Eric Cousineau (pictured below).
That competition saw 539 entries from 140 entrants across Canada and the USA, judged by 60 judges while averaging just 5.9 entries/pair/flight! Judging weekend was a ton of fun with so many familiar faces coming out to help get all the beers judged on time. The judges especially enjoyed taking turns judging with guest judge Fred Mullner (Mid-Atlantic Rep., Grandmaster III), and some lucky entrants received bonus scoresheets completed by him as well.
Looking ahead, we’re excited about all of the upcoming competitions in our region: the New York State Brewers Competition in Rochester on 3/1 (this is a commercial competition but a great judging opportunity for senior judges), Amber Waves of Grain in Niagara Falls, NY on 3/8, the 17th Annual New England Regional HBC in Manchester, NH on 4/12, the Greg Noonan Memorial HBC, in Burlington, VT on 4/26, the 28th Annual BEER & Mead Brew Off in Port Jefferson Station, NY on 5/17, and the return of New York City as a first round site for NHC judging (dates still to be finalized). I’m also optimistic that several more competitions will pop up in the next few months, so keep an eye on the BJCP’s competition calendar!
As a note, I am personally maintaining a list of folks from across the region who are interested in taking each exam (beer, mead, cider, written) so that we can get more exams scheduled in the Northeast as demand dictates. If you are looking for an exam seat for any of the BJCP’s in-person exams, please send me a note ([email protected]) and I’ll work to get you seated ASAP.
I would also like to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude to the judges from the Northeast region who are active exam graders. The exam team is always looking for more help with grading, and the Northeast region is doing our best to pitch in. In particular, Ben Jankowski (Grandmaster II) was the most prolific grader of 2024, with 106 exams graded. Well done Ben! If you aren’t yet an active grader but are ranked National or higher, please consider doing your part to help lighten the load.
I’d like to congratulate Rob Jones of Toronto, CA for his advancement to National! He was the only judge in the Northeast region to advance above Certified since the last newsletter.
That’s all for now. Happy brewing, happy judging, and I hope to cross paths with each of you over a flight sometime soon!
Cheers,
Max
Mid-Atlantic
Fred Mullner
Pennsylvania
Save the date! The Three Rivers Alliance of Serious Homebrewers (TRASH) is Pittsburgh’s oldest homebrew club. The TRASH competition is one of the oldest homebrew competitions in the country. This is our 33rd year, and this year it’s on April 26 at Maggie’s Farm Rum Distillery in Upper St. Clair.
We need judges and stewards to make this happen. Please register at https://beerawardsplatform.com/trash-xxxiii if you’re able to help!
Virginia
GRiST’s NoVA Classic Returns to Northern Virginia
On Sunday, January 19th, GRiST (Grains Resulting in Something Tasty) hosted its annual NoVA Classic homebrew competition, bringing together homebrewers from across the country for a day of beer evaluation and camaraderie. This year’s event featured 101 submissions representing 17 states and the District of Columbia, with 25 entries submitted by military Veterans.
The competition covered 10 BJCP beer categories and awarded two top honors: Best in Show and the prestigious John Lyon Award for the best Veteran-brewed beer.
Best in Show Winners:
- First Place: Black Ribbon by Alistair “Benny” Benson (English Porter)
- Second Place: Controlled Burn by Alistair “Benny” Benson (Hazy IPA)
- Third Place: Blackhorse Porter by Mark Borowski (Baltic Porter)
John Lyon Award (Veteran Brewers):
- First Place: Blackhorse Porter by Mark Borowski (Baltic Porter)
- Second Place: Pre-Purrritanical F**ery Porter* by Cole Christian (Pre-Prohibition Porter)
- Third Place: Pup Heavy by Cole Christian (American Lager)
Judging was conducted by a skilled panel of BJCP-certified judges from the DMV area, who evaluated entries based on BJCP criteria: aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression. The event offered an excellent opportunity for BJCP judges to connect with peers and celebrate excellence in brewing across a broad spectrum of styles.
About GRiST
GRiST is a Northern Virginia-based homebrewing club officially sanctioned by the American Homebrewers Association (AHA). For over a decade, GRiST has been a hub for fermentation education and community-building, hosting monthly meetings and events that draw enthusiasts of all experience levels.
The club’s mission focuses on fermentation science education while fostering a culture of collaboration to improve brewing techniques, sensory evaluation, and competition skills. Many members are BJCP-certified judges, and the club takes pride in supporting the growth of the BJCP community.
Upcoming Event
On April 9, Julia Herz, Executive Director of the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), will deliver a virtual talk to GRiST members, offering insights into the state of homebrewing and the industry.
Whether you’re a seasoned judge or a brewer eager to refine your skills, GRiST provides a welcoming environment to deepen your knowledge, connect with the community, and celebrate the craft of brewing.
Ohio
Bloatarian Brewing League will host 4 unique competitions in Cincinnati in 2025:
March 1, 2025 – Bockfest Homebrew Competition! Register Here
Homebrew judging will be at Liberty Home Association, 2361 Hamilton Cleves Rd (OH 128), Hamilton, OH 45013. Awards presented immediately after the competition. Public awards ceremony will be held during Bockfest, at the Moerlein Lager House in downtown Cincinnati, on Saturday, March 8th, at 4:00 PM. Winner of the Dunkles (Traditional) Bock category brews their beer with MLH for next year’s Bockfest!
May 17, 2025: Bloat Only Homebrew Competition!
Big news for the new year! The glorious return of the Bloat Open! We will hold our club-only homebrew competition on Saturday May 17th, this year with a delightful twist. Judging will be at Esoteric Brewing and the Best of Show winner gets to assist in brewing a 5 BBL batch of their winning recipe at Esoteric! You must be a paid club member to enter the competition!
Late May/Early June 2025: Missing Linck Homebrew Competition and Festival!
For details on the story and how to procure a packet of this unique revitalized yeast and to enter the competition, check the website for updates: Missing Linck
August 16, 2025! Beer and Sweat KEG-ONLY ENTRY COMPETITION
B&S Returns to the Holiday Inn Eastgate! Put it on your calendar now – it’s the best homebrew competition and party next to AHA Club Night – and since that hardly exists anymore, we might as well say it loud and proud – it’s THE BEST HOMEBREW PARTY! Follow the B&S FB page for updates
Asia-Pacific
Mark Hibberd
Congratulations to our newest National judges – Jeff Lau from Hong Kong, Ruiyun Liu, Zhao Wang, and Chao Xing from China, Luke Scrivens from South Australia, and Rob Aylward from New Zealand.
Rob is their first “home-grown” National judge. While international delivery of judge lapel pins is still on hold due to high international postage costs, I’ve worked with BJCP to organize a bulk shipment and have spent several days organizing, packing and posting pins locally to Australian and New Zealand judges. Unfortunately, I haven’t so far been able to extend this to other parts of our region.
2024 was again a busy year for sanctioned competitions with the majority in Australia (25) and New Zealand (7) and a total of just 4 across China, Singapore and Taiwan. A big thank you to all the organisers of these events, and to the many judges, stewards, and the enthusiastic brewers who enter their beers.
Competitions are the key way in which judges gain experience and develop their skills. I encourage judges in countries lacking competitions to get together with a few interested colleagues to run a small competition – there’s plenty of good information on the BJCP portal and other websites. One useful blog I read recently was https://www.brewshop.co.nz/blog/beer-competitions-101/.
The 5th annual Aotearoa Home Brewing Classic was held in New Zealand in September 2024 with 163 entries from 59 entrants. Congratulations to the champion brewer Dan Filihiahekava.
A milestone was reached with the 30th edition of Australian Amateur Brewing Championships, which was held in Queensland in October 2024 at BrewDog Fortitude Valley. Congratulations to the champion brewers of the state/territory qualifying championships, which include Adam Gaffey (NSW), Scott Eckford (QLD), Percy Balls (SA), Alistair Strating (TAS) and Michael Bowron (VIC). From the total of over 1700 first-round entries, 381 beers from 190 brewers progressed to the AABC. Congratulations to AABC champion brewers, a tie between David Nielsen (Brisbane Amateur Beer Brewers BABBS) and Shaun Baldini (West Coast Brewers). The Champion State trophy was won this year by Western Australia.
Europe, Middle East, Africa
Marek Kaminski
Here is a short summary of the past year and a preview of BJCP activities in our region in 2025.
Competitions
The Maillard Club Winter competition took place in Barcelona in January and February will bring the last of the Spanish Homebrew Competitions to close the Rally 2024 series. Barcelona Beer Challenge, the biggest commercial beer competition in Spain, will take place in February.
2024 was a busy year in the German speaking countries, with a record number of BJCP sanctioned competitions and judging exams taking place. In March, Heimbrau Convention – the largest German speaking homebrewing event with over 500 participants – took place at beautiful Castle Romrod in central Germany. It featured the largest German homebrewing competition with 160 entries across four styles as well as a beer judging exam. In addition to that, several BJCP sanctioned competitions premiered during the further course of the year in Germany. In 2025 all of the abovementioned competitions and exams are set to run again.
The first ever beer judging exam in Switzerland took place in 2024. 12 enthusiastic examinees met in Basel to qualify as the first BJCP certified judges in the country.
Polish competitions remain strong. Last year’s Polish Homebrewing Championship gathered 450 entries, while Kraft Roku, the biggest commercial craft beer competition exceeded 800 entries.
The Scottish National Homebrew Competition is about to happen, the UK National Homebrew Competition is on in Bristol in mid-Feb, followed by London Amateur Brewers’ incredibly popular Lager Than Life lagers-only competition at the beginning of March. May brings London Amateur Brewers’ LAB Open. In the summer Reading Amatuer Brewers are running another Sours competition and we expect to see further competitions later in the year run by Anglian Craft Brewers and Norwich Amateur Brewers respectively.
The BJCP sanctioned African Beer Cup will be held in May with a number of international judges. It will be followed by BeerEx Africa and a BJCP tasting exam will also be included. The BJCP sanctioned Intervarsity Brewing Competition will be held in October. This is a unique competition where students brew their own beer for a competition between universities. In general, the number of BJCP sanctioned competitions continue to grow, with several competitions this year. Most commercial beer festivals have one, and many homebrew club festivals as well.
2025 will again bring many BJCP sanctioned competitions across the EMEA region, many of them already registered in the competitions calendar.
Exams
There are a good number of exams scheduled. We kicked off 2025 with another exam in Poland, while exams in Hungary, Italy, Spain, Finland, Germany and Switzerland have all been scheduled in the first quarter of the year.
In the UK they are intending to run another tasting exam in June/July. They also have a group of nine now studying to take the written exam in November.
South Africa hopes to hold a BJCP exam in the Johannesburg area later this year as well.
At the same time it is worth noting that plans of many exams have been suspended due to problems with the still small number of proctors in the region and the issue of financing their travel expenses.
Other news
Pink Boots Spain representative Lorena Bazán has started a series of presentations and roadshows with talks about supporting women in the beer world and stories related to the world of beer including promoting the BJCP.
Other activities in Germany included two invited presentations on the BJCP in general, how to evaluate beer professionally and the perks of qualifying as a beer judge. These were given by National judge Frank Christian at the two largest German homebrewing competitions in Stralsund and Bayreuth. In a sign of further increasing interest in the BJCP in Germany, Frank was also interviewed by the two major German brewing podcasts, Brautag and Biertalk. Topics were the relevance and benefits of the BJCP, judging and exam activities, and tips for aspiring judges.
Likewise, regional rep Marek Kaminski was interviewed by the German homebrewing podcast, Das aktuelle Bierstudio.
Finally, we wish to congratulate Onur Caka on his advancement to National and Mirella Amato on her advancement to GM1
Midwest
Sandy Cockerham
Hi Midwest BJCP judges and all judges who want to visit our competitions. Come experience some middle of the country hospitality! The next few months are gettin’ busy.
Later this month on Feb. 22-23, the Kansas City BierMeisters will hold KCBM 42, their 42nd annual competition and I will be traveling there to participate.
The same weekend, down in Memphis, TN will be Bluff City Brewers Extravaganza! Hopefully some of our lower Midwest and southern judges can join them there.
The weekend of 3/8/25 brings a double whammy of the Iowa Brewers Union’s IBU Open in Des Moines, IA and for those wanting a dose of Chicago, the Urban Knaves of Grain will host the Drunk Monk Challenge in Aurora, IL where you are likely to see a Monks robe being worn, maybe even a few.
End of March will have the team down in Indianapolis doing the National Homebrew Competition- Indy First Round site on March 28-29, at Sun King Brewing in the downtown area.
Chicago follows us in April with the National Homebrew Competition – Chicago First Round site on April 8 at Skeleton Key Brewing and then April 11-12 at Dovetail Brewing.
Wrapping up the current competitions on the calendar, will be the Brewers of South Surburbia’s Charlie Orr Memorial Chicago Cup Challenge in Tinley Park, IL on May 10th.
Keep an eye on the calendar as more competitions are added and make your plans for a fun end of winter and start to Spring!
Cheers,
Sandy
North
Gail Milburn
Hello and Happy New Year to the North Region Judges! There were a couple of large competitions held in the region recently with great BJCP judge support: The Alaska Barleywine Fest in Anchorage and the Midwinter Homebrew Competition in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sadly, this is the last year for the excellent Midwinter competition but hopefully another excellent opportunity will arise in its place for judging beer, mead and cider!
On the future competition side, the region will see the new Michigan Cider Madness competition in Saginaw, Michigan on March 1. This is a great opportunity for our Michigan Cider judges to get out and get some additional experience! Additionally, on March 7 and 8, Minneapolis will host the Valkyries Commercial and Home Competitions. This is always a fantastic competition with a mead education component. Some of the best meadmakers in the world enter here so volunteer if you are able (and I’ll see you there!). Between the Bluffs Homebrew Competition will be held on March 22 in Onalaska, Wisconsin and the Wisconsin State Fair Amateur Beer competition will be held on March 28 in West Allis, Wisconsin.
Also coming up for Midwest area judges are the National Homebrew Competition First Round with sites in Indianapolis and Chicago, along with other sites around the country to be held in March and April. Final Round judging will be held in Kansas City, Missouri at the end of June. Check the competition calendar for dates and contacts around the country. Get out and support the largest competition in the US!
Dave Cole, Assistant Rep of the North Region, also sends news that the Prairie Beer Awards will be held in Saskatoon at the end of May with Beer Tasting, Written, and Cider exams accompanying that time frame. He also sends hearty congratulations (as do I!) to Mirella Amato on achieving Grand Master rank, making her the highest-ranking judge in Canada! Awesome accomplishment, Mirella!
That wraps up the North Region news for the next couple of months. I hope to run into many of the region’s members at some of these competitions! Cheers!
West
Brian Cooper
South
Sal Mortillaro II
No updates at this time
Latin America
James Foster
No updates at this time
Mountain/Northwest
Brad Darnell
No updates at this time