Nineteenth Annual Virginia Beer Blitz (2026)
Awards
Judges
Michael Anielski, Carter Bundy, Joshua Cass, Diane Catanzaro, Daniel Deibler, Horst Dornbusch, Jim Ebert, Ulli Eckes, Bryan Falman, Bryan Flaherty, Jeffrey Flamm, Harrison Gibbs, Stephen Goadhouse, Carl Hayden, John Hayes, Jeff Hewit, Ken Hilton, Jonathan Jones, Brian Kinzie, Ryan Larsen, Joseph Luchansky III, Brian McCrickard, Joel Miller, Bill Moreland, Elizabeth Pasieczny, Ken Rygh, Norm Schaeffler, Kurt Schueler, Dave Siler, Rachael Smith, William Spiesberger, Samuel Straight, Patrick Taylor, Phillip Vaughn, Mark Vick, Daniel Walker, Kevin Whealton
Judges - Best of Show
Horst Dornbusch, Bryan Falman, Brian Kinzie, William Spiesberger, Patrick Taylor
Stewards
Brandon Christian, Jason Conka, Brian Donegan, Lonnie Elrod Jr, Rich Hart, Christina Hayden, Steven Jones, Andrew Lovejoy, Beth Madden, Karen Martin, Anthony Mercer, Debbie Mercer, Kevin StJohn, Dora Tram, David Tu
Staff
Bryan Falman, Andrew Lovejoy, Norm Schaeffler
Organizer
Bryan Flaherty
By the Numbers
313 Entries
98 Entrants
37 Judges
15 Stewards
3 Staff
76 Placing Entries
Table 1: Standard American Beer
7 entries
Judges: Jim Ebert (Head Judge), Kevin Whealton
1st
Steven Jones
Down East Alers (DEA)
Slow wheat guy (1D: American Wheat Beer)
2nd
Mike Rousseau
Lowcountry Libations
Corn Dog (1C: Cream Ale)
3rd
Chad Faulstick
Wheeling Alers
Chettyweiser (1A: American Light Lager)
Table 2: Czech Lager
10 entries
Judges: Michael Anielski, Joshua Cass (Head Judge)
1st
Phillip Vaughn
James River Homebrewers
Class A CDL (3D: Czech Dark Lager)
2nd
Carter Bundy & Claire Bundy
James River Homebrewers
In the Dark (3D: Czech Dark Lager)
3rd
Edward Marquardt
Lowcountry Libations
CDL (3D: Czech Dark Lager)
Table 3: Pale Lager
20 entries
Judges: Horst Dornbusch, Ulli Eckes, Jeffrey Flamm, Jeff Hewit (Head Judge)
1st
Edward Marquardt
Lowcountry Libations
Pils (5D: German Pils)
2nd
Stephen Hoeprich
The Brü Club
Bright Lights (5D: German Pils)
3rd
Chad Faulstick
Wheeling Alers
Pounder Pils (LSX5: New Zealand Pilsner)
Table 4: Amber Lager
12 entries
Judges: Joshua Cass (Head Judge), Daniel Deibler, Horst Dornbusch, Jonathan Jones
1st
Anthony Mercer
Down East Alers (DEA)
Gnarly Branch Bock (6C: Dunkels Bock)
2nd
Phillip Vaughn
James River Homebrewers
Old Dusseldorfer (7B: Altbier)
3rd
Chris Rousseau
Lowcountry Libations
Düsseldorf (7B: Altbier)
Table 5: Dark Lager
10 entries
Judges: Jim Ebert, Bill Moreland (Head Judge)
1st
Ryan Larsen
James River Homebrewers
Keller Night Lite (8B: Schwarzbier)
2nd
Edward Marquardt
Lowcountry Libations
Munich dunkel (8A: Munich Dunkel)
3rd
Steven Jones
Down East Alers (DEA)
Gringo Jones (2C: International Dark Lager)
HM
Paul Zuraw
James River Homebrewers
Dark test lager (2C: International Dark Lager)
Table 6: German Wheat Beer
6 entries
Judges: Jeffrey Flamm (Head Judge), Ryan Larsen
1st
Mike Rousseau
Lowcountry Libations
Sweet Coon (10C: Weizenbock)
2nd
Caleb Holmes
Winston-Salem Wort Hawgs Homebrew...
El Jefe (10A: Weissbier)
3rd
Matthew Smiley
QUAFF
It's a wheat beer! (10C: Weizenbock)
Table 7: Pale Commonwealth Beer
17 entries
Judges: Joseph Luchansky III, Brian McCrickard, Kurt Schueler, Patrick Taylor (Head Judge)
1st
Carter Bundy & Claire Bundy
James River Homebrewers
Golden Days (12A: British Golden Ale)
2nd
Rob Goodwin
Winston-Salem Wort Hawgs Homebrew...
Grahams Golden Ale (12A: British Golden Ale)
3rd
John Mitchell
James River Homebrewers
Waterloo Sunset (11B: Best Bitter)
Table 8: Dark British Beer
17 entries
Judges: Daniel Deibler, Harrison Gibbs (Head Judge), Ken Hilton, Rachael Smith
1st
Dane Clark
Sir Sad Hound Eyes (13B: British Brown Ale)
2nd
Bruce Enzmann Jr
Seven City Brewers
Dark Paladin (13C: English Porter)
3rd
Anthony Mercer
Down East Alers (DEA)
Gnarly Branch Dark Mild (13A: Dark Mild)
Table 9: Irish & Scottish Ale
12 entries
Judges: Ulli Eckes, Harrison Gibbs (Head Judge), Brian McCrickard, Ken Rygh
1st
Brian Donegan
Seven City Brewers
Beam me up, Scotty (14C: Scottish Export)
2nd
Aaron Alloway
Irish Red (15A: Irish Red Ale)
3rd
Chris Rousseau
Lowcountry Libations
60 Schilling (14A: Scottish Light)
Table 10: British & Irish Stout
17 entries
Judges: Michael Anielski, Brian Kinzie, Bill Moreland (Head Judge), Elizabeth Pasieczny, Rachael Smith, Mark Vick
1st
Elizabeth Kerr & Brad Kerr And Peter Ollar
Virginia Peninsula Homebrewers...
Southern Nights Oatmeal Stout (16B: Oatmeal Stout)
2nd
Carter Bundy & Claire Bundy
James River Homebrewers
Lucky ME! (15B: Irish Stout)
3rd
Jeff Nicholson
Irresistible Fascination (16B: Oatmeal Stout)
Table 11: Strong Beer
16 entries
Judges: Michael Anielski, Horst Dornbusch, Bryan Falman (Head Judge), Jonathan Jones, Brian McCrickard, Patrick Taylor
1st
Jack Wallace
Ice Queen (9B: Eisbock)
2nd
Jeremiah Still
Seven City Brewers
Go Big! (22A: Double IPA)
3rd
Derek Kattner
Three Rivers Alliance of Serious...
Bil The Audit Partner (17D: English Barley Wine)
Table 12: American Pale & Amber Ale
12 entries
Judges: Carter Bundy (Head Judge), Ken Hilton, William Spiesberger, Daniel Walker
1st
Jefferson Burns
Lowcountry Libations
Crush Depth (19B: California Common)
2nd
Anthony Mercer
Down East Alers (DEA)
Gnarly Branch Pale Ale (18B: American Pale Ale)
3rd
Brian McCrickard
Seven City Brewers
Citra Blitz (18B: American Pale Ale)
Table 13: Dark American Ale
9 entries
Judges: Jonathan Jones, Mark Vick (Head Judge)
1st
John Roudebush
Lowcountry Libations
Emily’s Porter (20A: American Porter)
2nd
Brian McCrickard
Seven City Brewers
Dark Obsidian (20B: American Stout)
3rd
Andrew Lovejoy
Brown is Beautiful (19C: American Brown Ale)
Table 14: American IPA
8 entries
Judges: Norm Schaeffler (Head Judge), Kurt Schueler
1st
Joel Miller
James River Homebrewers
On The Verge (21A: American IPA)
2nd
Dane Clark
Bean Juice (21A: American IPA)
3rd
Bruce Enzmann Jr & Bruce Enzmann III
Seven City Brewers
Seneca (21A: American IPA)
Table 15: Specialty IPA
12 entries
Judges: Carl Hayden, Joel Miller, Patrick Taylor (Head Judge), Phillip Vaughn
1st
Carter Bundy & Claire Bundy
James River Homebrewers
Love and Light! (21C: Hazy IPA)
2nd
Tim Rouse
Seven City Brewers
Le Freak (21B1: Belgian IPA)
3rd
Aaron Alloway
Three Door Garage (21C: Hazy IPA)
Table 16: Sour & Wild Beer
8 entries
Judges: Jeffrey Flamm (Head Judge), Carl Hayden
1st
Joshua Cass
James River Homebrewers
Sour Power Omega (28D: Straight Sour Beer)
2nd
Ken Hilton
Down East Alers (DEA)
Flanders Fields (23B: Flanders Red Ale)
3rd
Bruce Enzmann Jr
Seven City Brewers
The Kids Aren’t Alright Part 1 (23C: Oud Bruin)
Table 17: Belgian Beer
10 entries
Judges: Diane Catanzaro (Head Judge), Ryan Larsen
1st
Dirk Montgomery
Red Earth Brewers
Van Overveld (24A: Witbier)
2nd
Allan -Shiny- Sepkowski & Tony Hamric
Wort City Brewers
Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful (25B: Saison)
3rd
Alex Hannagan
For Whom Duvel Tolls (25C: Belgian Golden Strong Ale)
Table 18: Monastic Beer
15 entries
Judges: Joseph Luchansky III, Bill Moreland (Head Judge), Rachael Smith, Daniel Walker
1st
Ryan Larsen
James River Homebrewers
What About Sing (26A: Belgian Single)
2nd
Phillip Vaughn
James River Homebrewers
Streaking the Quad (26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale)
3rd
Adrian Sutherland
Carolina Brewmasters
My Belgian Beer Goggles (26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale)
Table 19: Historical Beer
16 entries
Judges: Carter Bundy (Head Judge), Stephen Goadhouse, John Hayes, Joel Miller, Daniel Walker
1st
Jeffrey Rocker
Billy's North Woods Logger (27A6: Pre-Prohibition Lager)
2nd
Chris Rousseau
Lowcountry Libations
Banjo Beer (27A2: Kentucky Common)
3rd
John Fulton
Piwo Grodziskie (27A5: Piwo Grodziskie)
Table 20: Fruit Beer
12 entries
Judges: Diane Catanzaro, Stephen Goadhouse, Jeff Hewit (Head Judge), Joseph Luchansky III
1st
Jeremiah Still
Seven City Brewers
Riesling Ale (29D: Grape Ale)
2nd
Tim Rouse
Seven City Brewers
Norwegian Kriek (29C: Specialty Fruit Beer)
3rd
Steven Jones
Down East Alers (DEA)
Stupid Flanders (29A: Fruit Beer)
Table 21: Spiced Beer
14 entries
Judges: Daniel Deibler, Stephen Goadhouse, Jeff Hewit (Head Judge), Kevin Whealton
1st
Brandon Christian & Carla
Seven City Brewers
El Diablo De Chocolate (30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)
2nd
Anthony Mercer
Down East Alers (DEA)
Gnarly Branch Flanders Orange (30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)
3rd
Nate Stallings
Seven City Brewers
Tuskin Spice (30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)
Table 22: Smoke & Wood-Aged Beer
9 entries
Judges: Dave Siler, Phillip Vaughn (Head Judge)
1st
Joseph Luchansky III & Ryan Griffis Patrick...
Seven City Brewers
Got Wood? (33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer)
2nd
Anthony Mercer
Down East Alers (DEA)
Gnarly Branch Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout (33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer)
3rd
John Roudebush
Lowcountry Libations
Kate Knows RIS (33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer)
Table 23: Experimental Beer
14 entries
Judges: Bryan Falman (Head Judge), John Hayes, Dave Siler, Samuel Straight
1st
Brandon Christian & Carla Christian
Seven City Brewers
Celtic Cream Crusher (34C: Experimental Beer)
2nd
Jonathan Jones
Virginia Peninsula Homebrewers...
Mole Asses (31B: Alternative Sugar Beer)
3rd
Harrison Gibbs
Colonial Ale Smiths &...
Terminator Rye Bock (31A: Alternative Grain Beer)
Table 24: Cider
11 entries
Judges: Bryan Flaherty (Head Judge), Ken Rygh, William Spiesberger, Samuel Straight
1st
Harrison Gibbs
Colonial Ale Smiths &...
Cranberry Cider (C2B: Cider with Other Fruit)
2nd
Karen Martin
Seven City Brewers
Summer Cider (C2E: Cider with Herbs/Spices)
3rd
Patrick Smith
Seven City Brewers
Simple As (C1A: New World Cider)
Table 25: Mead
19 entries
Judges: Bryan Flaherty, Brian Kinzie (Head Judge), Elizabeth Pasieczny, Ken Rygh, William Spiesberger, Samuel Straight, Kevin Whealton
1st
Pete Zollweg
Colonial Ale Smiths &...
Blueberry pie (M2C: Berry Mead)
2nd
Pete Zollweg
Colonial Ale Smiths &...
Sweet Mercy (M1B: Semi-Sweet Mead)
3rd
Brett Beard
North Georgia Malt Monkeys
The Lady in Red (M3A: Fruit and Spice Mead)
Best of Show
Beer
Judges: Horst Dornbusch, Bryan Falman, Brian Kinzie, William Spiesberger, Patrick Taylor
1st
Mike Rousseau
Lowcountry Libations
Sweet Coon (10C: Weizenbock)
2nd
Jack Wallace
Ice Queen (9B: Eisbock)
3rd
Brian Donegan
Seven City Brewers
Beam me up, Scotty (14C: Scottish Export)
Best of Show
Mead/Cider
Judges: Horst Dornbusch, Bryan Falman, Brian Kinzie, William Spiesberger, Patrick Taylor
1st
Harrison Gibbs
Colonial Ale Smiths &...
Cranberry Cider (C2B: Cider with Other Fruit)
The Baron of the Blitz Award
98 Participating Brewers [Scoring Methodology]
| Place | Brewer | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Score | Club |
|---|
| 1st | Carter Bundy | 2 | 2 | 0 | 16.0200160 | James River Homebrewers |
| 2nd | Anthony Mercer | 1 | 3 | 1 | 15.0100160 | Down East Alers (DEA) |
| 3rd | Mike Rousseau | 2 | 1 | 0 | 13.0200160 | Lowcountry Libations |
The Blitzkrieg Award
29 Participating Clubs [Scoring Methodology]
| Place | Club | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | HM | Score |
|---|
| 1st | Seven City Brewers | 5 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 49.0500000 |
| 2nd | James River Homebrewers | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 48.0700000 |
| 3rd | Lowcountry Libations | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 38.0500000 |
| 4th | Down East Alers (DEA) | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 25.0200000 |
| 5th | Colonial Ale Smiths & Keggers (CASK) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 19.0300000 |
| 6th | Virginia Peninsula Homebrewers (VPH) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8.0100000 |
| 7th | Winston-Salem Wort Hawgs Homebrew Club | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6.0000000 |
| 8th | Red Earth Brewers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.0100000 |
| 9th | Other | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.0000000 |
| 10th | Wort City Brewers | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.0000000 |
| The Brü Club | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3.0000000 |
| 12th | Wheeling Alers | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2.0000000 |
| 13th | Three Rivers Alliance of Serious Homebrewers (TRASH) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.0000000 |
| Carolina Brewmasters | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.0000000 |
| North Georgia Malt Monkeys | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.0000000 |
| QUAFF | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.0000000 |
Scoring Methodology
Each placing entry is given the following points:
- 1st Place: 5
- 2nd Place: 3
- 3rd Place: 1
The following tie-breakers have been applied, in order of priority:
- The highest number of first places.
- The lowest number of entries.
Thank You
Congratulations to All Medal Winners
