47th California Homebrew Competition (CHC)
Thanks to all who participated in the 47th California Homebrew Competition (CHC).
Past Winners
View past winners:
There were 564 entries judged and 348 registered participants, judges, and stewards.
Results
Best of Show Winners
Best of Show – Beer
| Place | Brewer | Entry Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Steve Davidson Co-Brewer: Dirk Manders | Check Amber Larger | 3C: Czech Amber Lager | Bay Area Mashers |
Best of Show – Cider
| Place | Brewer | Entry Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Dan Acheson | Ice Is Nice | C2C: Ice Cider | Urban Knaves of Grain |
Best of Show – Mead
| Place | Brewer | Entry Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bill Boyer | Castle Anthrax 2025 | M2B: Pyment | North Georgia Malt Monkeys |
Heavy Medal Brewer (135 Participating Brewers)
| Place | Brewer | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Score | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 1st | David Towles | 3 | 2 | 0 | 13.05 | High Plains Drafters [TX] |
| 2000 2nd | Taylor Shastid | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12.06 | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
| 3000 3rd | Stephen Schmitt | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10.06 | Evanston Homebrew Club |
Scores and tie-breakers have been applied in accordance with the scoring methodology. Numbers reflected are rounded to the hundredth place. Hover over or tap the question mark icon () for the actual calculated value.
Heavy Medal Homebrew Club (54 Participating Clubs)
| Place | Club | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 1st | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) | 6 | 4 | 5 | 31.15 |
| 2000 2nd | Bay Area Mashers | 5 | 5 | 3 | 28.13 |
| 3000 3rd | Ace Brewing Society | 4 | 5 | 3 | 25.12 |
Scores and tie-breakers have been applied in accordance with the scoring methodology. Numbers reflected are rounded to the hundredth place. Hover over or tap the question mark icon () for the actual calculated value.
Winning Entries
Standard American Beer (14 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Todd Slater MHP Co-Brewer: Matt Castellino | Lupe Lite | 1B: American Lager | Thousand Oaked Homebrewers |
| 2nd | Todd Slater MHP Co-Brewer: Matt Castellino | Todd Lite | 1A: American Light Lager | Thousand Oaked Homebrewers |
| 3rd | Ken Wigginton | America Meets Andechs | 1B: American Lager | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
International Lager (8 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ross Stuart MHP | Japanese Light Lager | 2A: International Pale Lager | Arizona Society of Homebrewers |
| 2nd | Paul Brown | Hey, Hey, I'm Your Life | 2A: International Pale Lager | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
| 3rd | Ross Sagun | Bamberg Brauhaus Rot | 2B: International Amber Lager | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
Czech Lager (19 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Steve Davidson Co-Brewer: Dirk Manders | Check Amber Larger | 3C: Czech Amber Lager | Bay Area Mashers |
| 2nd | Jason Dunn MHP | The Most Gluggable | 3D: Czech Dark Lager | Inland Empire Brewers |
| 3rd | Richard Whitefoot MHP | One Step Forward | 3A: Czech Pale Lager | Inland Empire Brewers |
Pale Malty European Lager (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Steve Davidson Co-Brewer: Dirk Manders | My Neck, Maibock, Malt My Barley And Decoct | 4C: Helles Bock | Bay Area Mashers |
| 2nd | Luke Hafdahl MHP Co-Brewer: Adam Sawatsky | Curbside | 4A: Munich Helles | Rochester Area Zymurgy Enthusiasts (RAZE) |
| 3rd | Charlie Friesen | My Bock | 4C: Helles Bock |
Pale Bitter European Beer (13 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | David Towles MHP | Kolsch | 5B: Kölsch | High Plains Drafters [TX] |
| 2nd | William Vigil MHP | Muttertag | 5D: German Pils | Ace Brewing Society |
| 3rd | Michael Riddle MHP Co-Brewer: Alex Riddle | Killer Kolsch | 5B: Kölsch | HOME |
Amber European Beer (14 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Adam Bradley | "Hey, Goat!" | 6C: Dunkels Bock | Bay Area Mashers |
| 2nd | Dirk Manders | Altbier Im Wald Hier | 7B: Altbier | Bay Area Mashers |
| 3rd | Matthew Johnsen MHP | No Time Like The Past | 7B: Altbier | Rock Hoppers Brew Club |
Dark European Beer (8 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Taylor Shastid MHP | Nine Ball | 8B: Schwarzbier | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
| 2nd | Curtis Ritter MHP | Black Lantern | 8B: Schwarzbier | Ace Brewing Society |
| 3rd | Jason Dunn MHP | ACE In The Dark | 8B: Schwarzbier | Inland Empire Brewers |
| HM | Scott Patrick MHP | Echoes In The Floorboards | 8A: Munich Dunkel | Mountain Ale and Lager Tasters (MALT) |
Strong European Beer (12 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jason Dunn MHP Co-Brewer: Mandy Porter | Marlonator | 9A: Doppelbock | Inland Empire Brewers |
| 2nd | Taylor Shastid MHP | Predestinator | 9A: Doppelbock | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
| 3rd | Steve Davidson | What Does The Two-Headed Chicken Say? | 9A: Doppelbock | Bay Area Mashers |
German Wheat Beer (16 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jordan Stone MHP | Cloudy Weather | 10A: Weissbier | Rock Hoppers Brew Club |
| 2nd | Travis Cherry MHP | Analysis Paralysis | 10C: Weizenbock | Bay Area Mashtronauts |
| 3rd | Esteban Andrade Co-Brewer: Tania Guerrero | Dunkelstein | 10B: Dunkels Weissbier | Bay Area Mashers |
Oktoberfest (21 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Stephen Schmitt MHP | Märzenbier | 6A: Märzen | Evanston Homebrew Club |
| 2nd | Taylor Shastid MHP | Die Verschlimmbesserung | 6A: Märzen | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
| 3rd | Taylor Shastid MHP | Der Zwilling | 4B: Festbier | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
British Beer (17 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | William Vigil MHP | Hucklebearer | 13A: Dark Mild | Ace Brewing Society |
| 2nd | Travis Cherry MHP | Sequence One | 13C: English Porter | Bay Area Mashtronauts |
| 3rd | William Vigil MHP | Rusty Flaggon | 13B: British Brown Ale | Ace Brewing Society |
Scottish & Irish Beer (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bill Mandel | Fight On Irish Red | 15A: Irish Red Ale | Inland Empire Brewers |
| 2nd | David Towles MHP | Scottish Export | 14C: Scottish Export | High Plains Drafters [TX] |
| 3rd | Michael Depozsgay | Red Rye Ale | 15A: Irish Red Ale |
British & Irish Stout (15 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Mandy Porter MHP Co-Brewer: Jason Dunn | Donnybrook Stout | 15C: Irish Extra Stout | Inland Empire Brewers |
| 2nd | Jim Williamson MHP | You're Not From Around Here, Are You? | 16D: Foreign Extra Stout | M.A.S.H. Marietta Association of Schoolhouse Homebrewers |
| 3rd | Jordan Stone MHP | Guinno You Di'int | 15B: Irish Stout | Rock Hoppers Brew Club |
Strong British Ale (10 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | David Towles MHP | English Barleywine | 17D: English Barley Wine | High Plains Drafters [TX] |
| 2nd | Ken Wigginton | Monk's Wine | 17D: English Barley Wine | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
| 3rd | Greg Strom | Moggy's Best | 17D: English Barley Wine | Bay Area Mashers |
Pale Commonwealth Beer (7 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | David Towles MHP | British Golden Ale | 12A: British Golden Ale | High Plains Drafters [TX] |
| 2nd | Cole Christian MHP Co-Brewer: Paulette Palacios | Belly Rubs | LSX5: New Zealand Pilsner | DC Homebrewers |
| 3rd | Damien Jones | NZ Pils | LSX5: New Zealand Pilsner |
American Pale Ale (17 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Travis Cherry MHP | Boardwalk Blonde | 18A: Blonde Ale | Bay Area Mashtronauts |
| 2nd | Dirk Manders | Ghost Dog Pale Ale | 18B: American Pale Ale | Bay Area Mashers |
| 3rd | Evan Brill | Buzz Off | 18B: American Pale Ale | Louisville Area Grain and Extract Research Society, LTD |
Amber, Brown & Dark American Beer (19 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jason Dunn MHP | Pops And The Pretender | 19C: American Brown Ale | Inland Empire Brewers |
| 2nd | Greg Strom | The Best Ever Porter Brewed In Denton | 20A: American Porter | Bay Area Mashers |
| 3rd | David Gulotta MHP | Roasted N Blitzed | 20A: American Porter | Ace Brewing Society |
Imperial Stout (8 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Doug Walker MHP | 48 Tears Base- Eternal Tears | 20C: Imperial Stout | Inland Empire Brewers |
| 2nd | Stephen Schmitt MHP | Imperial Star Destroyer | 20C: Imperial Stout | Evanston Homebrew Club |
| 3rd | Dirk Montgomery MHP | Tsar's Choice | 20C: Imperial Stout | Red Earth Brewers |
American IPA (16 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Mike & Stephanie Butler MHP | Stop Scrolling | 21A: American IPA | Kansas City Bier Meisters |
| 2nd | Damien Jones | WC IPA | 21A: American IPA | |
| 3rd | Taylor Shastid MHP | Dreams About The West | 21A: American IPA | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
Specialty IPA (20 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jeff Zwetsch MHP Co-Brewer: Don Frakes | Number 9 | 21B: Specialty IPA | Ace Brewing Society |
| 2nd | Mark Pennick MHP | Hoppy Fête Nationale Belge | 21B1: Belgian IPA | Brew Crew [CO] |
| 3rd | Michael Riddle MHP Co-Brewer: Alex Riddle | Session IPA | 21B: Specialty IPA | HOME |
Strong American Ale (12 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Taylor Shastid MHP | Fill Your Hand | 22A: Double IPA | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
| 2nd | Kelly Dunham | Let's Go To The Hop | 22B: American Strong Ale | Brewbirds Of Hoppiness |
| 3rd | Stephen Schmitt MHP | Rancor | 22B: American Strong Ale | Evanston Homebrew Club |
Wild & Sour Ale (15 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Trevor McGuire MHP | Silanah | 23F: Fruit Lambic | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
| 2nd | Louis Strowger MHP | Here Gose Nothin' | 23G: Gose | Peninsula Fermentation Society |
| 3rd | Stephen Schmitt MHP | Lambic 2019 | 23D: Lambic | Evanston Homebrew Club |
Saison (13 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Alex Deacon | Saison Printemps | 25B: Saison | San Francisco Homebrewer's Guild |
| 2nd | Adam Bradley | Cali Saison | 25B: Saison | Bay Area Mashers |
| 3rd | Jim Williamson MHP | Pince-Nez | 25B: Saison | M.A.S.H. Marietta Association of Schoolhouse Homebrewers |
Belgian Ale (14 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Michael Rensing MHP | Mighty Monarch | 25A: Belgian Blond Ale | Cider, Homebrew, And Mead Production Specialists (CHAMPS) |
| 2nd | Wesley Kulcak MHP Co-Brewer: Megan Kulcak | Luie Brouwerijhond | 24B: Belgian Pale Ale | Bay Area Mashtronauts |
| 3rd | Paul Domich MHP | Pepé | 24C: Bière de Garde | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
Monastic Ale (16 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Paul Brown | Premonition | 26A: Belgian Single | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
| 2nd | Scott Estlund MHP | I'm A Hugger | 26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale | The Brü Club |
| 3rd | Kenneth Berry | Devil On The Dark Horizon | 26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale | Humboldt Homebrewers |
Specialty Beer (17 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Trevor McGuire MHP | Tripping On Maple | 31B: Alternative Sugar Beer | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
| 2nd | Ryan Jiles MHP | Beet Farmer | 34B: Mixed-Style Beer | Ace Brewing Society |
| 3rd | Stephen Schmitt MHP | Ember's Whisper | 32A: Classic Style Smoked Beer | Evanston Homebrew Club |
Historical Beer (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Curtis Ritter MHP | Right To Smoke | 27A5: Piwo Grodziskie | Ace Brewing Society |
| 2nd | David Towles MHP | Piwo Grodziskie | 27A5: Piwo Grodziskie | High Plains Drafters [TX] |
| 3rd | Deborah And Marc Prichard MHP | Captain Fantastic Amazing Balls | 27A2: Kentucky Common | Kansas City Bier Meisters |
Fruit & Spiced Beer (23 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Travis Cherry MHP | Candyland's Molasses Swamp Stout | 30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | Bay Area Mashtronauts |
| 2nd | Mandy Porter MHP | Tangelo Trajectory | 29A: Fruit Beer | Inland Empire Brewers |
| 3rd | Emersen Heron MHP | Glenny Balls Mvp | 30B: Autumn Seasonal Beer | Kansas City Bier Meisters |
Wood Beer (8 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kyle Blomseth | BA Barleywine | 33A: Wood-Aged Beer | Bay Area Mashers |
| 2nd | Mike Neice MHP | Beetlejuice | 33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer | Ace Brewing Society |
| 3rd | Kyle Ernsberger MHP | BA Imp Stout | 33A: Wood-Aged Beer | Cider, Homebrew, And Mead Production Specialists (CHAMPS) |
Standard Cider & Perry (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Dan Acheson MHP | Ice Is Nice | C2C: Ice Cider | Urban Knaves of Grain |
| 2nd | Stephen Schmitt MHP | Copied Bill Boyer's Recipe | C1A: Common Cider | Evanston Homebrew Club |
| 3rd | Ross Stuart MHP | Cider | C1A: Common Cider | Arizona Society of Homebrewers |
Specialty Cider & Perry (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Matthew Young MHP | Dead Bodies Everywhere | C3B: Spiced Cider | Ace Brewing Society |
| 2nd | Emersen Heron MHP | Glenny Balls | C3A: Fruit Cider | Kansas City Bier Meisters |
| 3rd | David Gulotta MHP | Sugar Magnolia 2.0 | C3A: Fruit Cider | Ace Brewing Society |
Traditional Mead (24 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ryan Vigne MHP | So Dies The Dream | M1C: Sweet Mead | Pittsburgh Mead Makers And Homebrewers |
| 2nd | Austin Brown | A Mead With No Name | M1B: Semi-Sweet Mead | Brewers Anonymous |
| 3rd | Melissa Greenfield MHP | Julian Backyard | M1A: Dry Mead | QUAFF |
| HM | Nathan Steigman | Deficiant | M1B: Semi-Sweet Mead | Minnesota Home Brewers Association |
Berry Mead (15 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Scott Estlund MHP | Feeling Kinda Blue... | M2C: Berry Mead | The Brü Club |
| 2nd | John Jacob | Blueberry Bombshell | M2C: Berry Mead | Hellgate Homebrewers |
| 3rd | Ryan Vigne MHP | War Paint | M2C: Berry Mead | Pittsburgh Mead Makers And Homebrewers |
Cyser & Pyment (14 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bill Boyer MHP | Castle Anthrax 2025 | M2B: Pyment | North Georgia Malt Monkeys |
| 2nd | Aaron Bagnell | Pyment To Do This | M2B: Pyment | Bay Area Mashers |
| 3rd | Dan Acheson MHP | This One Is Just My Cyze | M2A: Cyser | Urban Knaves of Grain |
Melomel & Stone Fruit Mead (22 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Allen W Martin | Duel | M2E: Melomel | Arizona Society of Homebrewers |
| 2nd | Bill Boyer MHP | Help, Help I'm Being Repressed! | M2E: Melomel | North Georgia Malt Monkeys |
| 3rd | Alexandria Horn MHP | Jungle Juice | M2E: Melomel | QUAFF |
Spiced Mead (28 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ken Wigginton | Cuppa Tea | M3B: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Mead | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
| 2nd | Melissa Greenfield MHP | Headier Than Thou | M3B: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Mead | QUAFF |
| 3rd | John Jacob | Cinna Berry | M3B: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Mead | Hellgate Homebrewers |
Braggot & Historical Mead (17 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Nathan Steigman | Zjedz Owoc I Pocałuj Węża Na Dobranoc | M4B: Historical Mead | Minnesota Home Brewers Association |
| 2nd | Bill Boyer MHP | Trójniak Vs Montmorency Cherry Vs Matthew Mead | M4B: Historical Mead | North Georgia Malt Monkeys |
| 3rd | Allen W Martin | First In History | M4B: Historical Mead | Arizona Society of Homebrewers |
Experimental Mead (17 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ryan Vigne MHP | The Dogs Of War Have Come For Blood | M4C: Experimental Mead | Pittsburgh Mead Makers And Homebrewers |
| 2nd | Matthew Young MHP Co-Brewer: Tim Shepard | Blueberry Muffin Mead | M4C: Experimental Mead | Ace Brewing Society |
| 3rd | Austin Brown | The Morrígan | M4C: Experimental Mead | Brewers Anonymous |
Sponsors
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Contact
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