2026 Maryland Microbrewery Festival Homebrew Competition
Awards
2026 Maryland Microbrewery Festival Homebrew Competition
Sponsors
Judges
Kevin Bruning, Theodore Casser, Anil Dosaj, Daniel Furlong, Paul Gibney, Stephen Kranz, Jacob Moore, Steve Slaybaugh, Jay ST Michel, Les White
Judges - Best of Show
Paul Gibney, Jacob Moore, Les White
Stewards
Tom D'Asto, Neil Mezebish, Brent Miller
Staff
Michelle Kranz, Brent Miller, Justin Wilson
Organizer
Justin Wilson
By the Numbers
40 Entries
18 Entrants
10 Judges
3 Stewards
3 Staff
15 Placing Entries
Table 1: Pale American Beer
9 entries
Judges: Jay ST Michel, Les White (Head Judge)
1st
Cole Christian & Paulette Palacios
DC Homebrewers
Scream For Friends (1C: Cream Ale)
2nd
Patrick Carey
Upstate NY Homebrewers Assn
It Rises To the Top! (1C: Cream Ale)
3rd
Matthew Mead
PrimeTime Brewers
Ales For Als 2026 (18B: American Pale Ale)
Table 2: Dark American Ales
10 entries
Judges: Jacob Moore (Head Judge), Steve Slaybaugh
1st
Patrick Carey & Brian West
Upstate NY Homebrewers Assn
Unyha Big Brew Porter (27A7: Pre-Prohibition Porter)
2nd
Cole Christian & Paulette Palacios
DC Homebrewers
Common Hound (19B: California Common)
3rd
Justin Wilson
Midnight Homebrewers' League
Robusto Guanaco (20A: American Porter)
Table 3: IPAs
11 entries
Judges: Theodore Casser, Anil Dosaj (Head Judge), Daniel Furlong, Stephen Kranz
1st
Steve Slaybaugh
Midnight Homebrewers' League
Pipe Creek Line Violet (21B1: Belgian IPA)
2nd
Graciany Miranda
Brewers Anonymous
Krushing It (21C: Hazy IPA)
3rd
Mike Bechina
Kansas City Bier Meisters
Room Clearing Hop Blowout (21A: American IPA)
Table 4: Experimental Beer
6 entries
Judges: Kevin Bruning, Paul Gibney (Head Judge)
1st
Jay ST Michel
Fredericks Original Ale Makers...
Post-Republic (33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer)
2nd
Jay ST Michel
Fredericks Original Ale Makers...
Basic Bitch (29B: Fruit and Spice Beer)
3rd
Matthew Mead
PrimeTime Brewers
Double Shot (30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)
Table 5: Strong American Beer
4 entries
Judges: Theodore Casser, Daniel Furlong
1st
Matthew Mead
PrimeTime Brewers
Daddy's 1st Wheatwine (22D: Wheatwine)
2nd
Sean Keegan
Fredericks Original Ale Makers...
Haughty Reprobate (22B: American Strong Ale)
3rd
Brian Biggs
Dead Yeast Society [LA]
Love Bombing (22D: Wheatwine)
Best of Show
Beer
Judges: Paul Gibney, Jacob Moore, Les White
1st
Steve Slaybaugh
Midnight Homebrewers'...
Pipe Creek Line Violet (21B1: Belgian IPA)
2nd
Cole Christian & Paulette Palacios
DC Homebrewers
Scream For Friends (1C: Cream Ale)
3rd
Patrick Carey & Brian West
Upstate NY Homebrewers Assn
Unyha Big Brew Porter (27A7: Pre-Prohibition Porter)
Thank You
Congratulations to All Medal Winners
