32nd Annual Spirit Of Free Beer (SOFB) 2026 Homebrew Competition

Thanks to all who participated in the 32nd Annual Spirit Of Free Beer (SOFB) 2026 Homebrew Competition.

There were 163 entries judged and 269 registered participants, judges, and stewards.

Results

Best of Show Winners

Best of Show – Beer

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Matthew Pyle	Recycled Yeast	19A: American Amber Ale	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
2nd	Sean Keegan	El Cogui Nocturna	16C: Tropical Stout	Fredericks Original Ale Makers (FOAM)
3rd	Joseph Schneider	Peach Musky Hunter	29A: Fruit Beer
HM	Bill Ridgely Co-Brewer: Wendy Aaronson	Mann Overboard	27A4: London Brown Ale	Brewers United For Real Potables (BURP) [MD]

Bill Moe Award

The Bill Moe Award is given for the best extract-based beer. Entries do not have to be completely extract based. However, at least 50% of the fermentables must be based on malt extract

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Joe Klem	A Chill Day	18B: American Pale Ale	GRIST

Winning Entries

Standard American Beer (4 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Bob Rouse MHP	Genny's Not Here	1C: Cream Ale	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
2nd	Emily Michelsen Co-Brewer: Howard Michelsen	Winterbaby Wheat	1D: American Wheat Beer	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
3rd	Ben Gaylord MHP	Tight Lines Lager	1B: American Lager

Pale Malty European Lager (9 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Ben Gaylord MHP	Somewhere Between Heaven and Helles	4A: Munich Helles
2nd	Jeanie Osburn	Boxing Day Brew	4A: Munich Helles	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
3rd	Ryan McGeeney	RPM Mexican Lager	2A: International Pale Lager

Czech Lager (9 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Bob Rouse MHP	Ganz Wien	3C: Czech Amber Lager	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
2nd	Robert Stevens	RoAnne Cerne	3D: Czech Dark Lager	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
3rd	Gregory Sanial MHP	Decoction Concoction	3B: Czech Premium Pale Lager	PrimeTime Brewers

Pale Bitter European Beer (8 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Jeffrey Rocker MHP	Derrick's Dort	5C: German Helles Exportbier
2nd	Cole Christian MHP Co-Brewer: Paulette Palacios	Barke Barke Pils	5D: German Pils	DC Homebrewers
3rd	Robert Schodorf MHP	Koenigshalle Leichtbier	5A: German Leichtbier	Birmingham Brewmasters

Amber European Beer (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Ryan Reddinger	Oliphant Amber Lager	7A: Vienna Lager
2nd	Kyle Ernsberger MHP	V	7A: Vienna Lager	Cider, Homebrew, And Mead Production Specialists (CHAMPS)
3rd	Bill Ridgely Co-Brewer: Wendy Aaronson	Festivus Restivus	6A: Märzen	Brewers United For Real Potables (BURP) [MD]

Dark & Strong European Beer (4 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Christopher Chervin	Hoppy Baltic Porter	9C: Baltic Porter	DC Homebrewers
2nd	David Galich MHP Co-Brewer: Michael Amati	PDunkel	8A: Munich Dunkel	Chicken City Ale Raisers
3rd	Richard Horvitz	Going Baltistic	9C: Baltic Porter	GRIST

Pale British Beer (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Bill Ridgely Co-Brewer: Wendy Aaronson	Raccoon Redux	11C: Strong Bitter	Brewers United For Real Potables (BURP) [MD]
2nd	Omar Al-Nidawi MHP	Bitter	11B: Best Bitter	DC Homebrewers
3rd	Edward Bielaus Co-Brewer: Boris Barrere	Natash's Best Bitter	11B: Best Bitter	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)

Scottish Ale & Irish Beer (8 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Jeff Adamson	Right on Red	15A: Irish Red Ale
2nd	Bryan Smith Co-Brewer: Andrew Fowler	Cap in the Mash	15A: Irish Red Ale	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
3rd	Joe D'Auria MHP	Scott's Heavy and he knows it	14B: Scottish Heavy	Metro South Homebrew League (MASH HOLES)

Brown Ales (9 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Bill Ridgely Co-Brewer: Wendy Aaronson	Mann Overboard	27A4: London Brown Ale	Brewers United For Real Potables (BURP) [MD]
2nd	Edward Bielaus Co-Brewer: Boris Barrere	Sorrows of Empire British Brown Ale	13B: British Brown Ale	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
3rd	Theodore Casser MHP	Nebbish	13A: Dark Mild

Stout (19 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Sean Keegan	El Cogui Nocturna	16C: Tropical Stout	Fredericks Original Ale Makers (FOAM)
2nd	Brian Donegan	Stouty McStout Face	16B: Oatmeal Stout	Seven City Brewers
3rd	Richard Sizemore	Oat of the Darkness	16B: Oatmeal Stout	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)

Porter (5 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Bill Ridgely Co-Brewer: Wendy Aaronson	Poppelton Porter	13C: English Porter	Brewers United For Real Potables (BURP) [MD]
2nd	Cole Christian MHP Co-Brewer: Paulette Palacios	Porter Alfredson	13C: English Porter	DC Homebrewers
3rd	Jeanie Osburn	HBD, Boone	20A: American Porter	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)

American Pale & Amber Ale (10 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Matthew Pyle	Recycled Yeast	19A: American Amber Ale	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
2nd	Paulette Palacios MHP	Quark's KRUSH	18B: American Pale Ale	DC Homebrewers
3rd	Joe Klem	A Chill Day	18B: American Pale Ale	GRIST

IPA (10 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Ryan McGeeney	RPM Hazy IPA	21C: Hazy IPA
2nd	Robert Stevens	RoAnne Session IPA	21B: Specialty IPA	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
3rd	Ryan McGeeney	RPM Rye IPA	21B5: Rye IPA

Strong, Smoked, & Wood-Aged Beer (9 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Bill Ridgely Co-Brewer: Grodfathers Ed Bielaus & Greg Leifer	Great Grodfather #1	27A5: Piwo Grodziskie	Brewers United For Real Potables (BURP) [MD]
2nd	Kyle Ernsberger MHP	Weee	17C: Wee Heavy	Cider, Homebrew, And Mead Production Specialists (CHAMPS)
3rd	David Galich MHP	Burton Alley	17A1: Burton Ale	Chicken City Ale Raisers

German Wheat & Belgian Ale (14 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Jeanie Osburn	Too Many Chores!	10A: Weissbier	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
2nd	Emily Michelsen Co-Brewer: Howard Michelsen	New Moon Rising	24A: Witbier	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
3rd	Robert Schodorf MHP	Looney Blue	24A: Witbier	Birmingham Brewmasters

Monastic Ale (6 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Bill Ridgely Co-Brewer: Wendy Aaronson	Dubbel Trubbel	26B: Belgian Dubbel	Brewers United For Real Potables (BURP) [MD]
2nd	Adam Wojciechowicz Co-Brewer: Teddy & Elly Wojciechowicz	The Boys Are At It Again	26A: Belgian Single
4th	Jeanie Osburn	Snowy Blonde	26A: Belgian Single	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)

Fruit Beer & Sour/Wild Ale (4 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Joseph Schneider	Peach Musky Hunter	29A: Fruit Beer
2nd	James Bixby Co-Brewer: Lily Bixby	Pickle Brine	28C: Wild Specialty Beer	Progress Ale Works
3rd	James Bixby	OHHHH YEAHHH	28C: Wild Specialty Beer	Progress Ale Works

Spiced Beer (5 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Mike Caiola	Mexican Hot Chocolate	30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer	Brewers And Drinkers Around Silver Spring (BADASS)
2nd	Doug Galloway	Lost in the Darkness	30D: Specialty Spice Beer	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
3rd	Peter Saunders	A Mint Red Thing	30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer

Specialty Beer (8 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Richard Sizemore	Dragon's Rye Weizenbock	34B: Mixed-Style Beer	Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP)
2nd	Jim Schmalbach	POM	31B: Alternative Sugar Beer	Keystone Hops
3rd	Nathan James MHP	Final Boss Vibes	34A: Commercial Specialty Beer	Brewers And Drinkers Around Silver Spring (BADASS)

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