Brewer of the Year Update 2023

Update: Brewer Of The Year is now being run by the CHA, and information in this article is should be viewed as historic in nature only.

Ah, homebrew competitions. Excitement, anticipation, celebration, devastation…obsession. Over the years, I’ve experienced all these emotions when brewing competitively. I remember back to years like 2013, busting my hump to brew as many beers as possible, seeking to hit the top ranked homebrewers in Canada (to a certain degree of success, I’m happy to say…*pats self on back*). All those entries, fees, strategically packing shipping boxes to send dozens of bottles across the country…then, eagerly waiting, refreshing the competition website every few seconds the night results were to be released, only to find that the organizer tied one on at their awards ceremony and forgot to click the button on their end. Sigh. The joys of competition.

There is more to it than just that, though. Yes, there are medals, prizes, and bragging rights to be had, but there is also the valuable feedback of BJCP licensed judges, rooting for your own homebrew club and friends, as well as being a part of the national community of homebrewers. In my experience, the benefits of participating in competitions greatly outweighs any of the hassle or cost of sending your delicious beer babies out into the world for assessment.

I’ve seen this world from a variety of perspectives: young brewer sending off his first competitive brew, a veteran competitor vying for the top slot in the rankings, a BJCP judge participating in many competitions, a competition organizer of the Yeast Wrangler’s national competition, and running the Brewer of the Year national competition circuit. I know how much work it is, regardless of role, but I also know the satisfaction of participating, helping out, and finding camaraderie amongst other folks who love this hobby and what it means to us all.

Speaking now as someone who largely competes locally and still runs Brewer of the Year, I’m happy to encourage brewers of all experience levels to put themselves out there and compete. As we reach a global point where activities we lost or had to modify head back to a semblance of what they were, Canadian homebrew clubs are looking to open up their competitions to entrants from across the country. This is a valuable opportunity to not only compete on a national level, but to also receive feedback from judges with a variety of tastes, perceptions, and experiences. It’s a chance to join up with a homebrew club and see how you all do when sending brews off to the other side of the country. It’s a chance to have a little fun. I would also highly encourage people to look for BJCP courses and exams available in their areas, as I found becoming a beer judge to be a valuable addition to my own homebrewing experience, and working on the judging end of things provides a whole new appreciation for competitions.

As brewing equipment, knowledge, ingredients, and skills continue to evolve, I hope that more and more brewers find the desire to join us in these competitions. The Brewer of the Year circuit and the Canadian Homebrew Competition is continuing to adapt and grow, and we’d love to everyone come along with us for the ride. Join the giants of the past, like Jared Carlberg, Greg Zeniuk, Chris Nowlan, Christ Bourdages, Mike Foniok, Paul Heslop, and Cory Day, along with all the other entrants who sent off brews, received great notes on their entries, and had a great time taking part in this aspect of homebrewing.

Stay tuned for more information on this season’s competitions and the upcoming invitational Canadian Homebrew Competition. Happy brewing and good luck!

Current List of participating competitions (as of March 15, 2023):
Yeastwranglers 2023 Homebrew Round Up (Calgary, AB) closed
2023 ALES Open (Regina, SK) now open for registration
Vanbrewers Awards (Vancouver, BC) historically in May
Aurora Brewing Challenge (Edmonton, AB) end of May/ early June
True Grist Homebrew Competition (Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph, ON) end of June
Winnipeg BrewBombers (Winnipeg, MB) historically in October
GTA Brew Slams (Toronto, ON) historically in November
Battle River Homebrew Competition (AB) December
Saskatoon Headhunters (Saskatoon, SK) late September

Editor’s note: The top ten qualifying brewers will be invited to the Canadian Homebrewing Championship, to be held early 2024, in order to earn their chance of being crowned Brewer of the Year. Brewers will earn 3 points for every Gold medal, 2 points for every Silver medal, and 1 point for every Bronze medal at qualifying competitions.