Blue Ridge Brew-Off (2026)

Awards

Sponsors

Judges

Joshua Austin, Diane Bartz, Curtis R. Bird, Roger Blouch, David Byer, Merriel Craighead, Mike Dixon, Jesse Dubois, Betty Dunajski, Phil Farrell, Evan Franklin, Jeffrey Gladish, Jayson Gowdy, Ken Hilton, Keith Houck, Byron Hovey, Brian Jefferis, Sam Kanthak, Michael Lentz, Steven Maszkiewicz, Kyle Mckenzie, Hugh Munro, Steve Nance, Andres Rodriguez Prestamo, Aaron Schaffer, Cliff Stanis, Mark Stober, David Tollefsen, Aaron VanDervort, Jeff Veltkamp, Erik Weber, Donald Zwach

Judges - Best of Show

David Byer, Phil Farrell, Jeffrey Gladish, Michael Lentz, Mark Stober

Stewards

Jeremy Cable, Andy Ferko, Kerry Kenemer, Anthony Mercer, Debbie Mercer, Daniel Mynatt, Trevor Sharp, Sara Stansbery, Kevin Thorngren, Rich Thornton, John VanVoorhis

Staff

Jeff Veltkamp

By the Numbers

286 Entries 77 Entrants

32 Judges 11 Stewards 1 Staff

79 Placing Entries

Table 1: Standard American Beer

11 entries

Judges: Evan Franklin (Head Judge), Cliff Stanis

Table 2: International Lager

6 entries

Judges: Byron Hovey (Head Judge), Aaron Schaffer

Table 3: Czech Lager

10 entries

Judges: Sam Kanthak (Head Judge), Kyle Mckenzie, Jeff Veltkamp

Table 4: European Lagers

24 entries

Judges: Diane Bartz, David Byer, Ken Hilton, Byron Hovey, Steve Nance, Mark Stober (Head Judge)

Table 5: Bock, Baltic Porter, and Kellerbier

9 entries

Judges: Jesse Dubois (Head Judge), Donald Zwach

Table 6: European and New Zealand Beer

10 entries

Judges: Keith Houck, Steve Nance (Head Judge)

Table 7: Amber and Dark European Lagers

9 entries

Judges: Roger Blouch, Jeffrey Gladish (Head Judge)

Table 8: Wheat Beers

9 entries

Judges: Steven Maszkiewicz (Head Judge), David Tollefsen

Table 9: Bitter and Golden

12 entries

Judges: Phil Farrell (Head Judge), Andres Rodriguez Prestamo

Table 10: English and American IPA

10 entries

Judges: Ken Hilton, Steve Nance (Head Judge)

Table 11: Brown British and Scottish

11 entries

Judges: Evan Franklin (Head Judge), Jayson Gowdy, Steven Maszkiewicz, Erik Weber

Table 12: Porter and Stout

10 entries

Judges: Curtis R. Bird, Mark Stober (Head Judge)

Table 13: Strong British and American Ales

10 entries

Judges: Betty Dunajski, Keith Houck (Head Judge)

Table 14: Pale and Amber American Ales

11 entries

Judges: Jayson Gowdy (Head Judge), Aaron VanDervort

Table 15: Specialty IPA

16 entries

Judges: Mike Dixon, Jesse Dubois, Michael Lentz (Head Judge), Aaron VanDervort

Table 16: Sour and Wild Ales

11 entries

Judges: Merriel Craighead, Sam Kanthak, Mark Stober (Head Judge), Aaron VanDervort

Table 17: Belgian Ale

9 entries

Judges: Brian Jefferis (Head Judge), Cliff Stanis

Table 18: Blonde and Saison

10 entries

Judges: Mike Dixon (Head Judge), Kyle Mckenzie

Table 19: Strong and Monastic Belgian Ales

15 entries

Judges: Curtis R. Bird, Phil Farrell (Head Judge), Jeffrey Gladish, Hugh Munro

Table 20: Historical Beer

12 entries

Judges: Joshua Austin, Byron Hovey, David Tollefsen (Head Judge), Jeff Veltkamp

Table 21: Fruit and Specialty Beer

10 entries

Judges: Diane Bartz, Steven Maszkiewicz (Head Judge)

Table 22: Spiced, Smoked, Wood and Specialty

22 entries

Judges: Merriel Craighead, Jesse Dubois, Jeffrey Gladish (Head Judge), Brian Jefferis

Table 23: Ciders

15 entries

Judges: Mike Dixon, Phil Farrell (Head Judge), Michael Lentz, Erik Weber

Table 24: Meads

14 entries

Judges: Keith Houck, Sam Kanthak, Michael Lentz (Head Judge), Erik Weber

Best of Show

Beer

Judges: David Byer, Phil Farrell, Jeffrey Gladish, Michael Lentz, Mark Stober

Thank You

Congratulations to All Medal Winners