Brixtoberfest 2025

Awards

Sponsors

Judges

Jay Bakula, Zachary Belzer, Curt Czapski, Kevin Drees, Derek England, David Fetty, Zach Fritts, Daniel Hayosh, Tom Hayosh, Michael Helzer, Paul Isaacson, Dan Janiczek, Siobhan Janiczek, Jim Johnston, Bruce Kapraun, Art Kim, Mike Kimble, Mark Linsner, Roger Masson, Bill Murphy, Ross O Neill, Kyle Nordquist, Philip Nyman, Brad Pausha, Brad Ramsey, Benjamin Resch, Doug Reynertson, Dennis Sage, Gregory Sanial, Kyle Schnettler, Sebastian Seith, Joe Skiles, Eileen Uchima, Mike Uchima, Jim Vondracek, David Warner, Renee Weinberger, Mark Westmeyer, Jeffrey Whelpley, Kevin Wojdak, Eric Wood

Judges - Best of Show

Zach Fritts, Kyle Nordquist, Jim Vondracek

Stewards

Eileen Chicvara, Jennifer Gimmell, Douglas Gucciardi, Chuck Koch, John McGuire, Chris Nalbone, Mark Noe, Calvin Seith, Frank Sheridan, Dennis Smock

Staff

Jackie Barlow, David Dayhoff, Ken Hohl

Organizer

Megan Sawa

By the Numbers

228 Entries 79 Entrants

41 Judges 10 Stewards 3 Staff

60 Placing Entries

Table 1: Standard American Beer

14 entries

Judges: Jay Bakula, Curt Czapski, David Fetty, Doug Reynertson

1st
Danny Sack
Evanston Homebrew Club
I Like American Music (1B: American Lager)
2nd
Jim Silverstein
Club Wort
Jim's High Life (1B: American Lager)
3rd
Ross Stuart
Arizona Society of Homebrewers
American Lite (1A: American Light Lager)

Table 2: Pale Malty and Amber Bitter Lagers

13 entries

Judges: Kevin Drees, David Fetty, Mike Kimble, Joe Skiles

1st
Jeffrey Whelpley
C.H.A.O.S. Brew Club
Altbier (7B: Altbier)
2nd
Kyle Ernsberger
Cider, Homebrew, And Mead...
Mean Brews Vienna (7A: Vienna Lager)
3rd
Steve Powell
Big Sioux Brewing Society
Severan Amber (7A: Vienna Lager)

Table 3: Pale Bitter Beer

12 entries

Judges: Sebastian Seith, Jim Vondracek, Renee Weinberger, Eric Wood

1st
Mike Bechina
Kansas City Bier Meisters
Leicht It Or Liebe It (5A: German Leichtbier)
2nd
Ross Stuart
Arizona Society of Homebrewers
NZ Pils (LSX5: New Zealand Pilsner)
3rd
Bill Goetz
Brewers of South Suburbia...
Keller Kölsch (5B: Kölsch)

Table 4: German Wheat & Rye Beer

12 entries

Judges: Ross O Neill, Benjamin Resch, Joe Skiles, Mark Westmeyer

1st
Art Kim
Illiana Beer Rackers Union...
Full Frontal (27A8: Roggenbier)
2nd
Metts Potter
Bloatarian Brewing League
Bubblegum Bandaid (10A: Weissbier)
3rd
Jason Callicoat
Roggenbier (27A8: Roggenbier)

Table 5: British Bitter, Pale Commonwealth and Brown Beer

12 entries

Judges: Kevin Drees, Michael Helzer, Kyle Nordquist, Eric Wood

1st
Danny Sack
Evanston Homebrew Club
Farcical Aquatic Ceremony (12A: British Golden Ale)
2nd
Metts Potter
Bloatarian Brewing League
Wobbling Giant (11A: Ordinary Bitter)
3rd
Paul Isaacson
Brixie's Brewers
Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart (13A: Dark Mild)

Table 6: Pale, Amber and Brown American Beer

13 entries

Judges: Tom Hayosh, Bruce Kapraun, Kyle Schnettler, Sebastian Seith

1st
Colby Reineke
Minnesota Home Brewers Association
Honey Amber (31B: Alternative Sugar Beer)
2nd
Tom Cavenagh
Oak Park Homebrewers
Gold Rush Common (19B: California Common)
3rd
Stephen Schmitt
Evanston Homebrew Club
Kelly Kapowski (19A: American Amber Ale)

Table 7: Stouts and Porters

13 entries

Judges: Ross O Neill, Kyle Nordquist, Eileen Uchima, Renee Weinberger

1st
Gillian Muller Greyz
Evanston Homebrew Club
The Cursed Brew (20C: Imperial Stout)
2nd
Matthew Mead
PrimeTime Brewers
American Porter (20A: American Porter)
3rd
Joe Skiles
Urban Knaves of Grain
Absence Of Light (20C: Imperial Stout)

Table 8: IPA

14 entries

Judges: Zachary Belzer, Derek England, Daniel Hayosh, Paul Isaacson, Roger Masson, Gregory Sanial

1st
Steve Powell
Big Sioux Brewing Society
Impromptu Hazy (21C: Hazy IPA)
2nd
Ross Stuart
Arizona Society of Homebrewers
Hazy IPA (21C: Hazy IPA)
3rd
Metts Potter
Bloatarian Brewing League
More Citra! (21A: American IPA)

Table 9: Strong Belgian Ale

14 entries

Judges: Siobhan Janiczek, Bill Murphy, Eileen Uchima, Kevin Wojdak, Eric Wood

1st
Joe Skiles
Urban Knaves of Grain
Belgian Golden Strong (25C: Belgian Golden Strong Ale)
2nd
Colby Reineke
Minnesota Home Brewers Association
Saison Is Dead! (25B: Saison)
3rd
Art Kim
Illiana Beer Rackers Union...
Sweet Maiden Of The Golden Ale (25C: Belgian Golden Strong Ale)

Table 10: International and Czech Lagers

11 entries

Judges: Tom Hayosh, Brad Pausha, Dennis Sage, David Warner

1st
Mike Bechina
Kansas City Bier Meisters
GooseCzech Lager (3A: Czech Pale Lager)
2nd
Gregory Sanial
PrimeTime Brewers
Tailgating Is The Highest Form Of Social Interaction (2B: International Amber Lager)
3rd
Steve Powell
Big Sioux Brewing Society
Rice Czechs (2A: International Pale Lager)

Table 11: Amber Malty European Lagers

11 entries

Judges: Paul Isaacson, Mike Kimble, Kyle Nordquist, Brad Ramsey, Kyle Schnettler

1st
Ken Celski
Glass City Mashers
Schlenkenny Smoke (6B: Rauchbier)
2nd
Frank Juplo
Plainfield Ale and Lager Enthusiasts...
Das Lab Marzen (6A: Märzen)
3rd
Dan Acheson
Urban Knaves of Grain
The Dark Ram (6C: Dunkels Bock)

Table 12: Dark and Strong European Lagers

11 entries

Judges: Paul Isaacson, Philip Nyman, Brad Pausha, Benjamin Resch, Jim Vondracek

1st
Ross Stuart
Arizona Society of Homebrewers
Schwarzbier (8B: Schwarzbier)
2nd
Ryan Mac
The Brü Club
Hasek, The Dominator (3D: Czech Dark Lager)
3rd
Michael Mann
Plainfield Ale and Lager Enthusiasts...
Mayhem (9B: Eisbock)

Table 13: Belgian and Monastic Ale

13 entries

Judges: Paul Isaacson, Jim Johnston, Mark Linsner, Mike Uchima, Jeffrey Whelpley

1st
Ross Stuart
Arizona Society of Homebrewers
Tripel (26C: Belgian Tripel)
2nd
John Futrell
Brew For Ukraine IV (24A: Witbier)
3rd
Mike Ring
Oak Park Homebrewers
Abbey Road To Nowhere (26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale)

Table 14: Scottish, Irish and Dark Beer

7 entries

Judges: Kevin Drees, Daniel Hayosh

1st
John Futrell
Grandma's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie (16B: Oatmeal Stout)
2nd
Dan Acheson
Urban Knaves of Grain
Murphy Had It Right (15B: Irish Stout)
3rd
Holland Andrew
Shout Irish Stout (15B: Irish Stout)

Table 15: Strong British Beer

5 entries

Judges: David Fetty, Bruce Kapraun

1st
Metts Potter
Bloatarian Brewing League
I See London (17D: English Barley Wine)
2nd
Dan Acheson
Urban Knaves of Grain
The Wee-Est Wee (17C: Wee Heavy)
3rd
Gillian Muller Greyz
Evanston Homebrew Club
Hey, It's A Barley Wine! (17D: English Barley Wine)

Table 16: Strong American Ale

9 entries

Judges: David Fetty

1st
David Towles
High Plains Drafters [TX]
American Barleywine (22C: American Barleywine)
2nd
Mark Westmeyer
Brewers of South Suburbia...
Homegrown Hop Gernade (22A: Double IPA)
3rd
Pete Graham
Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI)
Double Necked Strata-Caster (22A: Double IPA)

Table 17: European Sour and American Wild Ale

12 entries

Judges: Daniel Hayosh, Dennis Sage, Mark Westmeyer, Eric Wood

1st
Jeff Pinzino
Beverly Brewers Guild
Bloom (23F: Fruit Lambic)
2nd
Michael Wulff
INSTABHility
Maeve (LSX4: Catharina Sour)
3rd
Aaron Pigors
Illiana Beer Rackers Union...
Smells Like A Tropical Orgasm (LSX4: Catharina Sour)

Table 18: Fruit Beer

11 entries

Judges: Zach Fritts, Roger Masson, Philip Nyman, Doug Reynertson

1st
Michael Young
Oak Park Homebrewers
Doubtless Raspberry Sour (29A: Fruit Beer)
2nd
Kevin Wojdak
Urban Knaves of Grain
N-O Beer For You! (29D: Grape Ale)
3rd
Josh Shenton
Kauai Kiss (29A: Fruit Beer)

Table 19: Smoked and Wood Beer

12 entries

Judges: Zach Fritts, Art Kim, Brad Ramsey, Doug Reynertson

1st
Steve Powell
Big Sioux Brewing Society
Rauch Helles (32A: Classic Style Smoked Beer)
2nd
Adam Reynolds
Miami Area Society of Homebrewers...
Polish Pride (27A5: Piwo Grodziskie)
3rd
Joe Skiles
Urban Knaves of Grain
Oak Aged Calculating Infinity (33A: Wood-Aged Beer)

Table 20: Spiced Beer

9 entries

Judges: Jay Bakula, Dan Janiczek, Doug Reynertson, Mike Uchima

1st
Dan Acheson
Urban Knaves of Grain
Fraoch (27A: Historical Beer)
2nd
Pete Graham
Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI)
Pepper That Wit (30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)
3rd
Jeremy Anderson
Breakfast Club (30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)

Best of Show

Beer

Judges: Zach Fritts, Kyle Nordquist, Jim Vondracek

1st
Steve Powell
Big Sioux Brewing Society
Rauch Helles (32A: Classic Style Smoked Beer)
2nd
Mike Bechina
Kansas City Bier Meisters
Leicht It Or Liebe It (5A: German Leichtbier)
3rd
Ken Celski
Glass City Mashers
Schlenkenny Smoke (6B: Rauchbier)

Best Brewer

79 Participating Brewers [Scoring Methodology]

PlaceBrewer1st2nd3rdScoreClub
1stSteve Powell30216.0500000Big Sioux Brewing Society
Ross Stuart22116.0500000Arizona Society of Homebrewers
3rdMetts Potter12112.0400000Bloatarian Brewing League
Dan Acheson12112.0400000Urban Knaves of Grain

Best Club

36 Participating Clubs [Scoring Methodology]

PlaceClub1st2nd3rdScore
1stUrban Knaves of Grain23323.0800000
2ndEvanston Homebrew Club30216.0500000
Arizona Society of Homebrewers22116.0500000
Big Sioux Brewing Society30216.0500000

Thank You

Congratulations to All Medal Winners