Entry Form — Categories — Past Winners — Judges & Stewards — Sponsors — Contact
GREAT INTERNATIONAL BEER, CIDER, MEAD & SAKE COMPETITION
October 26, 2019 —www.gibcc.com
The 23rd Annual Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition took place October 26, 2019, at Brewport, a brewpub in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
THE JUDGING
Seven hundred and eighty-seven (787) beers, ciders, meads, sakes, hard kombuchas and hard seltzers from across the U.S. and from around the world entered the competition.
One hundred-ten (110) professionals who work in all three tiers of the drinks business plus food and drinks journalists acted as judges in a blind tasting format.
First, second and third place awards were presented in eighty-four (84) categories.
The judges knew only the style, subcategory, ABV and any special notes (such as special ingredients) for each entry.
All those who entered will receive judge comment sheets.
The winners will receive medals and certificates.
Since the competition began in 1997, over 11,000 beers, ciders, meads and sakes have been judged.
2020 GREAT INTERNATIONAL BEER, CIDER, MEAD & SAKE COMPETITION
The 24th Annual Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition takes place October 24, 2020, again at Brewport.
The deadline for entry forms is October 9, 2020.
All information — categories, entry forms, etc. — is available from: www.gibcc.com — gregg@gibcc.com — 203-971-8710 — Gregg Glaser
INDUSTRY SPONSORS
Independent Stave — www.independentstavecompany.com
Red Bee Honey — www.redbee.com
Hopsteiner — www.hopsteiner.com
MEDIA SPONSORS
Yankee Brew News — www.yankeebrew.com
Modern Brewery Age — www.gibcc.com/MBA.html
Modern Distillery Age — www.distilleryage.com
Cider Chat — www.ciderchat.com
2019 WINNERS
WHEAT ALE — AMERICAN
1 — Blockstar, Whalers Brewing, Kingston, RI
2 — Darlin, Blake’s Brewing, Armada, MI
3 — Brunette’s Revenge, Wolf Hollow Brewing, Schenectady, NY
WHEAT ALE — GERMAN
1 — Hefeweizen, Kansas City Bier, Kansas City, MO
2 — Weihenstephan Hefeweizen, Brauerei Weihenstephan, Weihenstephan Germany
3 — Hefepotamus Hefeweizen, Thomas Hooker Brewing, Bloomfield, CT
WHEAT ALE — WEIZENBOCK & DUNKELWEIZEN
1 — Weihenstephan Vitus, Brauerei Weihenstephan, Weihenstephan Germany
2 — Weizenbock, Franklins Brewery, Hyattsville, MD
3 — Caravela Kölsch, Kelsen Brewing, Derry, NH
LIGHT ALE — GOLDEN ALE
1 — Bombshell Blonde, Franklins Brewery, Hyattsville, MD
2 — Keith’s IPA, A. Keith’s Brewery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
3 — Bright Ale, Half Full Brewery, Stamford, CT
LIGHT ALE — CREAM ALE
1 — Cream Ale, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
2 — I Like Ike, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL
3 — Not Awarded
LIGHT ALE — KÖLSCH
1 — Gold Hill, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL
2 — Kühle, Alvarium Beer, New Britain, CT
3 — Spring Water Kölsch, Twin Creeks Brewing, Vinton, VA
LIGHT ALE — OTHER
1 — Sun Summer Ale, Aspetuck Brew Lab, Bridgeport, CT
2 — Cremo Ale, Alvarium Beer, New Britain, CT
3 — Boston Ale, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA
BRITISH/IRISH ALE — ENGLISH BITTER-IRISH RED-SCOTTISH
1 — Irish Red Ale, Scotty’s Bierwerks, Cape Coral, FL
2 — Heart Of Lothian, Drop In Brewing, Middlebury, VT
3 — Red, Sibling Revelry Brewing, Westlake, OH
BRITISH/IRISH ALE — ESB
1 — Martha’s Vineyard Ale, Bad Martha Farmer’s Brewery, Edgartown, MA
2 — Lonesome Boatman Amber, Outer Light Brewing, Groton, CT
3 — Top Sail, Lithermans Ltd Brewing, Concord, NH
AMERICAN PALE ALE
1 — Cloud Jumper Pale Ale, Pint Nine Brewing, La Vista, NE
2 — 8 Days A Week, Beer’d Brewing, Stonington, CT
3 — Hank’s Pale Ale, Throwback Brewery, North Hampton, NH
AMERICAN AMBER ALE
1 — Insane Mane Red Ale, White Lion Brewing, Springfield, MA
2 — Ash Canyon Amber, Shoetree Brewing, Carson City, NV
3 — Red Eye Rye, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
IPA
1 —American IPA, Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA
2 — Moose Juice IPA, Great North Aleworks, Manchester, NH
3 — Broken Carabiner, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL
NEW ENGLAND IPA
1 — Spiritual Gangster, Revision Brewing, Sparks, NV
2 — One Thing Led To Another, Beer’d Brewing, Stonington, CT
3 — Invisible Airwaves, Stellwagen Beer, Marshfield, MA
BLACK IPA
1 — Beautiful Stranger, These Guys Brewing, Norwich, CT
2 — Pedro El Negro, Aspetuck Brew Lab, Bridgeport, CT
3 — Black Toes NEIPA, Spider Bite Beer, Holbrook, NY
BROWN/COPPER ALE — AMERICAN BROWN
1 — Back Road Brown, Hobbs Brewing, West Ossipee, NH
2 — Paradigm Brown Ale, Kelsen Brewing, Derry, NH
3 — Year-Round Brown, Grand Armory Brewing, Grand Haven, MI
BROWN/COPPER ALE — ENGLISH MILD & NORTHERN BROWN
1 — Across the Pond Brown Ale, Twin Creeks Brewing, Vinton, VA
2 — Daniel Shay’s Best Bitter, Northampton Brewery, Northampton, MA
3 — Brown Ale, Lithology Brewing, Farmingdale, NY
BROWN/COPPER ALE — GERMAN ALT
1 — Anacostia Alt, Franklins Brewery, Hyattsville, MD
2 — Off The Dreams Alt, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
3 — Milhaus, Alvarium Beer, New Britain, CT
PORTER — BROWN
1 — Park Ave Porter, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
2 — Porter, Back East Brewery, Bloomfield, CT
3 — Town Pound Porter, Concord Craft Brewing, Concord, NH
PORTER — ROBUST
1 — Pro Pro Porter, Wormtown Brewery, Worcester, MA
2 — Draken Robust Porter, Kelsen Brewing, Derry, NH
3 — Lock 9 Porter, Wolf Hollow Brewing, Schenectady, NY
STOUT — IRISH
1 — Satin Sheets Stout, Aspetuck Brew Lab, Bridgeport, CT
2 — RMS Rye Stout, Willimantic Brewing, Willimantic, CT
3 — The Perfect Morning, Madison Brewing, Bennington, VT
STOUT — MILK & CREAM
1 — Manatee Milk Stout, Slack Tide Brewing, Cape May Courthouse, NJ
2 — Milk Stout, Scotty’s Bierwerks, Cape Coral, FL
3 — Brigadeiro, Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, Framingham, MA
LAGER — BOHEMIAN PILSNER
1 — Pilsner, von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, VT
2 — My Precious Pilsner, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
3 — Lost Without A Paddle Pilsner, Twin Creeks Brewing, Vinton, VA
LAGER — CONTINENTAL PILSNER
1 — Pilsner, Sibling Revelry Brewing, Westlake, OH
2 — Greely Beer, Brix Brewery, Greeley, CO
3 — Post Shift Pils, Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, Framingham, MA
LAGER — DORTMUNDER
1 — Schmuggler Gold, Franklins Brewery, Hyattsville, MD
2 — Das Fest, Revision Brewing, Sparks, NV
3 — Not Awarded
LAGER — HELLES
1 — Zwickel, Urban Chestnut Brewing, St. Louis, MO
2 — Cruise Control, Two Roads Brewing, Stratford, CT
3 — Helles, von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, VT
LAGER — PREMIUM
1 — Lager, Sibling Revelry Brewing, Westlake, OH
2 — Amstel Light, Amstel Brewery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
3 — Cruncy Roll, Alvarium Brewing, New Britain, CT
AMBER & DARK LAGER — AMBER
1 — Adirondack Lager, Saranac Brewery, Utica, NY
2 —Amber Ale, Full Sail Brewing, Hood River, OR
3 — Private Rye, Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, Framingham, MA
AMBER & DARK LAGER — DUNKEL
1 — Winter Lager, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
2 — Ruby River Munich Dunkel, Firefly Hollow Brewing, Bristol, CT
3 — Dunkel, Kansas City Bier, Kansas City, MO
AMBER & DARK LAGER — BOCK
1 — 17th Anniversary Lager, Franklins Brewery, Hyattsville, MD
2 — Old Timer’s Bock, Brewport, Bridgeport, CT
3 — Hurt Mai Bock, Veracious Brewing, Monroe, CT
AMBER & DARK LAGER — SCHWARZBIER
1 — Black Earth Dark Lager, Hog River Brewing, Hartford, CT
2 — Schwarzbier, DeHop’s Brewing, Walker, MI
3 — Ramstein Ink Black Lager, High Point Brewing, Butler, NJ
AMBER & DARK LAGER — VIENNA
1 — 914, Yonkers Brewing, Yonkers, NY
2 — Vienna Style, von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, VT
3 — Fest Bier, Kansas City Bier, Kansas City, MO
AMBER & DARK LAGER — OTHER
1 — Rauchbier Smoked Lager, DeHop’s Brewing, Walker, MI
2 — The Darkness, Alvarium Brewing, New Britain, CT
3 — Not Awarded
OKTOBERFEST
1 — Overseas Mail Oktoberfest, Willimantic Brewing, Willimantic, CT
2 — Oktoberfest, von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, VT
3 — Oktoberfest, Franklins Brewery, Hyattsville, MD
STRONG BEER — BALTIC PORTER
1 — Maple Baltic Porter, Sibling Revelry Brewing, Westlake, OH
2 — Baltic Porter, Northampton Brewery, Northampton, MA
3 — Not Awarded
STRONG BEER — BARLEYWINE
1 — Atomic Mass Barleywine, Aspetuck Brew Lab, Bridgeport, CT
2 — Birthday Brew #8, Wormtown Brewery, Worcester, MA
3 — Barrel Aged Twinkler Barleywine, Firefly Hollow Brewing, Bristol, CT
STRONG BEER — BELGIAN DARK
1 — Agents of Chaos, Chaos Mountain Brewing, Callaway, VA
2 — Terrible, Unibroue, Chambly, Quebec, Canada
3 — Belgian Strong Ale, Brewport, Bridgeport, CT
STRONG BEER — BELGIAN DUBBEL & TRIPEL
1 — La Fin du Monde, Unibroue, Chambly, Quebec, Canada
2 — Don de Dieu, Unibroue, Chambly, Quebec, Canada
3 — Maudite, Unibroue, Chambly, Quebec, Canada
STRONG BEER — BELGIAN GOLDEN
1 — The Dragon Queen, Franklins Brewery, Hyattsville, MD
2 — Not Awarded
3 — Not Awarded
STRONG BEER — DOUBLEBOCK
1 — Corbet’s Couloir, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL
2 — Winterbock, Kansas City Bier, Kansas City, MO
3 — Double Bock, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
STRONG BEER — IMPERIAL IPA
1 — Double Doobious, Bad Sons Beer, Derby, CT
2 — Hartbeat, Hanging Hills Brewing, Hartford, CT
3 — Open Wide IIPA, Spider Bite Beer, Holbrook, NY
STRONG BEER — NEW ENGLAND IMPERIAL IPA
1 — Shockwaves, Stellwagen Beer, Marshfield, MA
2 — Reno As Fuck, Revision Brewing, Sparks, NV
3 — Sir Walter, Wachusett Brewing, Westminster, MA
STRONG BEER — IMPERIAL PILSNER
1 — DIPA, von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, VT
2 — Paughco Pilsner, Shoetree Brewing, Carson City, NV
3 — Not Awarded
STRONG BEER — OLD ALE
1 — Old News DIPA, Brewport, Bridgeport, CT
2 — Old Miser, Franklins Brewery, Hyattsville, MD
3 — Not Awarded
STRONG BEER — RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT
1 — Barrel Aged Class V, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL
2 — The Nightmare After Christmas, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
3 — Stoutacus, Shoetree Brewing, Carson City, NV
STRONG BEER — SCOTCH ALE
1 — Dragon With Matches, Blue Point Brewing, Patchogue, NY
2 — Big Scotty, Veracious Brewing, Monroe, CT
3 — Biggie D’s Strong Scotch Ale, Three Mugs Brewing, Hillsboro, OR
STRONG BEER — OTHER
1 — Bourbon Barrel Aged Lunenburg Imperial Stout, A. Keith’s Brewery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
2 — Bourbon Barrel Aged Boris Jr, Spider Bite Beer, Holbrook, NY
3 — Audacity Imperial Brown IPA, Back East Brewery, Bloomfield, CT
SOUR & WILD ALE — AMERICAN STYLE WITH FRUIT <6.5% ABV
1 — Kriek, Area Two Brewing, Stratford, CT
2 — Hawaii Five-O Pink Guava Sour Ale, Aspetuck Brew Lab, Bridgeport, CT
3 — Lil Peach Of My Heart, Lithermans Ltd Brewing, Concord, NH
SOUR & WILD ALE — AMERICAN STYLE WITH FRUIT 6.5%+ ABV
1 — Hexotic, Area Two Brewing, Stratford, CT
2 — Bourbon Peach Wild Ale, Unity Vibration Kombucha, Ypsilanti, MI
3 — Kriek Mythology, Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, Framingham, MA
SOUR & WILD ALE — AMERICAN STYLE WITHOUT FRUIT <6.5% ABV
1 — Wicked Shift Sour NEIPA, Shoetree Brewing, Carson City, NV
2 — Summer Ginger Sour, Brewport, Bridgeport, CT
3 — Bel Air Sour, Brooklyn Brewing, Brooklyn, NY
SOUR & WILD ALE — AMERICAN STYLE WITHOUT FRUIT 6.5%+ ABV
1 — Bisset’s Fancy, A. Keith’s Brewery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
2 — Wild Stout #2, Veracious Brewing, Monroe, CT
3 — Middle Dipper, Polyculture Brewing, Croydon, NH
SOUR & WILD ALE — BERLINER WEISSE
1 — Pandora’s Kettle #3, Concord Craft Brewing, Concord, NH
2 — Cranberry Sour, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
3 — Under My Plum, Lithermans Ltd Brewing, Concord, NH
SOUR & WILD ALE — FLANDERS RED-BROWN & LAMBIC
1 — Blasphemous, Franklins Brewery, Hyattsville, MD
2 — Not Awarded
3 — Not Awarded
BELGIAN & FRENCH ALE — BELGIAN WITBIER
1 — Pearly White Ale, Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, Framingham, MA
2 —Tokyo White, Far Yeast Brewing, Tokyo, Japan
3 — Whose Garden Belgian Witbier, Pint Nine Brewing, La Vista, NE
BELGIAN & FRENCH ALE — BELGIAN PALE ALE
1 — Sunshine & Hoppiness, Drop In Brewing, Middlebury, VT
2 — Le Rouge, Franklins Brewery, Hyattsville, MD
3 — Belgian Pale Ale, Scotty’s Bierwerks, Cape Coral, FL
BELGIAN & FRENCH ALE — BIÈRE DE GARDE
1 — Three Front Doors, Polyculture Brewing, Croydon, NH
2 — Autumn Sweater, Polyculture Brewing, Croydon, NH
3 — Not Awarded
BELGIAN & FRENCH ALE — SAISON
1 — Beacon, Brown’s Brewing, North Hoosick, NY
2 — Saison Dupont, Brasserie Dupont, Tourpes, Belgium
3 — Bier De Boog, Northampton Brewery, Northampton, MA
BELGIAN & FRENCH ALE — BLONDE <7.5% ABV & SPECIALTY
1 — Bière Blanche de Paris, Brown’s Brewing, North Hoosick, NY
2 — Bell Buoy, Slack Tide Brewing, Cape May Courthouse, NJ
3 — Syzygy, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
GLUTEN-FREE BEER
1 — Olly Gluten Free, Sibling Revelry Brewing, Westlake, OH
2 — Gluteness Maximus, Chaos Mountain Brewing, Callaway, VA
3 — Not Awarded
GLUTEN-REDUCED BEER
1 — Irish Red Ale, Red Door Brewing, Albuquerque, NW
2 — Lizards Breath IPA, Firefly Hollow Brewing, Bristol, CT
3 — Anam Cara, These Guys Brewing, Norwich, CT
FRUIT & SPICE ALE — PUMPKIN & SPICES
1 — Lock-O-Lantern, Lock City Brewing, Stamford, CT
2 — Pumpkin Ale, Montauk Brewing, Montauk, NY
3 — UFO Pumpkin, Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA
FRUIT & SPICE ALE — FRUIT
1 — Strawberry Ale, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
2 — Bramble Blackberry Ale, Aspetuck Brew Lab, Bridgeport, CT
3 — Older The Berry, The Sweeter The Juice, Franklins Brewery, Hyattsville, MD
FRUIT & SPICE ALE — NO FRUIT
1 — Crabbies Ginger Beer, Halewood International, Huyton, England, U.K.
2 — Love At First Bite, Spider Bite Beer, Holbrook, NY
3 — Lovely Day, Harmony Brewing, Grand Rapids, MI
FRUIT & SPICE ALE — LAGER
1 — Lumpy’s Maple & Bacon, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL
2 — Not Awarded
3 — Not Awarded
FRUIT & SPICE ALE — BELGIAN
1 — Kagua Blanc, Far Yeast Brewing, Tokyo, Japan
2 — Raspberry Tripel, Flying Dreams Brewing, Worcester, MA
3 — Lost Orchard, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL
CIDER — COMMON
1 — Fifty Trees Original, Wachusett Brewing, Westminster, MA
2 — Angry Orchard Stone Dry, Angry Orchard, Boston, MA
3 — Premium Cider, Thornbury Cider House, Thornbury, Ontario, Canada
CIDER — ENGLISH
1 — Ace Joker, California Cider Co., Sebastapol, CA
2 — Kingston Black, Distillery Lane Ciderworks, Jefferson, MD
3 — Cellar Block, Champlain Orchards, Shoreham, VT
CIDER — FRENCH & ICE
1 — La Mella Della Notte, Distillery Lane Ciderworks, Jefferson, MD
2 — Ice Cider, New England Cider, Wallingford, CT
3 — Not Awarded
CIDER — NEW ENGLAND
1 — Ace Space, California Cider Co., Sebastapol, CA
2 — Farmstead, Champlain Orchards, Shoreham, VT
3 — Cellar Block, Champlain Orchards, Shoreham, VT
CIDER — FRUIT
1 — Angry Orchard Pear, Angry Orchard, Boston, MA
2 — Blackberry Sangria, Common Cider Co., Auburn, CA
3 — Blood Orange Tangerine, Common Cider Co., Auburn, CA
CIDER — SPECIALTY
1 — Aardbei, Virtue Cider, Fennville, MI
2 — 1651 Oak Aged Cider, Lookout Cider, Natick, MA
3 — Raspberry Cider, Thornbury Cider House, Thornbury, Ontario, Canada
MEAD — TRADITIONAL
1 — Makers Legacy, Ancient Fire Mead & Cider, Manchester, NH
2 — Montgomery, Haymaker Meadery, Montgomeryville, PA
3 — Honey, Meridian Hive Meadery, Austin, TX
MEAD — FRUIT – CYSER-PYMENT-STONE FRUIT-MELOMEL
1 — Apple Nectar, Redstone Meadery, Boulder, CO
2 — Rosé Nectar, Redstone Meadery, Boulder, CO
3 — Edith, Haymaker Meadery, Montgomeryville, PA
MEAD — FRUIT–BERRY
1 — Ethereal, Haymaker Meadery, Montgomeryville, PA
2 — Crimson Stag, Haymaker Meadery, Montgomeryville, PA
3 — Ella, Meridian Hive Meadery, Austin, TX
MEAD — FRUIT-SPICE
1 — Morrigan’s Favor, Barrett’s Legacy Mead, Baltic, CT
2 — With Malus, Ancient Fire Mead & Cider, Manchester, NH
3 — Broken Crown, Meridian Hive Meadery, Austin, TX
MEAD — SPICED & SPECIALTY
1 — Sweet Burn Dude!, Ancient Fire Mead & Cider, Manchester, NH
2 — Cake, Cake & More Cake, Haymaker Meadery, Montgomeryville, PA
Tied for Third Place
3 — Groennfell Nordic Farmhouse, Vermont Craft Mead, St. Albans City, VT
3 — Dirty Girls, Barrett’s Legacy Mead, Baltic, CT
SAKE — JUNMAI
1 — Sawanoi Junmai Daikarakuchi, Ozawa Shuzo Co. Tokyo, Japan
2 — Kan Nihonkai Junmai Genshu Ultra Dry +15, Nihonkai Shuzo, Shimane, Japan
3 — Not Awarded
SAKE — JUNMAI GINJO
1 —Fukushogun Junmai Ginjyo, Meiri Shurui, Ibaraki, Japan
2 — Mantensei Star-Filled Sky Junmai Gingjo, Suwa Shuzo, Tottori, Japan
3 — American Standard, Colorado Sake, Denver, CO
SAKE — HONJOZO
1 — Sake Thikará Gold, Sake Thikará, Piedade, Brazil
2 — Sake Ryuujin, Sake Thikará, Piedade, Brazil
3 — Not Awarded
SAKE — COMBINED SUBCATEGORIES
Tied for First Place
1 — Shirakawgo Sasanigori, Miwa Shuzo Co., Gifu, Japan
1 — Bushido Way of the Warrior Ginjo Genshu, Kizakura, Kyoto, Japan
2 — Not Awarded
3 — Not Awarded
HARD KOMBUCHA
1 — Backwoods Bliss, Good Omen Bottling, Cottonwood, AZ
2 — Blackberry Mint, Good Omen Bottling, Cottonwood, AZ
3 — Gold Vibe Hard Kombucha, NC Kombuchary, Grass Valley, CA
HARD SELTZER — CITRUS
1 — Sparkling Ginger Lemon & Lime, Willie’s Superbrew, Boston, MA
2 — Orange Twist, Omission Brewing, Portland, OR
3 — Ruby Red Grapefruit, Arctic Summer Seltzer, Boston, MA
HARD SELTZER — BERRY
1 — Spiked Black Cherry, Arctic Summer Seltzer, Boston, MA
2 — H2Roads Raspberry, Two Roads Brewing, Stratford, CT
3 —Pomegranate Blueberry Açai, Omission Brewing, Portland, OR
HARD SELTZER — OTHER
1 — Sparkling Mango & Passionfruit, Willie’s Superbrew, Boston, MA
2 — Pineapple Pomelo, Arctic Summer Seltzer, Boston, MA
3 — Seek Out Cucumber-Juniper, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
NON-ALCOHOL BEER
1 — Raspberry Gose, Bravus Brewing, Newport Beach, CA
2 — Weihenstephan Non-Alcohol, Brauerei Weihenstephan, Weihenstephan Germany
3 — Special Effects, Brooklyn Brewing, Brooklyn, NY