ABC Brews Crews

2010 Brews Crews Results

cameron — Mon, 24 May 2010 00:43:13 +0000

Fourth Annual ABC Brews Crews Homebrew Competition Results

Light Lagers and Pilsners – Category 1 and 2 (11 entries)
Phil Sullivan	Kuhnhenn Guild of Brewers	Royal Oak, MI	Sully’s Blunt Lager	01B	Standard American Lager	1
Jeff Rankert	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Milford, MI	Sub-Prime Pilsner	02A	German Pilsner	2
Jeff Renner	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Ann Arbor, MI	Your Father’s Mustache	02C	Classic American Pilsner	3

European Amber Lagers, Dark Lagers, and Bocks – Category 3, 4, and 5 (13 entries)
Jim Satin		Saline, MI	Bobcat Lager	03A	Vienna Lager	1
Mike Casedy and Scott Szymusiak		Ann Arbor, MI	Playa-Hator	05C	Doppelbock	2
Ryan Karcher and Erica Karcher		Novi, MI	Karcher Bock	05B	Traditional Bock	3

Light Hybrid and Amber Hybrid – Category 6 and 7 (17 entries)
Adam Mills	The Brewing Network	Big Rapids, MI	Diaeresis	06C	Kolsch	1
Jon Bay		Saline, MI	Bajaba	06A	Cream Ale	2
Sam Firke	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Ann Arbor, MI	Centennial Blonde	06B	Blonde Ale	3

English Pale Ale – Category 8 (11 entries)
Stanley Harrison		Kalamazoo, MI	ESB	08C	Extra Special/Strong Bitter (EPA)	1
Curtis Kratt		Clawson, MI	Curt’s Bitter	08C	Extra Special/Strong Bitter (EPA)	2
Craig McKenzie		Marine City, MI	Lucky Ducky	08C	Extra Special/Strong Bitter (EPA)	3

Scotch and Irish Ales – Category 9 (7 entries)
Adam Mills	The Brewing Network	Big Rapids, MI	Black Eye Ale	09E	Strong Scotch Ale	1
Stephen Bender		Perry, MI	Panty Remover Scotch Ale	09E	Strong Scotch Ale	2
Adam Mills	The Brewing Network	Big Rapids, MI	Tiny Kilt	09A	Scottish Light 60/-	3

American Ale – Category 10 (19 entries)
Justen Pelton	Salacious Homebrewers In Toledo	Toledo, OH	Otto Ale	10A	American Pale Ale	1
Eric Murch		Ypsilanti, MI	Brown Rabbit	10C	American Brown Ale	2
Stanley Harrison		Kalamazoo, MI	Pale ale	10A	American Pale Ale	3

English Brown Ales – Category 11 (8 entries)
George Gorospe	Kuhnhenn Guild of Brewers (KGB)	Warren, MI	Brown Spider	11C	Northern English Brown	1
Adam Mills	The Brewing Network	Big Rapids, MI	Ives Ave Brown	11A	Mild	2
Curtis Kratt		Clawson, MI	D-Town Brown	11C	Northern English Brown	3

Porter – Category 12 (18 entries)
Phil Sullivan	Kuhnhenn Guild of Brewers	Royal Oak, MI	Sully’s Porter	12B	Robust Porter	1
Patrick Vigil		Ann Arbor, MI	Brown Porter	12A	Brown Porter	2
Pat Hyde	Cass River Homebrew Club	Port Huron, MI	Baltic Porter	12C	Baltic Porter	3

Stout – Category 13 (12 entries)
Brian Routt	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Saline, MI	Foreign Extra Stout	13D	Foreign Extra Stout	1
Trevor Klimek	KLOB	Paw Paw, MI	Oat/Rye Stout	13E	American Stout	2
Mike Casedy and Scott Szymusiak		Ann Arbor, MI	Presque Isle Imperial Stout	13F	Russian Imperial Stout	3

IPA – Category 14 (15 entries)
Curtis Kratt		Clawson, MI	IPA	14B	American IPA	1
Randall deBeauclair	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Pinckney, MI	Mr. D’s IPA	14A	English IPA	2
Jeff Rankert	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Milford, MI	Irrational Exuberance IPA	14B	American IPA	3

German Wheat and Rye – Category 15 (11 entries)
Patrick Vigil		Ann Arbor, MI	Amber Hefeweizen	15B		1
Phil Sullivan	Kuhnhenn Guild of Brewers	Royal Oak, MI	Sully’s Dunkelweizen	15B	Dunkelweisen	2
Phil Sullivan	Kuhnhenn Guild of Brewers	Royal Oak, MI	Sully’s Hefeweizen	15A	Weizen/Weissbier	3

Belgian and French Ale and Sour Ale - Category 16 and 17 (17 entries)
Trevor Klimek	KLOB	Paw Paw, MI	Lite Wit	17A	Berlinerweiss	1
Chris Frey	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Saline, MI	Sour Brown Puss	17C	Flanders Brown Ale / Oud Bruin	2
Tony Trzaskos		Walled Lake, MI	Bottoms down in Belgium	16A	Witbier	3

Belgian Strong Ale – Category 18 (12 entries)
Adam Mills	The Brewing Network	Big Rapids, MI	Belgian Dar(Ken)	18E	Belgian Dark Strong	1
Phil Sullivan	Kuhnhenn Guild of Brewers	Royal Oak, MI	Sully’s th1rt3en Ale	18E	Belgian Dark Strong	2
Mike Casedy and Scott Szymusiak		Ann Arbor, MI	Babbling Friar’s Belgian Dark Strong Ale	18E	Belgian Dark Strong	3

Strong Ales – Category 19 (8 entries)
Justen Pelton	Salacious Homebrewers In Toledo	Toledo, OH	Big Bang	19C	American Barleywine	1
Aron Butler	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Ypsilanti, MI	2006 Barleywine	19B	English Barleywine	2
Mike Casedy and Scott Szymusiak		Ann Arbor, MI	Depot Town Old Ale	19A	Old Ale	3

Fruilt Beer – Category 20 (7 entries)
Stephanie Wildey and Evan Wildey		Ann Arbor, MI	Wildeyes Blackberry Rain	20A	Fruit Beer	1
Adam Mills	The Brewing Network	Big Rapids, MI	Peach Kolsch	20A	Fruit Beer	2
Ian Stines	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Ann Arbor, MI	Soaring Strawberry Wit	20A	Fruit Beer	3

Spice/Herb/Vegetable – Category 21 (13 entries)
Kevin Penn		Howell, MI	Old Festivus ale	21B	Christmas/Winter Specialty spiced beer	1
Sam Firke	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Ann Arbor, MI	Zingiber	21A	Spice Herb Vegetable beer	2
Matthew Good	The Brewing Network	Fostoria, OH	Endless Night	21A	Spice Herb Vegetable beer	3

Smoke Flavored and Wood Aged – Category 22 (9 entries)
Phil Sullivan	Kuhnhenn Guild of Brewers	Royal Oak, MI	Sully’s Bourbon Barrel Russian Imperial Stout	22C	Wood aged beer	1
Tony Trzaskos		Walled Lake, MI	Blackened Bourbon Porter	22C	Wood aged beer	2
Andy Nelson	Mile High Monks	Centennial, CO	Pullman Porter	22C	Wood aged beer	3

Specialty Beer – Category 23 (8 entries)
Takumi Sato and Bob Weitor/Dave Snow		East Lansing, MI	BoTaDa	23A	Specialty Beer	1
George Gorospe	Kuhnhenn Guild of Brewers (KGB)	Warren, MI	Sweet Java	23A	Specialty Beer	2
Karl Hinbern		Ann Arbor, MI	Hibiscosity	23A	Specialty Beer	3

Traditional Mead and Melomel – Category 24 and 25 (15 entries)
Randall deBeauclair	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Pinckney, MI	Pomegranite Mel	25C	Other Fruit Melomel	1
John Rathmell	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Ypsilanti, MI	Blueberry Melomel	25C	Other Fruit Melomel	2
Joel Timm		Ypsilanti, MI	Blueberry Mead	25C	Other Fruit Melomel	3

Other Mead – Category 26 (15 entries)
Matthew Goebel	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Ypsilanti, MI	Summer Fruit	26C	Open Category Mead	1
Randall deBeauclair	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Pinckney, MI	Mixed Berry Plambic Mead	26C	Open Category Mead	2
Alex Pettit	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Ypsilanti, MI	Cinnthecyser	26C	Open Category Mead	3

Standard/Specialty Cider/Perry – Category 27 and 28 (12 entries)
Takumi Sato		East Lansing, MI	Apple Bottoms	27A	Common Cider	1
Gary Bonds		Saline, MI	Shannon’s Delight	28C	Apple Wine	2
Philip Wilcox	Ann Arbor Brewers Guild	Jackson, MI	Frogapple Cider	27A	Common Cider	3

Best of Show Beer
Jim Satin		Saline, MI	Bobcat Lager	03A	Vienna Lager

Best of Show Mead/Cider
Takumi Sato		East Lansing, MI	Apple Bottoms	27A	Common Cider

Awards Ceremony

cameron — Wed, 19 May 2010 15:24:04 +0000

The 4th Annual BrewsCrews competition award ceremony will be held at the Corner Brewery starting at or after 6PM, on Saturday May 22. The weather forecast shows a 40% chance of rain, as of Wednesday. If the weather is nice, we’ll be outside in the beer garden. If not, we’ll be inside somewhere. The day’s full schedule is shown below. Judging, including best of show judging, is not open to the public.

8:30 — judges arrive
9 am to 11:30 am — first judging session
11:30 am to 1:00 pm — lunch
1:00 pm to 3:30 pm — second judging session
4:00 pm — Best of Show judging begins
6:00 pm – award ceremony

Short Interview With Matt Greff

jim — Wed, 12 May 2010 00:19:03 +0000

For the fourth year in a row, the AABG Brews Crews Competition will be held at the Corner Brewery in Ypsilanti, MI. Matt Greff, one of the owners of the Corner Brewery took a few minutes to answer some questions about the competition.

What motivates you to host the competition and support the homebrewing community at large?

I got my start as a homebrewer and still consider myself a homebrewer at heart so it makes sense to support the homebrewing community. The reality is that there would not be the vibrant microbrewery industry that currently exists if not for the homebrewing community. Homebrewers and beer lovers are the backbone of the craft beer industry and we see it as a mutually supportive and beneficial relationship.

What’s your favorite part about the competition each year?

When all the beers get pulled from the cooler for judging it’s a jaw-dropping experience! It is so exciting to see so many enthusiasts submitting so many beers, and so many different and creative styles of beers, that it gets me excited for our industry all over again.

Can you recall your favorite best of show beer? What did you like about it?

I don’t really have a favorite because they’ve all been impressive. What is most impressive to me is that all the winners have been beers that are subtle in flavor and style so they have to be technically well made. We’ve had winners include an English Brown, an Alt, and a Kolsch. I think the fact that the BOS winners are in these more delicate styles shows the incredible technical expertise of the brewers who enter the competition.

4th ABC Brews Crews competition

spencer — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 21:54:03 +0000

The 4th annual ABC Brews Crews competition, sponsored by Arbor Brewing Company and the Corner Brewery in cooperation with the Ann Arbor Brewers Guild will be coming soon. Check this space for updates, or subscribe to Posts (in the upper left) to get updates as they are posted.

Competition judging and award ceremony will be on May 22, 2010. Entry submission starts on May 7 at these locations.

Follow these links for more information and to register:

Rules and Information

Enter On-Line

Judge Registration

Read the flyer.

2009 Competition Winners

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 03:23:21 +0000

Wow! It was a great competition with 138 entries, which we broke into 13 groups for judging. Best-of-show went to Phil Sullivan of Royal Oak, MI for his Kölsch-style beer, named Krolsch. Phil will have the opportunity to brew it on the 7-barrel system at Arbor Brewing. I look forward to tasting it on draft at the brewpub.

Congratulations to all the winners. One of our winners took a first place with the 4th beer she had ever made, and some of our winners are familiar faces who have brewed 100s of beers. The rain held off for the awards ceremony, which we celebrated in the beer garden. The full list of winners is below the break.

Place	Brewer	Brew name	Style	Home city	Club
	Light Lager, Light Hybrid (13 entries)
1	Phil Sullivan	Krolsch	06c, Kölsch	Royal Oak, MI
2	Bob and Kim Barrett	What the Hell is a Dortmunder	01e, Dortmunder Export	Ann Arbor, MI	AABG
3	Zachary Wright and Rebecca Adams	Zeitgeist Kolsch-Style Ale	06c, Kölsch	Ypsilanti, MI

	European Lagers (13 entries)
1	Aimee Richard	Manmazing Maibock	05a, Maibock/Helles Bock	Ann Arbor, MI	AABG
2	Stanley A. Harrison	Pilsener	02a, German Pilsner	Kalamazoo, MI
3	Aron Butler	2009 Maibock	05a, Maibock/Helles Bock	Ypsilanti, MI	AABG

	Amber Hybrid / German Wheat and Rye (9 entries)
1	Mike Casedy and Scott Szymusiak	What’s Up Bock?’ Weizenbock	15c, Weizenbock	Ann Arbor, MI
2	Brian Routt	California Common	07b, California Common Beer	Saline, MI	AABG
3	Phil Sullivan	Sully’s Alt	07a, North German Altbier	Royal Oak, MI

	English Ale and Porter (10 entries)
1	Mike Kalette	Wet Dog Porter	12b, Robust Porter	Stafford Springs, CT
2	Eric Himburg	Bilbo Baggins’ Best Brown	12a, Brown Porter	Cary, NC
3	Oliver Roberts	Teenage Mutant Ninja Porter #4 – Michaelangelo	12a, Brown Porter	Ann Arbor, MI

	Scottish and Irish Ales and English Brown Ale (13 entries)
1	Dan Jeska and Kenn Kares	Hypenated English Mild	11a, Mild	Richland, MI	AABG
2	Art Smith	Lassie	09e Strong Scotch Ale	Lapeer, MI	Lapeer Area Brewers
3	Chuck Hatt	Bobby Bruce Scottish Ale	09b, Scottish Heavy 70/-	Ann Arbor, MI

	American Ales (11 entries)
1	Jeff and Susan Rankert	Milford Pale Ale	10a, American Pale Ale	Milford, MI	AABG
2	Peter Zuk	All Around Best Brown	10c, American Brown Ale	Wyandotte, MI
3	John Auty	Nauty Pale Ale	10a, American Pale Ale	Commerce Twp, MI

	Stout (11 entries)
1	Eric Tichenor	Got Chocolate	13d, Foreign Extra Stout	Grand Rapids, MI
2	Elon Jamison	Stacey’s Stout	13c, Oatmeal Stout	Ferndale, MI
3	Alex Pettit	Ryes Tout	13a, Dry Stout	Ypsilanti, MI	AABG

	Strong Ale and Imperial Stout (11 entries)
1	Mike Casedy and Scott Szymusiak	Isle Royale Imperial Stout	13f, Imperial Stout	Ann Arbor, MI
2	Jeff and Susan Rankert	Bob’s Stout	13f, Imperial Stout	Milford, MI	AABG
3	Jeff and Susan Rankert	Creative Destruction Barleywine	19c, American Barleywine	Milford, MI	AABG

	IPA (11 entries)
1	Mike Casedy and Scott Szymusiak	Presque Isle India Pale Ale	14b, American IPA	Ann Arbor, MI
2	Richard DeBin	CC Rider IPA	14b, American IPA	Ann Arbor, MI
3	Eric Tichenor	Eastown IPA	14b, American IPA	Grand Rapids, MI

	Belgian and French Ale and Sour Ale (11 entries)
1	Justin Pelton	Summertime Saison	16c, Saison	Toledo, OH
2	John Holliday	Biere de Garde	16d, Bière de Garde	Livonia, MI
3	Frank Policht	Very Witty	16a, Witbier	Niles, IL

	Belgian Strong Ales (6 entries)
1	Michael Spears	Belgian Dark Strong de Spears	18e, Belgian Dark Strong Ale	Center Line, MI	Kuhnhenn Guild of Brewers
2	Oliver Roberts	Bishop’s Yellow Brick	18d, Belgian Golden Strong Ale	Ann Arbor, MI
3	John Rathmell	Sweet Revenge Belgian Tripel	18c, Belgian Tripel	Ypsilanti, MI	AABG

	Fruit and Spice/Herb/Vegetable (11 entries)
1	Mark Ramsey	Spruce Scottish Ale	21a, Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer	Brighton, MI	AABG
2	Brent Fisher	Brent’s XXX-mas Ale	21b, Christmas/Winter Specialty Spiced Beer	Ann Arbor, MI
3	Jim Cone	Raspberry Ale	20a, Fruit Beer	St. Cloud, MN

	Smoked, Wood-Aged and Specialty (8 entries)
1	Mike Casedy and Scott Szymusiak	Pittsfield Bourbon Rye Porter	22c, Wood-Aged Beer	Ann Arbor, MI
2	Jeff and Susan Rankert	Home Smoked Porter	22b, Other Smoked Beer	Milford, MI	AABG
3	Chris and Kona Michalek	Maple Belgian Stout	23a, Specialty Beer	Plymouth, MI	AABG

2009 Best of Show Judge Panel

admin — Tue, 12 May 2009 01:47:40 +0000

We’ve got a great lineup for the best-of-show judge panel, including local brewers and homebrewing celebrities.

Brad Sancho – Brewer and owner of Original Gravity www.ogbrewing.com/ in Milan is living the dream. A local homebrewer that has made the jump to the pro ranks. Brad is a BJCP Certified beer judge.

Mike O’Brien – If it has to do with beer, Mike O’Brien has either done it,invented it or can’t wait to try it! Mike is a long time homebrewer that also brews on his own historic brewing system over open fire. Mike is owner of Pico-Brewing Systems pico-brewing.com/and has his own homebrew shop in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Mike is a BJCP Certified beer judge.

Annette May – The first and only female Certified Cicerone in the universe! Annette has 14 years experience in the beer world which began in Chicago and worked it’s way to Michigan. Along with her husband Mike Bardallis they have become the only husband and wife Certified Cicerone team in the world! Her work as a beer buyer and Certified Cicerone has added much depth to her beer knowledge. Annette is a BJCP Recognized beer judge.

Mike Bardallis – The supremely fortunate Mike Bardallis has been brewing at home for just about 20 years, and after 300 batches still does not seem to be tiring of it. He is a BJCP National judge, and recently passed the Certified Cicerone exam along with his lovely bride, Annette. To share their passion for beer, food, and the good life in general, Annette and Mike have started blogging about all things Ciceroney at http://2cicerones.blogspot.com. If you have ever been to a National Homebrew Conference, Mike is the guy that you might have seen that “dresses kind of eclecticly”.

Entry and Judge registration is now open

admin — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:41:02 +0000

You can now register entries for the competition or sign up to be a judge using the links at the right.