Gnome Brew Honored as 2022 Homebrew Shop of the Year

Chicago business recognized for community stewardship

Pittsburgh, Pa. — Gnome Brew of Chicago was recognized as the Homebrew Shop of the Year at the 2022 National Homebrew Competition, organized by the American Homebrewers Association® (AHA) – the national not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the hobby of homebrewing. Winners of the world’s largest amateur homebrew competition were recognized for the most outstanding homemade beer, mead, and cider, concluding the 44th annual Homebrew Con™ in Pittsburgh.

“The American Homebrewers Association is excited to award Gnome Brew the 2022 Homebrew Shop of the Year,” said Julia Herz, executive director. “Gnome Brew has built an inclusive community for homebrewers of all skill levels by providing educational opportunities and supplying the freshest and latest ingredients. Nominations cited owner David Odefey and the Gnome Brew staff for going above and beyond, dedication to in-person and virtual community stewardship, and growing the hobby of homebrewing.”

“We’re thrilled to have won the 2022 Homebrew Shop of the Year thanks to the support and nominations of our amazing customers. We opened Gnome Brew as a shop to provide a home for the homebrewing community as well as for education, support, and encouragement for those starting out in this fun and rewarding hobby. We’re proud to be Chicago’s local homebrew shop, and for those elsewhere without a local shop, we’d be honored to be your homebrew shop,” David Odefey, owner at Gnome Brew.

Gnome Brew was selected from among 138 homebrew shop nominations and evaluated by the American Homebrewers Association Governing Committee on the merits of community support, education, customer service and engagement, promotion of homebrewing, and responsible business practices. Gnome Brew is the fifth recipient of this award since it began in 2018.

This year’s competition saw more than 2,940 entries from 1,187 homebrewers located in 48 states, Washington, D.C., and seven countries. In total, 159,770 entries have been evaluated since the inaugural AHA National Homebrew Competition in 1979 in Boulder, Colo.

A complete list of winners of the 2022 National Homebrew Competition can be found here.

Editor’s note: Photos for media use are available upon request.

The AHA Homebrew Shop of the Year is sponsored by BSG HandCraft.

The 2022 National Homebrew Competition and Homebrew Con were made possible in part by the generous support of sponsors.

About the American Homebrewers Association^®

The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) has worked on behalf of the homebrewing community since 1978 and celebrates a membership of more than 37,000 homebrewers. The AHA organizes events including the Homebrew Con™, National Homebrew Competition, Big Brew for National Homebrew Day, and Learn to Homebrew Day. The AHA also publishes Zymurgy^®, the longest-running magazine for homebrewers. The AHA is part of the Brewers Association^®, whose Brewers Publications^® division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

Beer lovers, fermentation fans, and anyone interested in making their own homemade beer are invited to learn more at HomebrewersAssociation.org. Follow the AHA on Instagram and Twitter, and join us on Facebook.

The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 11246 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.