We Are Champions: 2023 National Homebrew Competition

This article originally appeared in the September/October 2023 issue of Zymurgy Magazine

By Kristen Kuchar

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For many of the 1,708 homebrewers who entered this year’s National Homebrew Competition, competing is not just about taking home a medal. Entering the competition also means receiving high-quality, critical, and honest feedback from a panel of expert beer judges. This allows brewers to continue to grow and improve in their beloved craft, a shared foal for these passionate artisans.

Chris Williams, Brewers Association competition director, notes that feedback from qualified judges helps homebrewers learn how to improve their competition entries. Entrants generally receive sensory feedback on how well their beer, cider, or mead matches style guidelines, as well as advice about any potential flaws an entry might have and occasional recommendations on how to fix such flaws.

“This is important, as it helps brewers understand how their beer lines up with the defined style and what they might be able to do to improve it,” Williams says.

Login to access this full article from the September/October 2023 Zymurgy magazine. This feature includes the 40 gold medal-winning homebrew recipes from the 2023 National Homebrew Competition.