Thank you to all the participants, judges, and stewards who made this competition a great success again! With 195 entries, this was our biggest competition to date! Look for our next competition in about six months with the return of Sour Times — and for the all-category competition again this time next year. Cheers!

Best of Show Winners  

Best of Show – Beer

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Caleb Meinke	Len’s	1A: American Light Lager	Madison Homebrewers & Tasters
2nd	Steve Ristau	Rock Pile Porter	20A: American Porter
3rd	Metts Potter	Adjacent	3C: Czech Amber Lager	Bloatarian Brewing League

Winning Entries  

Table 1: American Pale (9 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Caleb Meinke	Len’s	1A: American Light Lager	Madison Homebrewers & Tasters
2nd	Metts Potter	Little Buddy	1B: American Lager	Bloatarian Brewing League
3rd	Caleb Meinke	Duster	1B: American Lager	Madison Homebrewers & Tasters

Table 2: Dark Lager (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Metts Potter	Strike Two	8A: Munich Dunkel	Bloatarian Brewing League
2nd	Greg Sayler Co-Brewer: Dustin Lee	Dark Lager	3D: Czech Dark Lager
3rd	Adam Joyce	Danish Winter Lager	2C: International Dark Lager	Sun Prairie Worthogs

Table 3: Pale Bitter European (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Colby Reineke	Cultivate	5D: German Pils	Minnesota Home Brewers Association
2nd	Bill Gavin Co-Brewer: Roy Ventullo	Dortmunder the Great	5C: German Helles Exportbier	CRAZE
3rd	Charlie Madison	Kolsch	5B: Kölsch	Northern Brewer Fermentation Brigade

Table 4: European Amber (14 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Metts Potter	Adjacent	3C: Czech Amber Lager	Bloatarian Brewing League
2nd	Steve Ristau	Supercaliamberlicious!	2B: International Amber Lager
3rd	Metts Potter	Fall Weissbier	10B: Dunkels Weissbier	Bloatarian Brewing League

Table 5: International Pale Lager (8 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Patrick Ramsey Co-Brewer: Karla Grauberger	Jefe de Pista	2A: International Pale Lager
2nd	Timothy Wicklund	Hamster Style	2A: International Pale Lager	Keepers of Craft
3rd	Tyler Bye	Fast Lager	2A: International Pale Lager	Nordeast Brewers Alliance

Table 6: Pale Malty European Lager (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Adam Skjefstad	What the Helles Brian!	4A: Munich Helles	River City Brewers [MN]
2nd	Steve Towey	Maineck Maibock	4C: Helles Bock	Nordeast Brewers Alliance

Table 8: British (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Jeremy Glowicki	Days Are Dark	17C: Wee Heavy	Jordan Homebrewers
2nd	Joseph Belevender	Cuts You Up	13B: British Brown Ale	Pontiac Brewing Tribe
3rd	Kevin Olson	Saloot To Mamoot	13A: Dark Mild	ZZHops Homebrewing Club

Table 9: Irish and Scottish (8 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	David Fetty	Scottish Export	14C: Scottish Export	Brixie’s Brewers
2nd	Divesh Lakhi	Blood Of My Blood	15A: Irish Red Ale	Cedar Rapids Brewing Society
3rd	Metts Potter	Don’t Call It A Comeback	15B: Irish Stout	Bloatarian Brewing League
HM	Divesh Lakhi	Dark Sister	15C: Irish Extra Stout	Cedar Rapids Brewing Society

Table 10: American (12 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Steve Ristau	Rock Pile Porter	20A: American Porter
2nd	Eric Sanders	For Richer Or Porter II	20A: American Porter	Rochester Area Zymurgy Enthusiasts (RAZE)
3rd	Dan Ullsperger	Ullsperger Brewing – Hello Life Blonde Ale	18A: Blonde Ale

Table 11: Dark (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Dean Muldoon	Sooty Foot	9C: Baltic Porter	Chop & Brew
2nd	Michael Andrea	I’ve Got The Golden Ticket	16A: Sweet Stout
3rd	Andrew Lockwood	Quaker’s Blood	16B: Oatmeal Stout	Nordeast Brewers Alliance

Table 12: American IPA (10 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Brandon Pflipsen	Ddh Olive Street IPA	21A: American IPA	Northern Brewer Fermentation Brigade
2nd	Brandon Edwards	Cold Seas	21A: American IPA	Keepers of Craft
3rd	Colby Reineke	Golden Fall IPA	21A: American IPA	Minnesota Home Brewers Association

Table 13: Specialty IPA (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Adam Skjefstad	What’s the Haziest Beer You Have On Tap?	21C: Hazy IPA	River City Brewers [MN]
2nd	Joseph Belevender	Minor Transgression	21B2: Black IPA	Pontiac Brewing Tribe
3rd	Charlie Madison	Hazy Star	21C: Hazy IPA	Northern Brewer Fermentation Brigade

Table 14: Sour (12 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Dave Matson	Gose	23G: Gose	Minnesota Home Brewers Association
2nd	Adrian Swanson	Mn Lambic	23E: Gueuze	Nordeast Brewers Alliance
3rd	Adrian Swanson Co-Brewer: Nordeast Brewers Alliance	Flanders Red #8	23B: Flanders Red Ale	Nordeast Brewers Alliance
HM	Brian Stephens	Petra-Fication V4	28C: Wild Specialty Beer	Keepers Of Craft

Table 15: Pale Belgian (9 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Metts Potter	Thirsty Monk	26A: Belgian Single	Bloatarian Brewing League
2nd	Rick Gruye	A Ghost Is Born	24A: Witbier
3rd	Steve Ristau	All-Day B P A	24B: Belgian Pale Ale

Table 16: Strong Belgian (16 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Jim Ingebrigtsen Co-Brewer: Nick McLawhorn Steve Mittlestadt Mike Colling	Quadrophenia	26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale	Nordeast Brewers Alliance
2nd	Kevin Olson	Won The Bull Race	26C: Belgian Tripel	ZZHops Homebrewing Club
3rd	Patrick Williams Co-Brewer: Alex Williams	Honey I’m Home	25B: Saison
HM	Anthony Davis	Griz	25B: Saison

Table 17: Fruit (8 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Dave Matson	Ceiling Art	29A: Fruit Beer	Minnesota Home Brewers Association
2nd	John TeBockhorst	Resting Sour Face	29A: Fruit Beer	THIRSTY
3rd	Colby Reineke	Brunch Punch IPA	29A: Fruit Beer	Minnesota Home Brewers Association

Table 18: Spiced (12 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Divesh Lakhi	Lakhi Chai	30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer	Cedar Rapids Brewing Society
2nd	Mike Perman	Shitter’s Full	30C: Winter Seasonal Beer	Mansfield Homebrew Club
3rd	Brandon Pflipsen	Pumpkin Pie Ale	30B: Autumn Seasonal Beer	Northern Brewer Fermentation Brigade

Table 19: Smoked & Wood (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Brandon Pflipsen	Barrel Aged English Barleywine	33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer	Northern Brewer Fermentation Brigade
2nd	Brad Segall	Dragon’s Silk	33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer	Northern Brewer Fermentation Brigade
3rd	Ron Fitch	Bourbon Barrel Porter	33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer	Saint Paul Homebrewers Club
HM	Kyle Bonura	Th7: Up In Smoke	32A: Classic Style Smoked Beer	Brew Haven

The next education topic will be sweet: brewing sugars! The education for Thu Dec 15 7-9pm will cover this sticky topic. Brewers of all levels are encouraged to join and try some batches across traditional styles.

See you there! Cheers! 🍻

What makes a seasonal beer? The monthly education will cover just that!

Come join us Thu Nov 17 7-9pm at East Side Neighborhood Services to sample examples from the club members and hear some ideas on what makes seasonal beer special.

Cheers!

Belgian quad? Good.

FOUR Belgian quads? GREAT!

A few NBA members split a batch and finished their beers four different ways. The education topic at the monthly meeting will be to talk about what they did and how they are different. Bring some tasting glasses and stop by the meeting on Thursday, September 15 7:00 PM at East Side Neighborhood Services to try some yourself.

Schol! 🍻

What happens when you ferment lager yeast above the normal temperature range?

This month’s education topic will explore just that! We will talk about traditional lager styles and how this works for the new Cold IPA style. Get your tasting glasses ready and join us next week for the monthly meeting!

Happy Summer, all! It has been a great time to do some outdoor and garage brewing this year. We have the NBA Summer Party coming up next weekend, too! That would not be complete without the informal club low-gravity competition, potluck food with some grilling, and general revelry! All are welcome to join, so reach out if you are interested in meeting up, otherwise we can tell you all about it at an upcoming Taproom Takeover or before the next meeting.

Here are some quick updates from the last club meeting

• A few folks are researching new merch options — a sweatshirt and a winter hat. Some pretty cool options are in the works, so keep an eye out to stay warm this fall and winter.
• Homebrew Con was a great success and a few members talked about (some of) the revelry had in Pittsburgh and the great presentation put on by Aaron and Matt. Once the recordings are posted to the AHA site, you know we will be sharing that link!
• There are a few events coming up
  • Sat Jul 30 is the Summer Party at the palatial Mittelstaedt estates
  • Thu Aug 4 is Taproom Takeover at Barrel Theory, which lands on National IPA Day again, so come grab a hazy over in St. Paul
  • Nick is charting out another bike ride in August on the Minnehaha Creek
  • A few folks are coordinating a field trip and are looking at a craft beer train ride toward Duluth on October 7, so keep an eye out for that event!
• The yeast experiment is still going to happen, but there have been some delays in getting the wort creation on the calendar. Keep an eye out for more on that coming soon.
• Brew For Good, an amazing homebrew-only beer festival supporting ESNS, is happening in Sun Sep 18. If you are a brewer who would like to pour your beer for the public, reach out and we will get you connected. If you are a beer drinker who would like to try some one-of-a-kind beers available nowhere else, you definitely want to be there!
• A few barrels are being transferred over the next weeks and months
  • The Rittenhouse Rye barrel has Imperial Stout coming out and Doppelbock going in
  • The Lodi Lambic-style is getting the same pale sour recipe exchanged
  • HOBO is being emptied for the last time and then the barrel will be retired

Keep an eye on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for other events and updates as they happen. The club is open to anyone of any skill level to talk, learn, and experiment around our favorite fermented beverage. Come join us at a local taproom or monthly meeting any time!

Cheers! 🍻

Minnesota Homebrewers, here is your chance to share your brews with the public while supporting a great Minneapolis community organization, East Side Neighborhood Services!

Join this one-of-a-kind event at Forgotten Star Brewing Co. on Sunday, September 18 to showcase your unique beers, meads, and more. Sign up today as a club or individual!

Brew For Good – Brewer and Club Sign-Up

Make sure to tag #brewforgood as you brew, package, sample in preparation for this great event! Find more info about the event at brewforgood.com

Cheers! 🍺

NaCl? CaCl₂!? MgSO₄?!? What are these letters and numbers in my beer??

The monthly education topic is brewing salts: why we use them and how they affect beer. Pour yourself a tall glass of your brewing water and let’s chat about our favorite cations and anions!

Thursday, July 21 7:00-9:00pm at ESNS

All are welcome to join! Bring homebrew to share if you have some — and tasting glasses regardless! Cheers!

Happy Father’s Day to all the Brew Dad’s out there!

It was so nice out for the June meeting, we moved it outside to the ESNS pavilion. We shared some beers and talked about cream ale as the education. Here are some others notes for this month about recent and upcoming events and activities.

• Officer elections are in January with nominations being collected started in November. Tyler, the current Finance Director, has elected not to run for re-election, so that position will be open for nominations later this year. The election will also include the Communication Director and Vice President. Please feel free to reach out to anyone from the leadership committee if you have any questions or would like to discuss these roles.
• We have been looking into a vendor for one-off merch orders, but they have not been responsive since the site was set up, so we are investigating other options. We have some t-shirts, a few work shirts, and some tasting glasses in stock now. If anyone has a lead on a one-off merch shop we can research, please reach out!
• Our recent Taproom Takeover was a trip up to Coon Rapids to visit Alloy Brewing! A few members took the trip and we were happy to visit a great sponsor to our competitions!
• There are a few upcoming events:
  • This week a few members will be going out to Pittsburgh for Homebrew Con. Be sure to say hello if you see us around the convention!
  • On the first Thursday in July, we will be visiting Venn brewing for the monthly Taproom Takeover event. Come grab a pint!
  • Nick is coordinating more group bike rides between breweries. Keep an eye out in the club email and Discord for details around those casual strolls.
  • The Summer Party will take place at the palatial Mittelstaedt estates in Minnetonka on Saturday, July 30. That gives plenty of time to brew up a batch for the low gravity (≤5% ABV) competition and find a recipe for potluck side-dishes.
  • A few folks are researching a field trip later this year perhaps to a fresh hop harvest festival. Once we have more information, keep an eye out to join in.
• The Sour Times competition was a great success. We really enjoy this new competition in our rotation and look forward to doing it again! Thank you to everyone who entered a beer, helped judge, and helped coordinate! Congratulations to Adrian who won TWO first place prizes for his Flanders and Berliner entries!
• With more news to follow soon, Brew For Good will be returning in September with coordination from the NBA and partner homebrew clubs. This is exciting!
• The barrel committee met recently and tasted through the club barrels. There are a couple that are ready to come out — the imperial stout in the Rittenhouse Rye barrel, the pale sour in the HOBO barrel, and the pale sour in the Lodi lambic-style barrel — so keep an eye out about getting your beer and the opportunity to re-fill.
  • The HOBO barrel — Honey Oak Barrel One — was the first in the club barrel program. Based on some recent beers turning a bit ascetic, this barrel will be retired with this empty. There are some ideas on its replacement (tequila-barrel gose?! yes, please!), so more news will be shared as barrels are sourced and sign-up is announced.
• During the Beginner’s Corner section of the meeting, Carl brought up recently moving from Northeast Minneapolis to St. Anthony and finding that despite his zip code not changing, his water source did — and not favorably. He asked what members recommend for improving his water now.
  • A couple members recommended $0.39/gallon distilled from the grocery store
  • Tyler told the club about his recent installation of a tankless under-counter reverse osmosis system that generates 5 gallons in about 15 minutes.

Next month we will meet again at East Side Neighborhood Services, of course, where the education topic will be about brewing salts. We look forward to seeing you there!

Keep tabs on other events and news on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Brewers of all skill levels and experience are welcome to join us any time!

Cheers! 🍻

Thank you to everyone who entered, coordinated, and judged for the Sour Times homebrew competition. It was a huge success and there were many great beers. Here are the final results. Entrants can find their score sheets by logging into SourTimesNBA.com

Cheers!

Best of Show Winners  

Best of Show – Beer

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Colby Reineke	Deflecting Palm	28D: Straight Sour Beer	Minnesota Home Brewers Association
2nd	Jon Phillips	Mango Habanero Go-Zuh	28C: Wild Specialty Beer	C.H.A.O.S. Brew Club
3rd	Jon Phillips	Dragon of C.H.A.O.S.	LSX4: Catharina Sour	C.H.A.O.S. Brew Club

Winning Entries  

Table 1: Fruited Sour (12 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Jon Phillips	Dragon of C.H.A.O.S.	LSX4: Catharina Sour	C.H.A.O.S. Brew Club
2nd	Chico Milani	Andanzas – Sangue De Dragão	LSX4: Catharina Sour	Acerva Catarinense
3rd	Erich Boldt	Fruity Sour	LSX4: Catharina Sour	Minnesota Home Brewers Association

Table 2: American Wild Specialty (17 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Jon Phillips	Mango Habanero Go-Zuh	28C: Wild Specialty Beer	C.H.A.O.S. Brew Club
2nd	Drew Templeton	Guava Derp Face	28C: Wild Specialty Beer	Iowa Brewers Union [Des Moines, IA]
3rd	David Page Co-Brewer: Brad Gutierrez	6:30 Jump Off	28C: Wild Specialty Beer	East Side Brewers [IL]

Table 3: American Wild (14 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Colby Reineke	Deflecting Palm	28D: Straight Sour Beer	Minnesota Home Brewers Association
2nd	Jonathan Martins	Small Table	28A: Brett Beer
3rd	Anthony Davis	Coupage	28B: Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer	Minnesota Home Brewers Association

Table 4: Flanders (9 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Adrian Swanson	Flanders 0	23B: Flanders Red Ale	Nordeast Brewers Alliance
2nd	Timothy Wicklund	Hi-Diddily-Ho	23B: Flanders Red Ale	Keepers of Craft
3rd	Drew Templeton	Red Hair Rebels	23B: Flanders Red Ale	Iowa Brewers Union [Des Moines, IA]

Table 5: European Sour (8 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Adrian Swanson	Berliner Weisse	23A: Berliner Weisse	Nordeast Brewers Alliance
2nd	Edward O`Neill	So It Gose	23G: Gose	St. Louis Brews
3rd	Soren Jensen	Platypus	27A3: Lichtenhainer	Minnesota Home Brewers Association