Aurora Brewing Challenge 2026
Awards
Aurora Brewing Challenge 2026
Sponsors
Judges
Rick Alaszkiewicz, Dustin Banks, Kristopher Banner, Jason Crichton, Linda Wood Edwards, Zack Filipe, Jason Foster, Dan Fox, Jonathan Freedman, Craig Lee, Alicia Marshall, Sean Marshall, Sonu Sahi, Marie-Annick Scott, Sarah Simard, Taylor Wacey, Christopher Watts, Greg Zeschuk
Stewards
Casey Browning, Rhonda Browning, Dustin Preece, Robert Taylor, Bernard Trevor, Tom Vogt, Bryan Whited
Staff
Jason Crichton, Alicia Marshall, Sean Marshall
By the Numbers
264 Entries
64 Entrants
18 Judges
7 Stewards
3 Staff
76 Placing Entries
Table 1: Standard American Beer: Lager + Cream Ale
9 entries
Judges: Dustin Banks, Alicia Marshall
1st
Eric Pare
MontreAlers
NixtaMazelization (31A: Alternative Grain Beer)
2nd
Jim Cavill
Ottawa's Homebrew Society
Creamed My Pints (1C: Cream Ale)
3rd
Chad Kling
VanBrewers
Cluster Hops Alas (27A6: Pre-Prohibition Lager)
Table 2: International Lager: Pale, Amber, Dark
11 entries
Judges: Jason Foster, Sarah Simard
1st
Andrew Purschke
Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
Godzilla Lager (2A: International Pale Lager)
2nd
Casey Szott
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Pancho Villa (2A: International Pale Lager)
3rd
Bill Riley
VanBrewers
Kicchin Dorinkaa (2A: International Pale Lager)
Table 3: Czech Lager: Pale, Premium, Dark
10 entries
Judges: Dan Fox, Taylor Wacey
1st
Wuilmer Venegas
GTA Brews
Power Up (3B: Czech Premium Pale Lager)
2nd
Bill Riley
VanBrewers
Tmave Pivo (3D: Czech Dark Lager)
3rd
Rick Alaszkiewicz
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
City of a Hundred Spires (3D: Czech Dark Lager)
Table 4: Pale Malty European Lager
9 entries
Judges: Zack Filipe, Dan Fox
1st
David Chang-Sang
GTA Brews
It's Gonna Be May (4C: Helles Bock)
2nd
Chad Kling
VanBrewers
Maibock, Maibock he’s got a knife (4C: Helles Bock)
3rd
Adrien Giddings
GTA Brews
Doom II: Helles on Earth (4A: Munich Helles)
Table 5: Pale Bitter European Beer:
11 entries
Judges: Rick Alaszkiewicz, Zack Filipe
1st
Leif Bogwald
Island Brewers Union (IBU)
Berserker Brew House Kolsch (5B: Kölsch)
2nd
Brian Marmoreo
St Michael (5C: German Helles Exportbier)
3rd
Matt McNair
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Yung Cellar Dweller (Rev D2) (27A1: Kellerbier)
Table 6: Amber Malty OR Bitter European Lager
8 entries
Judges: Kristopher Banner, Christopher Watts
1st
Chad Kling
VanBrewers
Belsnickel Bock (6C: Dunkels Bock)
2nd
Dustin Preece
Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
A Freudian Sip (7A: Vienna Lager)
3rd
Nolan Skogen
Red Deer Brewers
Men are from Märzen (6A: Märzen)
Table 7: Dark European Lager
11 entries
Judges: Jason Foster, Alicia Marshall
1st
Shane Schlesinger
GTA Brews
May The Schwarz Bier With You (8B: Schwarzbier)
2nd
Edward Chilton
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Schwarzbier (8B: Schwarzbier)
3rd
John Post
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Black Kat (8B: Schwarzbier)
Table 8: Regional Styles: German Wheat, Belgian Wit, NZ Pils
8 entries
Judges: Kristopher Banner, Craig Lee
1st
Wuilmer Venegas
GTA Brews
La margara (10A: Weissbier)
2nd
Matt McNair
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
The Decline (10C: Weizenbock)
3rd
Graham Barber
MontreAlers
Weizen Up (10A: Weissbier)
Table 9: British Beers
14 entries
Judges: Dustin Banks, Jason Crichton
1st
Wesley d'Haene
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
The Guvnah Made Me Do It Again (11A: Ordinary Bitter)
2nd
Chad Kling
VanBrewers
Plastic Melodrama (12A: British Golden Ale)
3rd
Mark Caveny
Chagford Mild (13A: Dark Mild)
Table 10: Strong Beer: European, British, American
8 entries
Judges: Jonathan Freedman, Christopher Watts
1st
Adam Bass
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Big Boi (17D: English Barley Wine)
2nd
Keigan Ewing
True Grist
The Bitter End (22C: American Barleywine)
3rd
Mark Caveny
Dreams of the Baltic (9C: Baltic Porter)
Table 11: Stouts: Irish, British, American
12 entries
Judges: Jason Crichton, Zack Filipe
1st
Dustin Preece
Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
Forge Daughter (15B: Irish Stout)
2nd
Brandel Rock
Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
RIS Stout (20C: Imperial Stout)
3rd
Carsten Weitemeyer
GTA Brews
Boneyard Guiness (15B: Irish Stout)
Table 12: Scottish and Irish Ales
8 entries
Judges: Marie-Annick Scott, Greg Zeschuk
1st
Andrew Ford
GTA Brews
Aye or Die! (15A: Irish Red Ale)
2nd
Edward Chilton
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
ScottishExport (14C: Scottish Export)
3rd
Daniel Bohnke-Jorgensen & Daniel Fairbrother Wally...
Red Deer Brewers
Righteous Red Ale (15A: Irish Red Ale)
Table 13: Pale American Ale
14 entries
Judges: Jonathan Freedman, Alicia Marshall
1st
Tyler McGill
Dos Amigos Pale ale (18B: American Pale Ale)
2nd
John Post
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Rye'not (18B: American Pale Ale)
3rd
Andrew Purschke
Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
West Coast Camper (18B: American Pale Ale)
HM
Ryan Preston
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
G-U-I-L-L-O-T-I-N-E (18B: American Pale Ale)
Table 14: American Amber, Brown, Porter
9 entries
Judges: Dustin Banks, Linda Wood Edwards
1st
Wesley d'Haene
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Two Poles on the Imaginary Axis (20A: American Porter)
2nd
Andrew Purschke
Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
Hammer Time (27A7: Pre-Prohibition Porter)
3rd
Jonathan Freedman
Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
Anchors Aweigh! (19B: California Common)
Table 15: American IPA and DIPA
12 entries
Judges: Craig Lee, Craig Lee, Sean Marshall, Sean Marshall
1st
Casey Szott
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Big Hop Hugs (21A: American IPA)
2nd
Brent Burgoyne
Island Brewers Union
Brown Dog IPA (21A: American IPA)
3rd
Brent Burgoyne
Island Brewers Union
Brown Dog IBU IPA (21A: American IPA)
Table 16: Specialty IPA
9 entries
Judges: Rick Alaszkiewicz, Dan Fox
1st
Ryan Preston
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
This Horrifying Force, The Desire to Brew (21B6: White IPA)
2nd
Casey Szott
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Str8jkt Jr. (21B: Specialty IPA)
3rd
Matt Epler
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Just Out For a RIPA (21B4: Red IPA)
Table 17: Hazy IPA
8 entries
Judges: Jason Crichton, Jonathan Freedman, Alicia Marshall
1st
Casey Szott
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
str8jkt (21C: Hazy IPA)
2nd
Shane Schlesinger
GTA Brews
Superdelic-ious & Krush-able (21C: Hazy IPA)
3rd
Mike Tucker
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Sunny Haze (21C: Hazy IPA)
Table 18: Sour and Wild Beers
14 entries
Judges: Marie-Annick Scott, Greg Zeschuk
1st
Brandel Rock
Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
3 Plums Too Many (28B: Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer)
2nd
Scott Sterling
True Grist
Brett Tart (28B: Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer)
3rd
Keigan Ewing
True Grist
Pucker Factor 12 (LSX4: Catharina Sour)
Table 19: Strong Belgian Ale
10 entries
Judges: Jonathan Freedman, Alicia Marshall, Sarah Simard
1st
Mike Tucker
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Saphir Saison (25B: Saison)
2nd
Matt McNair
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Amarillo Highway (25B: Saison)
3rd
Carsten Weitemeyer
GTA Brews
For Whom The Saison Tolls (25B: Saison)
Table 20: Monastic Ale
11 entries
Judges: Linda Wood Edwards, Zack Filipe
1st
Adrien Giddings
GTA Brews
Quadrophonic Bubonic (26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale)
2nd
Matt McNair
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Dark Days (26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale)
3rd
Ryan Preston
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Midnight Sun (26A: Belgian Single)
Table 21: Fruit Beer
9 entries
Judges: Dan Fox, Sonu Sahi, Sarah Simard
1st
Steve Shaw
Winnipeg Brew Bombers
Soniarita (29B: Fruit and Spice Beer)
2nd
Casey Szott
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
Brat Candy #02 (29C: Specialty Fruit Beer)
3rd
Brian Marmoreo
Chupacabra (29B: Fruit and Spice Beer)
Table 22: Spiced Beer
14 entries
Judges: Dustin Banks, Kristopher Banner
1st
Andrew Ford
GTA Brews
Chili Czech (30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)
2nd
Steve Shaw & Andre Lavoie
Winnipeg Brew Bombers
Obsidian Orchard (30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)
3rd
John Post
Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
O'Henry (30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)
Table 23: Smoked and Wood Aged Beers
9 entries
Judges: Linda Wood Edwards, Craig Lee
1st
Keigan Ewing
True Grist
Longer, Darker Voyage (33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer)
2nd
Andrew Purschke
Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
Centre of the Party (33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer)
3rd
Eric Gaudreault & Philippe Deschênes
MontreAlers
Weetabix (33A: Wood-Aged Beer)
Table 24: Specialty Beer: Mixed Style and Experimental
12 entries
Judges: Dustin Banks, Jason Crichton, Jason Foster
1st
Tyler McGill
West Coast pilsner (34B: Mixed-Style Beer)
2nd
Bill Riley
VanBrewers
Pontecorvo (34B: Mixed-Style Beer)
3rd
Eric Pare
MontreAlers
Funky Aged Saison (34B: Mixed-Style Beer)
Table 25: Mead and Cider
14 entries
Judges: Kristopher Banner, Craig Lee
1st
Matthew Parkinson
VanBrewers
Black Berry Cheese Cake (M4C: Experimental Mead)
2nd
Eric Williams
Ottawa's Homebrew Society
Banane au Rhum (M4C: Experimental Mead)
3rd
Matthew Parkinson
VanBrewers
The Regent (M1B: Semi-Sweet Mead)
Best of Show
Beer
1st
Wuilmer Venegas
GTA Brews
Power Up (3B: Czech Premium Pale Lager)
2nd
Brandel Rock
Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
3 Plums Too Many (28B: Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer)
3rd
Adrien Giddings
GTA Brews
Quadrophonic Bubonic (26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale)
Brewer of the year
64 Participating Brewers [Scoring Methodology]
| Place | Brewer | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Score | Club |
|---|
| 1st | Casey Szott | 2 | 3 | 0 | 12.0205000 | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Wuilmer Venegas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9.0303000 | GTA Brews |
| 3rd | Andrew Purschke | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8.0104000 | Edmonton Homebrewers... |
| Chad Kling | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8.0104000 | VanBrewers |
| 5th | Brandel Rock | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7.0103000 | Edmonton Homebrewers... |
Club of the year
13 Participating Clubs [Scoring Methodology]
| Place | Club | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | HM | Score |
|---|
| 1st | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers | 7 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 46.0723000 |
| 2nd | GTA Brews | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 30.0813000 |
| 3rd | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild | 3 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 21.0310000 |
| 4th | VanBrewers | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 17.0209000 |
| 5th | True Grist | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8.0104000 |
| 6th | MontreAlers | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6.0104000 |
| 7th | Winnipeg Brew Bombers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.0102000 |
| 8th | Ottawa's Homebrew Society | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4.0002000 |
| 9th | Island Brewers Union (IBU) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0101000 |
| 10th | Island Brewers Union | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3.0002000 |
Scoring Methodology
Each placing entry is given the following points:
- 1st Place: 3
- 2nd Place: 2
- 3rd Place: 1
The following tie-breakers have been applied, in order of priority:
- The highest number of first places.
- The highest total number of first, second, and third places.
- The highest average score.
Thank You
Congratulations to All Medal Winners
