Aurora Brewing Challenge 2026
Thanks to all who participated in the Aurora Brewing Challenge 2026.
There were 259 entries judged and 112 registered participants, judges, and stewards.
Past Winners
View past winners:
Best of Show Winners
Best of Show – Beer
| Place | Brewer | Entry Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Paul Heslop | Lemony Snicket | 34C: Experimental Beer | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Andrew Purschke Co-Brewer: Chris Bohaichuk | F*** U Bobrovsky | 28B: Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 3rd | Andrew Purschke Co-Brewer: Chris Bohaichuk | Oilers In 7 | 30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
Winning Entries
American Lager & Cream Ale (8 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | James Kennedy | Zen And The Art Of Lawn Mowing | 1C: Cream Ale | GTA Brews |
| 2nd | Riccardo Santopietro | Rolling Rick | 1A: American Light Lager | MontreAlers |
| 3rd | Lennart Becker | Mexican Lager | 1B: American Lager | VanBrewers |
International Lager & Pale Malty European Lager (9 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Doug Charlish | Dark Lager | 2C: International Dark Lager | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | David Chang-Sang | Tanja: Die Blume Des Frühlings | 4C: Helles Bock | GTA Brews |
| 3rd | Josh Edwards MHP | Taco's Lager | 2A: International Pale Lager | Brewnosers |
Czech Lager (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Nolan Skogen | Back Czech Fore Czech Pay Czech | 3D: Czech Dark Lager | Red Deer Brewers |
| 2nd | Cameron Norton | Jurassic Lager | 3C: Czech Amber Lager | |
| 3rd | Mark Caveny | Dark Side Of Lucy | 3D: Czech Dark Lager | Red Deer Brewers |
Pale Bitter European Beer (12 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | James Kennedy | Making Things Yourself Is Important | 5B: Kölsch | GTA Brews |
| 2nd | David Ward Co-Brewer: Scott Lechelt | If You Ain't First You're Last | 5B: Kölsch | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Andrew Ford | No Frills | 5A: German Leichtbier | Cottage Country Brewers |
German and NZ Pilsner (9 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Chad Kling | Shine A Light | 5D: German Pils | VanBrewers |
| 2nd | Patrick Paugh | NZ Pils | LSX5: New Zealand Pilsner | Island Brewers Union |
| 3rd | Ron McReavy | No-Pressure Pils | 5D: German Pils | GTA Brews |
Wheat Beer & Sahti (8 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ken Krochmal | Finnish Juniper Rye | 27A9: Sahti | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 2nd | Martin Goulet | Garden Wits | 24A: Witbier | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
| 3rd | Martin Goulet | Garden Wheat | 10A: Weissbier | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
Dark & Strong European Beer (8 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Chad Kling | Belsnickel Bock | 9A: Doppelbock | VanBrewers |
| 2nd | Paul Heslop | JustEis | 9B: Eisbock | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Joel Dipert | Munich 66 | 8A: Munich Dunkel | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Amber European Beer (13 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Mike Pal | Rauchbier | 6B: Rauchbier | Battle River Brewers |
| 2nd | Shane Schlesinger | Mowmow | 6A: Märzen | GTA Brews |
| 3rd | Lennart Becker | Räucherla | 6B: Rauchbier | VanBrewers |
English Bitters & IPA (9 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kammryn Dancy | LoFi Murmur | 12C: English IPA | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Doug Charlish | ESB | 11C: Strong Bitter | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Kammryn Dancy | Puny Pleasant | 11C: Strong Bitter | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Brown British Beer (10 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Steve Shaw | Mild Thing | 13A: Dark Mild | Winnipeg Brew Bombers |
| 2nd | Miro Sep | Pukka Mild | 13A: Dark Mild | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
| 3rd | Daniel Molinski | Blue Bridge Dark | 13A: Dark Mild | Winnipeg Brew Bombers |
Dark & Strong British Beer (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Dan Copeland | Old Dubious | 17A: British Strong Ale | GTA Brews |
| 2nd | David Ward Co-Brewer: Scott Lechelt | Get Off My Lawn | 17B: Old Ale | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Paul Heslop | Nessi | 17C: Wee Heavy | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Scottish & Irish Beer (12 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ted Chilton | Scottish Export | 14C: Scottish Export | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Adam Bass | Beery McFly | 14C: Scottish Export | |
| 3rd | Kris Walter | Irish Red | 15A: Irish Red Ale | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
Pale American Ale (10 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Daniel Molinski | Blue Bridge Blonde | 18A: Blonde Ale | Winnipeg Brew Bombers |
| 2nd | Robert Brown Co-Brewer: Jessica Lopez | The Chad | 18B: American Pale Ale | Red Deer Brewers |
| 3rd | Nolan Skogen | 100 Lakes | 18B: American Pale Ale | Red Deer Brewers |
American IPA (8 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Chad Kling | It's Ice | 21A: American IPA | VanBrewers |
| 2nd | Casey Szott | Big Hop Hugs | 21A: American IPA | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Jordan Kathnelson | Sippin' On Sunshine | 21A: American IPA | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
American Wild Ale (9 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Andrew Purschke Co-Brewer: Chris Bohaichuk | F*** U Bobrovsky | 28B: Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 2nd | Kevin Doddridge Co-Brewer: Session Bread | Kronastery Funk | 28A: Brett Beer | Misty Mountain Mashers |
| 3rd | Shaun Hill Co-Brewer: Adam Melejko | Wet & Wild Ale | 28A: Brett Beer | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Cider & Mead (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Kristopher Banner | Golden Mane | M1B: Semi-Sweet Mead | |
| 2nd | Daniel Molinski | Blue Bridge Cider | C2B: Cider with Other Fruit | Winnipeg Brew Bombers |
| 3rd | Kris Walter | Cranberry Mead | M2E: Melomel | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
Specialty & Alternative Beers (14 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Paul Heslop | Lemony Snicket | 34C: Experimental Beer | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Danilo Francoso | Blonde Arabica | 34B: Mixed-Style Beer | |
| 3rd | Joel Dipert | Too Many People | 34B: Mixed-Style Beer | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Amber & Brown American Beer (7 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Brady MacDonald | Peace Maker | 19A: American Amber Ale | Battle River Brewers |
| 2nd | Dustin Preece | Make It So Amber One | 19A: American Amber Ale | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 3rd | Brady MacDonald | Bunny Hop Brown | 19C: American Brown Ale | Battle River Brewers |
Belgian Ale (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Sean O'Donnell | Carry The One | 24C: Bière de Garde | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
| 2nd | Cory Fletcher | Fletcher's Fine Belgian Blond | 25A: Belgian Blond Ale | GTA Brews |
| 3rd | John Ruyter | Heart Of Gold | 25A: Belgian Blond Ale | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Monastic Ale (10 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | David Ward | West Is Best | 26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Josh Davis | Ungoliant's Laurelin | 26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale | GTA Brews |
| 3rd | John Ruyter | Dubbelo Honey | 26B: Belgian Dubbel | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Hazy IPA (14 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Robert Brown Co-Brewer: Jessica Lopez | One Hazy Weekend | 21C: Hazy IPA | Red Deer Brewers |
| 2nd | Wesley d'Haene | Tenets Of The Terpene Temple | 21C: Hazy IPA | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Andrew Ford | CMS | 21C: Hazy IPA | Cottage Country Brewers |
Fruit Beer (8 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Casey Szott | Carnage | 29B: Fruit and Spice Beer | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Joel Dipert | Daisy Chain | 29A: Fruit Beer | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Mike Pal | Mango Wheat | 29A: Fruit Beer | Battle River Brewers |
Spiced Beer (9 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Andrew Purschke Co-Brewer: Chris Bohaichuk | Oilers In 7 | 30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 2nd | Steve Shaw | Minahikwak | 30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | Winnipeg Brew Bombers |
| 3rd | Reginald P. Picklefeather III | Vinter Schtout | 30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | GTA Brews |
American Porter & Stout (7 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Markus Ebner | Escape Velocity | 20C: Imperial Stout | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Sean O'Donnell | Sundown | 20A: American Porter | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
| 3rd | Paul Heslop | Black Snake Jake | 20C: Imperial Stout | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Smoked & Wood Beer (6 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Eric Pare Co-Brewer: MontreAlers Barrel Program | Aged Czar Revenge | 33A: Wood-Aged Beer | MontreAlers |
| 2nd | Markus Ebner | Singularity | 33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Andrew Purschke Co-Brewer: Chris Bohaichuk | Aged As Finely As The Panthers Hopes | 33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
European & Brazilian Sour (7 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Scott Nanson | Great Ceaser' Gose | 23G: Gose | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 2nd | Trevor Stevado | Asgardian Ambrosia | LSX4: Catharina Sour | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
| 3rd | Ryan Preston | Tongue Splitter | 23F: Fruit Lambic | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Specialty IPA & Strong American Ale (8 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Markus Ebner | FWS9L | 22C: American Barleywine | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Wesley d'Haene | Jam Those Hops In My Pie Hole | 22A: Double IPA | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Jordan Kathnelson | Off-Scale Alpha | 22A: Double IPA | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |