Aurora Brewing Challenge 2026
Thanks to all who participated in the Aurora Brewing Challenge 2026.
There were 287 entries judged and 102 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 | Matt McNair | Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun | 30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Eric Pare Co-Brewer: Daniel Sadovsky | Radical Yeti | 3B: Czech Premium Pale Lager | MontreAlers |
| 3rd | Trevor Stevado | Billy Porter | 13C: English Porter | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
Winning Entries
Standard American Beer + International Lager (14 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Marc Molet-King | Careless Wheatbeer | 1D: American Wheat Beer | Winnipeg Brew Bombers |
| 2nd | Joel Dipert | Eleanor Rigby (Picks Up The Rice) | 2A: International Pale Lager | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Eric Gaudreault Co-Brewer: Philippe Deschênes | Caravane | 2B: International Amber Lager | MontreAlers |
Czech Lager (15 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Eric Pare Co-Brewer: Daniel Sadovsky | Radical Yeti | 3B: Czech Premium Pale Lager | MontreAlers |
| 2nd | Alexandre Metras | Pour Habit | 3D: Czech Dark Lager | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
| 3rd | Eric Parker | The Bohemian | 3B: Czech Premium Pale Lager | VanBrewers |
Pale European Lager: Malty and Bitter (15 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jim Cavill | Cuckolsch | 5B: Kölsch | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
| 2nd | Chris Bohaichuk | The Tears Of Mathew Tkachuk | 5C: German Helles Exportbier | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 3rd | Mark Caveny | Kolschinator | 5B: Kölsch | Red Deer Brewers |
German and NZ Pilsners (9 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Colin Green | Diat Pils | 5D: German Pils | GTA Brews |
| 2nd | Blaine Kehl | Eins Neun | 5D: German Pils | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 3rd | Wuilmer Venegas | More Close To Dormunt | 5D: German Pils | GTA Brews |
Amber European Lager: Malty and Bitter (13 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Wuilmer Venegas | Sweet Maillard | 6C: Dunkels Bock | GTA Brews |
| 2nd | Shane Schlesinger | Mowmow | 6A: Märzen | GTA Brews |
| 3rd | Michael Szewczuk | Inspired By Nolan | 7B: Altbier | Red Deer Brewers |
Dark and Strong European Lager (16 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Adam Bass | Finally!! | 8A: Munich Dunkel | |
| 2nd | Shane Schlesinger | May The Schwarz Bier With You | 8B: Schwarzbier | GTA Brews |
| 3rd | Colin Green | Doppel Bob | 9A: Doppelbock | GTA Brews |
Ciders (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Daniel Molinski | Pie Hard With A Vengeance | C2E: Cider with Herbs/Spices | Winnipeg Brew Bombers |
| 2nd | Alex Benjamin | White Peach Lime | C2B: Cider with Other Fruit | Redic Trials |
| 3rd | Alex Benjamin | Mcintosh | C1A: New World Cider | Redic Trials |
Weissbier and Belgian Wit (9 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Yacine Boujija | Roggen | 27A8: Roggenbier | MontreAlers |
| 2nd | Matt McNair | The Decline | 10C: Weizenbock | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Carsten Weitemeyer | DARK: Keep Raising, I'm Pouring | 10B: Dunkels Weissbier | GTA Brews |
| HM | Wuilmer Venegas | La Margara | 10A: Weissbier | GTA Brews |
Bitter British Beers (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Andrew Byer | English IPA | 12C: English IPA | GTA Brews |
| 2nd | Israel Michaud | Legacy Code V6b | 11B: Best Bitter | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
| 3rd | Wesley d'Haene | The Guvnah Made Me Do It | 11A: Ordinary Bitter | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Brown British Beer (13 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Trevor Stevado | Billy Porter | 13C: English Porter | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
| 2nd | Kyle Kellam | Alone Down There | 13B: British Brown Ale | GTA Brews |
| 3rd | Andrew Ford | LIVE EXTRA | 13C: English Porter | GTA Brews |
Scottish, Irish, Strong & Dark British Beer (15 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Chad Kling | Things I Could Not See | 17C: Wee Heavy | VanBrewers |
| 2nd | Joel Dipert | Dark Horse | 16C: Tropical Stout | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Colin Green | JOHNNY DAVIDSON! | 14B: Scottish Heavy | GTA Brews |
Pale American Ale (13 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Wesley d'Haene | I'M AS REAL AS THEY COME, FROM DAY ONE FOREVER BALLIN' | 18B: American Pale Ale | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | James Osborne | The Iron Road | 18A: Blonde Ale | |
| 3rd | Jordan Kathnelson | Lil' Sip Of Sunshine | 18B: American Pale Ale | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
American Ale: Amber, Brown and Dark (12 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Andrew Ford | LIVE EXTRA | 27A7: Pre-Prohibition Porter | GTA Brews |
| 2nd | Steve Shaw | Night Train | 20A: American Porter | Winnipeg Brew Bombers |
| 3rd | John Ruyter | Put On The Red Light | 19A: American Amber Ale | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
American IPA (13 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Chris Bohaichuk | Bob's Getting Pulled Tonight | 21A: American IPA | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 2nd | James Osborne | Sunset Express | 21A: American IPA | |
| 3rd | David Fournier | Hop Sammich | 22A: Double IPA | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
American Specialty IPA (9 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Andrew Ford | CMS 2.5 | 21B6: White IPA | GTA Brews |
| 2nd | Andrew Purschke | Panther Poison | 21C: Hazy IPA | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 3rd | Wesley d'Haene | MOVIN' LIKE A MAD MAN PSYCHOPATH, WARRIOR OF HIP HOPS | 21C: Hazy IPA | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Old World Sours and Brett Beers (9 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Brian Marmoreo | Swamp Witch | 23F: Fruit Lambic | |
| 2nd | Matt McNair | You Should Read More Often | 28A: Brett Beer | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Chris Bohaichuk | The Impenetrable Moustache Of Stewart Skinner | 28A: Brett Beer | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
Belgian Ale (12 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Matt McNair | Holiday In Cambodia | 25B: Saison | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Riccardo Santopietro Co-Brewer: Terry Fey | T&R Belgian Blonde | 25A: Belgian Blond Ale | MontreAlers |
| 3rd | Matt McNair | Witbier | 24A: Witbier | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
Monastic Ales and Hybrid Belgian Stouts (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Josh Davis | Ungoliant's Laurelin | 26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale | GTA Brews |
| 2nd | Blaine Kehl | Angular Momentum | 26B: Belgian Dubbel | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 3rd | Ryan Preston | Midnight Sun | 26A: Belgian Single | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
New World Sours (13 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Keigan Ewing | Also Ran | LSX4: Catharina Sour | True Grist |
| 2nd | Andrew Purschke | "Raspberry" Bouch Bomb | 28C: Wild Specialty Beer | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 3rd | Brian Marmoreo | Nosfuratu | 28C: Wild Specialty Beer |
Fruit Beers (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Andre Lavoie | Honey Mango Belgian Wit | 29C: Specialty Fruit Beer | Winnipeg Brew Bombers |
| 2nd | David Fournier | Belgian Peach | 29A: Fruit Beer | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
| 3rd | David Fournier | JFA Raspberry Sour | 29C: Specialty Fruit Beer | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
Spiced and Experimental Beers (12 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Matt McNair | Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun | 30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 2nd | Wesley d'Haene | I Think I'm Kinda Over Drum Sets | 30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | Cowtown Yeast Wranglers |
| 3rd | Steve Shaw | The Nutty Professor | 30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer | Winnipeg Brew Bombers |
Meads (19 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Trevor Murray | Kentucky Mead Pye | M2B: Pyment | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
| 2nd | Kristopher Banner | Honeysuckle Hysteria | M2E: Melomel | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 3rd | Trevor Murray | Meadjito | M3A: Fruit and Spice Mead | Ottawa's Homebrew Society |
Smoked and Wood Beers (12 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Andrew Purschke | Oilers In 5 | 33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 2nd | Andrew Purschke | As Black As Corey Perrys Soul (Playoff Addition) | 33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer | Edmonton Homebrewers Guild |
| 3rd | Normand Cyr MHP | MontreAlers Barrel-Aged BdG | 33A: Wood-Aged Beer | MontreAlers |