The Virginia Craft Beer Cup is a very big deal in the Mid-Atlantic brewing community. It remains the largest state competition of its kind in the United States and the most important Virginia-only craft beer competition in the Commonwealth.

Sponsored annually by the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, this year’s competition featured 396 beers in 33 categories.  A record 106 breweries competed in 2022 which included 14 new participants.

This year’s competition was managed by Head Judge, Charlie Harr, and took place at Old Ox Brewery in Ashburn, Virginia.

“Wow, what a great competition!” said Charlie Harr, “It was clearly evident in the tight race that every brewery is extremely dedicated to the craft and their dedication is inspiring. This year’s competition proves Virginia has some of the best craft brewers in the nation.”

And now (drum roll please) the 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup winners…

BEST IN SHOW First Place – Decipher Brewing, Barley Late Kölsch Second Place – Harvest Gap Brewery, Devil Dog Third Place – Port City Brewing, Optimal Wit

ALTERNATIVE GRAIN(S) or SUGAR(S) First Place – Makers Craft Brewery, Bragadocious Second Place – Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Lucky Cat Third Place – No award in this category

AMBER ALES First Place – Lake Anne Brew House, Reston Red Second Place – Iron Pipe Alewerks, Sassenach Third Place – The Garage Brewery, Rusted Nail Amber Ale

AMBER LAGERS First Place – Caboose Brewing Company, Vienna Lager Second Place – Bingo Beer Company, Costa Chica Third Place – Black Hoof Brewing Company, Full Quiver Marzen

AMERICAN LAGERS First Place – Richbrau Brewing Company, Richbrau Lager Second Place – Cedar Run Brewery, Tiller Lite Lager Third Place – Harvest Gab Brewery, Stud Lite

BELGIAN WIT First Place – Port City Brewing Company, Optimal Wit Second Place – Ornery Beer Company, Down Wit It Third Place – No award in this category

BRITISH BITTERS First Place – Cooling Pond Brewery, Boswell’s Tavern Very Special Bitter Second Place – Dancing Kilt Brewery, Bitter Duergar Ale Third Place – Caiseal Beer and Spirits Co., Red Ale

BROWN ALE First Place – Tradition Brewing Company, Tradition Honey Brown Second Place – Skipping Rock Beer Company, Roasted Pecan Brown Ale Third Place – Three Leg Run, Paper Boy Brown Ale Honorable Mention – Caboose Brewing Company, Boxcar Brown

CREAMS and BLONDES First Place – Pale Fire Brewing Company, Taking Water Second Place – Barley Naked Brewing Company, For Fox Sake Third Place – Old Ox Brewery, Cream Ale

DARK EUROPEAN LAGERS First Place – Twin Creeks Brewing Company, Black Bar Bier Second Place – Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern, Rusty Roadrunner Lager Third Place – Barley Naked Brewing Company, Drop Your Schwarz

DOUBLE IPA First Place – Alesation Brewing Company, Hopsneeze Gen2 Second Place – Tucked Away Brewing Company, Not My Problem Third Place – Chaos Mountain Brewing, Shut Up John

EUROPEAN SOUR First Place – Strangeways Brewing Company, Uberlin Second Place – Stable Craft, Porch Sipping Third Place – No award in this category

EXPERIMENTAL First Place – Benchtop Brewing Company, Trial of Dmitri Second Place – Benchtop Brewing Company, Rice Cubed Third Place – Blue Mountain Barrel House, Raspberries on Acid

FRUIT First Place – South Street Brewery, Bluesbuester Second Place – Big Ugly Brewing, Hot Pursuit Third Place – Blue Mountain Brewery, Drink a Peach Honorable Mention – Lake Anne Brew House, All That Razz

GERMAN AND AMERICAN WHEAT First Place – 2 Silos Brewing Company, Hefe Second Place – The Virginia Beer Company, Saving Daylight Third Place – Barnhouse Brewery, Harvest Hefe

HAZY IPA First Place – Three Notch’d Brewing Company, King of Clouds Juicy IPA Second Place – Stable Craft, Robot Cowboy Third Place – Long Way Brewing, Forecast: Downpour

INTERNATIONAL LAGER First Place – Caboose Brewing Company, Bienvenidos Mexican Lager Second Place – Stone Brewing, Stone Buenaveza Salt & Lime Lager Third Place – 2 Silos Brewing, Dos Silos

IPA First Place – Precarious Beer Project, Chug Rug Second Place – Ornery Beer Company, Pacific Waves Third Place – Big Lick Brewing Company, The GreeHeen

IRISH RED First Place – Old House Vineyards, Irish Red Second Place – Barley Naked Brewing Company, Rockhill Irish Red Third Place – No award in this category Honorable Mention – Tradition Brewing Company, Red Willie

KÖLSCH First Place – Decipher Brewing, Barley Late Kölsch Second Place – Jack Mason’s Tavery and Brewery, Log Hopper Kölsch Third Place – Bear Chase Brewing Company, Kodiak Kölsch

MIXED FERMENTATION First Place – Richbrau Brewing Company, Passionfruit Guava King of Strays Sour Ale Second Place – Fine Creek Brewing Company, Biere De Coupage Third Place – Fine Creek Brewing Company, Barrel Aged Golden Sour

MONASTIC ALE First Place – Nansemond Brewing Station, Golden Express Belgian Singel Second Place – Great Valley Farm Brewery and Winery, Belgian Blonde Third Place – Barking Rose Brewing Co + Farm, Downton Abbey Ale

PALE ALES First Place – Alewerks Brewing Company, Chesapeake Pale Ale Second Place – Olde Salem Brewing Company, Moonlight Mile Third Place – No award in this category

PALE EUROPEAN LAGERS First Place – Harvest Gap Brewery, Devil Dog Second Place – Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Hardwood Fighting Hokies Lager Third Place – Black Hoof Brewing Company, Broadside

PILSNER First Place – Caboose Brewing Company, Das Gut Second Place – Blue Mountain Brewery, Classic Lager Third Place – Beltway Brew Co, Pilsner

PORTERS First Place – Port City Brewing Company, Porter Second Place – Heliotrope Brewery, Charm Offensive Third Place – Alewerks Brewing Company, Protocol Porter

SAISON First Place – Crazy Rooster Brewing Company, Touche De Gris Second Place – Barking Rose Brewing Co + Farm, Farmhand Third Place – Eastern Divide Brewing Company, Siege of Savannah Saison

SMOKE First Place – The Farm Brewery at Broad Run, Piggyback Second Place – WildManDan Brewery, We are Pivo Third Place – Stone Brewing, Stone Smokin’ with The Gnomies

SPECIALTY IPA First Place – No award in this category Second Place – Benchtop Brewing Company, Blanc Water Third Place – Lost Barrel Brewing, Tangerine Imperial IPA

STOUTS First Place – Harpers Ferry Brewing Company, Pollywog Irish Stout Second Place – Moon Hollow Brewing, New Moon Milk Stout Third Place – Gloucester Brewing Company, Shucking Good

STRONG ALE First Place – Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern, Bishops Pass Ale Second Place – Decipher Brewing, Artemis Third Place – Water’s End Brewery, Barley Beast

STRONG EUROPEAN LAGERS First Place – Wasserhund Brewing Company, Zero Tolerance Second Place – Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, Prototype Delta 1 Doppelbock Third Place – Broken Window Brewing Company, The Lumber Snack

VEGETABLE/SPICE First Place – St George Brewing Company, Honey Mead Lager Second Place – Richbrau Brewing Company, Edgar Imperial Coffee Stout Third Place – Cova Brewing Company, Coffee Snob

WOOD First Place – The Farm Brewery at Broad Run, Breezy Second Place – South Street Brewery, Barrel Aged Satan’s Pony Third Place – Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Hardywood Gingerbread Barleywine Honorable Mention – Cedar Run Brewery, Barrel Aged Old Odder Barley Wine w/ Vanilla

Award winners will be featuring their beers in their tasting rooms and through their wholesale and retail partners. The VCBG encourages craft beer enthusiasts to visit these breweries and try these great brews

Congratulations to all of this year’s Virginia Craft Beer Cup winners….Live long and prosper!

Posted by: AmericanCraftBeer.com August 19, 2022 0