Raising a Glass

Here are the winners of the 10th Virginia Craft Beer Cup (2022).

Congratulations to all the winners and competitors that entered. A record 106 breweries competed in this year’s competition which included 14 new participants! Brewers were able to submit up to four beers to be judged in 33 different categories. A record 396 beers were entered in the competition. The award ceremony was held on Aug. 8, 2022, at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery West Creek.

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, Hardywood 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 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

BEST IN SHOW

First Place: Decipher Brewing, Barley Late Kölsch
Second Place: Harvest Gap Brewery, Devil Dog
Third Place: Port City Brewing, Optimal Wit