30th Spirit Of Free Beer (SOFB) 2024 Homebrew Competition
Thanks to all who participated in the 30th Spirit Of Free Beer (SOFB) 2024 Homebrew Competition.
There were 207 entries judged and 174 registered participants, judges, and stewards.
Best of Show Winners
Best of Show – Beer
| Place | Brewer | Entry Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Cole Christian Co-Brewer: Paulette Palacios | Porter Alfredson | 13C: English Porter | DC Homebrewers |
| 2nd | Mark Hogenmiller | Le Petit Bouffon | 28B: Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 3rd | Matthew Pyle | Worthy | 19B: California Common | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
Bill Moe Award
The Bill Moe Award is given for the best extract-based beer. Entries do not have to be completely extract based. However, at least 50% of the fermentables must be based on malt extract.
| Place | Brewer | Entry Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Keith Blanchard | Return Of The Highwayman | 25B: Saison | Morris Area Society of Homebrewers |
Winning Entries
Table 1: Light American Beer (12 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Gavin Graham | Up The Yard | 18A: Blonde Ale | |
| 2nd | Alex Hannagan MHP | Haze Of Empires | 1D: American Wheat Beer | |
| 3rd | Chad Faulstick MHP | Chettyweiser | 1A: American Light Lager | Wheeling Alers |
Table 2: Czech Lager (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Wendy Aaronson Co-Brewer: Bill Ridgely | Suave T'Mave | 3D: Czech Dark Lager | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 2nd | Robert Stevens | RoAnne Cerne | 3D: Czech Dark Lager | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 3rd | Wendy Aaronson Co-Brewer: Bill Ridgely | Bohemian Rhapsody | 3B: Czech Premium Pale Lager | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
Table 3: Pale Malty European Lager (7 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ross Stuart MHP | Festbier | 4B: Festbier | Arizona Society of Homebrewers |
| 2nd | Javier Murillo | Munich Hello | 4A: Munich Helles | The Brü Club |
| 3rd | Evan Brill | Little Lost Slone | 2A: International Pale Lager | Louisville Area Grain and Extract Research Society, LTD |
Table 4: Pale Bitter European Beer (7 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Edward Bielaus Co-Brewer: Boris Barrere | Barnaby Struve And Menninger Memorial Dortmunder | 5C: German Helles Exportbier | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 2nd | Tracy Pratt MHP | Good Day On The Rhine | 5B: Kölsch | Battleground Brewers Guild |
| 3rd | Greg Leifer | Farewell Old Friend | 5B: Kölsch | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
Table 5: Amber European Lager (17 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | John Douglass Co-Brewer: Jim Oneal | Douglass Dunkel | 6C: Dunkels Bock | |
| 2nd | Kenneth Christian | Schneeballschl-Alt | 7B: Altbier | Zymurnauts |
| 3rd | Anthony Erdman | Rauchbier | 6B: Rauchbier |
Table 6: Dark & Strong European Beer (6 entries)
Table 7: Pale British Beer (11 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Greg Leifer | Especiale | 11B: Best Bitter | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 2nd | Wendy Aaronson Co-Brewer: Bill Ridgely | Raccoon Redux | 11C: Strong Bitter | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 3rd | Robert Stevens | RoAnne Bitter | 11A: Ordinary Bitter | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
Table 8: Scottish Ale & Irish Beer (10 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Robert Stevens | RoAnne Scottish Heavy | 14B: Scottish Heavy | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 2nd | Colby Black | 320 Irish Red | 15A: Irish Red Ale | Wheeling Alers |
| 3rd | Ross Stuart MHP | Irish Red | 15A: Irish Red Ale | Arizona Society of Homebrewers |
Table 9: Stout (21 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Colleen Cannon Co-Brewer: Tom Cannon Cindy Duerr | Gaping Bunghole Stout | 15B: Irish Stout | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 2nd | Matt Hartog | Summertime Imperial Stout | 20C: Imperial Stout | |
| 3rd | Patrick Smith MHP | TSAR | 20C: Imperial Stout | Seven City Brewers |
Table 10: American Amber & California Common (8 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Matthew Pyle | Worthy | 19B: California Common | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 2nd | David White | Cally Common | 19B: California Common | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 3rd | Evan Brill | Red Mosquito | 19A: American Amber Ale | Louisville Area Grain and Extract Research Society, LTD |
| HM | Dave Taylor | Angler's Steam Beer | 19B: California Common | Keystone Hops |
Table 11: American Pale (7 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Matt Peppe MHP | Night Owl | 18B: American Pale Ale | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 2nd | Brian Gray | Hearse-Quencher | 18B: American Pale Ale | |
| 3rd | Brian Gray | Lunchpale Ale | 18B: American Pale Ale |
Table 12: Brown Ale (6 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Colby Black | 320 Brown Ale | 19C: American Brown Ale | Wheeling Alers |
| 2nd | Jim Williamson | Darby Day | 13B: British Brown Ale | |
| 3rd | Jim Williamson | Will's Brown Ale | 19C: American Brown Ale | |
| HM | Wendy Aaronson Co-Brewer: Bill Ridgely | Miner's Light | 13A: Dark Mild | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
Table 13: Porter (9 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Cole Christian MHP Co-Brewer: Paulette Palacios | Porter Alfredson | 13C: English Porter | DC Homebrewers |
| 2nd | Edward Bielaus Co-Brewer: Boris Barrere | Blau Schmillcus And Ferdinand Sheep Memorial English Porter | 13C: English Porter | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 3rd | Jim Clapp | Patriot Porter | 20A: American Porter | Keystone Hops |
Table 14: IPA (18 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Jim Clapp | Poke You In The | 21A: American IPA | Keystone Hops |
| 2nd | Ross Stuart MHP | Hazy IPA | 21C: Hazy IPA | Arizona Society of Homebrewers |
| 3rd | Ross Stuart MHP | English IPA | 12C: English IPA | Arizona Society of Homebrewers |
Table 15: Sour, Wild, Historic & Specialty Ale (9 entries)
Table 16: Belgian Ale & German Wheat (12 entries)
Table 17: Monastic Ale (13 entries)
| Place | Brewer | Name | Style | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Tracy Pratt MHP | Shimae All Day | 26B: Belgian Dubbel | Battleground Brewers Guild |
| 2nd | Jeanie Osburn | Single Late Start | 26A: Belgian Single | Brewers United for Real Potables (BURP) |
| 3rd | Jim Clapp | Dirigible | 26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale | Keystone Hops |
Table 18: Fruit Beer (7 entries)
Table 19: Spice Beer (7 entries)
Table 20: Smoke & Wood Beer (9 entries)
Judging Sessions
Morning Session at Silver Branch Brewing
04/06/2024 9:00 AM, EDT.
Afternoon Session at Silver Branch Brewing
04/06/2024 1:00 PM, EDT.
Best of Show Judging at Silver Branch Brewing
04/06/2024 5:00 PM, EDT.
Account Registration Closed
Account registrations accepted 02/09/2024 12:00 AM, EST through 04/06/2024 9:00 AM, EDT.
Registrations for judges or stewards accepted 02/26/2024 12:00 AM, EST through 03/31/2024 12:00 PM, EDT.
Entry Registration Closed
Entry registrations accepted 02/09/2024 12:00 AM, EST through 04/06/2024 9:00 AM, EDT.
Entry Drop-Off Closed
Entry bottles accepted at drop-off locations 02/09/2024 12:00 PM, EST — 03/29/2024 1:00 PM, EDT.
Please pay attention to the notes provided for each drop-off location. There could be earlier deadlines for some drop-off locations listed, particular hours when entries are accepted, certain individuals to leave your entries with, etc. All entrants are responsible for reading the information provided by the organizers for each drop-off location.
Entry Shipping Closed
Entry bottles accepted at the shipping location 02/09/2024 12:00 AM, EST — 03/29/2024 12:00 PM, EDT.