San Diegans won nine medals at the 2023 National Homebrew Competition, the world’s largest collection of amateur home brewers competing for gold.
The event, with beer, mead, and cider entries, was part of the 45th-Annual Homebrew Con at the Town and Country Resort in Mission Valley.
Five gold medals were awarded to local brewers:
- Travis Hammond of Santee in the Spice Mead category (49 entries)
- Brandon Holt, with Kevin Holt, in the Pale Ale category (123 entries)
- Robert Knipper of San Marcos in the Specialty IPA category (115 entries)
- David Moore, with David Harbick, of Carlsbad in the Wood-Aged Beer category (103 entries), and
- Lucas Orr in the Strong British Ale category (77 entries).
“San Diego County is full of some of the world’s best brewers on both professional and amateur levels,” said San Diego Brewers Guild board member Erik Fowler. “We are excited to see all the recognition for the amazing beers being made here, whether at a brewery or at home.”
The other local winners:
- Silver – Kevin and Kazuko Masaryk, Specialty IPA category; Scott Rauvola, Seasonal Spiced Beer category (39 entries), and Billy and Theresa Wilks, American Wild Ale (91 entries).
- Bronze – Christopher Johnson, Irish & British Stout (161 entries)
The competition included more than 4,300 beers from 1,708 brewers in 40 categories. Entrants represented all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 13 countries.
Knipper won a medal for the second year in a row after taking home a silver in the Strong American Ale category in 2022. The Wilks also won a medal for the second straight year after their gold in the American Porter & Stout category in 2022.
San Diego served as the site of Homebrew Con for the third time in the event’s history, following the 2011 and 2015 editions. The three-day conference, which concluded June 24, was put on by the Brewers Association and American Homebrewers Association.
