Competitions

GNBC Competitions

Check out our Facebook Events page for details about upcoming competitions!

GNBC competitions for 2023 are:

Competition Date Sponsor
Golden Carboy

Haines Brewfest (TBD)

April 13

May 25

Denali Brewing/GNBC

SE State

Tartside Challenge

Denali Wort Share 23

Alaska State Fair

TBD

TBD

August

Turnagain Brewing

Denali Brewing

Fair

Cooper Landing Big Brew

Fantasy Draught Draft

Big Fish

Others ?

TBD

TBD

Dec.

TBD

Cooper Landing

GNBC

Humpys

…..

Entry forms can be found at this link: BJCP Website Entry Recipe Form (pdf)

Home Brewer of the Year Point System (standings here)

The GNBC HBOTY program recognizes excellence in brewing as well as contributions to GNBC’s competitions.  Currently HBOTY is on hold since 2020.

This page outlines the scoring system, activities, and competitions eligible for the program.

Recognizing the importance of giving back to competitions, candidates must participate in at least one competition during the program year to be eligible for HBOTY, either by organizing (up to two organizers per event) or judging one or more flights at an event.

Each entry needs a BJCP 2015 Style Guidelines category/subcategory and the style group for judging purposes. If a style group below category isn’t specified, competition organizers will place the beer into what is deemed to be the most appropriate category. HBOTY points and Best of Show eligibility are based on standardized groups of styles as shown below, after information about each of the competitions.

Except as specified by each competition, brewers may only submit one entry per BJCP subcategory. Other than that constraint, there is no other limit to the number of entries a brewer may make. However, the highest score a brewer receives in each style group is the only one that will count towards HBOTY points (one may NOT get points for multiple entries in a single style group). If an HBOTY entry wins BOS and/or Brewer’s Choice, it will receive an additional 2 points (if it wins both, it will receive only 2 extra points).

Our competitions use the 2015 style guidelines. Style guidelines are here: BJCP Style Guidelines.

Points for Entering Beers

Your highest score in each category is the only one that will count towards HBOTY points (you may NOT get points for multiple beers in a category). If your HBOTY entry wins BOS or Brewer’s Choice, you will receive an additional 2 points (if one entry wins both BOS & Brewer’s Choice, you’ll only receive the 2 extra points).

Entries are scored by style groups outlined on this page. Placement points are awarded as follows:

Entry points will be awarded as follows:

Award HBOTY Entry Points (Maximum)
1st Place General 3
2nd Place General 2
3rd Place General 1
1st Place Side Challenge 6
2nd Place Side Challenge 4
3rd Place Side Challenge 2
Best of Show 2 (not additive to Brewer’s Choice)
Brewer’s Choice 2 (not additive to Best of Show)

Competition Details

Fur Rondy Homebrew Competition 

HBOTY and BOS Eligible BOS Eligible but no HBOTY Points
Lager
Stout/Porter/Brown
Imperial (8% & up)
Belgian/French
Wheat
IPA/Pale
Wild/Sour/Brett
Irish/Scottish

ORGANIZERS: Christophe Venot, Chaven Davidson, James Osowski, Thomas Huling
SIDE CHALLENGE: Provisional Beer Styles and Local Styles
This year’s side challenge for the competition is “provisional beers styles” and “Local Styles” which are new and exciting additions to the BJCP guidelines. These styles include:
17A. British Strong Ale: Burton Ale
21B. Specialty IPA: New England IPA
X1. Pampas Golden Ale
X2. Argentine IPA
X3. Italian grape Ale
X4. Catharina Sour
X5. New Zealand Pilsner
Any other beer category may be entered but will not be eligible for HBOTY or BOS.
49th State will determine a “Brewer’s Choice” beer to brew. This isn’t necessarily the BOS winner, though.

Golden Carboy Competition 

ORGANIZER: Denali Brewing Company
Denali Brewing Company is hosting a homebrew competition, open this year to beers, meads, and ciders. We are offering HBOTY points to the winner(s) of this competition.

Autumn Harvest Brew Competition (Maybe)

Categories: Light Beer, Dark Beer, Other, and Cider (GNBC juice share only)

ORGANIZER: TBD
SIDE CHALLENGE: TBD

GNBC Style Groupings

The following groups and corresponding styles are used for determination of HBOTY and BOS eligibility.

# BJCP Category BJCP Subcategory Style Group
01A Standard American Beer American Light Lager Lager
01B Standard American Beer American Lager Lager
01C Standard American Beer Cream Ale Other
01D Standard American Beer American Wheat Beer Wheat
02A International Lager International Pale Lager Lager
02B International Lager International Amber Lager Lager
02C International Lager International Dark Lager Lager
03A Czech Lager Czech Pale Lager Lager
03B Czech Lager Czech Premium Pale Lager Lager
03C Czech Lager Czech Amber Lager Lager
03D Czech Lager Czech Dark Lager Lager
04A Pale Malty European Lager Munich Helles Lager
04B Pale Malty European Lager Festbier Lager
04C Pale Malty European Lager Helles Bock Lager
05A Pale Bitter European beer German Leichtbier Lager
05B Pale Bitter European beer Kölsch Other
05C Pale Bitter European beer German Helles Exportbier Lager
05D Pale Bitter European beer German Pils Lager
06A Amber Malty European Lager Märzen Lager
06B Amber Malty European Lager Rauchbier Wood/Smoked
06C Amber Malty European Lager Dunkles Bock Lager
07A Amber Bitter European Beer Vienna Lager Lager
07B Amber Bitter European Beer Altbier Lager
07C Amber Bitter European Beer Pale Kellerbier Lager
07C Amber Bitter European Beer Amber Kellerbier Lager
08A Dark European Lager Munich Dunkel Lager
08B Dark European Lager Schwarzbier Lager
09A Strong European Beer Doppelbock Lager or Imperial (per organizer)
09B Strong European Beer Eisbock Lager or Imperial (per organizer)
09C Strong European Beer Baltic Porter Stout/Porter/Brown or Imperial (per organizer)
10A German Wheat Beer Weissbier Wheat
10B German Wheat Beer Dunkles Weissbier Wheat
10C German Wheat Beer Weizenbock Wheat
11A British Bitter Ordinary Bitter IPA/Pale
11B British Bitter Best Bitter IPA/Pale
11C British Bitter Strong Bitter IPA/Pale
12A Pale Commonwealth Beer British Golden Ale IPA/Pale
12B Pale Commonwealth Beer Australian Sparkling Ale IPA/Pale
12C Pale Commonwealth Beer English IPA IPA/Pale
13A Brown British Beer Dark Mild Stout/Porter/Brown
13B Brown British Beer British Brown Ale Stout/Porter/Brown
13C Brown British Beer English Porter Stout/Porter/Brown
14A Scottish Ale Scottish Light Irish/Scottish
14B Scottish Ale Scottish Heavy Irish/Scottish
14C Scottish Ale Scottish Export Irish/Scottish
15A Irish Beer Irish Red Ale Irish/Scottish
15B Irish Beer Irish Stout Stout/Porter/Brown
15C Irish Beer Irish Extra Stout Stout/Porter/Brown
16A Dark British Beer Sweet Stout Stout/Porter/Brown
16B Dark British Beer Oatmeal Stout Stout/Porter/Brown
16C Dark British Beer Tropical Stout Stout/Porter/Brown
16D Dark British Beer Foreign Extra Stout Stout/Porter/Brown
17A Strong British Ale British Strong Ale Imperial
17B Strong British Ale Old Ale Imperial
17C Strong British Ale Wee Heavy Irish/Scottish or Imperial (per organizer)
17D Strong British Ale English Barleywine Imperial
18A Pale American Ale Blonde Ale IPA/Pale
18B Pale American Ale American Pale Ale IPA/Pale
19A Amber and Brown American Beer American Amber Ale Stout/Porter/Brown
19B Amber and Brown American Beer California Common Lager
19C Amber and Brown American Beer American Brown Ale Stout/Porter/Brown
20A American Porter and Stout American Porter Stout/Porter/Brown
20B American Porter and Stout American Stout Stout/Porter/Brown
20C American Porter and Stout Imperial Stout Stout/Porter/Brown
21A IPA American IPA IPA/Pale
21B IPA Specialty IPA – Belgian IPA IPA/Pale
21B IPA Specialty IPA – Black IPA IPA/Pale
21B IPA Specialty IPA – Brown IPA IPA/Pale
21B IPA Specialty IPA – Red IPA IPA/Pale
21B IPA Specialty IPA – Rye IPA IPA/Pale
21B IPA Specialty IPA – White IPA IPA/Pale
21B IPA Specialty IPA – New England IPA IPA/Pale
22A Strong American Ale Double IPA IPA/Pale or Imperial (per organizer)
22B Strong American Ale American Strong Ale Imperial
22C Strong American Ale American Barleywine Imperial
22D Strong American Ale Wheatwine Imperial
23A European Sour Ale Berliner Weisse Wild/Sour/Brett
23B European Sour Ale Flanders Red Ale Wild/Sour/Brett
23C European Sour Ale Oud Bruin Wild/Sour/Brett
23D European Sour Ale Lambic Wild/Sour/Brett
23E European Sour Ale Gueuze Wild/Sour/Brett
23F European Sour Ale Fruit Lambic Wild/Sour/Brett
24A Belgian Ale Witbier Belgian/French
24B Belgian Ale Belgian Pale Ale Belgian/French
24C Belgian Ale Bière de Garde Belgian/French
25A Strong Belgian Ale Belgian Blond Ale Belgian/French
25B Strong Belgian Ale Saison Belgian/French
25C Strong Belgian Ale Belgian Golden Strong Ale Belgian/French
26A Trappist Ale Trappist Single Belgian/French
26B Trappist Ale Belgian Dubbel Belgian/French
26C Trappist Ale Belgian Tripel Belgian/French
26D Trappist Ale Belgian Dark Strong Ale Belgian/French
27A Historical Beer Pre-Prohibition Lager Lager
27A Historical Beer Pre-Prohibition Porter Stout/Porter/Brown
27A Historical Beer Sahti Other
27A Historical Beer Gose Wheat
27A Historical Beer Kentucky Common Other
27A Historical Beer Lichtenhainer Wheat
27A Historical Beer London Brown Ale Stout/Porter/Brown
27A Historical Beer Piwo Grodziskie Wood/Smoked
27A Historical Beer Roggenbier Wheat
28A American Wild Ale Brett Beer Wild/Sour/Brett
28B American Wild Ale Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer Wild/Sour/Brett
28C American Wild Ale Wild Specialty Beer Wild/Sour/Brett
29A Fruit Beer Fruit Beer Fruit and Spice/Herb/Vegetable
29B Fruit Beer Fruit and Spice Beer Fruit and Spice/Herb/Vegetable
29C Fruit Beer Specialty Fruit Beer Fruit and Spice/Herb/Vegetable
30A Spiced Beer Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer Fruit and Spice/Herb/Vegetable
30B Spiced Beer Autumn Seasonal Beer Fruit and Spice/Herb/Vegetable
30C Spiced Beer Winter Seasonal Beer Fruit and Spice/Herb/Vegetable
31A Alternative Fermentables Beer Alternative Grain Beer Other
31B Alternative Fermentables Beer Alternative Sugar Beer Other
32A Smoked Beer Classic Style Smoked Beer Wood/Smoked
32B Smoked Beer Specialty Smoked Beer Wood/Smoked
33A Wood Beer Wood-Aged Beer Wood/Smoked
33B Wood Beer Specialty Wood-Aged Beer Wood/Smoked
34A Specialty Beer Clone Beer Other
34B Specialty Beer Mixed-Style Beer Other
34C Specialty Beer Experimental Beer Other