The 2022 Virginia Craft Beer Cup Winners

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

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