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 US and the most important Virginia-only craft beer competition in the Commonwealth.

Sponsored annually by the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, record 128 breweries competed in this year’s competition which included 20 new participants.

Brewers were able to submit up to four beers to be judged in 33 different categories and a record 473 beers were entered in 2024.

This year’s competition was managed by Head Judge, Charlie Harr, and took place at Old Ox Brewery in Ashburn, Virginia.

“Every year, I am blown away at how great every brewery’s beers are, and this year is no different,” said Charlie Harr. “We are all extremely fortunate to be living in Virginia where Craft Brewers across the state continue to raise the bar, as evident in this competition. Cheers to everyone involved.”

And now (drum roll please) the 202 Virginia Craft Beer Cup winners

BEST IN SHOW

First Place: Parkway Brewing Company, Billy Boys Scotch Ale

Second Place: Smartmouth Brewing Co, Safety Dance

Third Place: SuperFly Brewing Co, Midnight Train

 

ALTERNATIVE GRAIN(S) or SUGAR(S)

First Place: Harpers Ferry Brewing, Screaming Jenny

Second Place: Iron Pipe Alewerks, Bee’s Knees

Third Place: St George Brewing Company, Honey Meade Lager

 

AMBER ALES

First Place: Harpers Ferry Brewing, Cliffhanger

Second Place: Big Ugly Brewing, No Steam Ahead

Third Place: Black Hoof Brewing, Forest Edge Altbier

 

AMBER LAGERS

First Place: Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Frogman Lager

Second Place: Ornery Beer Company, Austrian Dreams

Third Place: Olde Salem Brewing Company, Man in the Box

 

AMERICAN LAGERS

First Place: Barley Naked Brewing Company, Light American Lager

Second Place: South Street Brewery, Cville Bilsner

Third Place: Hidden Wit Brewing Co, Lazy

Honorable Mentions: Twin Creeks Brewing, Lake Life Lager; Old House Brewing, Big Iron Lager

 

BELGIAN ALES

First Place: Port City Brewing Company, Optimal Wit

Second Place: Bald Top Brewing Company, Shine on Saison

Third Place: Lake Anne Brew House, Silver Line Saison

 

BRITISH BITTERS

First Place: Three Leg Run, Working An Angle

Second Place: Lake Anne Brew House, Lord Fairfax

Third Place: Selvedge Brewing, Houndstooth

 

BROWN ALE

First Place: The Thin Brew Line Brewing Company, Dirty Harry Brown Ale

Second Place: MoMac Brewing Company, Craney Island

Third Place: Heliotrope Brewing, Bob’s Paisley’s

 

CREAMS and BLONDES

First Place: Blue Mountain Brewery, Classic Lager

Second Place: Water’s End Brewery, Damn Beer

Third Place: Flying Ace Distillery and Brewery, Bloody Butcher Cream Ale

 

DARK EUROPEAN LAGERS

First Place: Ornery Beer Company, Dark Sapphire

Second Place: Starr Hill Brewery, Dark Biddings

Third Place: Harpers Ferry Brewing, My Dad’s Schwartz Shwartz

 

DOUBLE IPA

First Place: Patch Brewing Co, Bases Loaded

Second Place: Broken Window Brewing Company, The Tank

Third Place: Smartmouth Brewing Co, Notch 9

 

EUROPEAN SOUR

First Place: South Street Brewery, Slippery When Wit

Second Place: Strangeways Brewing, Uberlin

Third Place: Starr Hill Brewery, Stupid Sexy Flanders

 

FRUIT

First Place: Bike Lane Brewing, Kiki’s Carrito

Second Place: Barking Rose Brewing Co + Farm, Harvest Vinata

Third Place: Stable Craft, Punchbowl Social

 

GERMAN AND AMERICAN WHEAT

First Place: Patch Brewing Company, Home Run Hefe

Second Place: Brew Republic Bierwerks, Weizenbock

Third Place: Bingo Beer Company, River Day Wheat

 

HAZY IPA

First Place: The Virginia Beer Company, Insider Trading

Second Place: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Hardywood The Cruelest Summer

Third Place: Billsburg Brewery, Tourist Trap

 

INTERNATIONAL LAGER

First Place: Heritage Brewing Company, Legado Premium

Second Place: Old Bust Head Brewing Company, Old Bust Head Mexican Lager

Third Place: Long Way Brewing, Alegria

 

IPA

First Place: Billsburg Brewery, Fly Away IPA

Second Place: Broken Window Brewing Company, Dank Williams

Third Place: Fair Winds Brewing Company, Howling Gale

 

IRISH & SCOTTISH ALES

First Place: Old House Brewing, The Red Ale

Second Place: Barley Naked Brewing Company, Rockhill Irish Red

Third Place: Studly Brewing Company, At the Wall

 

KÖLSCH/LEICHTBIER

First Place: St. George Brewing Co., Morning Dew

Second Place: Bear Chase Brewing Company, Kodiak Kolsch

Third Place: Fair Winds Brewing Co., Quayside Kolsch

Honorable Mention: Bunnyman Brewing, Kolsch

 

MIXED FERMENTATION

First Place: Great Valley Farm Brewery and Winery, Dark Saison

Second Place: Fine Creek Brewing Company, Dry Hopped Brett Saison

Third Place: Fine Creek Brewing Company, Wine Barrel Aged Brett Saison

 

MONASTIC ALE

First Place: Trouvaille Brewing Company, Hooked on Phenolics

Second Place: Capstan Brewing Company, Belgian Quad

Third Place: Fine Creek Brewing Company, Avec Frere 9

 

PALE ALES

First Place: Crazy Rooster Brewing Company, Perihellyan

Second Place: Big Lick Brewing Company, Star City Pale Ale

Third Place: Barley Naked Brewing Company, British Golden Ale

 

PALE EUROPEAN BITTER/PILSNER

First Place: Smartmouth Brewing Co, Safety Dance

Second Place: Great American Restaurants, Yellow Devil Pilsner

Third Place: Port City Brewing Co, Downright Pilsner

Honorable Mention: Big Ugly Brewing, Peak Lager

 

PALE EUROPEAN LAGERS

First Place: Decipher Brewing Company, Snowball’s Chance

Second Place: Patch Brewing Co, Goldensville Lager

Third Place: Eastern Divide Brewing Company, Eastern Divide Gold Export Lager

 

PORTERS

First Place: SuperFly Brewing Co, Midnight Train

Second Place: Lake Anne Brew House, Stand Up Paddle Porter

Third Place: Port City Brewing Company, Port City Porter

Honorable Mention: Old Ox Brewery, Black Ox Porter

 

SMOKE

First Place: Wildmandan Brewery, We are Pivo

Second Place: Big Lick Brewing Company, Fish Lips

 

SPECIALTY IPA

First Place: The Answer Brewpub, Dark Helmet

Second Place: Benchtop Brewing Company, Grimson Gaze

Third Place: Scuffle Hill Brewing Company, Major Redd

 

STOUTS

First Place: MoMac Brewing Company, P-Town Dry Irish Stout

Second Place: St. George Brewing Co, St. George Imperial Stout

Third Place: Trouvaille Brewing Company, Kit & Caboodle

 

STRONG ALE

First Place: Oozlefinch Beers & Blending/NOST Brewing Project, Reflections

Second Place: Heritage Brewing Co, Kings Mountain

Third Place: Brew Republic Bierwerks, Inception Imperial Stout

 

STRONG EUROPEAN LAGERS

First Place: Brew Republic Bierwerks, Eisbock

Second Place: Living Proof Beer Company, Postmaster General

Third Place: Parkway Brewing Company, Ravens Roost

 

VEGETABLE/SPICE

First Place: Blue Mountain Barrel House, Chocolate Coffee Dark Hallow 2023 X Variant

Second Place: Bunnyman Brewing, Conejitos Furiosos Spicy Mexican Lager

Third Place: Cedar Run Brewery, Ragnar’s Recipe

 

WOOD

First Place: Eavesdrop Brewery, Destined

Second Place: Vasen Brewing Company, Feast in the Forest

Third Place: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Hardywood Cafe Coco Foolery

 

EXPERIMENTAL BEERS
First Place: Blue Mountain Barrel House, Cherry Sour Devil 2023 X Variant###