America's Finest City (AFC) 2026

Thanks to all who participated in the America's Finest City (AFC) 2026.

There were 598 entries judged and 189 registered participants, judges, and stewards.

Results

Best of Show Winners

Best of Show – Beer

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Brent Krohn	Lemmiwinks	15A: Irish Red Ale	QUAFF
2nd	John Bell Co-Brewer: Chris Van Hammersveld Loren Miraglia	Bell Hammer Miraglia Tripel	26C: Belgian Tripel	QUAFF
3rd	Michael Rensing	Stearman's Czech Dark Lager	24B: Belgian Pale Ale	Cider, Homebrew, And Mead Production Specialists (CHAMPS)
HM	Mike Neice	Feisty one	4B: Festbier	Ace Brewing Society

Best of Show – Mead/Cider

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Alexandria Perry	Leg of Spider, Eye of Newt	M2B: Pyment	QUAFF
2nd	Doug Brown Co-Brewer: Alexandria Perry	The B.O.S.S. Braggot	M4A: Braggot	QUAFF
3rd	Ryan Vigne	The Sweet One - Kukui Blossom	M1C: Sweet Mead	Pittsburgh Mead Makers And Homebrewers
HM	Doug Brown Co-Brewer: Jeff Case Eli Palma Jenny Chua-Tuan	Five Star Chick à la Mode	M3A: Fruit and Spice Mead	QUAFF

Brew Machine (126 Participating Brewers)

Place	Brewer	1st	2nd	3rd	HM	Score	Club
1000 1st	Benjamin Frymark	3	4	4	0	42.03	QUAFF
2000 2nd	John Bell	2	3	1	0	26.02	QUAFF
3000 3rd	Ross Stuart	3	1	0	1	22.03	Arizona Society of Homebrewers
4000 4th	Doug Brown	2	0	3	1	18.02	QUAFF
5000 HM	Michael Rensing	1	2	0	0	14.01	Cider, Homebrew, And Mead Production Specialists (CHAMPS)

Scores and tie-breakers have been applied in accordance with the scoring methodology. Numbers reflected are rounded to the hundredth place. Hover over or tap the question mark icon () for the actual calculated value.

Top Club (51 Participating Clubs)

Place	Club	1st	2nd	3rd	HM	Score
1000 1st	QUAFF	19	18	15	8	216.19
2000 2nd	Ace Brewing Society	2	4	4	0	36.02
3000 3rd	Arizona Society of Homebrewers	3	3	2	1	34.03
4000 4th	Cider, Homebrew, And Mead Production Specialists (CHAMPS)	2	2	0	0	20.02
5000 HM	Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE)	2	2	0	1	20.02

Winning Entries

Standard American Beer (29 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Matthew Young MHP	The One Night Stand	1A: American Light Lager	Ace Brewing Society
2nd	Jamie Crawford	Dolla Dolla Bill Y'All	1C: Cream Ale	Maltose Falcons
3rd	Jeff Zwetsch MHP	Le Crema	1C: Cream Ale	Ace Brewing Society
HM	Ross Stuart MHP	American Lite	1A: American Light Lager	Arizona Society of Homebrewers

International Lager (13 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Dan Baker	The Great Cornholio	2A: International Pale Lager	QUAFF
2nd	Eli Palma MHP	Cuello Azul	2A: International Pale Lager	QUAFF
3rd	John Bell	Category Roulette for $1000	2B: International Amber Lager	QUAFF

Czech Lager (18 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Ross Stuart MHP	Czech Amber	3C: Czech Amber Lager	Arizona Society of Homebrewers
2nd	William Vigil MHP	Czechmate	3D: Czech Dark Lager	Ace Brewing Society
3rd	Todd Slater MHP Co-Brewer: Matt Castellino	SCHF Czech trail beer 2025	3A: Czech Pale Lager	Thousand Oaked Homebrewers
HM	Greg Orth	Sister City Pivo	3C: Czech Amber Lager

Pale Malty European Lager (7 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Mike Neice MHP	Feisty one	4B: Festbier	Ace Brewing Society
2nd	Benjamin Frymark MHP	The Human Fund	4C: Helles Bock	QUAFF
3rd	Pete Graham MHP	Heaven Beside You… Helles Beside You	4A: Munich Helles	Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI)

Pale Bitter European Beer (17 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Rick Chainani MHP	Export Helles	5C: German Helles Exportbier	Bay Area Mashtronauts
2nd	Richard Bagnell MHP	Pils from the Doctor	5D: German Pils	QUAFF
3rd	Mike Page Co-Brewer: Michael Lakis	It’s A Pilsner	5D: German Pils	QUAFF

Amber Malty European Lager (10 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	John Bell	Lost Marzen	6A: Märzen	QUAFF
2nd	Trevor McGuire MHP	An Ode to Roy Mustang	6B: Rauchbier	Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE)
3rd	Jennifer Vonderwell MHP	Made in America	6C: Dunkels Bock	Brewtubers

Amber Bitter European Beer (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Ross Stuart MHP	Vienna Lager	7A: Vienna Lager	Arizona Society of Homebrewers
2nd	David Gulotta MHP	Goalgetter	7A: Vienna Lager	Ace Brewing Society
3rd	Kim Hynek MHP	Boneshaker	7B: Altbier	Red Earth Brewers
HM	Steve Ristau MHP	Isarian Alt	7B: Altbier	Ale Riders Homebrew Club

Dark European Lager (9 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Benjamin Frymark MHP	Man Hands	8B: Schwarzbier	QUAFF
2nd	Eli Palma MHP	Night harvest	8A: Munich Dunkel	QUAFF
3rd	Juan Pablo Salcedo	A Bavarian Thing	8A: Munich Dunkel	Tijuana Homebrew Club

Strong European Beer (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Ernest Hedberg	Ice water	9B: Eisbock	QUAFF
2nd	Benjamin Frymark MHP	The sea was angry that day, my friends.	9A: Doppelbock	QUAFF
3rd	Matthew Semaan	Doofenshirmztinator	9A: Doppelbock	Northern Ale Stars Homebrewers Guild

German Wheat Beer (13 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Kim Hynek MHP	Hefeweizen	10A: Weissbier	Red Earth Brewers
2nd	Gregory Roskopf MHP	Seid freundlich!	10A: Weissbier	Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI)
3rd	Benjamin Frymark MHP	The summer of George	10C: Weizenbock	QUAFF

British Bitter (7 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	John Bates MHP	Ordinarily Bitter And Extraordinarily Grumpy	11A: Ordinary Bitter	Horsemen of the Hopocalypse
2nd	Stephen Schmitt MHP	Goodison Park	11C: Strong Bitter	Evanston Homebrew Club
3rd	James Faircloth MHP	Wise Owl ESB	11C: Strong Bitter	C.H.A.O.S. Brew Club

Pale Commonwealth Beer (10 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Nick & Heather Hartley MHP	Kwikee down Under	12B: Australian Sparkling Ale	Red Earth Brewers
2nd	John Bell	Dog's Bollocks	12A: British Golden Ale	QUAFF
3rd	James Faircloth MHP	Bengal Tiger IPA	12C: English IPA	C.H.A.O.S. Brew Club

Brown British Beer (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Benjamin Frymark MHP	How can the same street intersect with itself?	13A: Dark Mild	QUAFF
2nd	Michael Rensing MHP	Stearman's Sahti	13C: English Porter	Cider, Homebrew, And Mead Production Specialists (CHAMPS)
3rd	Zachary Belzer MHP	Backary's mild Mild	13A: Dark Mild	Urban Knaves of Grain

Scottish Ale (6 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Dave Breyer MHP	Johnny McBoy's Tasty Brew	14B: Scottish Heavy	395brewers
2nd	Paul Domich MHP	Kilted Emigrant	14C: Scottish Export	Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE)
3rd	Dirk Montgomery MHP	Left Ya Kelt!	14C: Scottish Export	Red Earth Brewers

Irish Beer (17 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Brent Krohn	Lemmiwinks	15A: Irish Red Ale	QUAFF
2nd	Gerad Miller MHP	It's only forever, not long at all	15B: Irish Stout	Dayton Regional Amateur Fermentation Technologists
3rd	Brian Trout Co-Brewer: Calvin Hall	Irish Stout	15B: Irish Stout	QUAFF
HM	Jose Dias Co-Brewer: Mark Zanfardino	Shenanigans Dry Irish Stout	15B: Irish Stout	QUAFF

Dark British Beer (9 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Jeff Case MHP	Keep Pounding (Verdant)	16B: Oatmeal Stout	QUAFF
2nd	Allan Polk Co-Brewer: Erick Polk	Experimental Stout	16D: Foreign Extra Stout	QUAFF
3rd	Logan Strickland	Silk Scarf Stout	16A: Sweet Stout	Arizona Society of Homebrewers
HM	Jeff Case MHP	Office Hero Milk Stout	16A: Sweet Stout	QUAFF

Strong British Ale (10 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Kyle Ernsberger	Weeeee	17C: Wee Heavy	Cider, Homebrew, And Mead Production Specialists (CHAMPS)
2nd	Logan Strickland	A wee bit too heavy	17C: Wee Heavy	Arizona Society of Homebrewers
3rd	Tom Leonard Co-Brewer: Ross Stuart	Monarch EBW	17D: English Barley Wine	Arizona Society of Homebrewers

Pale American Ale (15 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Chris Erdos	Munich Moses	18B: American Pale Ale
2nd	Tom Leonard	Creek Run	18B: American Pale Ale	Arizona Society of Homebrewers
3rd	Curtis Ritter MHP	Charlotte	18A: Blonde Ale	Ace Brewing Society
HM	Jeff Case MHP	Blonde Foo v6	18A: Blonde Ale	QUAFF

Amber and Brown American Beer (15 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Phillip Saurer MHP	Cowbell Brown Ale	19C: American Brown Ale	Peninsula Fermentation Society
2nd	Brian Trout	Downtown Julie Brown	19C: American Brown Ale	QUAFF
3rd	Curtis Ritter MHP	Cascade Centennial Accord	19A: American Amber Ale	Ace Brewing Society

American Porter and Stout (15 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Dave Breyer MHP	P's Porter	20A: American Porter	395brewers
2nd	John Bell Co-Brewer: Melissa Greenfield	Monster of the Sea	20C: Imperial Stout	QUAFF
3rd	Betty Dehoney	Flight to Russia	20C: Imperial Stout	QUAFF

IPA (17 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Jason Justeson MHP Co-Brewer: Ralph Gabe Erick Dennis	FKI	21A: American IPA	Brewing Borrachos
2nd	Ross Stuart MHP	American IPA	21A: American IPA	Arizona Society of Homebrewers
3rd	Ben Wilson	Grump IPA	21A: American IPA	Long Beach Homebrewers
HM	Eli Palma MHP	DREAM CHUNKS	21A: American IPA	QUAFF

21B - Specialty IPA (15 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Taylor Shastid MHP	RiPcOrD	21B2: Black IPA	Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE)
2nd	Beau Floch MHP Co-Brewer: Jason Bonnell	Brown IPA	21B3: Brown IPA	Inland Empire Brewers
3rd	Stephen Schmitt MHP	Vader	21B2: Black IPA	Evanston Homebrew Club

21C - Hazy IPA (10 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Ross Stuart MHP	Hazy IPA	21C: Hazy IPA	Arizona Society of Homebrewers
2nd	Colby Reineke MHP	Exit Planet Sludge	21C: Hazy IPA	Minnesota Home Brewers Association
3rd	Nikolas Isely	Aurora Australis	21C: Hazy IPA	Immersion Chillers

Strong American Ale (13 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Deborah And Marc Prichard MHP	She Licked Me	22D: Wheatwine	Kansas City Bier Meisters
2nd	Nic Templeton	Snow Goose	22B: American Strong Ale	Cascade Brewers Guild
3rd	Benjamin Frymark MHP	A George divided against itself cannot stand!	22C: American Barleywine	QUAFF

European Sour Ale (15 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Travis Johnson MHP	Cool as a Cucumber... & Strawberry	23F: Fruit Lambic	QUAFF
2nd	Stephen Schmitt MHP	Oud Bruin	23C: Oud Bruin	Evanston Homebrew Club
3rd	Jeff Case MHP	The Leftorium	23B: Flanders Red Ale	QUAFF
HM	Stephen Schmitt MHP	Oikily Dokily	23B: Flanders Red Ale	Evanston Homebrew Club

Belgian Ale (6 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Michael Rensing MHP	Stearman's Czech Dark Lager	24B: Belgian Pale Ale	Cider, Homebrew, And Mead Production Specialists (CHAMPS)
2nd	Scott Rauvola	Belgian Pale Ale	24B: Belgian Pale Ale	QUAFF
3rd	Curtis Ritter MHP	Yeast Mode	24B: Belgian Pale Ale	Ace Brewing Society

Strong Belgian Ale (13 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Scott Rauvola	Duvel Clone	25C: Belgian Golden Strong Ale	QUAFF
2nd	Travis Johnson MHP	Golden Goddess	25C: Belgian Golden Strong Ale	QUAFF
3rd	Josh Reid	Selinene Saison	25B: Saison	Missouri Mashers

Monastic Ale (13 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	John Bell Co-Brewer: Chris Van Hammersveld Loren Miraglia	Bell Hammer Miraglia Tripel	26C: Belgian Tripel	QUAFF
2nd	Scott Rauvola	Properly Carbonated American Tripel	26C: Belgian Tripel	QUAFF
3rd	Brent Krohn	Teddy Bear Pimp	26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale	QUAFF
HM	Dirk Manders	Kludde	26C: Belgian Tripel	Bay Area Mashers

Historical Beer (26 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Colby Reineke MHP	Cultivate	27A1: Kellerbier	Minnesota Home Brewers Association
2nd	Luke Osborne MHP	RIP to your palette	27A3: Lichtenhainer	Central Arkansas Fermenters
3rd	Eli Palma MHP	Woodford	27A2: Kentucky Common	QUAFF

American Wild Ale (11 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Kyle Hufford	Crystal Flowers	28B: Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer
2nd	Benjamin Frymark MHP	If she can’t find me, she can’t break up with me.	28B: Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer	QUAFF
3rd	Kyle Hufford	Long Time Coming	28A: Brett Beer
HM	Alan Wells MHP	Manneken Pis	28B: Mixed Fermentation Sour Beer

Fruit Beer (13 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Patrick Leon	One Night Stout: Island Date	29B: Fruit and Spice Beer	QUAFF
2nd	Brian McCrickard MHP	Copacabana Crusher	LSX4: Catharina Sour	Seven City Brewers
3rd	Brian McCrickard MHP	Copacabana Crusher	29A: Fruit Beer	Seven City Brewers
HM	Andy Scherzinger MHP Co-Brewer: Fernando Puga	Ramona Flowers	29A: Fruit Beer	Weiz Guys

Spiced Beer (20 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Andy Scherzinger MHP Co-Brewer: Fernando Puga	Krampus	30C: Winter Seasonal Beer	Weiz Guys
2nd	Joel Hill	Mount Andes Stout	30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer	Mash Masters Homebrew Club
3rd	Tommy John MHP	Black Diamond	30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer	Underground Brewers of Connecticut
HM	Josh Reid	Nuts N' Nibs	30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer	Missouri Mashers

Alternative Fermentables Beer (7 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Trevor McGuire MHP	Killer Bee	31A: Alternative Grain Beer	Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE)
2nd	Jeff Case MHP	Rye Don't Care	31A: Alternative Grain Beer	QUAFF
3rd	Brian Miller MHP	GF French Rice Saison	31A: Alternative Grain Beer	Orange County Mash Ups
HM	Paul Domich MHP	Superior Wildrice Lager	31A: Alternative Grain Beer	Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE)

Smoked Beer (7 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Richard Bagnell MHP	Camp Fire Porter	32B: Specialty Smoked Beer	QUAFF
2nd	Kevin Estrada	Smokey Smokerson	32A: Classic Style Smoked Beer	Tijuana Homebrew Club
3rd	Benjamin Frymark MHP Co-Brewer: Jeff Case	Smokey the Beer	32A: Classic Style Smoked Beer	QUAFF

Wood Beer (10 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Shaun Huggins MHP	Boil Em, Mash Em, Stick Em In A Beer!	33A: Wood-Aged Beer	San Antonio Cerveceros
2nd	Wesley Kulcak MHP Co-Brewer: Megan Kulcak	Krampus	33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer	Bay Area Mashtronauts
3rd	Phillip Saurer MHP	BBA 13 Day Imperial Stout	33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer	Peninsula Fermentation Society

Specialty Beer (8 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Benjamin Frymark MHP	It's not a lie if you believe it!	34C: Experimental Beer	QUAFF
2nd	Michael Rensing MHP	Stearman's Imperial Stout	34A: Commercial Specialty Beer	Cider, Homebrew, And Mead Production Specialists (CHAMPS)
3rd	Matt Castellino MHP Co-Brewer: Todd Slater Courtney Castellino	Hyzer Hops	34C: Experimental Beer	Thousand Oaked Homebrewers
HM	Scott Rauvola Co-Brewer: Doug Brown	SamiClone '19	34A: Commercial Specialty Beer	QUAFF

C1 Traditional Cider (15 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Pete Graham MHP	Husted’s Cider	C1B: Heirloom Cider	Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI)
2nd	Christopher Mazurk MHP	Apple	C1A: Common Cider	Ace Brewing Society
3rd	Doug Brown MHP	Stupid Wild	C1E: Spanish Cider	QUAFF

C2 Strong Cider (8 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Alan Turken	Good-N-Sweet	C2C: Ice Cider	QUAFF
2nd	Pete Graham MHP	Is It Bedtime Yet?	C2B: Applewine	Foam Blowers of Indiana (FBI)
3rd	Benjamin Frymark MHP	Serenity now!	C2C: Ice Cider	QUAFF

C3 Specialty Cider (24 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Jonathon Schubert	Wild Grape Cider	C3C: Experimental Cider	QUAFF
2nd	William Vigil MHP	A Jenn Pore	C3A: Fruit Cider	Ace Brewing Society
3rd	Brian Trout	SD Craft Cider 2019 - Apple Pie Ala Mode	C3B: Spiced Cider	QUAFF
HM	Alan Turken	Smooth Booze	C3C: Experimental Cider	QUAFF

C4 Perry (6 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Brian Biggs MHP	Platypus In Swinter	C4C: Ice Perry	Dead Yeast Society [LA]
2nd	Benjamin Frymark MHP	The bottle deposit	C4D: Experimental Perry	QUAFF
3rd	Bill Boyer MHP	A Pearilous Journey 2023	C4D: Experimental Perry	North Georgia Malt Monkeys
HM	Doug Brown MHP Co-Brewer: Jeff Case	Upcycled Trash Perry	C4D: Experimental Perry	QUAFF

M1 Traditional Mead (20 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Ryan Vigne MHP	The Sweet One - Kukui Blossom	M1C: Sweet Mead	Pittsburgh Mead Makers And Homebrewers
2nd	John Bell Co-Brewer: Jack Bell	Oregon Goodness	M1B: Semi-Sweet Mead	QUAFF
3rd	Shaun Huggins MHP	I call it luck!	M1A: Dry Mead	San Antonio Cerveceros

M2 Fruit Mead [without Melomel] (19 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Alexandria Perry MHP	Leg of Spider, Eye of Newt	M2B: Pyment	QUAFF
2nd	Bill Boyer MHP	Que Shiraz Shiraz Whatever Will Be Will Be 2024	M2B: Pyment	North Georgia Malt Monkeys
3rd	Doug Brown MHP	Beginner's Luck (My First Melomel!)	M2B: Pyment	QUAFF

M2E Melomel (14 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Melissa Greenfield MHP	Raspberry nebbiolo	M2E: Melomel	QUAFF
2nd	Karl Kahleck	Move Aside and Let the Mango Through	M2E: Melomel	QUAFF
3rd	Doug Brown MHP Co-Brewer: Jeff Case Eli Palma	Mass Appeal	M2E: Melomel	QUAFF
HM	Melissa Greenfield MHP	Persimmon cyser	M2E: Melomel	QUAFF

M3 Spiced Mead (18 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Doug Brown MHP Co-Brewer: Jeff Case Eli Palma Jenny Chua-Tuan	Five Star Chick à la Mode	M3A: Fruit and Spice Mead	QUAFF
2nd	Karl Kahleck	Ah Squite Squite	M3B: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Mead	QUAFF
3rd	Cody Lester MHP Co-Brewer: Diana Lester	Big ol' touch of Vanilla & Blueberry	M3A: Fruit and Spice Mead	Central Arkansas Fermenters
HM	Bill Boyer MHP	Conquistador Coffee Campaign - Mocha 2026	M3B: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Mead	North Georgia Malt Monkeys

M4 Specialty Mead (17 entries)

Place	Brewer	Entry Name	Style	Club
1st	Doug Brown MHP Co-Brewer: Alexandria Perry	The B.O.S.S. Braggot	M4A: Braggot	QUAFF
2nd	Bill Boyer MHP	Trójniak vs Montmorency Cherry vs Matthew Mead 2024	M4B: Historical Mead	North Georgia Malt Monkeys
3rd	Bill Boyer MHP	Agrestniak 2024	M4B: Historical Mead	North Georgia Malt Monkeys
HM	Austin Brown	The Morrígan	M4C: Experimental Mead	Brewers Anonymous