NHC 2026 First Round Winners - San Diego, CA
1 – Pale American Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike Neice | Ace Brewing Society | |
| 2 | Jeff Zwetsch | Co-Brewer: Don Frakes | Ace Brewing Society |
| 3 | Doug Brown | QUAFF |
2 – Pale European Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Juan Pablo Salcedo | Tijuana Homebrew Club | |
| 2 | Curtis J Ritter | Ace Brewing Society | |
| 3 | Steven Severn | Orange County Mash Ups |
3 – Pale Lager
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William Vigil | Ace Brewing Society | |
| 2 | John Bell | Quaff |
4 – German Pilsner
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | WILLIAM PATTERSON | San Luis Obispo Brewers (SLOB) | |
| 2 | John Bates | Horsemen of the Hopocalypse | |
| 3 | Matt Castellino | Co-Brewer: Todd Slater | Thousand Oaks Homebrewers |
5 – Pale Malty European Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian Chandler | Arizona Society of Homebrewers | |
| 2 | Tom Atkinson | Unaffiliated | |
| 3 | Mike & Stephanie Butler | Kansas City Bier Meisters |
6 – Amber European Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Brent Sholar | Unaffiliated | |
| 2 | Taylor Shastid | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) | |
| 3 | David Towles | High Plains Drafters [TX] |
7 – Dark European Lager
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Towles | High Plains Drafters [TX] | |
| 2 | Christian Chandler | Arizona Society of Homebrewers | |
| 3 | Juan Pablo Salcedo | Tijuana Homebrew Club |
8 – American Wheat & Blonde
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Mullen | Unaffiliated | |
| 2 | Jeff Case | QUAFF | |
| 3 | Christian Chandler | Arizona Society of Homebrewers |
9 – German Wheat & Rye Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Bates | Horsemen of the Hopocalypse | |
| 2 | Tom Atkinson | Unaffiliated | |
| 3 | William Vigil | Ace Brewing Society |
10 – Pale British Ale
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Towles | High Plains Drafters [TX] | |
| 2 | John Bell | Quaff | |
| 3 | Peter Pray | Holly Springs Brusaders |
11 – Scottish & Irish Ale
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeff Case | QUAFF | |
| 2 | Jamye & Cody Naramore | Kansas City Bier Meisters | |
| 3 | John Bates | Horsemen of the Hopocalypse |
12 – American Pale Ale
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jake McQueen | Lauter Day Brewers | |
| 2 | Josh Turner | Lancaster County Brewers | |
| 3 | Mike Neice | Ace Brewing Society |
13 – Amber & Brown American Ale
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Josh Turner | Lancaster County Brewers | |
| 2 | Mike & Stephanie Butler | Kansas City Bier Meisters | |
| 3 | Jeffry Battles | Co-Brewer: Bob Cook | QUAFF |
14 – Brown British Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alan Burton Wells | Bay Area Mashtronauts | |
| 2 | David Towles | High Plains Drafters [TX] | |
| 3 | Jamye & Cody Naramore | Kansas City Bier Meisters |
15 – Irish & British Stout
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jason Justeson | Co-Brewer: Ralph, Gabe, Dennis, Erick | Brewing Borrachos |
| 2 | Christopher Mazurk | Ace Brewing Society | |
| 3 | Ernest Hedberg | Quaff |
16 – American Porter & Stout
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doug Brown | QUAFF | |
| 2 | Christian Chandler | Arizona Society of Homebrewers | |
| 3 | Taylor Shastid | Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE) |
17 – American IPA
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeff Zwetsch | Co-Brewer: Don Frakes | Ace Brewing Society |
| 2 | Eli Palma | QUAFF | |
| 3 | Jesse Flores | Ace Brewing Society |
18 – Specialty IPA
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steven Severn | Orange County Mash Ups | |
| 2 | Josh Turner | Lancaster County Brewers | |
| 3 | Gordon Silliker | N/A |
19 – Hazy IPA
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Josh Turner | Lancaster County Brewers | |
| 2 | Tom Fontes | Long Beach Homebrewers | |
| 3 | Brian Miller | Orange County Mash Ups |
20 – Strong American Ale
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian Chandler | Arizona Society of Homebrewers | |
| 2 | Eli Palma | QUAFF | |
| 3 | Todd Slater | Co-Brewer: Matt castellino | Thousand Oaks Homebrewers |
21 – Strong European Lager
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tom Atkinson | Unaffiliated | |
| 2 | Eli Palma | QUAFF | |
| 3 | Steven Severn | Orange County Mash Ups |
22 – Strong British Ale
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jamye & Cody Naramore | Kansas City Bier Meisters | |
| 2 | Alan Burton Wells | Bay Area Mashtronauts | |
| 3 | John Bates | Horsemen of the Hopocalypse |
23 – Imperial Porter & Stout
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeffry Battles | Co-Brewer: Jake Smith | QUAFF |
| 2 | Maciek Brzeski | Immersion Chillers | |
| 3 | Jeffry Battles | QUAFF |
24 – Saison
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Bates | Horsemen of the Hopocalypse | |
| 2 | Bradford Berger | Mojave Desert Brewers Guild | |
| 3 | Eric Martin | Kansas City Bier Meisters |
25 – Belgian Ale
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Martin | Kansas City Bier Meisters | |
| 2 | Mike & Stephanie Butler | Kansas City Bier Meisters |
26 – Strong Belgian Ale
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guillermo Velasco | Co-Brewer: Antonio Aguirre | Tijuana Homebrew Club |
| 2 | Travis Johnson | QUAFF | |
| 3 | William Vigil | Ace Brewing Society |
27 – European Sour Ale
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kyle Hufford | Unaffiliated | |
| 2 | Jeff Case | QUAFF | |
| 3 | Eric Martin | Kansas City Bier Meisters |
28 – Fruit Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jason Phelps | Society of Barley Alchemists | |
| 2 | Drew Jackson | Unaffiliated | |
| 3 | Brian Biggs | Dead Yeast Society [LA] |
29 – Spice, Herb & Vegetable Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeffry Battles | QUAFF | |
| 2 | Brian Miller | Orange County Mash Ups | |
| 3 | Joel Hill | Mash Masters Brew Club |
30 – Specialty & Seasonal Spiced Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeff Case | QUAFF |
31 – Smoke-Flavored Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mike & Stephanie Butler | Co-Brewer: Ron Barnes | Kansas City Bier Meisters |
| 2 | Matthew Smiley | QUAFF | |
| 3 | Stuart Donnelly | Unaffiliated |
32 – Wood-Aged Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wesley Kulcak | Co-Brewer: Megan Kulcak | Bay Area Mashtronauts |
| 2 | Drew Jackson | Unaffiliated | |
| 3 | Steven Severn | Orange County Mash Ups |
33 – American Wild Ale
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stuart Donnelly | Unaffiliated | |
| 2 | Travis Johnson | QUAFF | |
| 3 | Kyle Hufford | Unaffiliated |
34 – Specialty Beer
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eric Martin | Kansas City Bier Meisters | |
| 2 | Jeff Case | QUAFF | |
| 3 | Ross Stuart | Co-Brewer: Trevor Tyner | Arizona Society of Homebrewers |
35 – Traditional Mead
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeff Case | QUAFF | |
| 2 | Jeff Case | QUAFF | |
| 3 | Jonathon Schubert | QUAFF |
36 – Fruit Mead
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Bates | Horsemen of the Hopocalypse | |
| 2 | Allen Martin | Arizona Society of Homebrewers | |
| 3 | Melissa Greenfield | QUAFF |
37 – Spice Mead
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Meintsma | Minnesota Home Brewers Association | |
| 2 | Melissa Greenfield | QUAFF | |
| 3 | Alexandria Perry | QUAFF |
38 – Specialty Mead
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kevin Meintsma | Minnesota Home Brewers Association | |
| 2 | Melissa Greenfield | QUAFF | |
| 3 | John Bates | Horsemen of the Hopocalypse |
39 – Standard Cider & Perry
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pete Graham | Foam Blowers of Indiana, Inc (FBI) | |
| 2 | Ron Hill | Mountaintop Mashers | |
| 3 | Eric Martin | Kansas City Bier Meisters |
40 – Specialty Cider & Perry
| Place | Winner | Co‑Brewer | Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christopher Mazurk | Ace Brewing Society | |
| 2 | Jonathon Schubert | QUAFF | |
| 3 | Jerry Bianco | Arizona Society of Homebrewers |