Club Only Competitions

We hold various competitions throughout the year to celebrate the diversity and talent of all of the great brewers in our club. Throughout the year we will hold style specific competitions that will be judged by a panel of non participating members and guest judges.

JBG Brewer of the Year Rules:

  • Top 5 places will receive points from 5 points for 1st place down to 1 point for 5th place
  • Brewer/Collaboration w/the most points at the end of the year is Brewer of the Year
  • For collaboration brewers to receive points, the brewers involved must be a part of at least two of the following brewing activities:
    • Recipe Design
    • Active participation during brew day
    • Pay for ingredients
    • Assist with fermentation
    • Assist with bottling/kegging
  • All collaboration brewers will receive the placement points
  • In the event of a year-end tie the cumulative judge's points obtained throughout the competitions will be used to break the tie
  • Only ONE entry per brewer per competition, including collaboration brews.
  • Prizes will be awarded to the winner of each competition and brewer of the year!
  • Drop-off entries will be accepted, please arrange date and time with a board member
  • Failure to follow the competition guidelines will result in NO points awarded!

March-Irish Beers

Brew an Irish Red or Irish Stout using an Irish yeast and following the BJCP guidelines 15A-Irish Red, 15B-Irish Stout, 15C-Irish Extra Stout.

Irish Red Winners
  1. Michael Strle
  2. Sean McTighe
  3. Mike Alstott and Doug Walling
Irish Stout Winners
  1. Doug Walling and Mike Alstott
  2. Kyle Vester
  3. Helewyse Debirkestad

March-Charlie Orr/Drunk Monk

We will be awarding Brew of the Year points to any member who medals in one of these outside competitions. Brewers will receive 3 points for a gold, 2 points for a silver, and 1 point for a bronze. A maximum of 10 points is available per brewer for these competitions.

Charlie Orr Winners
  1. Mike Stevenson
  2. Tie
    1. Kyle Vester
    2. Michael Strle
  3. Sean McTighe
Drunk Monk
  1. Sean McTighe
  2. Mike Stevenson

April-Will County Brewing NEIPA Challenge

Will County Brewing Co. will be judging the April NEIPA competition, so bring out your haziest, juiciest, New Englandiest NEIPA. The winning beer will be ramped up and served in the Will County Brewing Co. taproom.

NEIPA Challenge
  1. Paul Bidne
  2. Doug Cowan and Doug Walling
  3. Glenn Freitag

June-Summer Session Beer

The style is open but the beer must be kept under 4.5% (we're looking at you Glenn). You may use any adjunct you want, so get brewing and bring out your best summer themed beer.

Summer Session Winners
  1. Helewyse Debirkstad
  2. Michael Strle
  3. Kevin Promis

October - Festbier!

Dust off your lederhosen and grab a pretzel and brat, it's festbier season! Brew up your best Marzen (BJCP Style 6A) a favorite style of any beer lover with a pulse, be it a lager or an ale, make it bright, malty, clean and German!

Festbier Winners

December - Big and Dark

The myth... The legend... The mother of all JBG competitions! Brew any style you want as long as it's big (8.5 ABV or higher) and dark (30 SRM or higher)! This competition is where legends are made, so get brewing early.

Big and Dark Winners

2018 Brewer of the Year Standings

  1. Michael Strle (15 Points)
  2. Doug Walling (13 Points)
  3. Tie
    1. Sean McTighe (11 Points)
    2. Kyle Vester (11 Points)
  4. Mike Stevenson (1o Points)
  5. Tie
    1. Helewyse Debirkestad (8 Points)
    2. Mike Alstott (8 Points)

Previous Brewers of the Year

  • 2017 - Joel Rakoski
  • 2016 - Joel Rakoski
  • 2015 - Jason Janes
  • 2014 - Jason Janes
Brewer of the Year 2018