2020 Honey Beer Competition
2020 Winners
It’s rather fitting that a beer “Dedicated to Bees” took the top spot in the 2020 Honey Beer Competition, which garnered 220 entries from professional brewers throughout the United States. Rogue Ales and Spirits’ Honey Kolsch took Best in Show honors, marking the beer’s return to the top spot after claiming it in the first two Honey Beer Competitions conducted by the National Honey Board.
The Honey Beer Competition was judged by BJCP-certified judges and featured 13 beer style categories, and a cider, hard seltzer and design category. The submitted beers were judged on their aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel and the role honey played in the beer.
2020 Honey Beer Competition Winners

Best of Show
Gold
Honey Kölsch
Rogue Ales & Spirits
Newport, Oregon

Best of Show
Silver
Honey Sucker Pils
Roy-Pitz Brewing Company
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

Best of Show
Bronze
Honey Shot
Alvarium Beer Company
New Britain, Connecticut

General Lager
GOLD
Honey Sucker Pils
Roy-Pitz Brewing Company
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
SILVER
Mexican Honey Light Lager
Indeed Brewing Company
Minneapolis, Minnesota
BRONZE
Mexican Honey Imperial Lager
Indeed Brewing Company
Minneapolis, Minnesota

General Ale
GOLD
Honey Kölsch
Rogue Ales & Spirits
Newport, Oregon
SILVER
The Bee’s Sleaze
Twisted Hippo Brewing
Chicago, Illinois
BRONZE
Vanilla Cream Ale
Big Ash Brewing Co.
Cincinnati, Ohio

Amber / Brown
GOLD
Stardog
Mathews Brewing Company
Lake Worth Beach, Florida
SILVER
Avo Toast
CraftHaus Brewery
Henderson, Nevada
BRONZE
Chomolungma
Jackie O’s Brewery
Athens, Ohio

Best Belgian-Style
GOLD
Dance Language
Oxbow Brewing Company
Newcastle, Maine
SILVER
Biere de Fierte
Big aLICe Brewing Company
Long Island City, New York
BRONZE
La Maison
Taxman Brewing Company
Bargersville, Indiana

Fruit / Veg / Spice
GOLD
Archer
Launch Pad Brewery
Aurora, Colorado
SILVER
Spicer St Christmas Ale
Akronym Brewing
Akron, Ohio
BRONZE
Pia Mahi’ai Saison
Honolulu Beerworks
Honolulu, Hawaii

IPA
GOLD
Honey Shot
Alvarium Beer Company
New Britain, Connecticut
SILVER
Two Timing Dutch Honey IPA
Roy-Pitz Brewing Company
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
BRONZE
Honeymaker
Widowmaker Brewing
Braintree, Massachusetts

Braggot
GOLD
Tow City
Obscurity
Maple Park, Illinois
SILVER
Hail/Plight
Sceptre Brewing Arts
Decatur, Georgia
BRONZE
Maggs 59
The Common Beer Company
Mason, Ohio

Stout / Porter
GOLD
Dark Nectar
Grist House Craft Brewery
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
SILVER
Abe’s Honey Porter
Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company
Wayne, Nebraska
BRONZE
Second Helping
Mathews Brewing Company
Lake Worth Beach, Florida

Wheat
GOLD
Honey Weiss
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
SILVER
Orange Blossom Special
Hopfusion Ale Works
Fort Worth, Texas
BRONZE
Queen’s Harvest
Compass Rose Brewery
Raleigh, North Carolina

Sour
GOLD
Microburst
Grist House Craft Brewery
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
SILVER
Rose Hips Don’t Lie
Oozlefinch Beers and Blending
Fort Monroe, Virginia
BRONZE
Giant Steps Blend 3
Perennial Artisan Ales
St. Louis, Missouri

Barrel-Aged
GOLD
Wood Ya Honey
Jackie O’s Brewery
Athens, Ohio
SILVER
BBA Pervasive
Akronym Brewing
Akron, Ohio
BRONZE
Queens Farmhouse
Big aLICe Brewing Company
Long Island City, New York

Cider
GOLD
Rose Cider
Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Houston, Texas
SILVER
Muzzle of Bees
Right Bee Cider
Chicago, Illinois
BRONZE
Honey Agave Cider
Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Houston, Texas

Other
GOLD
Honey Double Maibock
South Shore Brewery
Ashland, Wisconsin
SILVER
Pervasive
Akronym Brewing
Akron, Ohio
BRONZE
Fungus Shui
Meadowlark Brewing
Sidney, Montana

Hard Seltzer
GOLD
Blackberry Mojito Hydromel
Whistle Hop Brewing Company
Fairview, North Carolina

Design
GOLD
Polymorphism
Speciation Artisan Ales, LLC
Comstock Park, Michigan
SILVER
Miro Miel
East Nashville Beer Works
Nashville, Tennessee
BRONZE
Hoppin’ Honey
Rooftop Brewing Company
Seattle, Washington