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BREWSLAM 2023 RESULTS

Entries

Entries Registered Entries Paid Entries Judged Ontario Entries GTA Brews Entries
517 501 488 291 164

Entries per Entrant

Mean (Avg) Median Mode
3.25 3 2

Participants & Volunteers

Average Flight Size: 6.9 entries / judge pair / session

Participants Participants with Entries Volunteers Judges Stewards Crew
243 159 83 55 24 16

Most Popular Award Categories

Click Here to see the Brew Slam 2023 Award Categories.

Award Category Name Number of Entries BJCP Styles Included
2 - Pale Malty Beer 28 1C, 4A, 4B, 18A
25 - Fruit Beer 27 29A, 29B, 29C, 29D, LSX3 (Italian Grape Ale), LSX4 (Catharina Sour)

Least Popular Award Categories

Click Here to see the Brew Slam 2023 Award Categories.

Award Category Name Number of Entries BJCP Styles Included
7 - Pale English Ale 7 11A, 11B, 11C, 12A, 12B, 12C
32 - Specialty Cider 7 C2A, C2B, C2C, C2D, C2E, C2F

Prize Values

Each medal is allocated an incredible assortment of prizes including homebrew store gift cards, brewing equipment, brewing ingredients and vouchers, brewery swag, and more!

This year we had approximately $15,700 in sponsored prizes and volunteer perks. This incredible prize pool led to each medal type having the following approximate values:

Gold Silver Bronze
$190 ARV $105 ARV $70 ARV

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Please join us in thanking our sponsors for their generous donations this year!

Please visit the Sponsors & Prizes page for a list of what each sponsor donated.

Title Sponsor

  • Toronto Brewing

Platinum Sponsors

  • Spike Brewing
  • Escarpment Laboratories
  • Brewha Equipment Co
  • Hops Connect Canada
  • Lallemand

Gold Sponsors

  • INKBIRD
  • Defalcos
  • Five Star Chemicals

Silver Sponsors

  • Hopback Homebrew Supplies
  • Beer Grains
  • Barn Owl Malt
  • Northwest Hop Farms
  • Brewfather
  • Tilt Hydrometers

Bronze Sponsors

  • Wyeast
  • GrowlerWerks Canada
  • Hop Bomb Apparel Co
  • Beersmith
  • Omega Yeast
  • BSG Canada

Click Here to see which BJCP styles are included in each Award Category

Note: Some awards have big prizes listed, but every award has been allocated a significant prize set. Please see the Competition Stats section above for the impressive average value.

All winners will receive a custom engraved medal to commemorate their achievement!

1 - Light Lager (16 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Andrew Ford LBAA 5A: German Leichtbier Cottage Country Brewers/ GTA Brews
2nd Joel Grandmaison Henks Dutch Lager 2A: International Pale Lager GTA Brews
3rd Shaun Hill Hiller Lite 1A: American Light Lager Cowtown Yeast Wranglers

2 - Pale Malty Beer (28 entries):

Sponsored by: Muddy York Brewing Co

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Ross Stuart Festbier 4B: Festbier Arizona Society of Homebrewers
2nd Andrew Cherry Helles Ya 4A: Munich Helles GTA Brews
3rd Mike Vandervoort Meh It's A Cream Ale 1C: Cream Ale Durham Homebrewers Club

3 - Pale Bitter Beer (24 entries):

Sponsored by: Godspeed Brewery

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Chad Kling The Connection: Liberty 5D: German Pils VanBrewers
2nd Dave Jones Forbidden Fruit LSX5: New Zealand Pilsner True Grist
3rd Carsten Weitemeyer Hoher Hagen 5B: Kölsch GTA Brews

4 - Amber Lager (18 entries):

Sponsored by: Common Good Beer Company

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Rick Alaszkiewicz Danube Cruise 7A: Vienna Lager Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
2nd James Kennedy Klimt 7A: Vienna Lager GTA Brews
3rd Shane Schlesinger Mowmow 6A: Märzen GTA Brews

5 - Dark Lager (13 entries):

Sponsored by: Silversmith Brewing Co

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st James Hiner Trip To Saxony 8B: Schwarzbier Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
2nd Mike Pal
Co-Brewer: Dr. Steve Brule
Czech It Out! 3D: Czech Dark Lager Battle River Brewers
3rd Joel Grandmaison Bob's Your Dunkel 8A: Munich Dunkel GTA Brews
HM Zalina Schinkel Dark Desires 8B: Schwarzbier

6 - Bock (8 entries):

Sponsored by: Paniza Brewing Co

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Daniel Bronson Baked Potater 9A: Doppelbock Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
2nd Carsten Weitemeyer Bairisch No. 9 6C: Dunkels Bock GTA Brews
3rd Steve Fawkes Fusaskalbock 6C: Dunkels Bock Cowtown Yeast Wranglers

7 - Pale English Ale (7 entries):

Sponsored by: Granite Brewery & Tied House

  • Pro-Am for the Winner
PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Chris George You've Got Everything Now 12A: British Golden Ale GTA Brews
2nd Paul Heslop OBB 11A: Ordinary Bitter Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
3rd Matt Ballyk IPA Innit? 12C: English IPA GTA Brews

8 - Scottish & Irish Ale (13 entries):

Sponsored by: Folly Brewpub

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Wuilmer Venegas Coco Viejo Scot 14C: Scottish Export GTA Brews
2nd Kieth Caines We Ain't Heavy 14B: Scottish Heavy GTA Brews
3rd Dan Mills Hunted Paddle 15A: Irish Red Ale GTA Brews

9 - Pale American Ale (20 entries):

Sponsored by: Town Brewery

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Mike Pal Juicy Mike's Almost Famous APA 18B: American Pale Ale Battle River Brewers
2nd Kevin O'Reilly Cryo Pop PA 18B: American Pale Ale North Bay Homebrewers Club
3rd Andrew McCready Dog Park Pale Ale 18B: American Pale Ale GTA Brews

10 - Amber & Brown American Ale (14 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Andrew McCready Brimley's Brown Ale 19C: American Brown Ale GTA Brews
2nd Joss Happy Amber Ambler 19A: American Amber Ale GTA Brews
3rd Mark Solomon
Co-Brewer: Amy Gaukel
Logging Roads 27A2: Kentucky Common GTA Brews

11 - English Brown Ale (9 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Patrick Paugh Smooth Sailing 13B: British Brown Ale Island Brewers Union
2nd Steve Shaw London Calling 27A4: London Brown Ale Winnipeg Brew Bombers
3rd Matt Clarke Barren Sky 13A: Dark Mild GTA Brews

12 - Porter (14 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Cory Fletcher Sip My Baltic 9C: Baltic Porter GTA Brews
2nd Casey Szott Domino 20A: American Porter Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
3rd Greg Paterson Baltic Avenue Porter 9C: Baltic Porter Headhunters Brewing Club

13 - Stout (9 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Adam Bass Me Likey 16B: Oatmeal Stout
2nd Brady MacDonald My PAL Mike 16A: Sweet Stout Battle River Brewers
3rd Jerry Surzycia
Co-Brewer: Mark Kramarchuk
Strong Stout #7 16B: Oatmeal Stout GTA Brews

14 - Strong Stout (17 entries):

Sponsored by: Rouge River Brewing Company

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Luke Van Oort Dave's Of 16C: Tropical Stout GTA Brews
2nd Mike Vandervoort Coma 20C: Imperial Stout Durham Homebrewers Club
3rd Reginald P. Picklefeather III Rude Bwoy 16C: Tropical Stout GTA Brews

15 - Classic IPA (15 entries):

Sponsored by: Great Lakes Brewery

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Michael Szewczuk Heavy Hitter 21A: American IPA Red Deer Brewers
2nd Wesley d'Haene Tongue Thrasher 22A: Double IPA Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
3rd Josh Davis Redacted Pale Ale 21A: American IPA GTA Brews

16 - Hazy IPA (20 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Wesley d'Haene Electro-Absorption Modulation 21C: Hazy IPA Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
2nd Casey Szott Str8jkt 21C: Hazy IPA Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
3rd Rene Maurice Hazy IPA #3 21C: Hazy IPA Cottage Country Brewers

17 - Specialty IPA (13 entries):

Sponsored by: Indie Alehouse

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Lucas Modena Dark Beauty 21B2: Black IPA True Grist
2nd Eric Pare La Pref De Momo 21B4: Red IPA MontreAlers
3rd Jerry Surzycia
Co-Brewer: Mark Kramarchuk
RIPA99 21B5: Rye IPA GTA Brews
HM Casey Szott Gravy 21B5: Rye IPA Cowtown Yeast Wranglers

18 - Wheat & Rye Beer (17 entries):

Sponsored by: Paniza Brewing Co

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Riccardo Santopietro Vincent 10A: Weissbier MontreAlers
2nd Matt Clarke Roller Disco 24A: Witbier GTA Brews
3rd Michael Boston Boston WIt 24A: Witbier True Grist

19 - Belgian & French Ale (23 entries):

Sponsored by: Sonnen Hill

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Roger Croy Dundas Summer Saison 25B: Saison HOZER (Hamilton Ontario Zymurgy Enthusiast Ring)
2nd Dominic Turenne Saison D'août 25B: Saison
3rd Chihyung Lee ROK Belgian Pale Ale 24B: Belgian Pale Ale Cowtown Yeast Wranglers

20 - Belgian Strong Ale (23 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Mike Vandervoort Austin 25A: Belgian Blond Ale Durham Homebrewers Club
2nd Brandel Rock Three Dark Nights 26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
3rd Paul Heslop Damn Daniel. Back At It Again With The White Vans 26D: Belgian Dark Strong Ale Cowtown Yeast Wranglers

21 - Strong Ale (10 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Trevor Armstrong Barleywin 17D: English Barley Wine Durham Homebrewers Club
2nd David Ward
Co-Brewer: Scott Lechelt
The Champ 17A: British Strong Ale Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
3rd Claudia Cunha
Co-Brewer: Helio Lambais
Mon Chien Est Ivre 17A: British Strong Ale VanBrewers
HM Michael Boston Amplification 22C: American Barleywine True Grist

22 - Brett Beer (8 entries):

Sponsored by: Bellwoods Brewery

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Kym Watts PB Saison 28A: Brett Beer GTA Brews
2nd Eric Pare Saison De Momo 28A: Brett Beer MontreAlers
3rd Sacha Ikonicoff Brett Blonde 28A: Brett Beer Ottawa's Homebrew Society

23 - Sour Beer (17 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Patrick Brown Wheaties! 23A: Berliner Weisse GTA Brews
2nd Albert teBraak Crimson Sour 23B: Flanders Red Ale MontreAlers
3rd Bart Tomczyk All Your Gueuze Are Belong To Us 23E: Gueuze GTA Brews
HM Matt King Augury 23G: Gose GTA Brews

24 - Specialty Wild & Sour Beer (14 entries):

Sponsored by: Burdock Brewery

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Helio Lambais
Co-Brewer: Claudia Cunha
Requiem For J 28C: Wild Specialty Beer VanBrewers
2nd Andrew Cherry Lemon Haze 28C: Wild Specialty Beer GTA Brews
3rd Frank Schneidawind Snowshoe River Dark 28C: Wild Specialty Beer MontreAlers

25 - Fruit Beer (27 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Wuilmer Venegas Berlin 29A: Fruit Beer GTA Brews
2nd Patrick Brown Sunny D LSX4: Catharina Sour GTA Brews
3rd Troy Dupuis Strawberry Basil Wheat 29B: Fruit and Spice Beer Cottage Country Brewers
HM Drew Farmer Razzin' Up The Sour 29A: Fruit Beer Aroma Brewealis Homebrew Club

26 - Spice / Herb / Vegetable Beer (24 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Kyle Kellam 63°38′N, 19°03′W 30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer GTA Brews
2nd Steve Fawkes Black Mountainside With Coffee 30A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
3rd Wesley d'Haene Santa's Special Reserve 30C: Winter Seasonal Beer Cowtown Yeast Wranglers

27 - Smoke-Flavoured & Wood-Aged Beer (17 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Matt Ballyk Burden Of Dreams 33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer GTA Brews
2nd Keigan Ewing Longer, Darker Voyage 33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer True Grist
3rd Sam Leitkam
Co-Brewer: MontreAlers
A Stout Russian MontreAler Sipping From The Bourbon Barrel 33B: Specialty Wood-Aged Beer MontreAlers

28 - Specialty Beer (16 entries):

Sponsored by: Rorschach Brewing Co

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Kris Walter
Co-Brewer: Braden Walter
Dry Hopped Lager 34B: Mixed-Style Beer Edmonton Homebrewers Guild
2nd Chad Kling It's Ice 34B: Mixed-Style Beer VanBrewers
3rd Sean O'Donnell Forever Got Shorter 34B: Mixed-Style Beer Ottawa's Homebrew Society

29 - Mead (17 entries):

Sponsored by: Backed by Bees

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Ashley Shapiro
Co-Brewer: Monica Shannon
Windy Joe: Cedar Mead M4C: Experimental Mead Marpole Mead Maidens
2nd Ashley Shapiro
Co-Brewer: Monica Shannon
Love Is Everywhere: Hibiscus Mead M3B: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Mead Marpole Mead Maidens
3rd Ashley Shapiro
Co-Brewer: Monica Shannon
Alpine Meadow: Herbal Metheglin M3B: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Mead Marpole Mead Maidens

31 - Traditional Cider (10 entries):

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Nicholas Williams George's Cider Blend C1A: New World Cider
2nd Albert teBraak Ganaraska Wild 2022 C1A: New World Cider MontreAlers
3rd Sam Leitkam Dad's #5 C1B: English Cider MontreAlers

32 - Specialty Cider (7 entries):

Sponsored by: KW Craft Cider

PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Alex Benjamin
Co-Brewer: James Mcintosh
Whisky Night In Canada C2F: Specialty Cider/Perry
2nd François Tardif Haskap C2B: Cider with Other Fruit
3rd Bart Tomczyk First Try C2A: New England Cider GTA Brews

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Best of Show (Beer)

Awarded to the single best beer entry, as determined in a final judging round with the best beers from the whole competition.

  • 1st ($1,100 ARV):
    • Spike Brewing CF5 Fermenter
    • INKBIRD INK-VS01
    • Yeast, Hops, Brewing Chemicals ... and more!
  • 2nd ($540 ARV):
    • Growlerwerks uKeg Go 64 (Maple Leafs Branded)
    • Full Sack of Grain from BSG Canada
  • 3rd ($100 ARV):
    • Yeast, Hops, Brewing Chemicals ... and more!
PL. BREWER(S) ENTRY NAME STYLE CLUB
1st Trevor Armstrong Barleywin 17D: English Barley Wine Durham Homebrewers Club
2nd Mike Vandervoort Austin 25A: Belgian Blond Ale Durham Homebrewers Club
3rd Wuilmer Venegas Berlin 29A: Fruit Beer GTA Brews

Toronto Brewer of the Year

Awarded to the GTA Brews entrant with the highest medal point count from beer categories. (Gold = 3 pts, Silver = 2 pts, Bronze = 1 pt)

  • 1st ($550 ARV):
    • Spike Brewing Flex Fermenter from Toronto Brewing
    • Full Sack of Grain from BSG Canada
    • Yeast, Hops, Brewing Chemicals ... and more!
Pl. Brewer
1st Wuilmer Venegas
2nd Patrick Brown
3rd Matt Ballyk
Andrew McCready

Jon Mains Award for Top Brewer

Awarded to the top overall entrant with the highest medal point count from beer categories.  (Gold = 3 pts, Silver = 2 pts, Bronze = 1 pt)

  • 1st ($510 ARV):
    • Tilt Pro and a Raspberry Pi/Tilt Pi
    • Yeast, Hops, Brewing Chemicals ... and more!
Pl. Brewer 1st 2nd 3rd Score Club
1st Wuilmer Venegas 2 0 0 6.02 pts GTA Brews
2nd Mike Vandervoort 1 1 1 6.01 pts Durham Homebrewers Club
Wesley d'Haene 1 1 1 6.01 pts Cowtown Yeast Wranglers
4th Chad Kling 1 1 0 5.01 pts VanBrewers
  Mike Pal 1 1 0 5.01 pts Battle River Brewers
  Patrick Brown 1 1 0 5.01 pts GTA Brews
7th Matt Ballyk 1 0 1 4.01 pts GTA Brews
Andrew McCready 1 0 1 4.01 pts GTA Brews

Top Clubs (28 Participating Clubs) 

Pl. Club 1st 2nd 3rd HM Score
1st GTA Brews 10 9 14 1 62.10 pts
2nd Cowtown Yeast Wranglers 4 6 5 1 29.04 pts
3rd MontreAlers 1 4 3 0 14.01 pts
4th VanBrewers 2 1 1 0 9.02 pts
Durham Homebrewers Club 2 1 1 0 9.02 pts
6th True Grist 1 2 1 1 8.01 pts
7th Battle River Brewers 1 2 0 0 7.01 pts