Charlotte brewery makes Top 10 at the U.S. Open Beer Championship
The American Homebrew Association has crowned the winners of the U.S. Open Beer Championship, and Charlotte-based Pilot Brewing was named among the Top 10.
This year’s championship was held in Oxford, Ohio, back to a normal schedule after pandemic-related schedule changes. The U.S. Open is a blind competition where judges know only the categories being judged. Breweries — homebrewers and professionals — sent over 9,000 brews representing over 150 styles of beer for judging.
Plaza Midwood’s Pilot Brewing, co-owned by Rachel Hudson and her husband, Jeff, claimed the No. 5 spot overall in the competition. Hudson is excited they won and is surprised to see how well the brewery did this year.
“Ever since we’ve opened the brewery we’ve always been very big on brewing high quality beers with the finest ingredients and putting out the best beers possible,” Hudson said.
The brewery heavily emphasizes beer education. “All our team members have their hand in the brewing process, as well as serving the beer,” Hudson said. “And we put a lot of education into our team, as well as to the community.”
Here are the competition’s Top 10 and other U.S. Open Beer Championship medalists in the Charlotte area
Top 10 breweries
Sun King Brewery, Indiana
Shoe Tree Brewing, Nevada
Third Eye Brewing, Ohio
Monday Night Brewing, Georgia
Pilot Brewing, North Carolina
Vallensons’ Brewing, Texas
Moonraker Brewing Company, California
Bonds Brewing, Wyoming
DC Brau Brewing, Washington, DC
Forgotten Star Brewing, Minnesota
Charlotte-area medalists
American Sprout
GOLD: Pilot Brewing – Secret Santa Stout
American Style Fruit Beer – Peach
GOLD: Middle James Brewing Company – Cosmic Curiosities
American Style Berry Beer – Strawberry
GOLD: Model A Brewing Company – Springs Farm Strawberry Kolsch
BRONZE: Southern Range Brewing – Strawberry Shandy
Belgian Witbier
GOLD: Sugar Creek Brewing – Sugar Creek White Ale
Blended Barrel-Aged Beer
BRONZE: High Branch Brewing Co. – The Strength Within
Brown Porters
BRONZE: The DreamChaser’s Brewery – South of the Porter
Brett Beer
GOLD: High Branch Brewing Co. – Member Saison Dry Hopped
SILVER: Lenny Boy Brewing – 10th Anniversary Sour
Bock
BRONZE: Pilot Brewing – Dunkels Bock
ESB
GOLD: Pilot Brewing – Pub Ale
Imperial Sprout Extreme (ABV: 12.5+)
BRONZE: Hi-Wire Brewing – Café de Olla 20W50
International Style Pilsner
SILVER: Model A Brewing Company – Speakeasy
Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale
BRONZE: Middle James Brewing — “Hops on One Leg”
Near Gluten Free
GOLD: Pilot Brewing — Mimosa Gose
Visit the 2022 U.S. Open Beer Championship website for the full list of medalists.
This story was originally published July 11, 2022 at 12:02 PM.
