Judges
Matthew Allen, Kari Beauclair, Shawn Bross, Renea Clark, Melissa Elkanich, Mandi Faewood, Garrett Freeman, Carlos Herrera, Jeremy Houser, Susan Jimenez, JJ Ocampo, BC Phillips, Steven Phillips, Deborah And Marc Prichard, Larry Reaux, David Sollars, Jacob Thill, Jake Tweedy, Conrad Wheeler
Judges - Best of Show
Mandi Faewood, Garrett Freeman, BC Phillips
Stewards
Stephen Livingston, Marc Prichard
Staff
Kelli Lorenz, Rob Rogers
By the Numbers
332 Entries
125 Entrants
19 Judges
2 Stewards
2 Staff
67 Placing Entries
Table 1: Dry Traditional
9 entries
Judges: Kari Beauclair, Larry Reaux (Head Judge)
1st
Anthony Hatcher
Granny Smiths Toddy (M1A: Dry Mead)
2nd
Susan Jimenez
Whiskey Row Brew Club
Mes-quito (M1A: Dry Mead)
3rd
JJ Ocampo
Brewers Anonymous
Nova 2026: The Accolade (M1A: Dry Mead)
Table 2: Semi-Sweet Traditional
23 entries
Judges: Matthew Allen (Head Judge), Renea Clark (Head Judge), Melissa Elkanich, Jeremy Houser, BC Phillips, Jacob Thill, Jake Tweedy (Head Judge)
1st
Chris Abraugh
Tineo Gold (M1B: Semi-Sweet Mead)
2nd
Vitaliy Trofymchuk
Suncoast Gold (M1B: Semi-Sweet Mead)
3rd
David Towles
High Plains Drafters [TX]
Semi-Sweet Hydromel (M1B: Semi-Sweet Mead)
Table 3: Sweet Traditional
18 entries
Judges: Kari Beauclair (Head Judge), Shawn Bross, Renea Clark (Head Judge), BC Phillips, Larry Reaux (Head Judge), Jacob Thill
1st
David Towles
High Plains Drafters [TX]
Sweet Hydromel (M1C: Sweet Mead)
2nd
JJ Ocampo
Brewers Anonymous
Nova 2026: Drone Corpse Aviator (M1C: Sweet Mead)
3rd
Diana Lester
Central Arkansas Fermenters
What just happened? (M1C: Sweet Mead)
Table 4: Cyser
7 entries
Judges: Susan Jimenez (Head Judge), David Sollars
1st
Lee Oliver
Texas Shoe Shin (M2A: Cyser)
2nd
Austin Skeith & Grant Liebel And Cameron...
Brochet (M2A: Cyser)
Table 5: Pyment
19 entries
Judges: Carlos Herrera (Head Judge), JJ Ocampo, Steven Phillips (Head Judge), Larry Reaux (Head Judge), David Sollars, Jacob Thill
1st
Kyle Ducharme
Green Mountain Mashers
Miombo number 5 (M2B: Pyment)
2nd
Matt Palma
Wake County Brusaders
One Foot In Front Of Another (M2B: Pyment)
3rd
Harrison Cord
Pyonisus (M2B: Pyment)
Table 6: Dry Melomels (M2C/M2E)
7 entries
Judges: Garrett Freeman (Head Judge), Conrad Wheeler
1st
Melissa Greenfield
QUAFF (Quality Ale and Fermentation...
Raspberry Nebbiolo (M2ED: Melomel - Dry)
2nd
Bryan Tallant
Americus Homebrewers Association...
Blackheart Session (M2CD: Berry Mead - Dry)
3rd
Maxwell Ruston
Raspberry Bloom (M2CD: Berry Mead - Dry)
Table 7: Berry Mead - Semi-sweet
14 entries
Judges: Shawn Bross, Mandi Faewood, Carlos Herrera (Head Judge), Deborah And Marc Prichard (Head Judge)
1st
Susan Jimenez
Whiskey Row Brew Club
Cranny (M2CM: Berry Mead - Semi-sweet)
2nd
Ryan Vigne
Pittsburgh Mead Makers And...
Vigne Estate - 2025 (M2CM: Berry Mead - Semi-sweet)
3rd
Christian McPheeters
Oaked Huckleberry Mead (M2CM: Berry Mead - Semi-sweet)
Table 8: Berry Mead - Sweet
14 entries
Judges: Matthew Allen (Head Judge), Shawn Bross, Mandi Faewood, Deborah And Marc Prichard (Head Judge)
1st
Andrew Brown
Lancaster County Brewers
Strawberry Fields (M2CS: Berry Mead - Sweet)
2nd
Tim Schwartz
Macadamia Bourbon Berry Smash (M2CS: Berry Mead - Sweet)
3rd
Liberty Hamman & Nick Crain
Mixed berry no water (M2CS: Berry Mead - Sweet)
Table 9: Stone Fruit Mead
16 entries
Judges: Renea Clark (Head Judge), Melissa Elkanich, Jeremy Houser, Susan Jimenez (Head Judge)
1st
Michael Depozsgay
Is this cherry? (M2D: Stone Fruit Mead)
2nd
Deborah And Marc Prichard
Kansas City Bier Meisters
May Need Bail Money (M2D: Stone Fruit Mead)
3rd
Thomas Watson
Sultan’s Crimson (M2D: Stone Fruit Mead)
Table 10: Melomel - Semi-sweet
16 entries
Judges: Shawn Bross, BC Phillips (Head Judge), David Sollars, Conrad Wheeler (Head Judge)
1st
Michael Rivera
Strand Brewers Club
Fig and Berries mead (M2EM: Melomel - Semi-sweet)
2nd
Anthony Hatcher
Blood Moon (M2EM: Melomel - Semi-sweet)
3rd
Thomas Carter
Black Cyser (M2EM: Melomel - Semi-sweet)
Table 11: Melomel - Sweet
14 entries
Judges: Kari Beauclair (Head Judge), Shawn Bross, Jeremy Houser, Jake Tweedy (Head Judge)
1st
Kyle Ducharme
Green Mountain Mashers
VT HoD v2 (M2ES: Melomel - Sweet)
2nd
Eric Reynolds
Louisville Area Grain and...
Odin (M2ES: Melomel - Sweet)
3rd
Zach Stewart
Squeezed Bees Luscious Lemonade (M2ES: Melomel - Sweet)
Table 12: Fruit and Spice - Dry
6 entries
Judges: Garrett Freeman (Head Judge), BC Phillips
1st
Nick Husk-Reed
Spicy Little Tarte - Pear Tarte Tatin Mead (M3AD: Fruit and Spice - Dry)
2nd
Maxwell Ruston
Dandelion's Sunlight (M3AD: Fruit and Spice - Dry)
3rd
Anthony Hatcher
Raspy Heat (M3AD: Fruit and Spice - Dry)
Table 13: Fruit and Spice - Semi-sweet
23 entries
Judges: Matthew Allen, Melissa Elkanich, Jeremy Houser, JJ Ocampo (Head Judge), Steven Phillips (Head Judge), Jake Tweedy (Head Judge)
1st
Bryan Tallant & Max Tallant
Americus Homebrewers Association...
Lost Mule (M3AM: Fruit and Spice - Semi-sweet)
2nd
Thor Williams
Wassail Serious? (M3AM: Fruit and Spice - Semi-sweet)
3rd
Melissa Greenfield
QUAFF (Quality Ale and Fermentation...
Hobo smokeshow reloaded: nightmare fuel (M3AM: Fruit and Spice - Semi-sweet)
Table 14: Fruit and Spice - Sweet
23 entries
Judges: Kari Beauclair, Renea Clark (Head Judge), Garrett Freeman, Carlos Herrera (Head Judge), Larry Reaux (Head Judge), Jacob Thill
1st
Kyle Ducharme
Green Mountain Mashers
Red vanilla (M3AS: Fruit and Spice - Sweet)
2nd
Brian Biggs
Dead Yeast Society [LA]
Thor's Jambalaya (M3AS: Fruit and Spice - Sweet)
3rd
Shaun Coleman
Frothy Bastard Brew Works
Ur' da Apple of my Pie (Spiced Cyser Mead) (M3AS: Fruit and Spice - Sweet)
Table 15: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Dry
7 entries
Judges: Kari Beauclair, Jake Tweedy (Head Judge), Conrad Wheeler
1st
Kevin Cooper
You're Finally Awake (M3BD: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Dry)
2nd
Thomas Watson
The London Dry Mead (M3BD: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Dry)
3rd
Zach Steele
Elmo Lavender (M3BD: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Dry)
Table 16: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Semi-sweet
11 entries
Judges: Mandi Faewood, Susan Jimenez, Deborah And Marc Prichard (Head Judge)
1st
Matt Palma
Wake County Brusaders
Misty Mountain Hopped (M3BM: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Semi-sweet)
2nd
Thomas Carter
Chai Coffee (M3BM: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Semi-sweet)
3rd
Timothy Wicklund
Keepers of Craft
Star Thistle Serrano 25' (M3BM: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Semi-sweet)
Table 17: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Sweet
11 entries
Judges: Garrett Freeman, Carlos Herrera (Head Judge)
1st
Brian Biggs
Dead Yeast Society [LA]
Nothing But the Rain (M3BS: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Sweet)
2nd
Eric Reynolds
Louisville Area Grain and...
Orderir (M3BS: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Sweet)
3rd
Michial Dunlap
Hibiscus Ginger Treat (M3BS: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable - Sweet)
Table 18: Braggot
12 entries
Judges: JJ Ocampo, Steven Phillips (Head Judge)
1st
Andrew Brown
Lancaster County Brewers
S’mores (M4A: Braggot)
2nd
Jim Riffe
Prickly Pucker (M4A: Braggot)
3rd
Alexandria Perry & Doug Brown
QUAFF
B.O.S.S. Braggot (M4A: Braggot)
Table 19: Historical Mead
8 entries
Judges: Mandi Faewood, JJ Ocampo (Head Judge)
1st
Jonathon Schubert
QUAFF (Quality Ale and Fermentation...
Something Polish (M4B: Historical Mead)
2nd
Kyle Ducharme
Green Mountain Mashers
It’s Polish to Me (M4B: Historical Mead)
3rd
Zack Snyders
The Golden Nile (M4B: Historical Mead)
Table 20: Experimental - Dry
6 entries
Judges: Garrett Freeman, Conrad Wheeler (Head Judge)
1st
Michael Leathers
Corn Bochet Session Mead (M4CD: Experimental - Dry)
2nd
Tarzell Turner
Bay Area Mashtronauts
Japanese Plum Harbour Cuvée (M4CD: Experimental - Dry)
3rd
Michael Caleca
Lumberjack (M4CD: Experimental - Dry)
Table 21: Experimental - Semi-Sweet
24 entries
Judges: Shawn Bross, Carlos Herrera (Head Judge), BC Phillips, David Sollars, Jacob Thill (Head Judge), Jake Tweedy (Head Judge)
1st
Scott Mesloh
Emberfruit of the Nine Realms (M4CM: Experimental - Semi-sweet)
2nd
Dustin Etter
Old fashioned mead (M4CM: Experimental - Semi-sweet)
3rd
Austin Brown
Brewers Anonymous
The Morrígan (M4CM: Experimental - Semi-sweet)
HM
Chris McAllister
Pineapple Upside-down Cake (M4CM: Experimental - Semi-sweet)
Table 22: Experimental - Sweet
16 entries
Judges: Renea Clark, JJ Ocampo (Head Judge), Steven Phillips (Head Judge), Deborah And Marc Prichard (Head Judge), Jacob Thill, Conrad Wheeler
1st
Thomas Carter
Gadram's Gambit (M4CS: Experimental - Sweet)
2nd
Susan Jimenez
Whiskey Row Brew Club
Highlights (M4CS: Experimental - Sweet)
3rd
Benji Howard
MASH Fort Wayne Homebrew Club
Jam Session (M4CS: Experimental - Sweet)
Table 23: Cattle Battle
28 entries
Judges: Matthew Allen (Head Judge), Kari Beauclair (Head Judge), Renea Clark, Garrett Freeman (Head Judge), Susan Jimenez (Head Judge), Steven Phillips (Head Judge), Deborah And Marc Prichard, Larry Reaux, Conrad Wheeler
1st
Nathan Steigman
Minnesota Home Brewers Association
Movin' to the country, Gonna eat me a lot of peaches. (M4X: Cattle Battle mead)
Best of Show
Mead
Judges: Mandi Faewood, Garrett Freeman, BC Phillips
1st
Andrew Brown
Lancaster County Brewers
S’mores (M4A: Braggot)
Thank You
Congratulations to All Medal Winners