This past weekend, in near perfect weather, the 8th Annual Hickory Hops festival took place and with it came the announcement of the winners of the Carolina Championship of Beer.
This year’s Carolina Championship of Beer saw nearly 300 beers judged from 40 breweries. All breweries who attended the festival were eligible to enter the CCB competition. North Carolina was best represented with 31 breweries. Georgia sent four and South Carolina had three delegates. Two local distributors – United Beverage and sponsor Best of Beers – entered craft beer from their portfolio. 29 gold medals, 62 silvers and 73 bronze medals were awarded, listed here, in order of category. You may notice that some categories do not have all three medals listed – in those cases only the medals listed were awarded. Categories with multiple listings per medals had multiple beers that scored high enough to medal. Only categories with entries/medals are listed. Any beer that won a gold medal was eligible for Best in Show prizes (listed last).
Category 1: American Cream Ale or Lager
Bronze: Terrapin Brewing Company, Golden Ale
Bronze: Catawba Valley Brewing Company, Farmer Ted’s Cream Ale
Category 2: American-Style Wheat Beer
Silver: Sweetwater Brewing Company, Sch’Wheat
Category 3A: Light American Wheat Ale or Lager with Yeast
Bronze: Carolina Beer and Beverage, Cottonwood American Wheat
Bronze: Best of Beers, Widmer Hefeweizen
Gold: RJ Rockers, Buckwheat Ale
Gold: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Deep River Wheat
Category 3B: Dark American Wheat Ale or Lager with Yeast
Silver: RJ Rockers, Buckwheat After Dark Ale
Category 4A: Fruit Beer
Bronze: Carolina Beer and Beverage, Carolina Strawberry Ale
Bronze: Mash House Brewery and Restaraunt, Raspberry Porter
Category 4B: Fruit Wheat Beer
Bronze: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Blackberry Wheat
Bronze: Mash House Brewery and Restaraunt, Peach Hefeweizen
Category 4D: Pumpkin Beer
Silver: Terrapin Brewing Company, Pumpkin Fest
Category 5A: Herb and Spice Beer
Bronze: Triangle Brewing Company, Habanero Pale Ale
Silver: Moon River, Rosemary Swamp Fox IPA
Category 5B: Chocolate/Cocoa-Flavored Beer
Bronze: Front Street Brewery, Hellmutt
Silver: Heinzelmännchen Brewery, Chocolate Covered Gnome
Category 6: Coffee Flavored Beer
Bronze: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, DeBeen Espresso Stout
Silver: Pisgah Brewing Company, Valdez
Category 8A: American Rye Ale or Lager with or without Yeast
Silver: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Drye Hopped Rye
Category 10: Session Beer
Bronze: Craggie Brewing Company, Battery Hill
Category 11: Other Strong Ale or Lager
Bronze: RJ Rockers, Bell Ringer Ale
Category 12: Experimental Lager or Ale
Gold: Ham’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, Blasphemy
Category 13: Out of Category – Traditionally Brewed Beer
Silver: United Beverage, Oskar Blues Old Chub
Category 17A: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Pale to Amber Beer
Bronze: Red Brick, Red Brick 15 Anniversary
Category 17B: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Dark Beer
Silver: Foothills Brewing Company, Bourbon Barrel Total Eclipse Stout
Category 18: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
Bronze: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Oaked Decade
Silver: SweetWater, Black Berry Creeper
Silver: Olde Hickory Brewery, Bardstown Brand
Silver: Olde Hickory Brewery, Barrel Aged Imperial Stout
Category 21A: Kellerbier/Zwickelbier – Unfiltered German-Style Lager
Bronze: Front Street Brewery, Organic Keller Pilsner
Bronze: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Dry Hopped Kellerbier
Gold: Craggie Brewing Company, Swannanoa Sunset
Category 21B: Kellerbier/Zwickelbier – Unfiltered German-Style Ale
Gold: Nantahala Brewing Company, Nanny Light
Category 22: Smoked Beer
Silver: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Smoked n’ Oaked Robust Porter
Category 23: International-Style Pilsener
Silver: Olde Hickory Brewery, Piedmont Pilsner
Gold: Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery, Kenan Summer Lager
Category 24: German-Style Pilsener
Bronze: Thomas Creek, Dockside Pilsner
Silver: United Beverage, Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils
Gold: Pisgah Brewing Company, German Pilsner
Category 25: Bohemian-Style Pilsener
Bronze: Gordon Biersch, Czech Pilsner
Silver: Rock Bottom: Charlotte, Prospector’s Pilsner
Gold: Foothills Brewing Company, Torch Pilsner
Category 26: Munich-Style Helles
Silver: Gordon Biersch, Golden Export
Category 28: American-Style Light Lager
Bronze: Rock Bottom: Charlotte, Southern Flyer Light Lager
Category 29: American-Style Lager or Premium Lager
Bronze: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Miss Liberty Lager
Category 32: German-Style Märzen
Silver: Gordon Biersch, Marzen
Category 33A: American-Style Amber Lager
Silver: Rock Bottom: Charlotte, Irish Red Ale
Gold: Gordon Biersch, Dampf Bier
Category 33B: California Common Beer
Silver: Nantahala Brewing Company, Nantahala Common
Category 33C: American-Style Märzen/Oktoberfest
Bronze: Boone Brewing Company, Blowing Rock Oktoberfest
Category 34: European-Style Dunkel
Gold: Mother Earth Brewing Company, Dark Cloud Munich Dunkel
Category 36: German-Style Schwarzbier
Bronze: Gordon Biersch, Schwarzbier
Category 37A: Traditional German-Style Bock
Bronze: Boone Brewing Company, Blowing Rock Bock
Bronze: Rock Bottom: Charlotte, Winter’s Nip Bock
Bronze: United Beverage, Yuengling Bock Beer
Category 38A: German-Style Doppelbock
Bronze: Pisgah Brewing Company, Doppelbock
Bronze: Thomas Creek, Deep Water Dopplebock
Silver: Olde Hickory Brewery, Dopplebock
Category 39: Baltic-Style Porter
Gold: Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Porter
Category 40: Golden or Blonde Ale
Bronze: Natty Greene’s Brewing Company, Guilford Golden Ale
Bronze: Red Brick, Red Brick Blonde
Gold: SweetWater, 420
Category 41: German-Style Kölsch
Bronze: Huske Hardware House, Level Headed Blonde
Silver: Mother Earth Brewing Company, Endless River Kolsch
Category 42: English-Style Summer Ale
Silver: Boylan Bridge Brewpub, Endless Summer
Silver: RJ Rockers, Light Rock Ale
Category 43: Classic English-Style Pale Ale
Bronze: RJ Rockers, Patriot Pale Ale
Silver: Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery, Iron Mine Pale Ale
Category 44: English-Style India Pale Ale
Bronze: Wedge Brewing Company, Iron Rail
Silver: Highland Brewery, Kashmir IPA
Category 45: American-Style Pale Ale
Bronze: Boone Brewing Company, High Country Ale
Bronze: LoneRider Brewing Company, Peacemaker
Bronze: Olde Hickory Brewery, Table Rock Pale Ale
Bronze: Red Brick, Red Brick Pale Ale
Bronze: Terrapin Brewing Company, Rye Pale Ale
Silver: Hops Restaurant and Brewery, Hops Pale Ale
Category 46: American-Style Strong Pale Ale
Bronze: Ham’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, Peg Leg Pale Ale
Category 47: American-Style India Pale Ale
Bronze: Best of Beers, Blue Point IPA
Bronze: Best of Beers, Redhook Long Hammer IPA
Bronze: Pisgah Brewing Company, Pisgah IPA
Bronze: Rock Bottom: Charlotte, Stingin’ Brits IPA
Bronze: SweetWater, IPA
Silver: Foothills Brewing Company, Hoppyum IPA
Silver: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, India Pale Ale
Silver: RJ Rockers, Rockhopper IPA
Silver: Terrpain Brewing Company, Hopsecutioner IPA
Silver: Thomas Creek, Class Five IPA
Category 48: Imperial India Pale Ale
Bronze: Green Man/Jack of the Wood, The Truth
Gold: Natty Greene’s Brewing Company, Cannonball Double IPA
Category 49: American-Style Amber/Red Ale
Bronze: Natty Greene’s Brewing Company, Buckshot Amber Ale
Silver: Highland Brewing Company, Gaelic Ale
Silver: Thomas Creek, Applachian Amber Ale
Gold: Rock Bottom: Charlotte, Randolph’s Ride Red Ale
Category 50: Imperial Red Ale
Silver: Triangle Brewing Company, Double Red
Gold: Terrapin Brewing Company, Big Hoppy Monster
Gold: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Decade
Category 52B: Special Bitter
Bronze: Rock Bottom: Charlotte, Brewer’s Select ESB
Bronze: Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery, Ellie’s ESB
Category 53A: English-Style Strong Bitter
Bronze: Green Man/Jack of the Wood, Green Man ESB
Silver: Olde Hickory Brewery, ESB
Category 53B: American-Style Strong Bitter
Bronze: Best of Beers, Redhook ESB
Category 54B: Scottish-Style Heavy Ale
Silver: Huske Hardware House, Filthy Kilt Wee Heavy
Category 55: Irish-Style Red Ale
Bronze: Carolina Beer and Beverage, Cottonwood Irish-style Red
Silver: Mash House Restaurant and Brewery, Mash House Red Ale
Category 56: English-Style Brown Ale
Silver: Hops Restaurant and Brewery, Flying Squirrel Nut Brown
Gold: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Nut Brown Ale
Gold: Natty Greene’s Brewing Company, Old Town Brown Ale
Category 57: American-Style Brown Ale
Bronze: Ham’s Restaurant and Brewhouse, Charlie’s India Brown Ale
Silver: Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Brown Ale
Silver: Foothills Brewing Company, India Style Brown Ale
Silver: RJ Rockers, Bald Eagle Brown Ale
Gold: LoneRider Brewing Company, Sweet Josie Brown
Category 58: German-Style Altbier
Gold: Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Copper
Category 60: South German-Style Hefeweizen
Silver: Gordon Biersch, Hefeweizen
Category 61A: South German-Style Kristal Weizen/Kristal Weissbier
Gold: Mash House Restaurant and Brewery, Mash House Kristal
Category 62: Belgian-Style Witbier
Bronze: Natty Greene’s Brewing Company, Wildflower Wit Bier
Silver: Triangle Brewing Company, White Ale
Gold: Lexington Avenue Brewery, Whitey
Category 63: French- and Belgian-Style Saison
Silver: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Saison de Wall
Category 64C: French-Style Bière de Garde
Bronze: Huske Hardware House, Farmhouse Ale
Category 65C: Belgian-Style Flanders/Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale
Silver: Natty Greene’s Brewing Company, Farmhouse Ale
Category 66B: Belgian-Style Tripel
Bronze: Pisgah Brewing Company, Solstice
Category 67A: Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale
Bronze: Wedge Brewing Company, Golem
Silver: Lexington Avenue Brewery, Goldie
Category 67B: Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale
Bronze: SweetWater, BSP
Silver: Pisgah Brewing Company, Cosmos
Category 68: Brown Porter
Bronze: Asheville Brewing Company, Ninja Porter
Bronze: Green Man/Jack of the Wood, Green Man Porter
Silver: Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Duck-Rabbbit Brown Porter
Silver: Highland Brewing Company, Oatmeal Porter
Gold: Pisgah Brewing Company, Pisgah Porter
Category 69: Robust Porter
Silver: Thomas Creek, Pump House Porter
Silver: Carolina Brewery, Oatmeal Porter
Gold: LoneRider Brewing Company, Deadeye Jack
Gold: Red Brick, Red Brick Oatmeal Porter
Category 70: Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout
Bronze: Best of Beers, Starr Hill Dark Starr Stout
Bronze: Oyster House, Moonstone Oyster Stout
Category 71: Foreign-Style Stout
Bronze: Mash House Restaurant and Brewery, Mash House Stout
Bronze: Triangle Brewing Company, Winter Stout
Category 72: American-Style Stout
Bronze: Foothills Brewing Company, Total Eclipse Stout
Bronze: Green Man/Jack of the Wood: Green Man Stout
Silver: Asheville Brewing Company, Scout Stout
Silver: Boylan Bridge Brewpub, South Bound Stout
Silver: SweetWater, Happy Ending
Gold: Highland Brewing Company, Black Mocha Stout
Category 73: Sweet Stout
Bronze: Rock Bottom: Charlotte, Iron Horse Stout
Silver: Huske Hardware House, Sledgehammer Stout
Silver: Moon River, The Captain’s Porter
Gold: Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout
Category 74: Oatmeal Stout
Bronze: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Oatmeal Stout
Category 75A: British-Style Imperial Stout
Silver: Green Man/Jack of the Wood, Red Star
Silver: Carolina Brewery, Imperial Stout
Silver: Natty Greene’s Brewing Company, Black Powder Imperial Stout
Category 75B: American-Style Imperial Stout
Bronze: Olde Hickory Brewery, Imperial Stout
Bronze: RJ Rockers, Black Perle
Bronze: Terrapin Brewing Company, The Dark Side
Silver: Foothills Brewing Company, Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout
Category 76A: Traditional Scotch Ale
Bronze: Front Street Brewery, Dram Tree Scottish Ale
Category 77A: Old Ale
Bronze: Olde Hickory Brewery, Irish Walker
Category 77B: Strong Ale
Bronze: Boylan Bridge Brewpub, Polar Bear Winter Beer
Category 78A: English-Style Barley Wine Ale
Silver: Pisgah Brewing Company, Hellbender
Category 78B: American-Style Barley Wine Ale
Gold: Best of Beers, Redhook Barley Wine Ale
Gold: Wedge Brewing Company, 3rd Rail
Best in Show:
3rd Place: Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery, Deep River Wheat
2nd Place: Red Brick, Red Brick Oatmeal Porter
1st Place: Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout
Congratulations to all of these breweries!
