2019 Maryland Craft Beer Competition Winners Announced

The 2019 Maryland Craft Beer Competition was held in July at Calvert Brewing Company in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. A record number of entries from breweries throughout Maryland were judged by a group of BJCP-certified and volunteers.

Taking the 2019 competition’s top honor is Pounder Pils from Heavy Seas Beer in Halethorpe. Earning the “Best in Show” title before peers and fans of craft beer at REVIVE!, a beer and food pairing event held in Ellicott City on Saturday evening, the team from Heavy Seas returns to the brewery with the coveted Maryland Craft Beer Competition cup.

Medals were awarded in 16 style categories for this year’s competition. The full list of results is found below.

Best In Show

• Gold – Heavy Seas Beer Pounder Pils
• Silver – Pub Dog Brewing Company & House of Liquors Currant Events Barrel Aged Saison
• Bronze – Waredaca Brewing Company Fifteen Hands

Pale Ale

• Gold – Brewer’s Alley IPA
• Silver – Monocacy Brewing Company Clear Consciousness Pale Ale
• Bronze – 7 Locks Brewing Sandy Pointe Blonde Ale

American IPA

• Gold – 7 Locks Brewing Devil’s Alley IPA
• Silver – Smoketown Brewing Station Potomac IPA
• Bronze – Saints Row Brewing Novus 1

Specialty IPA

• Gold – Monocacy Brewing Company Riot Rye Pale Ale
• Silver – Elder Pine Brewing and Blending Stargazer
• Bronze – Heavy Seas Beer En Route

Double IPA

• Gold – Calvert Brewing Company Playground Legend
• Silver – Crooked Crab Brewing Company Excessive Juice
• Bronze – Falling Branch Brewery Illuminate

Juicy or Hazy IPA

• Gold – Saints Row Brewing Beating the Kobayashi
• Silver – True Respite Brewing Company Boss
• Bronze – Manor Hill Brewing Crooked Beak With Passion Fruit

Sour Beers & Wild Ales

• Gold – Waredaca Brewing Company Fifteen Hands
• Silver – Olde Mother Fermata
• Bronze – Crooked Crab Brewing Company A Boysenberry & Blueberry Walked Into A Bar

Smoked or Wood-Aged

• Gold – Pub Dog Brewing Company & House of Liquors Currant Events Barrel Aged Saison
• Silver – True Respite Brewing Company It Had To Be You
• Bronze – Oliver Brewing Co. Barrel-Aged Speed of Darkness

Fruit Beers

• Gold – Manor Hill Brewing Jousting Windmills: Triple Berry Blast
• Silver – True Respite Brewing Company Peeled: the Dawn Wall
• Bronze – Brookeville Beer Farm Strawberry Run

Spiced Beer

• Gold – Union Craft Brewing Ginger Pepper Sour
• Silver – Brewer’s Alley 1634 Ale
• Bronze – Monocacy Brewing Brewtus Coffee Imperial Stout

Pale Lager & Pilsner

• Gold – Heavy Seas Beer Pounder Pils
• Silver – Brewer’s Alley Czech Mate Pilsner
• Bronze – Silver Branch Brewing Company Glass Castle

Amber, Dark Lagers & Bocks

• Gold – Union Craft Brewing Blackwing Lager
• Silver – Barley & Hops Edelbock
• Bronze – Independent Brewing Company Newkidson Maibock

Amber Ales and Brown Ales

• Gold – Franklins Brewery Jack the Giant Killer
• Silver – Pooles Island Brewing Company Aberdeen
• Bronze – Rock Bottom (Bethesda) Brown Bear Brown

Porters & Stouts

• Gold – Manor Hill Brewing Porter
• Silver – Silver Branch Brewing Company Chronicle
• Bronze – Franklins Brewery Matryoshka

Wheat Beers

• Gold – Hysteria Brewing Tipping Point
• Silver – Silver Branch Brewing Company The Oracle Speaks
• Bronze – Olde Mother Tempest

Belgian Style Beers

• Gold – True Respite Brewing Company Two Seater
• Silver – Independent Brewing Company Blue Eyed Blonde
• Bronze – True Respite Brewing Company The Plunge

Local Ingredient

• Gold – Checkerspot Brewing Locally Delicious
• Silver – Milkhouse Brewery Peach Fieldhand
• Bronze – Smoketown Brewing Station Maryland Rye Maryland IPA