(Press Release)

RALEIGH, N.C.—Olde Hickory Brewery in Hickory won Best of Show in the N.C. State Fair’s 2015 N.C. Brewers’ Cup competition for its “Omega Point” barleywine aged in bourbon barrels. The competition is organized by the N.C. Craft Brewers Guild and presented by All About Beer Magazine.

Kinston’s Mother Earth Brewing nabbed second-best overall for its “Park Day” Bohemian Pilsner, and Raleigh’s Crank Arm Brewing garnered third overall with its Brett Saison made with tart cherries and aged in Chardonnay barrels.

In the homebrewer competition, Heiko Rath of Durham won Best of Show for his “What the Quad?” Belgian Dark Strong Ale which he co-brewed with Whit Baker of Chapel Hill. Dexter Garner of Lexington was second overall with his Black Lager, and Korey Sullivan of Holly Springs placed third overall with his American Pale Ale.

In the competition’s fourth year, the number of entries increased from 410 to 553. The competition had 362 professional entries and 191 home-brew entries. Entries were evaluated by more than 30 professional beer judges October 3 and 4 at Mystery Brewing Company in Hillsborough.

Top winners will be displayed in the Education Building at the N.C. State Fair Oct. 15-25.

Following is a list of category winners:

Professional

●      Light Lager: Boojum Brewing Co., Waynesville – “Hounds of Helles” Munich Helles Lager

●      Pilsner: Mother Earth Brewing, Kinston – “Park Day” Bohemian Pilsner

●      European Amber Lager: Lost Province Brewing Co., Boone – “Leaf Peeper” Oktoberfest/Marzen

●      Dark Lager: The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Charlotte – “Schwartz” Schwarzbier

●      Bock: The Duck Rabbit Craft Brewery, Farmville – “Duck-Rabbator” Doppelbock

●      Light Hybrid Beer: Four Saints Brewing Co., Asheboro – “Omie” Blonde Ale

●      Amber Hybrid Beer: The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Charlotte – “Copper Ale” Altbier

●      English Pale Ale: Front Street Brewery, Wilmington – “Amberjack” ESB

●      Scottish and Irish Ale: Olde Hickory Brewery, Hickory – “Irish Walker” Strong Scotch Ale

●      American Ale: Sugar Creek Brewing Co., Charlotte – American Pale Ale

●      English Brown Ale: Big Boss Brewing Co., Raleigh – “Bad Penny” English Brown Ale

●      Porter: The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Charlotte – “Fat Boy” Baltic Porter

●      Stout: Aviator Brewing Co., Fuquay-Varina – “Night Jump” Russian Imperial Stout

●      India Pale Ale: Innovation Brewing, Sylva – Double IPA

●      German Wheat and Rye Beer: Gizmo BrewWorks, Raleigh – “Enigma” Weizenbock

●      Belgian and French Ale: Sugar Creek Brewing Co., Charlotte – Amber Biere de Garde

●      Sour Ale: Crank Arm Brewing, Raleigh – Brett Saison with Tart Cherries aged in Chardonnay barrels

●      Belgian Strong Ale: Boojum Brewing Co., Waynesville – “Triclops” Belgian Tripel

●      Strong Ale: Gizmo BrewWorks, Raleigh – “Trebuchet” American Barleywine

●      Fruit Beer: Innovation Brewing, Sylva – Pale Ale with peaches and jalapeno

●      Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer: Satulah Mountain Brewing Co., Highlands – “Sunset Saison”

●      Smoke Flavored Beer: Olde Hickory Brewery, Hickory – “Omega Point”

●      Specialty Beer: Hi-Wire Brewing, Asheville – “Lion Tamer Rye IPA”

Homebrewer

●      Light Lager: Derrick Flippin – Standard American Lager

●      European Amber Lager: Derrick Flippin – Vienna Lager

●      Dark Lager: Dexter Garner – Black Lager

●      Bock: Dexter Garner – Doppelbock

●      Light Hybrid Beer: Kevin Moore – Cream Ale

●      Amber Hybrid Beer: Keith Eisel – “Dream Steam” California Common Beer

●      Scottish and Irish Ale: Zach Kosslow – Strong Scotch Ale

●      American Ale: Korey Sullivan – American Pale Ale

●      English Brown Ale: Derrick Flippin – Northern English Brown

●      Porter: Ralph Layko – Brown Porter

●      Stout: Dexter Garner – Foreign Extra Stout

●      India Pale Ale: Roko Peros – American IPA

●      German Wheat and Rye Beer: Dexter Garner – Weizenbock

●      Belgian and French Ale: Jacob Skiles – “Flanders on Berries” Belgian Speciality Ale

●      Sour Ale: Chris Creech – Straight Lambic

●      Belgian Strong Ale: Heiko Rath (co-brewed w/ Whit Baker) – “What the Quad?”

●      Strong Ale: Zach Kosslow – English Barleywine

●      Fruit Beer: Christopher Tomazic – Cranberry Wheat

●      Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer: John Pickens – Sweet Potato Spiced

●      Smoke Flavored Beer: Derrick Flippin – Bourbon Barrel Baltic Porter

●      Specialty Beer: Lea Woodard – Imperial Mexican Milk Chocolate Stout

For a complete list of honorees, including second and third place finishers, visit www.ncbeer.org/brewerscup.