(Benchtop Brewing Company wins 2023 Virginia Craft Beer Cup) By Jeff Maisey Independent craft breweries from the Hampton Roads region had an impressive showing at the 2023 Virginia Craft Beer Cup Awards ceremony by sweeping the Best in Show...

(Benchtop Brewing Company wins 2023 Virginia Craft Beer Cup)

By Jeff Maisey

Independent craft breweries from the Hampton Roads region had an impressive showing at the 2023 Virginia Craft Beer Cup Awards ceremony by sweeping the Best in Show category reflecting the top three overall beer entries.

Norfolk’s Benchtop Brewing Company scored the top award with its Crimson Gaze. Alewerks and Billsburg — both from Williamsburg — rounded out the best trio in the Commonwealth. 

“We’ve won a couple awards in the past with the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild, but nothing like this,” said a jubilant Eric Tennant, Benchtop’s president and founder. “Best in Show is pretty exciting.” 

Virginia Craft Brewers Guild (VCBG) has now hosted 12 statewide competitions. This year’s competition was managed by Head Judge, Charlie Harr, and took place at Old Ox Brewery in Ashburn, Virginia.  A record 125 breweries competed in this year’s competition, which included 35 new participants. Brewers were able to submit up to four beers to be judged in 31 different categories. A record 471 beers were entered in the competition and 550 people attended.

“This was another record-setting competition,” said Brett Vassey, VCBG President and CEO.  “Despite a tough year economically, the Virginia Craft Beer Cup competition demonstrates the resilience of Virginia’s independent craft beer industry.”

Benchtop Brewing Company became the third Best in Show winner from Hampton Roads since the competition began. Smartmouth Brewing won it in 2017 with its Safety Dance Pilsner and New Realm Brewing Company’s Euphonia Pilsner garnered the top award in 2019.  

In all, 15 breweries from Hampton Roads earned 28 medals. 

Still, in the overall count, breweries from Northern Virginia, which, by our map, encompasses Fredericksburg to Leesburg and the counties/cities near the DC/Maryland border, took home a state best 35 medals. The Charlottesville/Route 151/Harrisonburg section of breweries scored 15 medals, while beer entries from the Roanoke Valley/Blue Ridge Mountain/Southwest corridor garnered 13. The Richmond/Central Virginia area won just 3 in 2023.  

The 2023 Virginia Craft Beer Cup winners are as follows:

BEST IN SHOW

First Place: Benchtop Brewing Company, Crimson Gaze

Second Place: Alewerks Brewing Company, Weekend Lager

Third Place: Billsburg Brewing Company, Fly Away IPA

ALTERNATIVE GRAIN(S) or SUGAR(S)

First Place: St. George Brewing Company, Honey Meade Lager

Second Place: Dirt Farm Brewing, Honey Helles

Third Place: Southern Revere Cellars, Three Oaks Honey Brown Lager

AMBER ALES

First Place: Lake Anne Brew House, Reston Red

Second Place: 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company, Mojo Magic

Third Place: Iron Tree Brewing Company, Off Camber Ale

AMBER LAGERS

First Place: MoMac Brewing Company, Pato de Palo (Peg Leg)

Second Place: Caboose Brewing Company, Vienna VA, Lager

Third Place: Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern, Painted Lady Lager

(Blue Mountain won 4 medals in 2023)

AMERICAN LAGERS

First Place: Blue Mountain Brewery, Classic Lager

Second Place: Caboose Brewing Company, Boose Light

Third Place: Eavesdrop Brewery, Chandelier and a Dollar Menu 

BELGIAN ALES

First Place: Port City Brewing Company, Optimal Wit

Second Place: Olde Salem Brewing Company, Moonlight Mile

Third Place: Loudon Brewing Company, Polished Foxx

Honorable Mention: Bunnyman Brewing, Super Saison

BRITISH BITTERS

First Place: Selvedge Brewing, Houndstooth

Second Place: Iron Tree Brewery Company, Beerstalker

Third Place: Tucked Away Brewing Company, Squadron Commander ESB

BROWN ALE

First Place: Long Way Brewing, Exacta Right

Second Place: Jack Mason’s Tavern & Brewery, Brother Perkins Brown Ale

Third Place: Alewerks Brewing Company, Tavern Brown Ale

CREAMS and BLONDES

First Place: Pale Fire Brewing Company, Taking Water

Second Place: Broken Window Brewing Company, Lucky 13

Third Place: 6 Bears & A Goat Brewing Company, Mae West

DARK EUROPEAN LAGERS

First Place: Starr Hill Brewery, Dark Biddings

Second Place: Eastern Divide Brewing Company, Blacksburg Black Lager

Third Place: Twin Creeks Brewing Company, Black Bär Bier  

DOUBLE IPA

First Place: Lost Barrel Brewing, Stratazacca Double IPA

Second Place: Caiseal Beer & Spirits Company, Treat Me Wrong IPA

Third Place: Smartmouth Brewing Company, Notch 9

EUROPEAN SOUR

First Place: South Street Brewery, Slippery When Wit

Second Place: Cova Brewing Company, There it Gose

Third Place: Rockfish Brewing Company, Strawberry Guava Gose

FRUIT

First Place: Dirt Farm Brewing, Peachy Mother Pucker

Second Place: Blue Mountain Barrel House, Passion Fruit on Acid

Third Place: 2 Witches Winery & Brewing Company, Brewberry Wheat

Honorable Mention: 7 Dogs Brewpub, Raspberry Sourpuss

GERMAN AND AMERICAN WHEAT

First Place: Patch Brewing Company, Home Run Hefe

Second Place: Heritage Brewing Company, Alt Stadt Von Hefe

Third Place: Alesation Brewing Company, Das Weizen

HAZY IPA

First Place: Bike Lane Brewing, Hellwig

Second Place: Lost Barrel Brewing, Lost Barrel Hazy IPA

Third Place: The Virginia Beer Company, Estimated Eyes

INTERNATIONAL LAGER

First Place: Full Distance Brewing, Yucatan Sunrise

Second Place: Billsburg Brewing, Classic Lager

Third Place: Billsburg Brewing, Juan’s Nightstand

Honorable Mention: Barnhouse Brewery, Morning Wood

IPA

First Place: Billsburg Brewery, Fly Away IPA

Second Place: Tradition Brewing Company, IPA #13

Third Place: Vibrissa Beer, Gracious Living

IRISH & SCOTTISH ALES

First Place: Nansemond Brewing Station, Myrtle’s Diary Red Ale

Second Place: Old Busthead Brewing Company, Vixen Irish Red

Third Place: Parkway Brewing Company, Billy Boys Scotch Ale

KÖLSCH/LEICHTBIER

First Place: Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern, Barking Frog Kolsch

Second Place: Bike Lane Brewing, Klunker

Third Place: St. George Brewing Company, Morning Dew

MIXED FERMENTATION

First Place: Benchtop Brewing Company, Brown Bear Honey Pot Batch 4

Second Place: Coastal Fermentory, Semper Fermentis – Batch 2

Third Place: Alewerks Brewing Company, Lover’s Greed

MONASTIC ALE

First Place: Barnhouse Brewery, Barnhouse X

Second Place: Fine Creek Brewing Company, Aved Frére 11

Third Place: Great Valley Farm Brewery & Winery, Belgian Tripel

PALE ALES

First Place: Blue Mountain Barrel House, Full Nelson

Second Place: Cooling Pond Brewing, Contrary Greek Gold

Third Place: Rockbridge Vineyard & Brewing, Pale Ale

PALE EUROPEAN BITTER/PILSNER

First Place: Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern, Kissing Bull Lager

Second Place: Benchtop Brewing Company, Crispy Whip

Third Place: Port City Brewing Company, Port City Helles

PALE EUROPEAN LAGERS

First Place: Alewerks Brewing Company, Weekend Lager

Second Place: St. George Brewing Company, Jubilee Maibock

Third Place: Harvest Gap Brewery, Devil Dog Helles Lager

PORTERS

First Place: James River Brewery, James Bean Vanilla Oatmeal Porter

Second Place: Cedar Run Brewery, Ol’ Prince William Porter

Third Place: Studly Brewing Company, The Great Vanilla Bean-o

(WildManDan)

SMOKE

First Place: WildManDan Brewery, We are Pivo

Second Place: Starr Hill Brewery, Two Dogs Walkin

Third Place: Black Hoof Brewing Company LLC, Morning Fog Rauchbier

SPECIALTY IPA

First Place: Benchtop Brewing Company, Crimson Gaze

Second Place: No award in this category

Third Place: No award in this category

STOUTS

First Place: Barley Naked Brewing Company, Irish Prenup

Second Place: Thin Brew Line Brewing Company, An Garda Siochana

Third Place: 6 Bears and A Goat, O’Dark Thirty

STRONG ALE

First Place: Thin Brew Line Brewing Company, VB Strong 

Second Place: Bacova Beer Company, Chimney Fire Scotch Ale

Third Place: Old Trade Farm Brewery & Cidery, Blue Ridge

STRONG EUROPEAN LAGERS

First Place: Brew Republic, Eisbock

Second Place: Barking Rose Brewing Company, Kelsonator

Third Place: Parkway Brewing Company, Ravens Roost

VEGETABLE/SPICE

First Place: Three Notch’d Brewing Company, Firefly Nights Summertime Ale

Second Place: Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Monkey Fist

Third Place: Caiseal Beer & Spirits Company, Coffee Blonde Ale

WOOD

First Place: Selvedge Brewing, Wooly Mammoth

Second Place: Water’s End Brewery, Grand Cru

Third Place: Crazy Rooster Brewing Company, Dark and Vast

Honorable Mention: Cooling Pond Brewery, Double Outage Imperial Stout

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