Oxford, Ohio (June) – With much sadness, the 2020 U.S. Open College Beer Championship has been canceled due to COVID-19/Corona Virus. We will make an announcement in January on the 2021 U.S. Open College Beer Championship dates.

Sincerely,

Dow, Jon, and Carla

The U.S. Open College Beer Championship is for colleges and universities that teach brewing courses. This competition was held to help determine the best future brewers in North America. Any college or university that offers courses in brewing could enter the U.S. Open. All beers were submitted by one of the school’s brewing professors/instructors. The beers could be brewed on any system on or off campus that is approved by the professors/instructors.

The 2019 competition had 5 categories: Belgian, Bavarian, Stout, IPA, and Open. The Open category is where students could enter any style of beer they wanted to brew.

In the fourth year of this competition, fourteen colleges and universities from the United States and Canada participated. Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) in British Columbia took home the Grand National Championship as the college that brews the best beers in North America. This Canadian university took home gold for their 50/50 Hefe and their Fruity and the Yeast New England India Pale Ale plus a silver for their Storm Stout.

The KPU students responsible for the school’s championship performance were Joe Mallinson, Kyle Grohs, Danilo Chiga, Felipe Freire, Wes Bain, and Daryl McDonald. Alek Egi was the submitting professor. Schoolcraft College came in second, while Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Auburn University, and Central Michigan tied for third.

Top Four Brewing Schools in the 2019 US Open College Beer Championship

1. Kwantlen Polytechnic University – British Columbia

2. Schoolcraft College – Michigan

3. Kalamazoo Valley Community College – Michigan, Auburn University – Alabama, and Central Michigan University – Michigan

Category 1 – Belgian

Gold – American Harvest Belgian Pale – Schoolcraft College – Michigan

Silver – Across the Pond Belgian Pale – Auburn University – Alabama

Bronze – Spartan Saison – Michigan State University Michigan

Category 2 – Bavarian

Gold – 50/50 Hefe – Kwantlen Polytechnic University – British Columbia

Silver – Muncher Dunkel – Kalamazoo Valley Community College – Michigan

Bronze – Willis Weizen – Auburn University – Alabama

Category 3 – Stout

Gold – British Imperial Stout – Kalamazoo Valley Community College – Michigan

Silver – Storm Stout – Kwantlen Polytechnic University – British Columbia

Bronze – Smurf Stout – Niagara College – Ontario

Bronze – Peanut Butter Stout – Auburn University – Alabama

Category 4 – IPA

Gold – Dragon Energy Imperial IPA – Central Michigan University – Michigan

Silver – Haggerty IPA – Schoolcraft College – Michigan

Bronze – Cleaver IPA – Brewery at the Culinary Institute of America

Category 5 – Open

Gold – Fruity and the Yeast NE IPA – Kwantlen Polytechnic University – British Columbia

Silver – Citrus Siege NE IPA – Central Michigan University – Michigan

Bronze – Voice of Reason APA – Auburn University – Alabama