The Brews

After much consideration, our committee has elected to cancel the 2020 Staff Brewing Competition at UC Davis. See latest updates.

The Brews

Selected for this year's competition, the three categories of "brews" will be a return of Porters,  "Hazy" NEIPA's, and tasters' favorite, Ciders. 

Porter

Porters are dark beers that originated in London.  There were different strengths of porters.  In fact, the name "stout" is thought to have originated as an abbreviation of "stout porter" (a strong porter).  Over time, this style of beer has evolved and taken on different characteristics in different countries.  In today's beer judging world, there are technically 4 types of Porter: Baltic Porter (9C), English Porter (13C), American Porter (20A), and Pre-Prohibition Porter (27).  Our judges are up to the challenge of rating any of these styles!  To see the detailed nuances between them, please visit the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) Style guidelines.

"Hazy" New England IPA's (NEIPA)

New England IPA's are refreshing, hop-driven pale ales showcasing fresh, juicy, fruity hop flavors and aromas.  A relatively new kid on the block, this style has been around for 10 years or so, but it was not until after the 2015 BJCP Style guidelines were released that the style really exploded and became one of the most popular styles on the market.  As a result, there are no BJCP guidelines!  Therefore, NEIPA will be judged according to the 21B Specialty IPA guidelines as a distinct Type of Specialty IPA. As with other types of Specialty IPA, the entrant must specify a Strength as session, standard, or double. If unspecified, the entry will be judged as standard strength. The ABV ranges for strengths are the same as for other Specialty IPA’s.  Please see our NEIPA Guidelines.

Cider

Back by popular demand, we have a cider category!  While any of the specific subcategories of cider or perry will be accepted, generally speaking most cider will fall into one of the following categories:

  • C1A New World Cider - Classic fermented apple juice, optionally back-sweetened
  • C2B Cider with Other Fruit - Just like C1A but with other fruits or fruit juices added
  • C2E Cider with Herbs/Spices - Cider with herbs or spices (e.g. cinnamon, ginger, etc.)
  • C2F Specialty Cider - Cases when other sweetening agents are used (e.g. honey, agave nectar) or other flavorings
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