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NAGBW Awards 2024

I had the great pleasure and fun to be a judge in the Beer Travel Writing category of the North American Guild of Beer Writers annual awards, so I am going to start this post there and then widen the scope to the other winners.

This was the 10th year of the awards. There were 269 entries from 96 writers covering 15 categories. The big winners were David Nilsen, Dave Infante, Courtney Iseman and Brian Yeager who bagged multiple medals.

Here is the full list of winners: (and I suggest you search these writers out)

Best Beer and Food Writing

First Place: David Nilsen. “How to Pair IPAs with Craft Chocolate.” Bean to Barstool
Second Place: Grace Weitz. “Stumbling Into the Hot Pink Restaurant With the Most Pleasurable Food in France.” Hop Culture

Best Blog/Newsletter


First Place: Jeff Alworth, Beervana.
Second Place: Dave Infante, Fingers.
Third Place: Douglas Veliky, Beer Crunchers.

Honorable Mention: Shana Solarte, Top Crop.

Emerging Voice: Cat Wiest, Hopwire Blog. 

Best Book

First Place: Matthew Curtis. Manchester’s Best Beer Pubs and Bars. 2023.
Second Place: Beth Demmon. The Beer Lover’s Guide to Cider: American Ciders for Craft Beer Fans to Explore. 2023.
Third Place: David Nilsen. Pairing Beer and Chocolate: A Guide to Bringing the Flavors of Craft Beer and Craft Chocolate Together. 2024.

Best Brewery Profile

First Place: Lucy Corne. “Women-Led, Women-Brewed — Kweza Craft Brewery in Kigali, Rwanda.” Good Beer Hunting.
Second Place: Holly Regan. “Things Are Not What They Seem — Hildegard Ferments & Botanicals in Seattle, Washington.” Good Beer Hunting.Third Place: Claire Bullen. “10,000 Human Decisions — On Mariage Parfait Oude Geuze, Frank Boon, and Belgian Lambic Culture.” Belgian Smaak.

Honorable Mention: Maloy Luakian. “Supernatural Creatures And Blended Cultures — Dokkaebier’s Story Of Shapeshifting.” Good Beer Hunting.

Emerging Voice: Jacqueline Kehoe. “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger — How Iowa’s Big Grove Brewery Defies the Odds and Categorization.” Good Beer Hunting.

Best Business Writing

First Place: Michael Stein. “When Beer Goes Flat.” Slate
Second Place: Courtney Iseman. “Building the On-Ramp: Vocational Programs for Brewers.” Brewing Industry Guide.

Third Place: Ken Pishna. “Non-alcoholic beer is growing; Should your brewery grow with it?” Malteurop Malting Co.
Honorable Mention: Pete Brown. “Thornbridge to prove Britain’s brewing heritage can be profitable.” The Drinks Business

Emerging Voice: Jacqueline Kehoe. “Wisconsin Intuition — How New Glarus Brewed a State Identity with Spotted Cow.” Good Beer Hunting

Best Commentary or Criticism

First Place: Dave Infante. “The Bud Light Fiasco: How AB InBev Fell for the Gamergate Playbook.” VinePair.
Second Place: Courtney Iseman. “Is Craft Beer Cringe Right Now?” InsideHook.
Third Place: David Nilsen. “On Curiosity, Empathy, and the Flavor of Beer.” Belt Magazine.

Best General Beer Podcast

First Place: Dave Infante. VinePair Taplines
Second Place: Breandán Kearney. The Belgian Smaak Podcast

Third Place: Emma Inch. Same Again?

Honorable Mention: Emily Hutto. RadCraft Industry Relief

Best Historical Writing

First Place: Mark Dredge. “From One to All — The Past, Present, and Future of Lager Yeast.” Good Beer Hunting.
Second Place: Tony Rehagen. “The Utterly Fascinating History and Mystery of Oklahoma’s Choctaw “Choc” Beer.” Garden & Gun.
Third Place: Anaïs Lecoq. “Garçon, un Picon! — The Past and Future Success of Amer Bière in French Drinking Culture.” Good Beer Hunting

Honorable Mention: Noelle Phillips. “Angry Hen Brewing and the Legacy of Shirley Warne.” The BC Ale Trail

Best Local Reporting

First Place: Courtney Iseman. “Secondary Fermentation — New York City’s Strong Rope Brewery and the East Coast Cask Revival.” Pellicle Magazine.
Second Place: Eli Radtke. “THC Takes Over the Twin Cities.” Heavy Table.
Third Place: Brian Yaeger. “Oral History Of Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale.” Bend Source Weekly.
Honorable Mention: Alexander Gates. “An Ode to Lahaina’s Beer Scene.” Frolic Hawaii.
Emerging Voice: Shamim de Brún. “The Quest For A Perfect Smithwick’s in Dublin.” Totally Dublin.

Best National or International Reporting

First Place: Alyssa Pereira. “The Man, Now Myth — Searching for Tony Magee.” Good Beer Hunting.
Second Place: Lucy Corne. “Get to Know Umqombothi, a South African Tradition.” Craft Beer & Brewing.
Third Place: Joshua Bernstein. “The Real Mystery of Bud Light.” The Atlantic.
Honorable Mention: Dave Infante. “How Sapporo USA Sank Anchor Brewing Co.” VinePair.

Best Beer Review

First Place: David Nilsen. “Precious and Grace — Brouwerij Van Steenberge’s Tripel Van De Garre.” Pellicle Magazine.
Second Place: Melinda Guerra. “Stardust and Loss: Friendship, Grief, and a Shared Saison.” Final Gravity.
Third Place: Brian Yaeger. “One Of The World’s Most Obscure Beers Comes To Bend.” Bend Source Weekly.
Honorable Mention: Loren Green. “A breath of fresh air.” Heavy Table.

Best Short Form Writing

First Place: Cliff Lucas. “Café de Hanekeef.” Belgian Smaak
Second Place: Bryan Roth. “b-Roll no. 701.” Good Beer Hunting.
Third Place: Andy Crouch. “Oh Brother: Newly Sober Hulk Hogan Releases “Real American Beer.” All About Beer.

Best Technical or Brewing Podcast

First Place: Jonny Garrett. The Craft Beer Channel.

Second Place: Jen Blair. False Bottomed Girls.

Third Place: John Holl. All About Beer Brewer to Brewer.

Best Technical Writing

First Place: Joe Stange. “Czech Lager: The Art of the Addictive.” Craft Beer & Brewing.
Second Place: Don Tse. “It’s the Malt’s Fault (How Malt Choices Affect Beer’s Shelf Life).” Brewing Industry Guide.
Third Place: Shana Solarte. “How Yeast Affects Flavor.” Top Crop.
Honorable Mention: Matthew Curtis. “Old Gold, Heritage Malts Return to British Beer.” Craft Beer & Brewing. 

Since it was the last category of the event, we will finish with the travel category:

1st place: My Father, Lion Lager, & Home by Ruvani de Silva (Final Gravity)

2nd place: A Happy Valley of Beer — Investigating the Pubs and Breweries of Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire, England by Michael Clarke (Good Beer Hunting)

3rd place: Anarchists, Surrealists, & Spanish Brewers by John McMahon (Final Gravity)

Honorable mention: No Blitz — How Arkansas Tech University Fans Tailgate in a Dry County by Brian Sorensen (Good Beer Hunting)

Emerging Voice: Rebirth and Reinvention — As Chattanooga Grows and Changes, Local Beer Follows Along by Drew Pitt (Good Beer Hunting)

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Book & ‘Zine Review Day – Final Gravity # 06

Just after wrapping up judging some beer writing, more on that later this month, I received Issue # 06 of Final Gravity, the October edition.

An in that judgmental state of mind, I dove in and was pleasantly surprised overall. There were a few that seemed more like good starts but could use more detail. Which is better than the other way around.

My standouts were both female tilted with Ruvani de Silva, a writer I like the more I read, had a smart piece on perimenopause and Cat Wiest had me wanting more stories about her fishing days and brewing days.

Behind that, as honorable mentions, were ‘zine co-founder Melinda Guerra’s piece on the beers she has picked as malty eulogies for friends which was pitched just right for spooky season. And Lucy Corne’s evocative writing on Charlie’s Garage in South Africa which made me want to try the beers and hang with the locals even though I am an introvert.

Head to the link above to get your copy.

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Book & ‘Zine Review Day – In the Land of Ninkasi by Tate Paulette

Time to dig into some ancient beer history with Tate Paulette and his new book, In the Land of Ninkasi.

First off, Paulette seems to be a big beer fan so this book already is a step ahead of most academic inclined books where the author doesn’t seem excited about the topic or is tamping down excitement to remain scholarly.

Second, he is very clear about what can and cannot be guessed at when it comes to archaeology. Claims are made but they are backed up by evidence and when that evidence is too slight or flimsy, Paulette will say so.

With that housekeeping out of the way, In the Land of Ninkasi covers beer and brewing in Mesopotamia in ancient times. From where it was brewed and by whom. What is was brewed with. How it was brewed, all the way to who drank it and why. Each step is backed up with evidence and if there is an alternative thesis, he brings that up as well.

Paulette also isn’t afraid to be challenging to our normal thought process. An example being the Minimalist Trap. From our perch in 2024, we cannot assume that we are at the pinnacle of how to brew. We may be but that does not mean that Ancient Mesopotamian brewing wasn’t complex too. There were purpose built brewing areas and specialized equipment back then too.

Another interesting aspect is that the records we have from that time are basically inventories and sales slips. It can be hard to say what a day in the life of a brewer was when it is all just so much zeroes and ones.

Before you think this book is about literal dust and dry facts, the Epic of Gilgamesh is also wove into this tale and one part that I did not remember is about Shiduri, the tavern keeper at the end of the world. How cool that an epic warrior seeks help from a bar owner.

This book is academic in parts as well and those do make the reading drag a bit. There are instances of explaining the different languages and what the words translate to for our times and there is some inside baseball as well that glazed my eyes a bit but overall, this history opened my eyes as to how this time in beer will be remembered hundreds and thousands of years from now.

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Sports & A Beer – Future NBA Cities (and countries)

With the news of Portland getting a WNBA franchise, time to turn attention to re-creating another PNW grudge match.  Blazers vs Sonics.  Ever since the Thunder came into being because of duplicitous Oklahoma ownership, basketball fans have lost a rivalry game.  With the Ducks running for the money train, the UofO – OSU game has lost its luster and we could use an old fashioned derby game.

The other near lock for a new franchise (with LeBron’s backing) is Las Vegas.  That tracks too because that city has been real vocal and supportive even with the bastard step-children franchises from their relationship with Oakland.

But I would like to see a franchise added to the Eastern Conference and it might raise some eyebrows but Puerto Rico would be someplace to look at.  There would be expat fans and it would balance out the lone Canadian franchise. More importantly it could use a boost that the NBA could bring and there is no reason why the NBA or the NFL can’t use their power to build up instead of always choosing cities with that already have a lot of sway.

For beer, get yourself a couple beers each of Oregon beers and Washington beers.  Pick one style, like pilsner of West Coast IPA or stout and get a friend to help you blind taste test and see what the rankings are.

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GABF Medal Winning Brewery Tour # 2 – Structures Brewing

During GABF month, I like to feature breweries that you may not have heard about but that recently won medals at the festival. In that spirit, let’s head to Bellingham in Washington State to Structures Brewing and take a look at their beer menu.

Junior – “A beautiful small pale ale brewed with Amarillo and Simcoe. By far one of our favorite pale ales around the brewery!!!”

Strata Citra Fuzz – “Our Flagship IPA brewed with our favorite blend of malts and oats, double dry hopped with Citra, Strata and Simcoe!  Showcasing aromas of tropical fruits, bursting with notes of guava and pink grapefruit with a healthy dose of pine, a soft body, creamy mouthfeel and subdued bitterness on the finish. “

Motueka Fuzz – “Our Flagship IPA brewed with our favorite blend of malts and oats, double dry hopped with Citra, Amarillo and Motueka! Showcasing aromas of tropical fruits, bursting with notes of lime zest, clementines and orange creamsicle, a soft body, creamy mouthfeel and subdued bitterness on the finish.”

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MA-BREW-HAY

Three Filipino American-owned Los Angeles breweries, Ambitious Ales in Bixby Knolls, Brewyard Beer Co. in my hood of Glendale and Five Point Five Brewing in El Segundo have tri-collaborated to brew a new beer in celebration of Filipino American History Month.

It is Jolli Beer a peach and mango lager inspired by the one and only Peach Mango Pie.

This might not be a one-off either as the “MaBrewhay Collective” aims to “continue to contribute to the ever-evolving Filipino American Story.”

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Gravitational Pull

In recent Doctor Who history, gravity mistakenly became mavity instead as Isaac Newton mis-hears the word as the Doctor crashes into his infamous apple tree.

Now there is a gin that uses apples from that very tree.  It is really cool and makes me wish there was other famous trees that could have fruit used in spirits.

You can read about Newton’s Gin as well other lab experiments at the Cambridge Distillery right HERE.