Brewers Association

The Brewers Association (BA) is an American trade group of over 5,400 brewers, breweries in planning, suppliers, distributors, craft beer retailers, and individuals particularly concerned with the promotion of craft beer and homebrewing.[3][4]

This article is about the American professional brewing organization. For other beer-related groups, see List of beer organizations.
Brewers Association
Formation2005 (2005)
Merger ofAssociation of Brewers, Brewers' Association of America
TypeTrade association
84-0802918
Legal status501(c)(6) organization[1]
HeadquartersBoulder, Colorado
Membership (2020)
5,400 brewers[2]
President and CEO
Bob Pease
Websitebrewersassociation.org

Two of the largest programs supported by the BA are the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) and the annual Great American Beer Festival (GABF).

The current president and CEO is Bob Pease.[5][6] The American Homebrewers Association was founded by past BA president, Charlie Papazian.[7]

American Homebrewers Association
Logo of the American Homebrewers Association featured in 2011

The BA was established in 2005 through a merger of the Association of Brewers headed by brewer Charlie Papazian and the Brewers' Association of America, intending to "promote and protect small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts."[3]

The American Homebrewers Association is a division of the Brewers Association focused on homebrewers of beer, cider, and mead. The AHA was founded in 1978 by Charlie Papazian in Boulder, Colorado. The AHA runs the world's largest homebrew competition and also organizes several homebrew events in the United States and Canada. Julia Herz is the current executive director. The AHA publishes the magazine Zymurgy six times per year to its 37,000 members.[8]

Every year the AHA hosts the following events:

  • National Homebrew Competition
  • Homebrew Con (previously known as the National Homebrewers Conference) which includes the finals of the National Homebrew Competition
  • Big Brew, held the first Saturday in May
  • Mead Day, held the first Saturday in August
  • Learn to Homebrew Day, held the first Saturday in November

Ninkasi Award

The Ninkasi Award is the prize given by American Homebrewers Association for the brewer who gains the most points in the final round of the National Homebrew Competition, judged at the National Homebrewers Conference.[9] Points are gained from the brewer's winning entries in the 23 categories of beer and several categories of mead and cider. At least 2 points (1 bronze placement) must come from a beer entry.

The Ninkasi Award is named in honor of Ninkasi, the Sumerian goddess of beer.[9]

Past winners

The winners since the introduction of the Ninkasi Award in 1992:[10]

  • 1992 – Steve & Christina Daniel
  • 1993 – Walter Dobrowsky
  • 1994 – Michael Byers
  • 1995 – Rhett Rebold
  • 1996 – Tom Bergman & Chas Peterson
  • 1997 – George Fix
  • 1998 – Art Beall
  • 1999 – Tom Plunkard
  • 2000 – Joe Formanek
  • 2001 – Brian Cole
  • 2002 – Curt Hausam
  • 2003 – Curt Hausam (2nd win)
  • 2004 – Jamil Zainasheff
  • 2005 – Paul Long
  • 2006 – Joe Formanek (2nd win)
  • 2007 – Jamil Zainasheff (2nd win)
  • 2008 – Gordon Strong
  • 2009 – Gordon Strong (2nd win)
  • 2010 – Gordon Strong (3rd win)
  • 2011 – Paul Sangster[9]
  • 2012 – Mark Schoppe
  • 2013 – David Barber
  • 2014 – Jeremy Voeltz
  • 2015 – Mark Schoppe (2nd win)
  • 2016 – Derrick Flippin
  • 2017 – Jeff Poirot and Nicholas McCoy
  • 2018 – Greg Young
  • 2019 – Mark Peterson
  • 2020 - No Competition (COVID)
  • 2021 - Jason Lowery
  • 2022 - Timothy Lambert

Brewers Publications

Brewers Publications was started in 1986 and is under the umbrella of the Brewers Association organization. The first book Brewers Publications published was Brewing Lager Beer: The Most Comprehensive Book for Home- and Microbreweries by Greg Noonan.

References
  1. "Brewers Association Inc". Nonprofit Explorer. ProPublica. May 9, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  2. "Who We Are". Brewers Association. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  3. "About Us: Purpose & History". Brewers Association. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  4. "Membership Types". Brewers Association. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  5. "Charlie Papazian Adopts New Role at Brewers Association". Brewers Association. January 2, 2016. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  6. "The Team". Brewers Association. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  7. "About Us: Brewers Association staff". Brewers Association. Archived from the original on March 12, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  8. "American Homebrewers Association Membership Surpasses 30,000". BevNET Magazine. February 14, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  9. "Computer pioneer is a brewer at heart". The Coast News. July 12, 2011. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  10. "Access the list of the current and past National Homebrew Competition winners!". Brewers Association. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
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