Oregon Beer Awards 2017

The Oregon Beer Awards select and celebrate our state's top beers in 22 categories, and honor Oregon's exceptional breweries, bars and festivals in seven additional categories. It is the only statewide double blind beer tasting competition in Oregon. Last year, OBA recognized 42 medalists in 14 categories out of 525 individual entries by 78 breweries in 25 cities. In 2016-17, 974 beers were entered by 112 breweries in 34 cities. More than 800 craft beer enthusiasts gathered February 28 at Revolution Hall for the "Academy Awards of Oregon Beer." View the full list of 2017 winners here. 

Gold, silver and bronze awards were issued in the following categories at 2017's Oregon Beer Awards:
Pilsner
Kolsch
Stout/Porter
Classic German Styles
Classic UK and American Styles
Belgian
Saisons and Farmhouse
Sessionable Hoppy
Strong Hoppy
Dark Hoppy
American IPA
Barrel-aged
Other Traditional Beers
Flavored
Fruit and Field
Coffee
Experimental
Classic Sour
American Sour
Brett and Mixed Culture
Wood and Barrel-aged Sour and Brett
Fresh Hop

Winner were also announced in the following categories, as voted upon by the OBA Academy:
Best New Brewery
Best Beer Bar/Bottle Shop
Best Brewpub Experience
Best Beer Festival
Brewery of the Year – SMALL (less than 1000 bbls/yr)
Brewery of the Year – MEDIUM (1000 – 2500 bbls/yr)
Brewery of the Year – LARGE (more than 2500 bbls/yr)

Voting Academy Application Form
OBA polls 200 industry insiders who select the winners in the categories not included in the blind tasting competition. Want to join the Voting Academy? 2017 slots are filled, but we are accepting applications for the 2018 Academy. Please apply by filling out this form.

Event Tickets
Tickets to the awards ceremony on February 28 at Revolution Hall are on sale now. BUY TICKETS HERE.

Guests will enjoy the presentation of more than 30 awards (full list here), the JVNW Hall of Fame presentation, special appearances from allied industry folks and Portland celebrities, and a delicious, exciting list of beers on tap. Host and Portland comedian Katie Nguyen keeps the evening rolling along in style. Food by Chicken + Guns available for purchase, and other snacks available throughout.

If you care about craft beer excellence, this night is for you, and you'll go home with an early copy of Willamette Week's Beer Guide. Industry insiders as well as general enthusiasts welcome and encouraged to join. Proceeds benefit our partner Oregon Wild's Oregon Brewshed Alliance.

Tuesday, February 28
6:00 – 9:30 p.m.
Revolution Hall (1300 SE Stark Street)
21+
$15/ticket

Frequently Asked Questions
Should I wear formal attire to the event?
Not required. Suit yourself. Have fun. It's the Academy Awards for Oregon beer after all, so go ahead and get fancy, but we don't care what you wear.

I (or my brewery) entered beers in the competition. Do we get complimentary tickets?
Each entered brewery receives one complimentary seat in the auditorium. The person filling out your breweries beer entry application will receive an email from OBA detailing how to claim that ticket.

Is there a limit on how many tickets one brewery can purchase?
No. Seating capacity is 800.

Who is Katie Nguyen?
Katie is a Portland stand-up performer who hosts Earthquake Hurricane at The Liquor Store. She was a finalist in the Portland's Funniest Person contest and has appeared at the Bridgetown Comedy Festival, SF Sketchfest, and more. Follow her Twitter here.

What is the Oregon Brewshed® Alliance?
An outreach initiative of Oregon Wild, the Oregon Brewshed® Alliance is a coalition of Oregon brewers, brewing community partners, and conservationists who understand the value of clean water and protected forest watersheds. Beer is over 90% water after all, and that water is a product of the land that it flows through. Great beer doesn't start at the tap – great beer begins with clean water.

What are the awards categories?
View a full list here.

What beers will be on tap?
A ceremony beer list will be made available in early February. With two satellite bars with six taps each, and Assembly Lounge and Marthas with 24 taps each, we're excited to bring you a robust, incredible list of beers for this event. You might even see some of last year's OBA medalists!

Who produces Oregon Beer Awards?
Steph Barnhart | Willamette Week Events Director, OBA Media Director
Ben Edmunds | Breakside Brewery, OBA Competition Director
Ezra Johnson-Greenough | New School Beer, OBA Ceremony Director
Martin Cizmar | Willamette Week Arts + Culture Editor, OBA Editorial Director
Jeremie Landers | OBA Lead Steward

Follow Oregon Beer Awards on Instagram at @oregonbeerawards.

Invite your friends and stay up-to-date about event announcements on the Facebook Event.

SPONSORS INCLUDE
Maletis Beverage
Columbia Distributing
General Distributors
JVNW
ABM Equipment
Ambrach, LLC.
Bazi Bierbasserie
Belmont Station
BrewedOregon
Country Malt Group
Crosby Hop Farm
Cushman + Wakefield
Digital Pour
Eco Firma Farms
Goose Hollow Inn
Hood River Hops Fest
Last Call Productions
Loyal Legion
The New School
Northwest Food Processors Association
N.W.I.P.A.
Oregon State University
Roscoe's Pub
Steinhaus
SUM Design Studio + architecture
The HR Group
Wesmar Company
Wyeast Labratories, Inc.
…and many more TBA

JUDGING WEEKEND SPONSOR
Craft Brew Alliance

PARTNERS INCLUDE
Revolution Hall + Mississippi Studios
Oregon Wild
SnapYourself
govino
Chicken + Guns
Stumptown Bliss TV

Past Winners
For 2016's Oregon Beer Awards results, go here. For results from 2015's Oregon Beer Awards, go here.

Sponsorship
Interested in sponsoring a category or event during Oregon Beer Awards? Please contact Steph at sbarnhart@wweek.com for more information.

Please contact beer@wweek.com with general questions.

2017 Judge Roster

AbramGoldman-Armstrong, CiderRiot!
Amanda Benson, Deschutes Brewery
Amity Worden, New Belgium Ranger
Beau Evers, Crosby Hop Farm
Ben Dobler, Laurelwood Brewing
Ben Kehs, Deschutes Brewery
Ben Parsons, Baerlic Brewing Company
Bill Schneller, BJCP Master Judge
Brendan Cocks, The Growler Guys
Brett Thomas, Sunriver Brewing Co.
Brian Coombs, Alesong Brewing and Blending
Charles Porter, Little Beast Brewing
Chris Tappan, The BeerMongers
Christina LaRue, Beer Judge
Dan Munch, Widmer Brothers Brewing
Dan Russo, Oakshire Brewing
Dave Marliave, Flat Tail Brewing Co.
David Schleef, GEA Brewery Systems
Derek Hass, Columbia Distributing
Donald Scheidt, Celebrator Beer News
Doug Rehberg, Craft Brew Alliance
Drew Worden, Columbia Distributing
Dustin Kellner, WorthyBrewingCo.
Emily Palmer, Sixpoint Brewery
Erika Huston, Logsdon
Erin Grey Kemplin, Ecliptic Brewing
Ezra Johnson-Greenough , Portland Beer Week/The New School
Gavin Lord, pFriem Family Brewers
George Dimeo, Maletis Beverage
Hilda Stevens, Bazi Bierbrasserie
Jackson Wyatt, NWIPA
Jacob Leonard, Breakside Brewery
Jason Barbee, Level Beer
Jason Carriere, Falling Sky Brewing
Jason Jaime, Maletis Beverage
Jeff Tobin, Mazama Brewing Co.
Jeff Alworth, Beervana
Jeremy Lewis, Roscoes
Jesse Shue, Golden Valley Brewery
Jon Graber, Micro Matic
Josh Grgas, Commons Brewery
Josh Pfriem, pFriem Family Brewers
Kevin Davey, Wayfinder Beer
Kevin Martin, Cascade Brewing
Kevin Shaw, Buoy Beer Company
Kyle Krause, The Commons Brewery
Lisa Allen, Heater Allen Brewing
Lisa Morrison, Belmont Station
Lucy Burningham, Journalist/Author
Matt Van Wyk, Alesong Brewing and Blending
Matthew Swihart, Double Mountain
Max Kravitz, pFriem Family Brewers
McKenna Ganz, Hopworks Urban Brewery
Michael Russell, The Oregonian
Mike Hunsaker, Fat Heads Portland
Nao Odhera, Breakside Brewery
Natalie Rose Baldwin, Burnside Brewery
Nick Funnell, BSG Craftbrewing
Nicole Kasten, Beer Connections
Parker Hall, Willamette Week
Patrick Raasch, Sunriver Brewing Company
Paul Bergeman, Wild Ride
Pete Dunlop, Author/Writer
Richard Hall, Baerlic Brewing
Rick Allen, Heater Allen Brewing
Ritch Marvin, Home Brewer
Rob Widmer, Widmer Brothers Brewing
Ryan Clough, Columbia Distributing
Ryan Spencer, Bailey's Taproom
Sam Barber, Breakside Brewery
Sarah Pederson, Saraveza, Publican
Shilpi Helmane, Logsdon Farmhouse Ales
Sean Burke, The Commons Brewery
Shane Watterson, Level Beer
Steven Balzer, Bodega Beer Co
Steve Luke, Cloudburst Brewing
Teri Fahrendorf, Great Western Malting
Thomas Bleigh, Craft Brew Alliance
Tom Bowers, Merchant du Vin
Tonya Cornett, 10 Barrel Brewing Company
Trever Bass, Hopworks Urban Brewery
Tyler West, Oakshire Brewing
Veronica Vega, Deschutes Brewery
Waylon McAllister, Breakside Brewery
Whitney Burnside, 10 Barrel Brewing
William Jaquiss, Breakside Brewery

LEAD STEWARDS
Jeremie Landers + Jenn McPoland, Oregon Brew Crew

COMPETITION  DIRECTOR
Ben Edmunds, Breakside Brewery

2017 Finalists for Non-tasting Categories: 
BEST BOTTLE SHOP
Belmont Station
Saraveza
BeerMongers
Tin Bucket
Loyal Legion

BEST BREWPUB EXPERIENCE
Breakside
Buoy
Ex Novo
pFriem
Solera

BEST BEER FESTIVAL
Cheers to Belgian Beers
Festival of the Dark Arts
Holiday Ale Fest
Hood River Fresh Hop Fest
Oregon Brewer's Festival

BEST NEW BREWERY
Alesong
Great Notion
Ruse Brewing
Wolves & People Farmhouse Brewery
Zoiglhaus

BOTY LARGE
Barley Brown's
Breakside
Fort George
pFriem
SunRiver

BOTY MEDIUM
Block 15
De Garde
Ex Novo
Fat Head's
The Commons

BOTY SMALL
Alesong
Baerlic
Culmination
Great Notion
Ruse

________________

Fresh Hop Category Registration NOW CLOSED!
Registration Period: August 17 – September 9, September 16, 2016 [EXTENDED]

OBA has partnered with Hood River Hops Fest and New School Beer to hold a Fresh Hop competition during the Hood River Hops Fest, in Hood River, Ore., on Saturday, September 24. Entering beers into the Fresh Hop category will not count against your tally for entering the maximum number of beers into OBA proper. Brewers should follow the links below for more information, or can contact Ben Edmunds (ben@breakside.com) with questions.

STYLE GUIDELINES
bit.ly/OBAFHstyleguidelines

REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED
bit.ly/OBAFHentryform

2017 Beer Entry Registration Period NOW CLOSED!
(October 17 – December 16, 2016)
All brewers, even returning participants, entering beers into the competition MUST read the complete 2017 OBA Style Guidelines and Users Manual before beginning the registration process.

STYLE GUIDELINES HERE
bit.ly/OBA2017styleguides

REGISTRATION HERE
bit.ly/OBA2017application