Home » And the Winners Are … The 2024 Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition

And the Winners Are … The 2024 Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition

by Debra C Argen & Edward F Nesta
GIBCMSC - Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition

Celebrating its 26th anniversary, the 2024 Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition (GIBCC) had 303 beers, ciders, meads, hard kombuchas, hard seltzers, non-alcohol beers and RTDs from across the world entered in competition. On November 9, 2024, over the course of 4 hours, we, along with 55 other spirits industry professionals put our expertise and palates to the test, as we worked in teams to judge the various categories. A big thank you to the 12 stewards who ran products out to the judges to keep samples cold and fresh. Cheers!

Gregg Glaser - photo by Luxury Experience

Gregg Glaser

On Saturday, November 9, 2024, we joined our palates with fellow judges at the Norwalk Historical Society in Norwalk, Connecticut for the 26th anniversary of the Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition. This was our second time judging at this prestigious competition founded by Gregg Glaser. This year’s competition included 303 beers, ciders, meads, hard kombuchas, hard seltzers, non-alcohol beers and RTDs from across the world. Once again, we were paired separately with other judges and had the pleasure of judging different categories than the prior year.

Debra C. Argen and Chris Sanzini - photo by Luxury Experience

Chris Sanzini & Debra C. Argen

In case you were wondering, judging is done in pairs, or teams, with teams given a particular category. Products are then sampled in a blind tasting. Each judge receives a set of sheets for their category, and products are judged by a variety of criteria including their Appearance, does it meet the color, clarity, and head retention criteria for that category? Another factor is Aroma/Nose, are there malt, hops, or other characteristics. Next, the judges consider Flavor/Taste, and base their decision on malt, hops, conditioning, aftertaste, balance, and other characteristics. Another consideration is Body; does the product have full, medium, ot thin body, or CO2? The last factor is Drinkability and Overall Impression.

The judges take great care and time sampling each of the products in their category to award first, second, and third place winners. In the rare event that there is not a clear third place winner, an award will not be given.

Edward F. Nesta & Zach Goldstein - Photo by Luxury Experience

Zach Goldstein & Edward F. Nesta

And The 2024 Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition Winners Are…

Wheat Ale: American & German
First Place: Harvest Moon, Dead Language Beer Project, Hartford, CT
Second Place: Hefeweizen, Kansas City Bier Co., Kansas City, MO
Third Place: Schoodic Sunrise, Airline Brewing, Amherst, ME

Light Ale
First Place: Keating Farms Kölsch, NewSylum Brewing, Newtown, CT
Second Place: Easy Rider Kölsch, Charter Oak Brewing, Danbury, CT
Third Place: Northwoods Life, Northwoods Brewing, Northwood, NH

British/Irish/Scottish Ale
First Place: Wee Heavy, Airline Brewing, Amherst, ME
Second Place: Bombardier Premium British Ale, Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing, Wolverhampton, UK
Third Place: Special Old Bitter, Airline Brewing, Amherst, ME

American Pale & Amber Ale
First Place: Littleton Common, Dirigible Brewing, Littleton, MA
Second Place: Ol’ Trigger, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL
Third Place: Elektron, Antimony Brewing, Lenox, MA

IPA
First Place: Going Back To Cali, Spider Bite Beer Co., Holbrook, NY
Second Place: Patriot IPA, Readington Brewery, Neshanic Station, NJ
Third Place: Hopper Dropper, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL

New England IPA
First Place: Heritage Waters IPA, Northwoods Brewing, Northwood, NH
Second Place: Finder NEIPA, Shipyard Brewing, Portland, ME
Third Place: Thesaurus Rex, NewSylum Brewing, Newtown, CT

Brown/Copper Ale
First Place: Juno, Dead Language Beer Project, Hartford, CT
Second Place: 1687 Brown Ale, Charter Oak Brewing, Danbury, CT
Third Place: Squirrel Stew, Ledgeview Brewing, Warsaw, IN

Porter
First Place: Brown Porter, Airline Brewing, Amherst, ME
Second Place: 24 Porter, Dirigible Brewing, Littleton, MA
Third Place: Porter, Back East Brewing, Bloomfield, CT

Stout
First Place: Coffee Porter, Northwoods Brewing, Northwood, NH
Second Place: Coldhead, Antimony Brewing, Lenox, MA
Third Place: Espressway Coffee Stout, Two Roads Brewing, Stratford, CT

Lager — Bohemian Pilsner
First Place: The Fandango Bohemian Pilsner, Czar’s Brewing, Freemont, NH
Second Place: The Automaton, Dirigible Brewing, Littleton, MA
Third Place: Lagered Hedonism 2 Czech Pils, Moniker Brewery, Providence, RI

Helles Lager
First Place: Pirate’s Cove Helles, McFleshman’s Brewing, Appleton, WI
Second Place: Helles, Von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, Vt
Third Place: Flocc ‘n Lager, Willimantic Brewing, Willimantic, CT

Lager — Continental/Dortmunder
First Place: Walkin’ The Dog, NewSylum Brewing, Newtown, CT
Second Place: Trudy, Miles, The Prince, White Plains, NY
Third Place: Hortensia, Caius Farm Brewery, Branford, CT

Premium Lager
First Place: Estrella Damm, S.A. Damm, Barcelona, Spain
Second Place: Doki Doki, Dead Language Beer Project, Hartford, CT
Third Place: El Rhodeo, Moniker Brewery, Providence, RI

Amber/Dark Lager — Amber/Bock/Dunkel/Vienna
First Place: Vienna, Von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, VT
Second Place: Dunkel, Von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, VT
Third Place: Dunkel-Stiltskin, Ledgeview Brewing, Warsaw, IN

Amber/Dark Lager — Other
First Place: Trosten, Von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, VT
Second Place: Red Band, Dead Language Beer Project, Hartford, CT
Third Place: Festbier, Moniker Brewery, Providence, RI

Amber/Dark Lager — Other – Schwarzbier
First Place: Midnight, Broken Symmetry Brewing, Bethel, CT
Second Place: Schwarzbier, Kansas City Bier Co., Kansas City, MO
Third Place: Penumbra, Readington Brewery, Neshanic Station, NJ

Oktoberfest
First Place: Ok2berfest Marzen Style Lager, Two Roads Brewing, Stratford, CT
Second Place: Octoberfest Festbier, Readington Brewery, Neshanic Station, NJ
Third Place: Octoberfest Marzen, Readington Brewery, Neshanic Station, NJ

Strong Beer — Belgian Dubbel &Tripel/Belgian Dark/ Belgian Golden
First Place: Dominatrix, Ledgeview Brewing, Warsaw, IN
Second Place: Freestone, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL
Third Place: Tarrytown Dubbel, Duncan’s Abbey, Tarrytown, NY

Strong Beer — Barleywine/Double Bock/Imperial IPA/Old Ale/Other
First Place: Elagabulus, Caius Farm Brewery, Branford, CT
Second Place: Pacific Dawn, Captain Lawrence Brewing, Elmsford, NY
Third Place: Liberator Doppelbock, Thomas Hooker Brewery, Bloomfield, CT

Strong Beer — New England Imperial IPA
First Place: Lupified, Bad Sons Beer Co., Derby, CT
Second Place: Mount Massive, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL
Third Place: Newkleus DIPA, Pivotal Brewing, Bristol, RI

Strong Beer — Russian Imperial Stout
First Place: Bourbon Barrel Aged Kodiak’s Revenge – Black Walnut Brownie, Ike & Oak Brewing,
Woodridge, IL
Second Place: Dr. Darkness, Pivotal Brewing, Bristol, RI
Third Place: Bourbon Barrel Aged Kodiak’s Revenge – Tiramisu, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL

Sour & Wild Ale
First Place: Caligula, Caius Farm Brewery, Branford, CT
Second Place: Salted Watermelon, Moniker Brewery, Providence, RI
Third Place: Abbot’s Reserve, Duncan’s Abbey, Tarrytown, NY

Belgian & French Ale
First Place: Oscillation, Broken Symmetry Brewing, Bethel, CT
Second Place: Bo, Miles, The Prince, White Plains, NY
Third Place: Miles, The Prince, White Plains, NY

Gluten-Free & -Reduced Beer
First Place: Insensitive, Northampton Brewery, Northampton, MA
Second Place: Address Unknown IPA, Willimantic Brewing, Willimantic, CT
Third Place: Daura Damm, S.A. Damm, Barcelona, Spain

Fruit & Spice Ale — Ales With Fruit, Spices, Herbs, Other Ingredients
First Place: Spicy Pickleodeon, Foolproof Brewing, Pawtucket, RI
Second Place: Mexican Chocolate Stout, Foolproof Brewing, Pawtucket, RI
Third Place: Blue Mountain, Ike & Oak Brewing, Woodridge, IL

Fruit & Spice Ale — Pumpkin Beers
First Place: All Hallows Night, Spider Bite Beer Co., Holbrook, NY
Second Place: Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale, Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, WI
Third Place: Ichabod Pumpkin Ale, Czar’s Brewing, Freemont, NH

Non-Alcohol Beer
First Place: Free Damm, S.A. Damm, Barcelona, Spain
Second Place: Kit NA Hazy IPA, Kit NA Brewing, Portland, ME
Third Place: Road 2 Ruin Zero, Two Roads Brewing, Stratford, CT

Cider — Fruit
First Place: Woodchuck Blueberry Cider, Vermont Cider Co., Middlebury, VT
Second Place: Ciderboys Pineapple Hula, Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, WI
Third Place: Mango 1868 Hard Cider, S. Martinelli & Co., Watsonville, CA

Cider — Non-Fruited
First Place: Woodchuck Granny Smith Cider, Vermont Cider Co., Middlebury, VT
Second Place: Woodchuck Amber Cider, Vermont Cider Co., Middlebury, VT
Third Place: Woodchuck Big Crush Cider, Vermont Cider Co., Middlebury, VT

Mead
First Place: Wineberry Mead, Sky Acres Brewing, Kinnelon, NJ
Second Place: Neshanic Nectar, Readington Brewery, Neshanic Station, NJ
Third Place: No award given

Sake
First Place: Shikaio Junmai Dai-Ginjyo, Fukui Shuzo Co., Chubu, Aichi, Japan
Second Place: Shikaio Tokubetsu Junmai, Fukui Shuzo Co., Chubu, Aichi, Japan
Third Place: Olympus, North American Sake Brewery, Charlottesville, VA

Hard Seltzer — Malt- & Spirits-Based
First Place: Drift – Pineapple Mango, Whalers Brewing, Wakefield, RI
Second Place: Strawberry Fizz, Northampton Brewery, Northampton, MA
Third Place: Blueberry Fizz, Northampton Brewery, Northampton, MA

RTDs — Spirits-Based
First Place: Golden Daiq, aka Curry Barbados, Veritable Distillery, Stonington, CT
Second Place: Ardor Punch, Veritable Distillery, Stonington, CT
Third Place: Rum Mojito, Owl’s Brew, New York, NY

Hard Kombucha
First Place: Boochcraft Grapefruit Hibiscus Hard Kombucha, The Boochery, Chula Vista, CA
Second Place: Gohdi Cran Grape, Readington Brewery, Neshanic Station, NJ
Third Place: Boochcraft Pineapple Passion Hard Kombucha, The Boochery, Chula Vista, CA

The 2025, 27th Annual Great International Beer, Cider, Mead & Sake Competition will take place on November 8, 2025, in Norwalk, Connecticut. The deadline for entry forms is October 15, 2025, to enter your products.

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For information on categories, entry forms, and other information, please visit the website: www.GIBCC.com or contact Gregg Glaser at +1-203-971-8710.

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