Lagerpalooza 2020: No Festival, but Still Plenty of Winners

Lagerpalooza 2020

Normally, hopeful homebrewers would gather at Bohemian Brewery with a beer in hand to hear the results. This time, entrants into the 6th Annual Lagerpalooza lager-only homebrew competition sat glued to a Facebook Live on May 12 as organizers revealed the winners.

Welcome to Beer Festivals in the Age of Coronavirus.

Even though organizers canceled the accompanying festival, the homebrew competition carried on. Numbers were down a bit — 80 entries this year compared to nearly 200 in 2019 — but interest remained high. The awards ceremony live stream had been viewed more than 400 times as of Wednesday morning.

“A lot of people from out of state didn’t send their beers, which we understand,” says Ross Metzger, co-owner of Salt City Brew Supply, which organized the competition. “We ended up with a fair amount of beer, but not anywhere near what we’ve had the last couple years, which makes total sense.”

Chaz Smith picks up some hardware at the 5th Annual Lagerpalooza homebrew competition on May 5, 2019. He earned Best of Show honors at the just-completed 2020 competition.
Chaz Smith picks up some hardware at the 5th Annual Lagerpalooza homebrew competition on May 5, 2019. He earned Best of Show honors at the just-completed 2020 Lagerpalooza.

Chaz Smith, a well-known local homebrewer, earned the Best of Show title with his Honey Lager, a beer brewed with spelt.

“Right off the bat, every one of us that were judging had one stand out to us, both in its quality and how unique it was,” says Cody McKendrick, co-owner of Salt City Brew Supply. “Right of the bat we all picked No. 1, and that was Chaz’s Honey Lager.”

Brent Cryder and co-brewer Seth Boris nabbed second in Best of Show with a Doppelbock. And Brian McKray earned bronze with his Killa Dilla Kölsch.

Winning Ways

Each beer that wins Gold in a sub-category is eligible to vie for Best of Show honors. Smith’s Honey Lager beat out eight other beers to earn first place in the “Lagers of Randomness” category, which included a variety of styles.

Smith, a member of Lauter Day Brewers, also won Gold for a Schwarzbier he brewed.

Each first-place category winner received a gift card to Salt City Brew Supply.

Steve Morgan, a member of the Central Oregon Homebrewing Organization, picked up three Golds, two Silvers, and a Bronze. He swept the “Light German Clearinghouse” category.

Rob Rutledge, a member of ZZHOPS, earned four medals overall.

Generally, attendees at the Lagerpalooza festival are able to sample the previous year’s Best in Show winner. The winning brewer is entitled to brew the beer with Bohemian brewers on the Midvale brewery’s system.

Metzger says the Bohemian is about to can last year’s Best of Show winner, a Doppelbock brewed by Christopher Robinson, and it should be available soon.

Listen to Cody McKendrick and Ross Metzger, Lagerpalooza competition organizers, discuss the event, their homebrew shop, and more on this 2019 episode of the Utah Beer News Podcast.

 Lagerpalooza Best of Show

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stChaz SmithHoney LagerAlternative Grain BeerLauter Day Brewers
2ndBrent Cryder; Co-Brewer: Seth BorisDoppelbockDoppelbock
3rdBrian McKrayKilla Dilla KolschKolschLauter Day Brewers

 Winning Entries

Table 1: T1: 1a, 1b Light US Lager (6 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stSteve MorganP. B. Aargh!American LagerCentral Oregon Homebrewing Organization (COHO)
2ndRob RutledgeWth, Rob?American LagerZion Zymurgist Homebrew OPerative Society
3rdJason KnightSouth Side SudsAmerican Lager

Table 2: T2:1c, 5b Light Hybrids (7 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stBrian McKrayKilla Dilla KolschKolschLauter Day Brewers
2ndRyan HuntQuarantine KolschKolsch
3rdTimothy Cromwell; Co-Brewer: Alex ThurstonDream AleCream AleCache Valley Brew Club

Table 3: T3: 2a International Pale Lager (6 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stRob RutledgeQue Demonios, Roberto?International Pale LagerZion Zymurgist Homebrew OPerative Society
2ndAndrew FrostMexican LagerInternational Pale LagerLauter Day Brewers
3rdRyan HuntBeach Cruiser LagerInternational Pale Lager

Table 4: T4: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5c, 7c Light German Clearinghouse (8 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stSteve MorganUnder Dort?German ExportbierCentral Oregon Homebrewing Organization (COHO)
2ndSteve MorganWotten HellesMunich HellesCentral Oregon Homebrewing Organization (COHO)
3rdSteve MorganLeicht It UpGerman LeichtbierCentral Oregon Homebrewing Organization (COHO)

Table 5: T5: 5d German Pilsner (6 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stSteve MorganPerley Gates PilsGerman PilsCentral Oregon Homebrewing Organization (COHO)
2ndRob RutledgeLangsam Für PilsnerGerman PilsZion Zymurgist Homebrew OPerative Society

Table 6: T6: 3a, 3b Czech Pale Lager (6 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stAnthony May; Co-Brewer: Curtis WanderSelect Pale LagerCzech Premium Pale Lager
2ndBrian McKrayCzech You LagerCzech Premium Pale LagerLauter Day Brewers
3rdMarshall Lent“Check” Pun PilsnerCzech Premium Pale Lager

Table 7: T7: 2b, 3c, 6a Euro Amber Lager Clearinghouse (5 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stJeffrey BalchYeastie BoysInternational Amber Lager
2ndAndrew FrostScorpionInternational Amber LagerLauter Day Brewers
3rdJeffrey BalchThis Oktoberfest Isn’t Just Great, It’s A Märzen!Marzen

Table 8: T8: 7a Vienna Lager (7 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stCorey HaaseVienneVienna LagerLauter Day Brewers
2ndChase KunzVivacious ViennaVienna LagerLauter Day Brewers
3rdMarshall LentMuy Rico Vienna LagerVienna Lager

Table 9: T9: 7b, 9c, 19b Dark/Amber Hybrids (6 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stCorey HaaseShipwreckCalifornia CommonLauter Day Brewers
2ndSteve MorganDussel DorkAltbierCentral Oregon Homebrewing Organization (COHO)
3rdLandon Jeffery; Co-Brewers: Xander Jeffery & Vivienne JefferyThe MacHineBaltic PorterO-Town Hop Heads

Table 10: T10: 9a, 9b Doppelbock/Eisbock (8 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stBrent Cryder; Co-Brewer: Seth BorisDoppelbockDoppelbock
2ndRobert BlackDoppelbockDoppelbock
3rdLandon Jeffery; Co-Brewers: Xander Jeffery & Vivienne JefferyReconciliatorDoppelbockO-Town Hop Heads

Table 11: T11: 6c, 8a, 8b (6 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stChaz SmithBlack BierSchwarzbierLauter Day Brewers
2ndWilliam SchmidtBockbierDunkels Bock
3rdLandon Jeffery; Co-Brewers: Xander Jeffery & Vivienne JefferyEl Gato NegroSchwarzbierO-Town Hop Heads

Table 12: T12: 21b, 27a, 27a7, 29c, 31a, 34b, 34c Lagers of Randomness (9 entries)

PlaceBrewerEntry NameStyleClub
1stChaz SmithHoney LagerAlternative Grain BeerLauter Day Brewers
2ndNicholas Berlingieri; Co-Brewer: Chelsea BerlingieriCold Life PilsnerPre-Prohibition Lager
3rdRob RutledgeChoice Pils, BroExperimental BeerZion Zymurgist Homebrew OPerative Society

Results tables from the 6th Annual Lagerpalooza courtesy of Salt City Brew Supply.
Chaz Smith photo from 2019 competition courtesy of Mike Millen.