2025 AHA Home Brewer of the Year

[HighVoltageMan!]

Well, I'm not sure how I pulled it off, but I won Home Brewer of the Year last night at the National Homebrew Comp. I won it with an American Lager and it's the same beer that won a second in 2021. Don was kind enough to make a really cool tap handle for that one. It won another second in 2022.

Lynn's Lager won gold in the Pale American beer category, and then went on to win Best of Show. In addition, my German Pils won gold and my Cold IPA won gold. I thought for sure I was going to be skunked and come away with nothing, so this is a huge surprise. I believe I was second place for Ninkasi, but I haven't checked all the numbers. The Ninkasi winner got 20 points and I got 18.

Here's the recipe for Lynn's Lager:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/216382/standard-american-lager-ii-aka-lynns-lager

I have gotten a lot of good ideas and learned a lot on this forum, so thanks to all you for helping me accomplish this!

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/national-homebrew-competition/winners/

 

[Craigerrr]

Wow!
Congratulations!

 

[Zambi]

Yeah, indeed
Congratulations.
Very impressive

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Wow!
Congratulations!

I use your wet milling method, that works so good.

 

[Craigerrr]

I use your wet milling method, that works so good.

Since I switched to partial mash, and I don't have grain capacity/mash thickness issues, I actually don't do the wet milling anymore. It was definitely very helpful though!

 

[west1m]

That was what I was drinking last night at the Happy Hour Zoom. My 5 gal scaled down version. Thank You for the recipe!

 

[Donoroto]

Well, I'm not sure how I pulled it off, but I won Home Brewer of the Year last night at the National Homebrew Comp. I won it with an American Lager and it's the same beer that won a second in 2021. Don was kind enough to make a really cool tap handle for that one. It won another second in 2022.
View attachment 32307
Lynn's Lager won gold in the Pale American beer category, and then went on to win Best of Show. In addition, my German Pils won gold and my Cold IPA won gold. I thought for sure I was going to be skunked and come away with nothing, so this is a huge surprise. I believe I was second place for Ninkasi, but I haven't checked all the numbers. The Ninkasi winner got 20 points and I got 18.

Here's the recipe for Lynn's Lager:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/216382/standard-american-lager-ii-aka-lynns-lager

I have gotten a lot of good ideas and learned a lot on this forum, so thanks to all you for helping me accomplish this!

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/national-homebrew-competition/winners/

Congratulations Wayne!
So when are we going to design another handle for this award? Or maybe a nice sign like the one for @BarbarianBrewer ?

 

[Sandy Feet]

Well, I'm not sure how I pulled it off, but I won Home Brewer of the Year last night at the National Homebrew Comp. I won it with an American Lager and it's the same beer that won a second in 2021. Don was kind enough to make a really cool tap handle for that one. It won another second in 2022.
View attachment 32307
Lynn's Lager won gold in the Pale American beer category, and then went on to win Best of Show. In addition, my German Pils won gold and my Cold IPA won gold. I thought for sure I was going to be skunked and come away with nothing, so this is a huge surprise. I believe I was second place for Ninkasi, but I haven't checked all the numbers. The Ninkasi winner got 20 points and I got 18.

Here's the recipe for Lynn's Lager:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/216382/standard-american-lager-ii-aka-lynns-lager

I have gotten a lot of good ideas and learned a lot on this forum, so thanks to all you for helping me accomplish this!

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/national-homebrew-competition/winners/

That is AWESOME!! You must have done a great job as there isn't much to hide behind in that grain bill.

 

[Josh Hughes]

Well, I'm not sure how I pulled it off, but I won Home Brewer of the Year last night at the National Homebrew Comp. I won it with an American Lager and it's the same beer that won a second in 2021. Don was kind enough to make a really cool tap handle for that one. It won another second in 2022.
View attachment 32307
Lynn's Lager won gold in the Pale American beer category, and then went on to win Best of Show. In addition, my German Pils won gold and my Cold IPA won gold. I thought for sure I was going to be skunked and come away with nothing, so this is a huge surprise. I believe I was second place for Ninkasi, but I haven't checked all the numbers. The Ninkasi winner got 20 points and I got 18.

Here's the recipe for Lynn's Lager:

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/216382/standard-american-lager-ii-aka-lynns-lager

I have gotten a lot of good ideas and learned a lot on this forum, so thanks to all you for helping me accomplish this!

https://www.homebrewersassociation.org/national-homebrew-competition/winners/

That’s awesome! Congratulations

 

[jschein]

Great job! Congratulations

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Congratulations Wayne!
So when are we going to design another handle for this award? Or maybe a nice sign like the one for @BarbarianBrewer ?

The traditional way is to send you beer in exchange for the handle, the sad truth is all my beer is reserved for my daughter’s wedding. All the beers that won are going to be served at the wedding. So I have no beer right now.

Your handles are pretty cool, I may have to come up with something! Thanks Don!

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

That is AWESOME!! You must have done a great job as there isn't much to hide behind in that grain bill.

It must be the Minute Rice!

 

[Brewdomestix]

Congratz, nice to have some good news.

 

[Megary]

Very nice! Congratulations!

And now, selfishly, I can say that I brewed Wayner’s Pale Ale, a beer from the legendary homebrewer HVM’s personal recipe cache!

 

[Sunfire96]

Congratulations!! I know you've been working hard for that hardware, must feel really good

 

[Donoroto]

The traditional way is to send you beer in exchange for the handle, the sad truth is all my beer is reserved for my daughter’s wedding. All the beers that won are going to be served at the wedding. So I have no beer right now.

Your handles are pretty cool, I may have to come up with something! Thanks Don!

I’m fairly patient, no hurry.

 

[Craigerrr]

Very nice! Congratulations!

And now, selfishly, I can say that I brewed Wayner’s Pale Ale, a beer from the legendary homebrewer HVM’s personal recipe cache!

Same!

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Congratulations!! I know you've been working hard for that hardware, must feel really good

It does. I had no idea I would do this well.

 

[Sandy Feet]

Everybody on the forum basically mentioned Wayner's when I was going for a Hazy recipe. So, I know it is well liked.
I didn't go nearly that far with the hops in my little hybrid experiment, but I finally got the idea it was going to take LOTS of hops

 

[Limey]

That's impressive - CONGRATULATIONS!