The results are in for the latest Honey Beer Competition, a national affair that comes on the heels of National Honey Month. Entering its tenth year running, the affair considered some 200 American beer entries. And, as the name suggests, all of the beers utilized honey in some shape or form.
Honey and beer go back a ways. One of the oldest beer-like beverages is braggot, made with honey and falling somewhere between an ale and a mead. People way back in the 12th Century enjoyed such at thing. Fast forward to the modern era, where there are a fair number of proper honey beers that stress various kinds of honey. In fact, the first and only beer known to be brewed in the White House, under President Obama, was a honey beer.
Experienced judges gauged everything from appearance and aroma to flavor and mouthfeel. The national competition attracted brewers from states like Oregon, Louisiana, Ohio, Colorado, Florida, and more. The overall best in show honors went to the Kostka-Busser beer by California’s Culture Brewing. The creation was made with the aid of orange blossom honey.
Other winners included the Schnake West Coast IPA from Primal Brewery in North Carolina in the IPA category, as well as the Golden Lasso from Chicago’s Twisted Hippo Brewing in the general ale genre. There were a dozen categories in all, including design, historical beers, sour beers, barrel-aged, and more.
Honey is one of the best sweetening agents out there, way more interesting than simple syrup and definitely built around the concept of terroir. In fact, here’s a little taste of how to mix honey in cocktails.
Check out our related features on the weirdest beer styles and the again-budding mead drink trend.
