This BJCP-certified beer competition will take place on Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025 and is open to all commercial breweries in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country and Vernon. Deadline for entry for Commercial Beers is August 15th, 2025.
BJCP Categories
Judging will be in the following 6 general categories:
- American IPAs (BJCP Category: 21A)
- Hazy IPAs (BJCP Category: 21C)
- International Lagers (BJCP Categories 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- Dark Ales (BJCP Categories: 13, 15B/C, 16, 20)
- Sour Ales (BJCP Categories: 23, 28). Category 28 includes fruited sours.
- Belgian/German Ales (BCJP Categories: 9, 10, 24, 25, 26)
Refer to the linked Style Guidelines to know which category (and how to list your beer) for entering: https://www.bjcp.org/beer-styles/beer-style-guidelines/
Entry fee: $10 per beer (Max 2 entries per brewery)
No brewery may enter both beers in the same category. Three beers are required for the judging process. They can be in whatever format the brewery prefers (growler, 355, 473, 500, bomber, etc).
Beer collection/dropoff will take place in the week of 25-29th August.
Prizes
Medals will be awarded to the top three beers in each category.
Best in Show winner will take home the coveted “Chalice of the Ogopogo” trophy as well as 20 bags of IPA malt courtesy of Gambrinus Malting.
Runner up for Best in Show will take home a 5kg bag of Chinook hops from Myrtle Meadows Hop Farm.
Competition Rules and Notes:
- Only Six General Categories will be judged. See above.
- Only commercial breweries based in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Lake Country and Vernon are eligible for entry.
- Each brewery can enter 2 different beers. For each entry, the fee is $10 and requires 3 bottles/cans. (2 for 1st Round judging, 1 for Best of Show).
- Mis-categorized beers will be judged in the Category in which they are entered.
- The announcement of winners will take place during Kelowna Beer Week (Oct 3-12)
- Detailed Scoresheets will be emailed back within a week of the announcement of results.
JUDGE’S DETAILS:
Hiroshi Tsukada, BJCP Judge (#A1142) – Nationally Ranked since 2023. Hiroshi is the Research and Development brewer from Parallel 49 in Vancouver. He is in charge of recipe development and pilot batch brewing.
Mike Bordick, BJCP Judge (#D0958) – Nationally Ranked since 2010 (Certified in 2010), Brewing since 1995.
James Clark, BJCP Judge (#F0593) – Nationally Ranked since 2016 (Certified in 2011), Brewing since 1996. (Certified in 2011)
Darren Binnema, BJCP Judge (#A1483). Recognized since 2023. Darren is an experienced brewer and craft beer professional based in British Columbia. He works with YDBEVCO, the parent company of Neighbourhood Brewing and Yellow Dog Brewing, where he brings a deep knowledge of brewing processes and beer quality. A BJCP Recognized Judge, Darren is passionate about style accuracy, innovation, and community in craft beer.
Other Judges – TBD.
Simply Beer 