Kalamazoo Valley Student Brewers Take Home Honors

Results of the U.S. Open College Beer Championship have been announced and Kalamazoo Valley's student brewers took home gold and silver medals and a share of third place overall. The contest, held in Oxford, Ohio, is for colleges and universities that teach brewing courses. The competition was held to help determine the best future brewers in North America. Any college or university that offers courses in brewing could enter the U.S. Open. All beers were submitted by one of the school’s brewing professors or instructors. The beers could be brewed on any system on or off campus that is approved by the professors or instructors.

This year’s competition included five categories: Belgian, Bavarian, Stout, IPA and Open. The Open category allowed students to enter any style of beer they wanted to brew.

. In the fourth year of this competition, 14 colleges and universities from the United States and Canada participated. Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) in British Columbia took home the Grand National Championship as the college that brews the best beers in North America. This Canadian university took home a golds for their 50/50 Hefe and their Fruity and the Yeast New England India Pale Ale plus a silver for their Storm Stout.

Schoolcraft College came in second, while Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Auburn University, and Central Michigan tied for third.

Top Four Brewing Schools in the 2019 U.S. Open College Beer Championship
1. Kwantlen Polytechnic University – British Columbia
2. Schoolcraft College – Michigan
3. Kalamazoo Valley Community College – Michigan; Auburn University – Alabama; and Central Michigan University – Michigan

Category 1 – Belgian

Gold – American Harvest Belgian Pale – Schoolcraft College – Michigan
Silver – Across the Pond Belgian Pale – Auburn University – Alabama
Bronze – Spartan Saison – Michigan State University Michigan

Category 2 – Bavarian

Gold – 50/50 Hefe – Kwantlen Polytechnic University – British Columbia
Silver – Muncher Dunkel – Kalamazoo Valley Community College – Michigan
Bronze – Willis Weizen – Auburn University – Alabama

Category 3 – Stout

Gold – British Imperial Stout – Kalamazoo Valley Community College – Michigan
Silver – Storm Stout – Kwantlen Polytechnic University – British Columbia
Bronze – Smurf Stout – Niagara College – Ontario
Bronze – Peanut Butter Stout – Auburn University – Alabama

Category 4 – IPA

Gold – Dragon Energy Imperial IPA – Central Michigan University – Michigan
Silver – Haggerty IPA – Schoolcraft College – Michigan
Bronze – Cleaver IPA – Brewery at the Culinary Institute of America

Category 5 – Open

Gold – Fruity and the Yeast NE IPA – Kwantlen Polytechnic University – British Columbia
Silver – Citrus Siege NE IPA – Central Michigan University – Michigan
Bronze – Voice of Reason APA – Auburn University – Alabama