Big Ugly Brewing won the 2023 Golden Tap Award in a region-wide competition where the tally was picked by readers and our committee of judges — including Diane Catanzaro, Chris Jones, Brian Koski, and Jen McDonald — provided expert analysis.
The 757 region craft breweries enjoyed another outstanding year with accolades coming from global, national, statewide and regional sources.
With all of these great things happening in our Coastal Virginia beer scene, it is our pleasure to announce the 2023 Veer Magazine Golden Tap Award medalists.
Each brewery/cider-maker was invited to self-nominate one entry in any 10 categories.
The overall score is listed below followed by the individual categories.
1. Big Ugly Brewing (20 points)
2. MoMac Brewing Company (17 points)
3. Benchtop Brewing Co. (15 points)
4. New Realm Brewing Company (14 points)
5 (Tie) Nansemond Brewing Station (13 points)
Elation Brewing (13 points)
Alewerks Brewing Co. (13 points)
And big thanks to this year’s presenting sponsors: City of Norfolk Department of Economic Development and Spacemakers General Contractors. Additional sponsorship provided by Southern Bank, Kaufman & Canoles, and Freedom Boat Club.
Beyond the traditional brewery competition categories, Kevin Sharkey of 1608 Crafthouse in Virginia Beach was presented the 2023 Beer Ambassador Award for his continued commitment to the regional craft beer community.
Additionally, the brewers of Coastal Virginia presented a couple of awards of their own: The Key To Lagertown went to Johnathan Newman at The Virginia Beer Company and The Coolest Brewer Award went to William Sawyer at The Garage Brewery.
ALTERNATIVE GRAIN(S) or SUGAR(S)
GOLD: The Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Lucky Cat Japanese Rice Lager
SILVER: MoMac Brewing Company, Hope Is Honey Cream Ale
BRONZE: 1700 Brewing, Zero Puckers Given
AMBER ALES
GOLD: Nansemond Brewing Station, Mystic Maiden Honey and Heather Scottish Ale
SILVER: Alewerks Brewing Company, Fun, Old-Fashion Family Christmas Ale
BRONZE: Billsburg Brewery, Planet 4 Red Ale
AMBER LAGERS
GOLD: New Realm Brewing Company, Bavarian Prince Oktoberfest
SILVER: Wasserhund Brewing Company, Wasserhund Oktoberfest
BRONZE: The Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Frogman Lager
AMERICAN LAGERS
GOLD: Reaver Beach Brewing Company, House Lager
SILVER: Billsburg Brewery, Classic Lager
BRONZE: New Realm Brewing Company, Blackberry Smoke American Lager
BELGIAN WIT
GOLD: Nansemond Brewing Station, White Canoe
SILVER: COVA Brewing Company, Willoughby White
BRONZE: Vibrant Shore Brewing Company, Witty Wilde
BRITISH BITTERS
GOLD: Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co, Red Ale
SILVER: Elation Brewing, Its All in the Wrist
BRONZE: MoMac Brewing Company, POETS Day (Piss Off Early Tomorrow’s Saturday) ESB
BROWN ALE
GOLD: Nansemond Brewing Station, Beenut Butter Brown Ale
SILVER: Alewerks Brewing Company, Tavern Brown Ale
BRONZE: St George Brewing Co, Nut Brown
CREAMS & BLONDES
GOLD: Afterglow Brewing, Cone-Fection Waffle Cream Ale
SILVER: Big Ugly Brewing Company, Sunbeam Blonde
BRONZE: Studly Brewing Company, Can of Corn
DARK EUROPEAN LAGERS
GOLD: MoMac Brewing Company, Geistboot Schwarzbier
SILVER: Elation Brewing, Schwaz
BRONZE: Big Ugly Brewing Company, Schlitzengiggle Oktoberfest
DOUBLE IPA
GOLD: Big Ugly Brewing Company, Maybe Today Satan
SILVER: MoMac Brewing Company, Strata Outta P-Town Hazy DIPA
BRONZE: Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co, Treat Me Wrong IIPA
EUROPEAN SOUR
GOLD: MoMac Brewing Company, Kiss My Mast Blueberry Key Lime Double Fruited Sour
SILVER: COVA Brewing Company, Aloha State of Mind
BRONZE: Pleasure House Brewing, Shark Tears Gose
EXPERIMENTAL
GOLD: Smartmouth Brewing Co., Kush Pop Passionfruit IPA w/Terpenes
SILVER: The Garage Brewery, When Nature Calls
BRONZE: Benchtop Brewing, Quick Pickle
FRUIT
GOLD: Oozlefinch, Party Dinosaur
SILVER: Elation Brewing, Rosé Gosé (Currant Edition)
BRONZE: Coastal Fermentory, Unicorn Rave
GERMAN & AMERICAN WHEAT
GOLD: Wasserhund Brewing Company, German Shepheweizen Hefeweizen
SILVER: The Virginia Beer Company, Saving Daylight Citrus Wheat
BRONZE: Smartmouth Brewing Co, Sommer Fling Hefeweizen
HAZY IPA
GOLD: The Bold Mariner Brewing Company, CPO IPA
SILVER: The Virginia Beer Company, Gorgeous Citra IPA
BRONZE: Big Ugly Brewing Company, Nuclear Powered Forklift
INTERNATIONAL LAGER
GOLD: Big Ugly Brewing Company, Peake Lager
SILVER: Reaver Beach Brewing Company, Camp Zama
BRONZE: Young Veterans, El General Mexican Lager
IPA
GOLD: Benchtop Brewing, Proven Theory
SILVER: Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co, Snap Guns IPA
BRONZE: Big Ugly Brewing Company, Crazy Easy IPA
IRISH RED
GOLD: Elation Brewing, Riverpoint Red
SILVER: Gloucester Brewing Company, Rosewell
BRONZE: Nansemond Brewing Station, Myrtle’s Diary
KÖLSCH
GOLD: Big Ugly Brewing Company, 31 Heroes Kolsch
SILVER: Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co, House Beer
BRONZE: Rip Rap Brewing Co., Bowsprit Kolsch
MIXED FERMENTATION
GOLD: Reaver Beach Brewing Company, Red Messenger
SILVER: Benchtop Brewing, Brown Bear Honey Pot B4 Cherry Brandy Barrel Aged
BRONZE: Coastal Fermentory, Semper Fermentis
MONASTIC ALE
GOLD: MoMac Brewing Company, Barrel Point Belgian Dubbel
SILVER: Alewerks Brewing Company, Jubilee XVII
BRONZE: Caiseal Beer & Spirits Co, Namur the Merrier Quad
PALE ALES
GOLD: New Realm Brewing Company, ODU Golden Ale
SILVER: Alewerks Brewing Company, Chesapeake Pale Ale
BRONZE: Reaver Beach Brewing Company, Ghost Ship
PALE EUROPEAN LAGERS
GOLD: Benchtop Brewing, Crispy Whip
SILVER: The Garage Brewery, In Dog Years I’m Dead
BRONZE: Elation Brewing, Festbier
PILSNER
GOLD: Big Ugly Brewing Company, Roadworthy Pilsner
SILVER: New Realm Brewing Company, Euphonia Pilsner
BRONZE: Elation Brewing, Larchmont Lager
PORTER
GOLD: Big Ugly Brewing Company, 22 Porter
SILVER: Benchtop Brewing, Walter’s Brunch
BRONZE: Bull Island Brewing Company, Oyster Jalapeño Porter
SAISON
GOLD: Coastal Fermentory, Foeder Bait
SILVER: The Bold Mariner Brewing Company, Wander Together
BRONZE: Wasserhund Brewing Company, Painter’s Pint Orange Blossom Saison
SMOKE
GOLD: Alewerks Brewing Company, Pancake House Stout
SILVER: St George Brewing Co, Slumbering Dragon
BRONZE: Maker’s Craft Brewery, For Fawkes Sake/Smoked Scottish Ale
SPECIALTY IPA
GOLD: New Realm Brewing Company, Psychedelic Rabbit Transcendent IPA
SILVER: Afterglow Brewing, All Rye, All Rye, All Rye
BRONZE: Benchtop Brewing, Crimson Gaze
STOUT
GOLD: Benchtop Brewing, Wicked Walter
SILVER: Rip Rap Brewing Co, Bilgewater Coffee Stout
BRONZE: Post Secondary Brewing, Crème Brûlée Stout
STRONG ALE
GOLD: Thin Brew Line Brewing Co, VB Strong (Belgian Strong)
SILVER: COVA Brewing Company, Winter Warmer
BRONZE: Capstan Bar Brewing Company, Belgian QUAD
STRONG EUROPEAN LAGER
GOLD: MoMac Brewing Company, High Water Helles Bock
SILVER: Elation Brewing, Key To Lagertown
BRONZE: Billsburg Brewery, James City Export (Dortmunder)
VEGETABLE/SPICE
GOLD: The Garage Brewery, No Carrot All
SILVER: Tradition Brewing Company, Persnickety Witch Pumpkin Ale
BRONZE: New Realm Brewing Company, Oaxaca Choca Imperial Mexican Chocolate Stout
WOOD
GOLD: Nansemond Brewing Station, Barrel Aged Beenut Butter Brown Ale
SILVER: Alewerks Brewing Company, Cafe Royale
BRONZE: Coastal Fermentory, Sic Semper Tyrannis
HARD SELTZER
GOLD: Coastal Fermentory, Coastal Vibes
SILVER: Oozlefinch, Middle-Aged Mutant Ninja Turtles
BRONZE: Afterglow Brewing, Luminous Spicy Pineapple
HARD CIDER
GOLD: Sly Clyde Ciderworks, Vitamin Sea Mimosa Cider
SILVER: Back Bay Brew House, Farmhouse Apple Blossom Cider
BRONZE: Sly Clyde Ciderworks, Doughbouy Donut Cider
NON POINTS CATEGORIES
CAN OR PACKAGING DESIGN
GOLD: Smartmouth Brewing Company, Missing Digit IPA w/Hemp Seeds
SILVER: New Realm Brewing Company, Hazy Like a Fox IPA (New Rebrand)
BRONZE: The St George Brewing Company, 25th Jubilee Maibock
BREWERY/CIDERY EVENT
GOLD: New Realm Brewing Company, Music on the Lawn Concert Series
SILVER: Tradition Brewing Company, I Am What I Am Pride Festival (IAWIA) 2023
BRONZE: Oozlefinch, 007 Oozleversary
TASTING ROOM/GROUNDS
GOLD: Back Bay’s Farmhouse Brewing
SILVER: The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery
BRONZE: Big Ugly Brewing
