U.S. Open College Beer Championship

2023 dates and information

Registration opens no later than Wednesday, March 1st Friday, March 31st. (Really this time)

Registration closes on Monday, May 1st.

Entries must be received between Tuesday, May 2nd and Monday, May 15th.

Judging will take place later in the month of May.

Each college or university could enter up to four beers of their own choosing. Those four entries were judged according to the U.S. Open Style Standards and the submitted intentions of the student brewers. Among these entries, any number of gold, silver, or bronze medals may be awarded.

In addition, each school was invited to submit a beer from a specific category to be judged head-to-head according to the U.S. Open Style Standards. This category will rotate from year to year. Only one gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in this special category. The category for 2023 is Belgian Dubbel.

Any college or university that offers courses in brewing may enter the U.S. Open. All beers must be submitted by one of the school’s brewing professors/instructors. The names of the students who brewed the beers must be submitted on the application. The beers can be brewed on any system on or off-campus that is approved by the professors/instructors.

PLEASE NOTE: Collaboration beers brewed with a professional brewery should be entered in the U.S. Open rather than the U.S. College Open.

About

The U.S. Open College Beer Championship is for colleges and universities that teach brewing courses. The U.S. Open College is the only competition for beers exclusively from college and university brewing and fermentation programs.

Any college or university that offers courses in brewing could enter the U.S. Open. All beers were submitted by one of each school’s brewing professors/instructors. The beers could be brewed on any system on or off-campus that is approved by the professors/instructors.

Each college or university could enter up to four beers of their own choosing. Those four entries were judged according to the U.S. Open Style Standards and the submitted intentions of the student brewers. Among these entries, any number of gold, silver, or bronze medals may be awarded.

In addition, each school was invited to submit a beer from a specific category to be judged head-to-head according to the U.S. Open Style Standards. This category will rotate from year to year. Only one gold, one silver, and one bronze medal are awarded in this special category.

2022 results

In the sixth year of the US Open College Beer Championship competition, eleven colleges and universities from the United States and Canada participated. Kalamazoo Valley Community College in Michigan took home the Grand National Championship with three gold medals for their Strong Scottish Ale, Dopple/Strong Bock, and Brett beer plus a silver medal for their Berliner-Style Weisse.

Both MiraCosta College and Schoolcraft College came in second, while Eastern Michigan University and Niagara College tied for fourth place.

In the head-to-head German Kölsch part of the competition, the gold medal went to Eastern Michigan University, the silver medal went to Central New Mexico, and the bronze medal went to Schoolcraft College.