The 2022 Canada Beer Cup came to its culmination on October 23rd, 2022 as the awards were announced via a live stream. Organized by Stephen Beaumont alongside the Canadian Craft Brewer’s Association, the event was designed to showcase Canadian Craft Beer made by breweries who truly fell under the Craft Brewer heading, while also judging them using a team of both Canadian and International judges.
The live stream featured a pub quiz element from Victoria-based Quiz This? team along with presentations from numerous individuals, including Neil Osbourne from 54-40, world-renowned bartender Shawn Soole, Canadian drag performer Vivian Vanderpuss, Paul Hadfield of Spinnakers, and more.
With more categories than the Canadian Brewing Awards, the beers were better defined and delineated, and instead of a simple Gold, Silver, and Bronze, the judging actually factored scores into whether a beer qualified for a certain level of a medal. This led to certain categories handing out only one or two medals instead of all three. Some categories had no awards given, and I have contacted the organizers to see how many entries were submitted to each category to see if it was a quality issue or both a quantity and quality issue.
If I hear back from them, I will update the categories accordingly to indicate the number of entries in each.
In addition to the standard categories, there was a Canadian Style Beer category, which was described as:
An ale, lager, or mixed fermentation beer possessed of a quality that makes it uniquely Canadian. Must be accompanied by an essay of no fewer than 100 words on what attribute or attributes qualify it for this category.
While no Brewery of the Year award was given out, there was a Best in Show Category, referred to as the 2022 Canada Beer Cup Champion. This was essentially a process of selecting category winners, pitting them against each other in their hierarchical categories (Feature, Pale to Amber Ales, Pale Ales and IPAs, Dark Ales, Pale Lagers, Amber to Dark Lagers, Wheat Beers, Stouts and Porters, Wild and Mixed Fermentation Beers, Low Alcohol or Alcohol-Free Beer, and Specialty and Flavoured Beers), and then those favourites went head to head to determine the Canada Beer Cup Winner.
That winner was Callister Brewing out of Vancouver, BC, taking home the biggest prize of the night for their Wee Laird Wee Heavy Scottish Ale, which had originally won gold in the Wood Influenced category, which would then have pitted it against the other Specialty and Flavoured beers.
Only one category that gave out all three awards had a Provincial sweep, the Porter/Robust Porter category, with Sleeping Giant Brewing Co., Indie Alehouse, and Tooth and Nail Brewing Company keeping those awards in Ontario.
Out of the 176 awards handed out, BC took home 47 awards, for almost 27% of the total. Ontario had 54 of the awards, but considering a significant majority of the judges were from Ontario, that may have factored in, as regional tastes can differ quite a bit.
The breakdown worked out to 18 Bronze, 17 Silver, and 11 Gold, in addition to the Canada Beer Cup win. Callister Brewing put themselves in a good position with three awards before the final win of the night, with two golds and a bronze, and joining them with three wins were Container Brewing with two silvers and a bronze, Dageraad Brewing with one silver and two bronze, and KPU Brew Lab with one gold and two bronze.
Other multiple winners included Twin City, Dog Mountain, 33 Acres, Brewhall, Category 12, Farm Country, Howe Sound, Neighbourhood, and Silver Valley.
As far as the Island goes, along with Twin City, Dog Mountain, and Category 12 with their multiple wins, Phillips, Sooke Oceanside, Riot, and Ace Brewing all brought home some hardware.
Winners are listed below, with BC Breweries highlighted.
Canadian Style Beer
BRONZE: Renard Brun | Maitre Renard | QC
SILVER: Culp on Golden Plums | Bench Brewing Company | ON
GOLD: Sugar Shack | Shacklands Brewing Co. | ON
Amber/Irish Style Red Ale
GOLD: Boréale Bousse | Les Brasseurs du Nord | QC
SILVER: Red Hammer | Paddock Wood Brewing Co. | SK
GOLD: Irish Red Ale | Brasserie Mille-Iles | QC
Cream/Golden Ale
BRONZE: Scarth Street Blonde Ale | Pile O’ Bones Brewing | SK
SILVER: Bootleg | Royal City Brewing Co | ON
GOLD: Technically a Blonde | Dog Mountain Brewing | BC
Pale Lagered Ale/Kölsch Style Ale
BRONZE: Eau de Cologne | Noire et Blanche Microbrasserie | QC
SILVER: Retriever Golden Ale| Yellow Dog Brewing | BC
GOLD: La Moliere | La Brasserie Nonsuch Brewing Co | MB
North American Amber Ale
BRONZE: Birra Rossa | KPU Brew Lab | BC
SILVER: Amber Ale| Rebellion Brewing Co | SK
GOLD: Blue Buck | Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. | BC
Belgian Style Blonde Ale
BRONZE: Blonde | Dageraad Brewing | BC
SILVER: Trip D’Automne | Siboire | QC
GOLD: King Street Saison | Block Three | ON
Belgian Style Tripel or Other Belgian Style Strong Golden Ale
BRONZE: Belgian Golden Strong | Category 12 Brewing | BC
SILVER: Rube Goldbeer | Henderson Brewing Co | ON
GOLD: Fort Knox | Hub Town Brewing | AB
Grisette/Farmhouse Ale
BRONZE: Homestead Farmhouse Ale | The Exchange Brewery | ON
SILVER: Field Theory | Dageraad Brewing | BC
GOLD: Farmhouse Ale | Farm Country Brewing | BC
Saison/Biére De Garde
BRONZE: Saison Rustique | Brasserie Dunham | QC
SILVER: Backroads Saison | Backroads Brewing | BC
GOLD: Zig Zag Wanderer-Brett Saison | Nokomis Craft Ales | SK
English Style Bitter/Best Bitter/ESB
BRONZE: Voyageur des brumes | Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel | QC
SILVER: Cup & Saucer English Ale | Manitoulin Brewing Company | ON
GOLD: The Lion: ESB | Silver Valley Brewing | BC
New World Pale Ale
BRONZE: Noon on a Weekday | Block Three | ON
SILVER: Good News | Settlement Brewing | BC
GOLD: Elora Borealis | Elora Brewing Company | ON
Old World Pale Ale
BRONZE: Golden Grover | Foghorn Brewing Company| NB
SILVER: Wingman Pale Ale | Ace Brewing Co. | BC
GOLD: Black Oak Pale Ale | Black Oak Brewing | ON
IPA of 6% ABV or lower (Traditional)
BRONZE: Exhibition Session IPA | Royal City Brewing Co. | ON
SILVER: Featherweight IPA | Four Winds Brewing Co. | BC
GOLD: Naked Fox IPA | Main St. Brewing | BC
IPA of 6% ABV or lower (Contemporary)
BRONZE: Cyclope IPA Eclipse/Citra | Brasserie Dunham | QC
SILVER: Super Saturation | Cabin Brewing Company | AB
GOLD: Goldie | Royal City Brewing Co. | ON
IPA of 6.1% to 8% ABV (Traditional)
BRONZE: All Hops for a Basement (West Coast IPA) | Hell’s Basement Brewery | AB
SILVER: Not So Hazy Beer | Kensington Brewing Company | ON
GOLD: West Coast Swing | Left Field Brewery | ON
IPA of 6.1% to 8% ABV (Contemporary)
BRONZE: Chromograph | Twin City Brewing Company | BC
SILVER: Frolf | Steel & Oak Brewing Co. | BC
GOLD: Taranasarus IPA | Indie Alehouse | ON
IPA of 8.1% ABV or greater
BRONZE: Karmegeddon | Great Lakes Brewery | ON
SILVER: Good Old Days | Kahnawake Brewing Company | QC
GOLD: Killed By Death | Tire Shack Brewing Co. | NB
Mild Ale
BRONZE: Working Class Hero Dark Mild | Riot Brewing Co. | BC
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
American Style Brown Ale
BRONZE: Beez Nutz | Brew Revolution | ON
SILVER: Village Blacksmith | Village Brewery | AB
GOLD: Brudenell Brown | Bogside Brewing | PE
English Style Brown Ale/Scottish Style 60/- to 80/- Ale
BRONZE: English Brown Ale | Brasserie Mille-Iles | QC
SILVER: Three Legged Mare | Container Brewing | BC
GOLD: Downtown Brown | Amsterdam Brewery | ON
Barley Wine
BRONZE: Gin Lane Ale | Granite Brewery | ON
SILVER: Woolly Bugger | Howe Sound Brewing | BC
GOLD: Perepllut Barley Wine | Blindman Brewing | AB
Belgian Style Dubbel
BRONZE: Brune | Dageraad Brewing | BC
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
Other Belgian Style Dark Ale
BRONZE: Not Awarded
SILVER: Abbey Quad | Howe Sound Brewing | BC
GOLD: Ace of Spades | Quayle’s | ON
Belgian Style Strong
BRONZE: Flacatoune | MicroBrasserie Charlevoix | QC
SILVER: IV | Tooth and Nail Brewing Company | ON
GOLD: Rush Moving Pictures | Henderson Brewing Co. | ON
Altbier/Sticke (Strong) Altbier/Dark Lagered Ale
BRONZE: Sticke Alt | LTM – Les Trois Mousquetaires Microbrasseurs | QC
SILVER: 1855 | Kichesippi | ON
GOLD: Old Düsseldorf Altbier | Great Lakes Brewery | ON
English Style Old Ale/Scottish Style Wee Heavy/Scotch Ale
BRONZE: 24-2 Brown Ale | Blindman Brewing | AB
SILVER: Broken Label: Wee Heavy | Silver Valley Brewing | BC
GOLD: BEER 101 Strong | Niagara College Teaching Brewery | ON
Světlý Ležák/Czech Style Pale Lager
BRONZE: Czech Pilsner | Spearhead | ON
SILVER: Foundry Lager | Foundry Brewing Inc. | ON
GOLD: Pursuit Pilsner| Neighbourhood Brewing | BC
German or Continental Style Pilsner
BRONZE: Lakeboat Lager | Cannery Brewing Company | BC
SILVER: One City | Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. | ON
GOLD: Sociable Pilsner | Common Good Beer Company | ON
Dortmunder/Export Style Lager
BRONZE: Not Awarded
SILVER: Leechtown Lager | Sooke Oceanside Brewing | BC
GOLD: Das Fest | KPU Brew Lab | BC
Helles/Münchner
BRONZE: Hollinger Helles | Block Three | ON
SILVER: Crystal Chair Pilsner | Coast Mountain Brewing | BC
GOLD: SNOflake | SNO Microbrasserie | QC
Adjunct-Driven or International Lager
BRONZE: Shindig | Cowbell Brewing Co. | ON
SILVER: Zen Garden | Cabin Brewing Company | AB
GOLD: Line 12 | Quayle’s | ON
Hoppy Pilsener
BRONZE: Italian Pilsner | KPU Brew Lab | BC
SILVER: Tchèque mon bike | Siboire | QC
GOLD: Marco Polo | Indie Alehouse | ON
Light Lager (4.5% ABV or less)
BRONZE: Gnarly Light Lager | 13 Barrels Brewing Company Ltd.| NB
SILVER: Mexcellent Cerveza | Brewsters Brewing Company | AB
GOLD: Tanada Rice Lager | Bomber Brewing | BC
Oktoberfestbier/Märzen
BRONZE: Nonbe | Godspeed Brewery| ON
SILVER: Victory Parade | Tooth and Nail Brewing Company | ON
GOLD: Sausage Party | Farm Country Brewing | BC
Vienna Lager
BRONZE: Not Awarded
SILVER: Chain Link Vienna Lager | Clifford Brewing Co | ON
GOLD: Handcrafted Lager | Northern Maverick Brewing | ON
North American Amber Lager
BRONZE: 33 Acres of Life | 33 Acres Brewing Company | BC
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
Bock (inc. Helles Bock)
BRONZE: My Bock Maibock | Muddy York Brewing Co. | ON
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: BEER 101 Bock | Niagara College Teaching Brewery | ON
Doppelbock
BRONZE: Seeing Doppel | Container Brewing | BC
SILVER: Dissimulator | Twin City Brewing Company | BC
GOLD: Navigateur | Brasseux d’la Cote | NB
North American Style Dark Lager
BRONZE: Not Awarded
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
Dunkel/Tmavý Ležák/Cerné Ležák/Schwarzbier/Black Lager
BRONZE: 33 Acres of Darkness | 33 Acres Brewing Company | BC
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Jack Rabbit | Les Brasseurs de Montebello | QC
Belgian Style Witbier
BRONZE: Waterlilly Witbier | Tatamagouche Brewing Co | NS
SILVER: Blanche de Charlevoix | MicroBrasserie Charlevoix | QC
GOLD: BORÉALE BLANCHE | Les Brasseurs du Nord | QC
German Style Hefeweizen/Kristalweizen
BRONZE: Banana Pancakes Hefeweizen | North Point Brewing | BC
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Hefeweizen | Broadhead Brewery | ON
German Style Dunkelweizen & other Dark Wheat Beers
BRONZE: Not Awarded
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
German Style Doppelweizenbock and other Strong Wheat Beers
BRONZE: Not Awarded
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
North American Style Wheat Beer
BRONZE: Long Hop Tropical Pale Ale | Long Hop Brewing | AB
SILVER: Ploughman Wheat Ale | Common Crown Brewing Co | AB
GOLD: Lit Wit | Dog Mountain Brewing | BC
Hoppy Wheat Beer
BRONZE: Happy Place Pale Ale | Neighbourhood Brewing | BC
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
Porter/Robust Porter
BRONZE: Steadfast | Tooth and Nail Brewing Company | ON
SILVER: Breakfast Porter | Indie Alehouse | ON
GOLD: Snow Goose | Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. | ON
Strong/Baltic Porter
BRONZE: Salted Black Porter | Field House Brewing| BC
SILVER: Forgotten Something Or Other| Kensington Brewing Company| ON
GOLD: Two RIvers | Tatamagouche Brewing Co | NS
Stout
BRONZE: It’s A Stout | Kensington Brewing Company| ON
SILVER: L’Ariale Black| La Forge du Malt | QC
GOLD: Court House| Annapolis Brewing Company | NS
Sweet/Cream/Milk Stout
BRONZE: 1949| Microbrasserie Moulin 7| QC
SILVER: Easy Stout | Walkerville Brewery| ON
GOLD: Sweet Spot | Left Field Brewery | ON
Oatmeal Stout
BRONZE: Not Awarded
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Draught Nitro Stout | Cowbell Brewing Co. | ON
Imperial Stout
BRONZE: Zombie Apocalypse | Indie Alehouse | ON
SILVER: Seawise Giant | Container Brewing | BC
GOLD: Imperial Stout | Walkerville Brewery | ON
Gose (Flavoured & Unflavoured)
BRONZE: Lemon Lime Gose| Townsite Brewing Inc | BC
SILVER: Gose Sanguine | Boswell Brasserie Artisanale| QC
GOLD: Cuban Taxi Guava Gose | Callister Brewing Co. | BC
Sour/Wild Ale (Flavoured, Unflavoured & Dry-Hopped)
BRONZE: Sure Framboise-Gingembre | Trécarré Microbrasserie | QC
SILVER: Thembot Guava/Blackberry Sour | Good Robot Brewing Co. | NS
GOLD: A Saison Apparent | Trial & Ale Brewing Company | AB
Wild or Mixed Fermentation Beer with Fruit
BRONZE: Swirl | Indie Alehouse | ON
SILVER: Azedo Tropical Fruit Sour | Brewhall Beer Co. | BC
GOLD: Dwarf Sour Cherry Fruited Saison | Blindman Brewing | AB
Berliner Weisse (Flavoured & Unflavoured)
BRONZE: Berliner Weisse | La Brasserie Nonsuch Brewing Co | MB
SILVER: SNOberry | SNO Microbrasserie | QC
GOLD: Buddha’s Hand Berliner Weisse | Tatamagouche Brewing Co | NS
Flemish Style Red/Old Brown (Oud Bruin) Ale
BRONZE: Rouge des Appalaches | Frampton Brasse | QC
SILVER: Schwingungen | Nokomis Craft Ales | SK
GOLD: Équation du temps | 11 comtés | QC
Spontaneously Fermented Beer (Straight or Blended)
BRONZE: In Bloom Lambic Style Ale | Callister Brewing Co. | BC
SILVER: Je serai ton copain | Avant Garde artisans brasseurs | QC
GOLD: Robine Oude | Avant Garde artisans brasseurs | QC
Low or No-Alcohol Ale
BRONZE: Radler sans alcool – Hors sentiers | Les Brasseurs du Nord | QC
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
Low or No-Alcohol Lager
BRONZE: Not Awarded
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
Low or No-Alcohol Hoppy Ale or Lager
BRONZE: Discipline | Siboire | QC
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
Low or No-Alcohol Wheat Beer
BRONZE: Not Awarded
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
Low or No-Alcohol Porter or Stout
BRONZE: Not Awarded
SILVER: Not Awarded
GOLD: Not Awarded
Gluten-Free
BRONZE: Helix Sour Framboise| Microbrasserie Nouvelle France | QC
SILVER: Exile On North St| Unfiltered Brewing | NS
GOLD: Helix NE IPA | Microbrasserie Nouvelle France | QC
Heritage Beers
BRONZE: Petite Chasse | Microbrasserie La Chasse-Pinte | QC
SILVER: Roggenbier | Shillow Beer Co. | ON
GOLD: Grodziskie | Thornbury Craft Co. | ON
Experimental
BRONZE: Crafty Radler Grapefruit & Tangerine | Pump House Brewery | NB
SILVER: Hiver des corneilles | 11 comtés | QC
GOLD: Key Lime Meringue-A-Tang | La Brasserie Nonsuch Brewing Co | MB
Chocolate/Coffee/Maple/Honey
BRONZE: Wintervention Chocolate Imperial Stout | Garrison Brewing Company | NS
SILVER: Déjeuner Impérial | LTM – Les Trois Mousquetaires Microbrasseurs | QC
GOLD: Aphrodite | Microbrasserie Dieu du Ciel | QC
Fruit & Vegetable
BRONZE: Slice of Paradise Yuzu Wheat Ale | Brewhall Beer Co. | BC
SILVER: Rouge Framboise | Avant Garde artisans brasseurs | QC
GOLD: Rêve en couleurs | Siboire | QC
Herb & Spice
BRONZE: Cat’s Got The Cream | Rebellion Brewing Co | SK
SILVER: Hell’s Gate | Kahnawake Brewing Company | QC
GOLD: Oh My Gourd! Pumpkin Ale | Garrison Brewing Company | NS
Smoked Malt
BRONZE: Le grand Feu | Les Brasseurs de Montebello | QC
SILVER: Rauch Bier| Amsterdam Brewery | ON
GOLD: Das Winter Projekt | Frampton Brasse | QC
Wood Influenced
BRONZE: Weddings Reserve | Brasserie Dunham | QC
SILVER: Continuum | Category 12 Brewing | BC
GOLD: Wee Laird Wee Heavy Scottish Ale | Callister Brewing Co. | BC
CANADA BEER CUP
Wee Laird Wee Heavy Scottish Ale | Callister Brewing Co. | BC
Matter of Beer 