Every summer, Upland Brewing Company holds their home brewing competition, Up Cup. Homebrewers from around the state submit their beers in hopes of winning the coveted cup, a refurbished stainless steel milk tank that their name is emblazoned upon it. They also brew a batch of their beer with our brewers Caleb, Patrick, and Bill at our Westside Brewing Facility.
On June 8, Beer Judge Certification Program judges from central Indiana as well as brewers and other industry professionals convened at our Westside brewery to judge the entries. In the list of our judges including a few previous winners and runners up in this competition. In the end, though, there could be only one: for the second time, Tom Wallbank of Indianapolis is our Up Cup Grand Champion with his “Breakfast” Berliner Weiss. Tom is our first second-time Up Cup Champion. Last year’s winner, Andrew Korty of Indianapolis, was on hand to
Second place went to Ron Smith of Indianapolis with “Rye U P U Rye” Saison; Jenn Myers of Whitestown received third place for “22 lb. Baker Street Brown” Southern English Brown Ale; and Honorable Mention went to Eric Johnson of Franklin for “Chocolate Milk Stout” Sweet Stout. We had over 65 entries from Indiana, Illinois, New Jersey, California, and Kentucky.
The Up Cup Grand Champion beer brewed by Tom Wallbank and Upland brewers will be entered into the Professional-Amateur (ProAm) competition at the Great American Beer Fest (GABF) in Denver, Colorado in October. Upland will also serve “Breakfast” Berliner Weiss at all of our locations in limited quantities.
As part of the Up Cup competition, Upland also hosted the American Homebrewers Association Rally, providing snacks from One World Catering and complimentary beverages from Upland Brewing Company and Bloomington Brewing Company.
Upland would like to congratulate all of the brewers who placed as well as all those who entered. Thank you for sharing your beers with us, and good luck to everyone at the Indiana Brewers’ Cup, and we hope to see all of you at next years Up Cup.
