This winter we are running our first Brew Your Best contest, and we want to taste what you can do with some of Canada’s most distinctive hops.
The Challenge
There is just one rule: your beer must feature at least one of the proprietary or wild Canadian hop varieties from Duke25 that we carry. These are hops that you may not be familiar with, so it’s a great chance to try something new and see what you can create. The eligible hops are:
- Bergamot: orange, lemongrass, lime, and juniper. Great in IPAs, NEIPAs, and Pale Ales.
- Emerald Spire: vibrant and fruit forward with big aroma impact, excellent for late additions and dry hopping.
- Hydra: bright citrus, clementine, and green grape with anise and herbal undertones.
- Mackinac: an intense fruit punch of citrus, tropical, and melon. A Chinook cross built for late additions.
- Ruby: stone fruit, red fruit, and tropical notes with a wild grape and red candy twist.
- Limonadier: an explosive lemon and citrus fruit bomb with a touch of spice.
And with the large selection of Canadian malts and yeast we carry, it’s totally possible to do a 100% Canadian brew!
The Prize
- A $50 Beer Grains gift card
- A Beer Grains t-shirt
- A Duke25 prize pack
- Your winning recipe added to the Beer Grains recipe collection, credited to you
One thing to note: to be eligible to win you must agree to share your full recipe so that we can add it to our recipe collection for others to try.
How to Enter
Bring two bottles or cans of your entry to the store before February 28. There is no entry limit, so enter as many beers as you like.
The Judges
Your beer will be judged by a panel of local homebrewers, commercial brewers, BJCP judges, and/or Prud’homme certified beer sommeliers. Entries are scored on aroma, flavour, and overall enjoyment.
Key Dates
- Entry drop-off opens in the new year
- Entries close February 28, 2027
Eligible Hops, 15% off through February 28
Great beer usually takes a test batch or two. To help you dial in your recipe, every eligible hop is 15% off from now until the entry deadline. Try them out and find the character that speaks to you.
Shop the Eligible Hops
-
15% Off
Bergamot Hops
From $3.19 – $28.89 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
15% Off
Emerald Spire Hops
From $3.40 – $27.62 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
15% Off
Hydra Hops
From $3.40 – $35.27 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
15% Off
Limonadier Hops
From $2.76 – $27.62 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
15% Off
Mackinac Hops
From $3.83 – $27.62 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page -
15% Off
Ruby Hops
From $2.55 – $30.17 Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Questions? Reply to our newsletter, email us, or ask us in store. We cannot wait to taste what you brew.