The High Plains Brewer is an award given to an individual brewer from Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, or Minnesota who demonstrates outstanding and consistent brewing skills.

The award recipient is chosen based on performance in several regional competitions. Qualifying events are listed below. To be eligible, a brewer must belong to a club located in one of the aforementioned states. Points will be awarded as follows: 5 for 1st, 3 for 2nd, and 1 for a 3rd place finish in a qualifying competition. A brewer can only receive points for the highest-scoring beer per category.

High Plains Club-of-the-Year. All clubs from the above-mentioned states are eligible. Brewer’s points from those clubs are summed to produce the club points. Clubs whose members amass the most points, as defined above, will receive the Steven H. Ford traveling trophy

Qualifying Competitions Clubs hosting Qualifying events are required to notify the High Plains program administrator when and where their competition will be held, as well as the name and contact information of the competition coordinator. The competition coordinator is also responsible for ensuring their club remits the $25 trophy fee to the High Plain program administrator. See Competition reporting requirements.

Questions and comments should be directed to [email protected].

High Plains Competitions 2024:

Club Competition
Kansas City Bier Meisters KCBM (February)
Iowa Brewers Union IBU Open (February)  
Red Earth Brewers Spring Brew Off (May)
ZZ Hops Dogg Dayzz (September)
Lincoln Lagers Sower’s Cup (October)
Prairie Home Companions Hoppy Halloween (October)
Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers FOAM Cup (November)
St. Louis Brews Happy Holidays (December)

Previous Brewer of the Year Winners:

Year High Plains Brewer of the Year Award
2023 Mike & Stephanie Butler (KCBM)
2022 Eric Martin (KCBM)
2021 Jamye & Cody Naramore (KCBM)
2020 Jamye & Cody Naramore (KCBM)
2019 Mike & Stephanie Butler (KCBM)
2018 David Thompson (FOAM)
2017 Marshall Van Tuyl (MoM)
2016 Andrew Laidlaw & David Schumacher (MoM)
2015 Tim Thomssen (Lagers)
2014 Tim Thomssen (Lagers)
2013 Tim Thomssen (Lagers)
2012 Steve Cook (KCBM)
2011 Dave & Michele Darity (FOAM)
2010 John Fowler & Amy Satterlund (KCBM)
2009 Mark Tanner
2008 Mark Tanner
2007 Ed Vandegrift
2006 Al Boyce
2005 Kris England and the Pete

Previous Club of the Year Winners:

Year High Plains Club of the Year
2023 Kansas City Bier Meisters
2022 Kansas City Bier Meisters
2021 Kansas City Bier Meisters
2020 Kansas City Bier Meisters
2019 Kansas City Bier Meisters
2018 Kansas City Bier Meisters
2017 Missouri Mashers
2016 Kansas City Bier Meisters
2015 Lincoln Lagers
2014 Lincoln Lagers
2013 Kansas City Bier Meisters
2012 Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers
2011 Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers
2010 St Paul Homebrewers Club
2009 Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers
2008 St Paul Homebrewers Club
2007 St Paul Homebrewers Club
2006 St Paul Homebrewers Club
2005 St Paul Homebrewers Club