Taiwan Homebrew Competition, an amateur beer competition but serious at a professional level
The Taiwan Homebrew Competition, Taipei, Taiwan
First experience with international judging
I had the opportunity to participate as a judge in this event for the first time in October 2024, and it was my first trip to judge beer abroad. After traveling to take the BJCP Tasting Exam in Taipei, Taiwan in March 2023, I met the Craft Beer Community in Taiwan and many friends who love craft beer in Taiwan. As the organizer of the Thailand Homebrew Competition in Thailand, I also talked and exchanged ideas with those involved in organizing the Taiwan Homebrew Competition, which provided me with very useful information since the competition in Taiwan has been held 7 years before Thailand (currently the 6th edition for Thailand and the 13th for Taiwan).
Group photo of all judges The 12th Taiwan Homebrew Competition (2024)
Exchange of experiences and a historic participation
I proposed the idea to the organizers in Taiwan for Thai and Taiwanese judges to exchange judging in international events, to facilitate the exchange of judges between Thailand and Taiwan. This collaboration aims to:
Open new experiencesFor judges from both countries
Develop potentialAnd elevate the judging standards
Additionally, this competition marksThe first time accepting participants from ThailandWith three Thai judges participating in the judging in 2024, namely:
- Ittawat Techanan (ID)
- Chaiwoot Satumanusphan (Emraccoon)
- Krittachapon Vacharakul (PenAke)
Photo of the Thai judges who participated in The 12th Taiwan Homebrew Competition (2024)
Summary of the 2024 competition (12th edition)
The judging took place on October 6, 2024, at the museum room of the Taiwan Head Brewery. Approximately 40 judges participated, with about 80 teams competing, including competitors from Thailand. The organizers divided the judging tables into 10-12 tables according to the number of groups that registered, with each table having 2-4 judges.
Photo of the atmosphere in the judging room
The judging used a moderate abbreviated Scoresheet method from BJCP for speed, but still allowed space for comments, which is an aspect that the organizers value highly. Brewers who submitted their entries received feedback from the judges to improve their production processes. Additionally, I judged beers in the Experimental category, where competitors used creativity, special ingredients, and unique techniques in their production. Many beers performed well in this category, and I was very impressed, as this type of special beer is still not very popular in Thailand.
Photo of the Scoresheet and the list of beers to be judged
Proud achievements of Thai brewers
In this first year, Thai competitors received a total of 6 awards out of 22 awards, including:
Group 4 #AmericanStyleBeer
Silver Medal: Jinda Tangngamchit(Someone's Ale) 
Group 6 #All types of Porter Stout
Silver Medal: Mr. Watcharaphol Sirisomporn (Zilalom Brewing)
Copper Medal: Mr. Watcharaphol Sirisomporn(Zilalom Brewing)
Group 7 #All Types of IPA
Gold Medal: Pichidchai Youngjui(YOUNGcraft Brewing)
Image of the award-winning competitors from Thailand
Preparing for 2025 (13th edition)
In 2025, the judging will take place on September 21, 2025, at the Taiwan Head Brewers brewery, organized by Taiwan Craft Beer Association And it is the most popular competition among Taiwanese brewers. Although it is a serious competition, the overall atmosphere is filled with friendliness and warmth from the Taiwanese craft beer community.
Photo of the Taproom on the first floor of the Taiwan Head Brewery
Photo of the Taproom on the second floor
Atmosphere and judging
A total of 21 judges participated, with most being Taiwanese, 2 judges from Singapore, and 3 judges from Thailand. The atmosphere was friendly, and the warmth of the Taiwanese craft beer community was palpable. About 100 teams participated, including competitors from Thailand.
Photo of the judging atmosphere in the Taproom on the second floor
Photo of the judging atmosphere in the Taproom on the second floor
In this event, beers of almost every style listed in the BJCP Style Guideline Divided into 8 groups, each group accepts almost every style listed in the BJCP Style Guideline, so the competing beers are very diverse.
Table showing the types of beer accepted for registration
Photo during the final judging
Group photo of the organizers and judges from Thailand and Singapore
Thai brewers set a new record.
In this second year, Thai competitors received a total of 18 awards out of 25 awards. You can see the list of award winners here.Click
Photo of award winners from Thailand
Summary: More than just a beer competition
This venue is not only a battleground for Homebrew skills but also a platform for judges to gain experience in judging beer internationally and to enhance their ability to judge a wider variety of beer styles.
Group photo of all judges at The 13th Taiwan Homebrew Competition (2025)
Photo credit: Ittawat Techanan, Taiwan Craft Beer Association
See more information: https://www.facebook.com/homebrew.tw