CHRISTMAS DELIVERY UPDATE:
Our Belgium warehouse and offices will be closed between the 24th and 27th of December and will operate on limited hours until the 2nd of January 2025. The last date for pre-Christmas delivery is the 17th of December 2024 (this may vary by destination - please check with your sales representative).

about alpha king challenge

Since 1999, the Alpha King Challenge has crowned the most well-balanced and drinkable beers with 60 IBUs or more — the top IPAs and DIPAs on the market. Founded by Yakima Chief Hops and 3 Floyds Brewing, the competition is named for 3 Floyds’ flagship Alpha King American Pale Ale. Past winners include some of the biggest names in craft beer, including several of the best beers in America, according to a Zymurgy magazine survey. The Alpha King Challenge is limited to commercial brewers and is judged by a team of brewers, industry experts and veteran beer writers.

THE RULES

The purpose of the Alpha King Challenge is to determine the most well-balanced and drinkable hop forward beer. The competition includes but is not limited to IPAs and DIPAs. The only rules that apply are as follows:

RULE ONE
Commercial Beer Only - all beer must be brewed by, and available for purchase through, a commercial brewery.

RULE TWO
One Entry Per Brewery - all competitors are limited to one entry per licensed brewery, not per brewery location.

RULE THREE
No Barley Wines

RULE FOUR
60 IBU Minimum

RULE FIVE
No Collaboration Brews

The competition is limited to 150 entries, which are fulfilled on a first-come basis. Historically, spaces fill up quickly so brewers are encouraged to plan ahead and submit their registration as soon it is open.

 

COMING SEPTEMBER 2021

For 2021, the competition will be held virtually from the Yakima Valley with an official LIVE stream announcement of the winners. Tune in to see who is crowned the next Alpha King! Live Link / Date coming soon.

During the competition, all beer entries are judged by a selected team of brewers, industry experts and veteran beer writers. The competition follows a series of elimination rounds to determine a list of top finalists as well as three placed winners. The first-place winner receives the Alpha King crown and a sponsored video.

Head to www.AlphaKingChallenge.com for more details and to sign up

2021 EVENTS SCHEDULE

ALPHA KING CHALLENGE Sept. 25, 2020 Monday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Rock Bottom Brewing in Denver
ALPHA KING CHALLENGE Sept. 25, 2020 Monday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Rock Bottom Brewing in Denver
ALPHA KING CHALLENGE Sept. 25, 2020 Monday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Rock Bottom Brewing in Denver

2020 EVENTS SCHEDULE

ALPHA KING CHALLENGE Sept. 25, 2020 Monday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Rock Bottom Brewing in Denver
ALPHA KING CHALLENGE Sept. 25, 2020 Monday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Rock Bottom Brewing in Denver
ALPHA KING CHALLENGE Sept. 25, 2020 Monday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Rock Bottom Brewing in Denver

 

ALPHA KING CHALLENGE Sept. 25, 2020 Monday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Rock Bottom Brewing in Denver
ALPHA KING CHALLENGE Sept. 25, 2020 Monday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Rock Bottom Brewing in Denver
ALPHA KING CHALLENGE Sept. 25, 2020 Monday 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Rock Bottom Brewing in Denver

2019 Challenge results

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL FINALISTS AND PARTICIPANTS AT THIS YEAR’S ALPHA KING CHALLENGE!

After carefully judging more than 150 hoppy beers, we are happy to announce that Alvarado Street Brewery in Monterey, CA, is the winner of the 2019

Alpha King Challenge. Their double cone double IPA was voted the “Most Well-balanced, Drinkable Beer in the World!”

1st PLACE

Alvarado Street Brewery

Double Cone Double IPA (110 IBUs) w/ Mosaic® & Citra® Brand hops
T-90 hop pellets & Cryo Hops® pellets

2nd PLACE

Belching Beaver Brewery

Thiz Is What It Iz Double IPA (90 IBUs
w/ Citra® Brand hops.
T-90 & Cryo Hops® pellets

3rd PLACE

Fat Heads Brewery

Green Grunge Double IPA (95 IBUs) w/ HBC 637, Chinook,
Citra®, Simcoe® & Mosaic® Brand hops
T-90 hop pellets, Whole Leaf & Cryo Hops® pellets

4th PLACE

(Honorable Mention)

Humble Sea Brewing Co.

Socks & Sandals “Foggy” IPA (50 IBUs) w/
Centennial, Chinook, Citra® & Simcoe® Brand
hops T-90 hop pellets

Other Finalists

(in no particular order)

Melvin Brewing Cloudy 5000 Hazy IPA
3 Punk Ales Kill The Pour West Coast IPA
Uber Brew Hop Flashes American IPA
Resident Brewing Hops Til You Drop ADIPA
Pinthouse Pizza Fully Adrift DIPA
Moonraker Brewing Co. California Resins West Coast DIPA
Comrade Brewing Co. Sketch Bet DIPA
Roadhouse Brewing Co. The Profit DIPA
Mason Ale Works The Duke DIPA
Track 7 Brewing Cryo Thing 2.0 IIPA
Riip Beer Co. Dankster Squad West Coast IPA
Reuben’s Brews Hang Clouds Imperial Hazy IPA
Call to Arms Brewing Co. More Like Bore-O-Phyll Wet Hop IPA
Laughing Sun Brewing Feast Like a Sultan IPA
Sunriver Brewing Co. Double Dank DIPA

BEER IS COMMUNITY

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