Best Beards of Craft Beer Finals

Alright folks, with your help we’ve narrowed our search for the Best Beards of Craft Beer down to 20 of the finest and fuzziest faces. Now it’s up to you to pick the crème de la crème by voting for your favorite below. Be sure to read each brewer’s final plea as to why their beard is the best.

The winner and their brewery will be profiled by Julia Herz (@HerzMuses) on CraftBeer.com! Vote for your favorite beard by Sunday, March 17 at 12 a.m. MDT.

How was the top 20 chosen?

Using the Brewers Association (BA) Forum, CraftBeer.com asked BA-member brewers to submit a picture of their “righteous stache, goatee, dali, old dutch, soul patch or just a simple beard.” A Facebook photo album was created with all 73 entries, and fans were given a week to “like” their favorites. Now we’re asking you to vote for the Best Beard of Craft Beer.

Miles Anfinson Lewis & Clark Brewing Company Helena, MT“My passions are Craft Beer[d]s!”	Greg Blanchard Smuttynose Brewing Company Portsmouth, NH“I want to win because it would be a great reward if my dedication to growing my nische (a long goatee) leads to an opportunity to showcase Smuttynose.”	Mike Brenner Brenner Brewing Company Milwaukee, WI“I want to win so that once again my hometown, Milwaukee, WI can be the beer and beard capital of the world!”
Aaron Calihan Deschutes Brewery Bend, OR“I want to win because it is not the size of one’s beard that counts, but the quality of the beer in your ‘stache!”	Bob Cannon Samuel Adams Boston, MA You may not need a beard to brew great beer… but it doesn’t hurt.	John Hunter Karl Strauss Brewing Company San Diego, CA“I want to win because everyone should know how important facial hair is to the brewing process. It would be an honor to represent my fellow bearded brewers.”
Zach Kelly Keegan Ales Kingston, NY“I deserve to win because even though some girls might not like beards, women love beards.”	Pat Lang Left Hand Brewing Company Longmont, CO“I want to win as my passion for my beard is a strong as my passion for Left Hand beer.”	Lachlan McLean Dry Dock Brewing Aurora, CO“I want my beard to win a competition so that it can keep up with all of our award-winning beers!”
Jonathan Mervine Roc Brewing Co. Rochester, NY“Upon winning this coveted prize, I will include tins of wax in health insurance coverage, bringing resolution to ‘stache split ends worldwide- a healthy beard is not to be feared.”	Sam Riggins Nebraska Brewing Company Papillion, NE“My beard told me I had to win this contest or it would leave me forever.”	Josh Roach Avery Brewing Company Boulder, CO“I would like to win to help raise awareness for Hypertrichosis.”
Travis Smith Societe Brewing Co. San Diego, CA“Well…I don’t care about winning the contest, I just love my beard.”	Les Stewart Trophy Brewing Co. Raleigh, NC“Winning would prove what the craft beer faithful have known all along; Great beer is the best fuel for epic beardage.”	Chili Stone Brewing Co. Escondido, CA“My beard has two dread locks in it and I haven’t trimmed it in 28 years.”
Aaron Stryker Corner Brewery Ypsilanti, MI“I would like to win because I did not choose this beard, it chose me.”	Nick Swingler Denver Beer Co. Denver, CO“I have been diligently crafting Sylvester to be an ambassador to the non-mustached masses who are not aware of how a handlebar mustache only enhances the joy of craft beer drinking because of the added mid-lip nucleation points, two aroma directing curls and the ability to savor the flavor long after the finish.”	Tanna Peters Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau, AK“I want to win to give hope to the scraggly, the patchy, the peach-fuzzed, the thin and under-bearded and the naturally beardless masses of the brewing industry!”
Nick Walthall Hardywood Park Craft Brewery Richmond, VA“For ‘Merica!”	Scott Witsoe Wit’s End Brewing Company Denver, CO“My beard has been deeply insecure since the gray hair started appearing—winning this contest will most certainly restore his self-esteem.”

Meghan Storey

Meghan Storey has been lucky enough to work in the world of craft beer since graduating from the University of Mississippi. Now living in Nashville, TN, with her big yellow dog Wally, she loves introducing friends to new craft beer and food pairings. Since beginning work on CraftBeer.com she can be found adding beer to just about everything she cooks.

CraftBeer.com is fully dedicated to small and independent U.S. breweries. We are published by the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s small and independent craft brewers. Stories and opinions shared on CraftBeer.com do not imply endorsement by or positions taken by the Brewers Association or its members.