American Homebrewers Association Opens Nominations for 2026 Homebrew Shop of the Year

The American Homebrewers Association has opened nominations for its 2026 Homebrew Shop of the Year award, described as "an annual recognition that highlights retail stores that have had an outsized positive impact on the homebrewing hobby via education, community building, events, and quality ser." The announcement does not include nomination deadlines, submission mechanics, or eligibility details in the provided copy.

The nominations release arrives amid a packed AHA calendar that asks active members to engage in organizational governance. "The American Homebrewers Association invites active members to participate in the 2026 Board of Directors election," and the election voting window runs from March 2 through March 29, 2026, with the MemberClicks calendar listing the period as Monday, March 02, 2026, 8:00 AM to Sunday, March 29, 2026, 11:59 PM MST. AHA selected a nine-candidate slate from 28 applicants for the member ballot, and the site materials note, "This year’s slate responded to AHA’s open call for nominations and represents a range of experience, perspectives, and commitment."

Competition and conference activity frames the same season. "It’s time–registration is now open for the 2026 National Homebrew Competition (NHC)!" the AHA copy proclaims, and the organization notes that "2026 marks the NHC’s 48th year, proudly brought to you by the American Homebrewers Association and supported by the Beer Judge Certification Program…" NHC-related calendar entries include NHC Final Round Judging on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, though the excerpts do not name the newly announced chair and deputy chair in the provided material.

Homebrew Con registration is also live for the summer convention in North Carolina. "It’s here! The world’s biggest homebrew party is officially back—and registration for Homebrew Con 2026 is NOW OPEN," the announcement reads, with event dates listed as June 19–20, 2026, in Asheville, North Carolina. The AHA calendar lists related gatherings across the spring and early summer, including a "Meet the Candidates" Happy Hour on Thu Mar 12, 2026, Big Brew on Sat May 2, 2026, and Homebrew Con registration noted on Fri Jun 19, 2026.

The AHA announcement of the Homebrew Shop award does not, in the excerpts provided, specify how shops should nominate themselves or others, nor does it list a prize, judging panel, or past winners. Readers seeking additional specifics are pointed toward the organization's member resources; site navigation within the excerpts includes a "News & Announcements" section and repeated calls such as "Board Nominations Now Open" and "Cast Your Vote in the 2026 Board Elections (March 2-29, 2026)."

For contact and administrative details, the American Homebrewers Association lists its address as 3305 Steck Ave., Ste. 200, Austin, TX 78757, a phone number of 303-749-5459, and an obfuscated contact link shown as (/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6801060e07280007050d0a1a0d1f0d1a1b091b1b070b01091c01070646071a0f). The organization’s site footer in the provided excerpts carries a copyright line reading "© Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.