Beer, chemical engineering, and a little friendly rivalry will be on tap this fall as AIChE members come together for the 2025 AIChE Beer Brewing Competition (ABBC). Supported by AIChE and the Early Career Community (ECC), the event challenges teams to brew outstanding beers while showing off their chemical engineering skills.
Since its debut in 2017 at the AIChE Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, the competition has grown in scope and excitement. After a brief pause in 2020, the ABBC returned with new categories, more teams, and a tradition of innovation that continues today.
Last year’s competition
The 2024 event was packed with standout brews, clever names, and plenty of friendly rivalry. UCLA Brewins’ “TransPorter Phenomena” swept the leaderboard, taking the Grand Prize, Best Poster, Best Beer Name, People’s Choice, and Best Beer Label. Returning competitors from the Rio Grande Local Section and PD2M claimed 2nd Runner-Up and Best of Special Style (BoSS), respectively. See all the winners here, (bottom of page).
But it wasn’t just about medals—teams came for the connections, the craft, and the joy of brewing. RedHawk Brewing’s Andrew Jones enjoyed “connecting with homebrewing friends in the AIChE community” and teaching new grad students. CWRU Hop Heroines' Geeta Verma called it “a great learning experience,” while PD2M Barley Bioprocessing’s Chris Lowe said he simply loves “competing in this event every year.”
Some came ready for a comeback. Kilted Panther Brewing’s Robert Parker looked forward to rebounding after “a down year for our entries,” while NMSBrew’s Stephen Taylor brought playful trash talk: “We want to crush our opponents, drive them before us, and listen to the lamentations of their loved ones.”
For others, it was about building community. UCLA Brewins’ Richard Law used their first year to start a brewing club at UCLA. MIT’s Jonathan Zheng wanted to “share the joy of beer brewing and drinking with the community,” and Cooper Brue’s Jennifer Weiser summed it up best: “The community is the best… seeing all the energy in the competition” keeps them coming back.
Check out photos from last year's competition below and on Flickr.
Evolving categories and creative challenges
Over the years, the ABBC has introduced new awards and styles:
- 2021 – Best New Team Award, won by Cleveland Local Section – Case Western Reserve University.
- 2022 – Mead and cider joined the mix.
- 2023 – Special Style Category and Best of Special Style (BoSS) Award debuted, with Tidewater Virginia Local Section winning for their Kolsch.
- 2024 – Special Style was Czech Pale Lager, and Barley Bioprocessing was crowned the “BoSS.”
- 2025 – This year’s Special Style is Cream Ale.
2025 event details
The 2025 competition takes place Sunday, November 2, in Boston during the AIChE Annual Meeting. Team registration closes September 10. The tasting event and guest judging are open to all Annual Meeting attendees (21+), making it a highlight for brewers and beer lovers alike. Teams must complete the online registration form and pay the fee.
The fine print: All team members must be active AIChE Pro Members. Teams must represent an AIChE entity such as a Division, Forum, Local Section, Committee, etc., and at least one member from each team must be under the age of 35 and an active member of the AIChE Early Career Community (ECC). Find all eligibility criteria and entry requirements at www.aiche.org/brewbeer.
Learn more about the 2025 AIChE Annual Meeting
For questions, contact the ABBC coordinators at brewbeer@aiche.org.
