U.S. Open Beer Championship Announces Best Kōkua Project IPAs

The U.S. Open Beer Championship, one of the top three beer competitions in the United States, is giving back to The Kōkua Project and including the initiative’s Kōkua IPAs for evaluation in its annual U.S. Open Cider Championship. 

As a part of The Kōkua Project, which is led by Maui Brewing Company and inspired by Sierra Nevada’s 2018 Resilience project, more than 700 breweries across the US and internationally have pledged to brew Kōkua and donate the beer’s proceeds to Maui relief efforts via the Global Empowerment Mission. Kōkua is a Session IPA that delivers a refreshing wave of tropical hop aroma atop a delicate malt base.

“Judging these beers during the U.S. Open is a way to raise awareness around this disaster relief effort, and to celebrate the breweries across the country that are banding together to raise funds for those impacted by the tragic Maui wildfires,” said Dow Scoggins, founder of the U.S. Open Beer & Cider Championships. The U.S. Open donated $3,000 to Maui Beer Company Wildfire Fund as a part of The Kōkua Project. 

Each brewery that submits a Kōkua IPA to the competition donated a $85 entry fee to Maui relief efforts. Kōkua IPA was judged in its own category, alongside the wide array of cider entries the annual fall competition is known for. Tasting one beer recipe brewed by many different breweries from across the country is a unique, exciting prospect for judges.

“We are eager to taste and evaluate the Kōkua Project beers from venerated breweries all over the country,” said Spencer Mapes, Director of the U.S. Open. “But it’s important to note that they were all brewed with helping hands and open hearts, meaning they are all winners at the end of the day.”

The judges favorite Kōkua IPAs include:

Kokua Session IPA

• GOLD – Twin Creeks Brewing – Virginia
• SILVER – Aspire Brewing – New York
• BRONZE – Shovel Town Brewery – Massachusetts

Kokua IPA

• GOLD –  HighGrain Brewing – Ohio
• SILVER – Forbidden Peak Brewery – Alaska
• BRONZE – Movement Brewing – California
• BRONZE – Buck Wild Brewing – Texas

Beer lovers and those looking to support Maui’s relief efforts can find Kōkua in many taprooms across every state. Donate directly to the Maui Beer Company Fire Fund online HERE.