Nebraska Shoot-Out Homebrew Contest

Welcome!

About the Shootout: "Nebraska's Inter-Club Homebrew Contest"

The Nebraska Shootout is an annual homebrew contest between all of the homebrewing clubs and beer-brewing social organizations within Nebraska.

Its purpose is to further the reputation of homebrewing in Nebraska by fostering innovation, consistency and creativity in our beer; educate brewers of beer styles that may otherwise be overlooked or unappreciated; offer education and experience, participating within a BJCP-style judging process; and promote brewing the absolutely best-tasting beer that you can!

2026 Shootout Information

  • This year's event host is the Brauer Unterstutzvungs Verein (BUV) from Omaha's German-American Society.
  • Judging is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 1, at 10 a.m. at at the Kros Strain Brewing Co., 10411 Portal Rd #102, La Vista, NE 68128.
  • Fees are $10 per entry - three bottles are requested for this year.

The Links:

The Competition Styles for 2026:

1. Categories 4 and 5 - Pale Malty European Lager and Pale Bitter European Beer

  • 4A - Munich Helles
  • 4B - Festbier
  • 4C - Helles Bock
  • 5A - German Leichtbier
  • 5B - Kolsch
  • 5C - German Helles Exportbier
  • 5D - German Pils

2. Categories 18 and 19 - Pale American Ale and Amber/Brown American Beer

  • 18A - Blonde Ale
  • 18B - American Pale Ale
  • 19A - American Amber Ale
  • 19B - California Common
  • 19C - American Brown Ale

3. Category 26 - Monastic Ale

  • 26A - Belgian Single
  • 26B - Belgian Dubbel
  • 26C - Belgian Tripel
  • 26D - Belgian Dark Strong Ale

4. Category 27 - Historical Beers

  • 27A - Kellerbier
  • 27A - Kentucky Common
  • 27A - Lichtenhainer
  • 27A - London Brown Ale
  • 27A - Piwo Grodziske
  • 27A - Pre-Prohibition Lager
  • 27A - Pre-Prohibition Porter
  • 27A - Roggenbier
  • 27A - Sahti

5. Sour Beers

  • 23A - Berliner Weiss
  • 23B - Flanders Red Ale
  • 23C - Oud Bruin
  • 23D - Lambic
  • 23E - Gueuze
  • 23F - Fruited Lambic
  • 23G - Gose
  • 28B - Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer
  • 28C - Wild Specialty Beer
  • 28D - Straight Sour Beer
  • 29A - Fruit Beer (only if declared as a sour beer)

Check the menu above for more details on the '2025 Nebraska Shootout' or just click here.

Judging Procedures 

1. Club Round

  • Entries will be submitted to your local club first -- each club will judge their entries and choose the beers that will advance into the Shootout competition.
  • Each club may enter TWO beers per major category, plus TWO beers for Best Damn Beer.  (Any BJCP category is accepted for BDB.)
  • Refer to your homebrew club for your local judging session date and time.

2. ShootoutRound

  • Entries that advance to the competition need to be submitted to the participating club by the deadline provided. 
  • Submit two 12-ounce, unmarked bottles per entry, with a BJCP Identification Form attached to each bottle by rubber bands only. (No tape, please!)
  • The entry fee is (TBD) for each beer. Each homebrew club may write a single check for all entries. (No separate checks needed.)

Judging Stewards

We'll need judges for beer, plus stewarding volunteers to help us run the event. Register here to help. Thank you!

 

What?! Do ya still have questions? No worries... Contact the Lincoln Lagers at lincoln.lagers.beer.club@gmail.com.

History

To the best of our recollection, the Shootout began in 2001 as the "Nebraska Inter-Club Competition," and was rechristened as the "Nebraska Shootout" in 2002. In its early stages, the Shootout was a contest held between members of the Omahops and Lincoln Lagers homebrew clubs. With a little digging, we have managed to locate - we think! - all of the previous judging results.

The contest went dormant after the 2006 judging took place but was revived in 2010 after a four-year hiatus. Upon its return, homebrew clubs scattered across the state began sharing in our competitive conquests.

The Shootout is a roaming competition, typically organized and hosted by a different club each year, but the Lincoln Lagers Homebrew Club is pleased to provide this webspace to assist in documenting our victories and defeats for reference in later years.

Nebraska Brew Clubs

For more information about joining a club, please contact any of the following organizations:

Sources: patriothomebrewsupply.com and the AHA website.

Any homebrew club in Nebraska is invited to participate in the Nebraska Shootout. To sign up, contact the host club on the "2025 Nebraska Shootout" page.

Kudos / Credits

Tremendous thanks go to Lash C. (Lincoln Lagers), Duane M. (Omahops), and Jason McL. (Lincoln Lagers & Nebraska Beer Blog), for locating and contributing the past judging results to this project. 

We also owe thanks to Kim T. (Lincoln Lagers) for maintaining the Shootout website and to the Lincoln Lagers Homebrew Club for donating their hosting and bandwidth.

Click here to visit the rest of the Lincoln Lagers club website:

 

Last update:  6/1/2026 - K!M T.