North Carolina Leaders Honored at the 2025 NC Beer Industry Awards Banquet
The 2025 NC Beer Industry Awards Banquet was held in downtown Durham on Tuesday, November 18th, during the annual NC Craft Brewers Conference, presented by Lowes Foods and Zee Loeffler. The annual Awards Banquet, sponsored by Brightly Software, celebrated the individuals, organizations, and breweries who are advocating for and shaping the state's craft beer landscape.
This year’s event marked a milestone moment for North Carolina’s brewing community, highlighting extraordinary leadership during natural disaster recovery, expanded Guild initiatives, and a record-setting year for the NC Brewers Cup.
Left to right: Les Stewart, Madison Kilgore, Lisa Parker
Industry Impact Award
The 2025 Industry Impact Award was presented to Governor Josh Stein, recognizing his exemplary service to North Carolina’s independent craft brewing community. His support was crucial in providing small business funding and aiding the recovery of travel and tourism in Western North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. Given that a quarter of North Carolina's breweries are located in the western region, Hurricane Helene had a particularly devastating effect on the industry.
As Governor Stein was unable to attend the event, Madison Kilgore, Outreach Advisor for the Governor, accepted the award and presented remarks on his behalf.
Left to right: Lisa Parker, Representative Ray Pickett, Cassidy Whitley
Legislative Leadership Award
This award honors a state legislator for championing policies that support the state’s craft beer industry.
NC House Representative Ray Pickett is the recipient of the 2025 award, earning recognition for his exceptional advocacy and strong partnership with the craft beer industry’s small business owners. Representative Pickett, who serves as Chair of the House ABC Committee, has demonstrated his support by championing common-sense legislative reforms, including a roll-back of the excise tax rate on beer, marketing funds to promote the North Carolina craft beer industry, and grant funding on behalf of the small businesses of western NC affected by Hurricane Helene.
Left to right: Lisa Parker, Myra Parrish, George Wilson
Above and Beyond Award
The Above and Beyond award recognizes exceptional service and dedication to the Guild. This year, two honorees were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the operation of the NC Public House at the North Carolina State Fair:
George Wilson, Albemarle Police Department
Myra Parrish, NC State Fairgrounds Police
For the past three years, George and Myra have cultivated a community-focused enforcement team that has helped set a new standard for safety and hospitality at the NC Public House, which serves as the primary annual fundraiser for the NC Craft Brewers Guild.
Rare & Vintage Event Organizers, Andy Morrison, Dean James, and Daniel Kulenic, accepting their award.
Community Contributor Award
Presented to an organization or individual whose philanthropic efforts strengthen and uplift the NC craft beer community.
The 2025 award recognizes the Rare & Vintage Beer Tasting. This annual festival and industry networking event has raised over $175,000 for charitable foundations since its inception in 2012, including The Michael James Jackson Foundation for Brewing & Distilling, which provides scholarships for black, indigenous, and people of color in the brewing and distilling professions. The organizers of the event, Andy Morrison, Dean James, and Daniel Kulenic, were in attendance to accept the award.
NC Brewers Cup — Record Participation and Statewide Achievements
The evening ended with a celebration of the 2025 NC Brewers Cup medalists. Now in its 14th year, the competition, sponsored by Pro Refrigeration, Inc., Tryon Distributing, G&A Partners, and Lowe’s Foods, reached new heights with 935 entries from 123 North Carolina breweries, making it the largest in competition history and the largest single-state commercial beer competition in the Southeast.
NC New Brewery of the Year is an award that recognizes the brewery with the highest point score, who has opened within the past two years.
NC Brewery of the Year is awarded to the one brewery in the competition who secured the most points overall, based on the medals won.
2025 NC New Brewery of the Year — Eno River Brewing (Hillsborough, NC)
Eno River Brewing secured this year’s top new-brewery distinction with two gold medals, one silver medal, and one honorable mention
2025 NC Brewery of the Year — Little Brother Brewing (Greensboro, NC)
Little Brother Brewing earned the competition’s top honor with a standout medal performance, winning one gold, two silver, and two bronze medals, plus an honorable mention.
Little Brother Brewing, NC Brewery of the Year
A complete list of 2025 medalists is available HERE.