Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) students brewed up success at the 2026 BC Beer Awards.
Three KPU beers received awards — with one earning first place — at the annual competition, which was held on Oct. 16.
“These awards showcase the creativity, technical skill and dedication our students bring to brewing, and demonstrate the strength of the hands-on learning experience at KPU," says Alek Egi, KPU Brewing program chair and instructor. "It's exciting to see beers developed through our program earn recognition alongside some of the province's best commercial breweries. It's incredibly rewarding to see our graduates succeed and make their mark in brewing."
Capturing first place in the competition’s Stout & Porter category is Knotty Bee, a nitro milk stout brewed by recent graduates Jacob Black and Brennan Mojica. This brew features a rich chocolate and subtle honeyed sweetness from malted oats, rounded by gentle French oak vanilla.
"Knotty Bee was a beer that Jacob and I loved the process of making as much as we loved the final product. Being recognized provincially for all that I learned in the brewing program is such a great reminder of how lucky I am to be part of the KPU Brewing family. Being able to take my knowledge into the industry and continue to make great beer has been incredibly rewarding,” says Mojica.
For Black, this recognition feels like a fitting finale to his time spent in the brewing program.
“Winning gold for Knotty Bee feels incredibly rewarding,” says Black. “Brennan and I spent countless hours developing the beer and fine-tuning every aspect of it, so receiving this recognition feels like the culmination of all that hard work. The education we received at KPU gave us the foundation to succeed, from understanding the science behind brewing to appreciating the importance of cleanliness, consistency and precision in every step of the process.”
The university also earned a second-place award in the competition’s Yeast Forward category for MacToff, a Scotch ale brewed by recent graduate Connor Thomson. Inspired by traditional Scottish ales, this beer features notes of caramel, brown sugar, maple syrup and backstrap molasses.
Another award went to a KPU Brew Lab core beer, Schwarz, which placed third in the Dark Lager category.
KPU Brewing entered five beers in this year’s competition, with additional entries including Fruitini and Das Fest.
The BC Beer Awards are held annually to celebrate and recognize excellence in British Columbia’s craft beer industry. This year’s competition received 900 entries in 31 style categories from breweries and cideries across the province.
KPU has received 13 awards at the competition since 2017 and was named Brewery of the Year in 2019. Learn more about KPU’s Brewing and Brewery Operations program.
