As we head into 2026, Red Earth Brewers is updating how we recognize the people who make this club special—both at the judging table and behind the scenes. The long‑standing point structures for Brewer of the Year and Club Member of the Year have run their course and will not be used going forward. Instead, we’re aligning our awards and recognition efforts more closely with the club’s goals and values for the year.

Brewer of the Year: Focused on the High Plains Circuit

One of our primary goals for 2026 is to win the High Plains Circuit as a club. To reflect that, Brewer of the Year will now be directly tied to High Plains performance. At the end of the season, the top three placing Red Earth Brewers members in the final High Plains standings will be recognized as our Brewers of the Year. To be eligible, a brewer must compete in any number of the 2026 High Plains Circuit competition season as a Red Earth Brewers member.

If there is a tie in the High Plains standings between REB members, we will use the following tiebreakers, in order: most gold medals earned, then most silver medals earned. Because the award is now anchored to official High Plains results, members will no longer need to enter points online throughout the year. Prizes will still be awarded to Brewers of the Year, so there is plenty of incentive to brew, enter, and represent REB across the circuit.

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Volunteer Recognition: Refocusing on Service

Starting in 2026, Red Earth Brewers will no longer present a “Tom Challis Club Member of the Year” award. Instead, we’re placing a greater emphasis on recognizing the individuals who keep our events, competitions, and community outreach running smoothly through their volunteer efforts.

The club depends on volunteers, but it’s often difficult to find enough people willing to help when everyone understandably wants to participate in the fun parts of our events. To change that, we’ll be doing a better job of highlighting those contributions throughout the year. Volunteers will be recognized at monthly meetings, and we encourage members to continue using the volunteer submission form at https://www.redearthbrewers.com/brewerofyear to log the events and tasks they help with—this helps the board see and appreciate who’s stepping up.