Following the judging of the entries submitted for the 2026 Erie County Fair Home Brew and Cider competitions, the Best of Show winners have been selected and will be professionally reproduced and distributed by Try-It Distributing to select retail locations and the Erie County Fair this summer.
Best in Show Cider | Chuck Privitera of Eden
Winning Cider: Black Cherry Vanilla
Privitera has been named the 2026 Erie County Fair Best in Show Cider winner for Black Cherry Vanilla, a semi-sweet fruit cider that combines crisp apple character with rich black cherry flavor and smooth vanilla notes. Inspired by a friend’s request for a black cherry cider, Chuck crafted the award-winning recipe using high-quality natural flavorings to create an authentic fruit-forward taste.
Chuck has been making cider for eight years and has been homebrewing and winemaking since 1997. A member of the Stumblin’ Falls Homebrew Club, he is no stranger to the winner’s circle, having also earned Best in Show Cider honors at the Erie County Fair in 2023 and 2025.
The Best in Show cider will be professionally reproduced by Blackbird Cider Works, and will be available on tap at the 2026 Erie County Fair and sold in select retail stores.
A complete listing of cider winners is available at www.ECFair.org/cider.
Best in Show Home Brew | James Krell of West Seneca
Winning Beer: Wish You Were Here
James Krell of West Seneca takes home the 2026 Best in Show Home Brew title for his Red IPA, Wish You Were Here. Brewed with German and Red X malt, the beer delivers a rich malt character balanced by floral hop notes and a smooth finish.
Krell began homebrewing 11 years ago after receiving a brewing kit from his brother for his 40th birthday. An active competitor in the Erie County Fair Home Brew Competition, he earned a silver medal in 2025 for his Maibock and received an honorable mention in 2024 for a German Altbier.
The winning recipe is a refined version of a beer Krell previously entered in a competition benefiting leukemia and lymphoma research, a cause that holds special meaning following the loss of his mother to leukemia. Through careful adjustments and lessons learned from earlier batches, he developed the balanced Red IPA that ultimately earned Best in Show honors.
His award-winning lager will be professionally brewed by Hamburg Brewing Company and available at the Fair and sold in select retail locations this summer.
Full list of beer winners can be found at www.ECFair.org/homebrew.
Celebrate the Winners at Hamburg Gaming on July 21
Join the Erie County Fair for Tap the Barrel, a special sampling event featuring the 2026 Best in Show Cider and Home Brew on Tuesday, July 21 at Hamburg Gaming. From 4 to 7 p.m., guests 21 and older are invited to enjoy samples of the winning beer and cider, light snacks, and live music from Brother James. Don’t miss this chance to raise a glass to local talent and meet the makers of the Fair’s award-winning home brew and cider.
