Long Valley Brewery Wins Big At International Competition

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Chilton Mill Brewing in Long Valley earned a silver medal at the 2023 Best in Craft Beer Awards, an international beer competition held this month in Bend, Oregon.

The award-winning brewery in Long Valley, located at 59 E. Mill Road, was recognized for its Schwarzbier (Black Lager), a 5.6 percent ABV German-style dark lager.

The dark-colored brew exudes smooth roasted characteristics that are balanced by traditional Noble hops, Mike Peachey, owner and brewer at Chilton Mill Brewing, said.

"This is a traditional German style beer that takes upwards of eight weeks production time and extensive lagering in order to achieve its smooth, crisp finish," Peachey said.

Professional brewers and judges from as far away as El Salvador descended on Central Oregon over the weekend of March 31 through April 2 to judge over 2,500 entries in the 2023 Best of Craft Beer Awards competition.

Breweries of all sizes entered over 16,000 containers of their best product in 59 categories and subcategories.

Over the course of three days and five sessions, over 100 of the world's most qualified international judges presided. They presented 165 gold, silver, and bronze medals to 128 brewery locations around the world.

The Best of Craft Beer Awards just completed its ninth year of competition, with participation rates increasing year after year. In that time, the competition has grown to become North America's third-largest professional brewing competition.

According to Peachey, the Stchwarzbier brew has stood the test of time, having been a community favorite since the brewery's inception in 2019.

"I have been brewing this beer here at Chilton Mill since the very beginning. It was featured on my opening tap list almost four years ago and has continued to come back on draught multiple times a year due to its high demand," Peachey told Patch.

Stchwarzbier is still one of the most frequently brewed beers at Chilton Mill, and it hasn't changed much since the first time Peachey brewed it.

Chilton Mill first opened in Long Valley in the late spring of 2019 and quickly made itself known around Morris County and New Jersey. In 2020, the brewery won the People's Choice Award at the Big Brew Beer Festival in Morristown.

On June 3 and 4, this summer, they will be hosting a party to mark their fourth anniversary, complete with live music on the patio and new beers on tap.

"Schwarzbier is still available on tap in the tasting room but is going fast. Be sure to come by and try it before it is gone," Peachey said.