Two of the three honorees are from the Pacific Northwest
Since 1987, the Brewers Association Industry Awards have honored the people who’ve truly moved the needle in craft beer — leaders, innovators, and tireless advocates who’ve left a lasting mark on the industry. The list of past recipients reads like a who’s who of craft beer history. Names like Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo, Sam Calagione, Fritz Maytag, Bert Grant, Ken Grossman, Teri Fahrendorf, Carol Stoudt, and many others.
This year, industry members from the Pacific Northwest earned two of the three awards: Jamie Floyd (Ninkasi Brewing) and Dr. Tom Shellhammer (Oregon State University). The third recipient is Tod Mott (Harpoon Brewing, etc.). The BA will officially honor the recipients at a special ceremony at the upcoming Craft Brewers Conference® (CBC®), April 20-22 in Philadelphia, PA.
F.X. Matt Defense of the Craft Brewing Industry Award: Jamie Floyd
Jamie Floyd, founding brewer of Ninkasi Brewing Co. and Great Frontier Beverages in Eugene, Oregon, is recognized for his longstanding leadership and advocacy for independent brewers.
Floyd has spent more than 30 years in professional brewing and 23 years on the Oregon Brewers Guild board of directors, including eight years as president. He remains co-chair of the guild’s legislative action committee and serves on the Brewers Association Technical Committee as co-chair of the Quality Community. He is also a former president and member of the Hop Quality Group executive team.
A Certified Cicerone and Master Cicerone examiner, Floyd has judged the Great American Beer Festival, World Beer Cup, and homebrew competitions. He is a member of the American Society of Brewing Chemists and the Master Brewers Association of the Americas. He also supports industry education and philanthropy through the Glen Hay Falconer Foundation, Eugene Beer Week, and the Sasquatch Brewfest fundraiser, while continuing to contribute across brewing, innovation, and business operations at Ninkasi.
Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Craft Brewing: Tod Mott
Tod Mott is honored for a career defined by innovation, creativity, and influence on American craft brewing.
Mott began brewing in the mid-1980s after receiving a homebrew kit and entered the industry in 1990 as an apprentice at Catamount Brewery. In 1991, he joined Mass Bay Brewing Co., now Harpoon Brewery, where he developed Harpoon IPA in 1993, the brewery’s flagship beer.
He later led brewing operations at Commonwealth Brewing, Back Bay Brewing, and Portsmouth Brewery. At Portsmouth, his imperial stout, “Kate the Great,” gained national attention in 2007 and became one of the first beers to inspire long lines on release day. In 2014, Mott co-founded Tributary Brewing Co. with his wife, Galen, where he continued to brew a wide range of styles and mentor brewers.
After 35 years in craft brewing and helping to guide the company through industry challenges and the pandemic, Mott and his wife transferred ownership to their son in 2026. He will retire later this year.
Brewers Association Recognition Award: Dr. Tom Shellhammer
This award is presented to an individual, company, or group whose inspiration, enthusiasm, and support have contributed to the craft brewing movement.
Dr. Tom Shellhammer, Nor’Wester Professor of Fermentation Science at Oregon State University, is recognized for his contributions to brewing science, education, and industry collaboration.
For more than two decades, Shellhammer’s research has advanced the understanding of hop chemistry, beer flavor, and quality. His work integrates analytical chemistry and sensory science to address practical challenges faced by brewers and hop growers, improving consistency and product quality.
Through his teaching at Oregon State University and numerous industry courses and workshops, Shellhammer has trained and mentored generations of brewers. He is widely known for translating complex scientific concepts into practical knowledge for industry applications.
His collaborations with breweries, hop growers, and suppliers have strengthened the connection between research and brewing practice, helping elevate quality standards across the global brewing community.
