This is not Levesque’s first time on the Label Contest podium: He walked away with the “Best Chia Pet Alternative” in 1998 for his “Sea Monkey Brown Ale” and took the coveted “Best Reptile” award in last year’s competition for “Dave’s Killer Iguana Ale.” This year’s Honorable Mention is a much more dignified award, befitting a homebrew label as subdued and understated as “Pale Alien: Take Me To Your Brewer!” An all-grain brewer who’s been into the hobby for a decade, Levesque does graphic design and prep work for a screen-printing company near his home in Forestville, Connecticut. A friend came up with the Pale Alien name, then Dave went to work on his computer.

Prize: Kool Keg from The Beer Essentials.