Victory Freshness *update*

Fresh Victory Hop Devil is back in the store as of yesterday (Wednesday) and should be making its way back onto the shelves of other liquor stores and various b&m retailers in the sunny state of Florida, generally, and the Treasure Coast specifically.

Still waiting on fresh Prima Pils.

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

Cigar City Brew News

Old Favorites Are Back and New Happenings

Just a quick update to let people know that Cubano Espresso will be back on draft in the Tasting Room this afternoon and Oatmeal Raisin Cookie should be back on tap by Thursday. Vanilla Maduro is currently on draft and Humidor Series: Brown Ale might make it back on by the weekend.

And fans of the above beers will be happy to know that when our new 60 bbl tanks arrive in June, we plan to keep Cubano Espresso and Oatmeal Raisin Cookie as semi-year round beers.

In 110K+OT news, we'll be releasing Batch #3, a 10% ABV, 110 IBU, Double India Pale Ale which we have nicknamed "The Other West Coast", on May 28th at the brewery. Details to follow in the days to come.

We bottled Humidor Series: India Pale Ale yesterday, about half of the yield will be going to the Michael Jackson Rare Beer Club and the rest will hit our normal Florida distribution channels.

WOB Viera News

Cinco de Mayo
Next week on Wednesday, May 5 it's Cinco de Mayo. We will have special pricing for Dos Equis lager and amber beer. The first ten people to buy Dos Quis on draft receive a free t-shirt! But don't stop there, we will have more beer on draft from Mexico. Click here for flyer.

Look what's next!
In May, we have been given an exclusive release of two beers for Brevard County. Widmer Prickly Pear Braggot and Red Hook 8-4-1 Expedition Ale. You will not find this beer anywhere around here. Stay tuned for the release date.

Thank You!
Thanks for the great turn out on Sunday for Customer Appreciation Barbeque. Mark your calendar for next month. We are going to do it again on May 23rd.

New Bottles

• Boulder Mojo Risin, 10% (Colorado)
• Stone Cali-Belgique, 6.9% (California)
• Stone Russian Imperial Sout 2010, 9.5% (California)

New Drafts

• Blackthorn Apple Cider, 5.9% (England)
• Erie Golden Fleece, 8.5% (Pennsylvania)
• Fort Collins Rocky Mountain IPA, 6.5% (Colorado)
• Highland Kashmir IPA, 5.6% (North Carolina)
• Gulden Draak, 11% (Blegium)
• Left Hand Widdershins, 8.8% (Colorado)
• Smuttynose Old Brown Dog, 5.7% (New Hampshire)
• Weihenstephaner Korbinian, 7.3% (Germany)
• Weyerbacher Slam Dunkel, 7% (Pennsylvania)

Live Music This Week

• Thursday - Greg & Brian
• Friday - Christian Wilson Duo
• Saturday - Brant Christopher

Orlando Brewing Brew News

Saturday, May 8th @ 2pm to 6pm: Orlando Brewing Rummage Sale
Everyone is welcome to purchase a spot and turn their Trash into another's Treasure. Stop by the Tap Room to fill out a Rummage Sale Form and to pay the entry fee of $10.
Any questions e-mail crystal@orlandobrewing.com

Saturday, May 9th: Happy Mother's Day
Appreciating Mom's..... Mom's Drink for FREE!
Old Time Jam Music @ 4:30pm

Craft Beer invades the Today Show

the UK, Anchor, and Humming Ale

**an interesting point of view from a respected beer aficionado and industry professional in the UK on the sale of Anchor Brewing and their first new beer in years, the Humming Ale**

Hoggie's Latest & Greatest

**well, maybe not the latest, but still a greatest. love me some Bells and love me even more some Kalamazoo**

Anchor Brewing sold to Griffin Group

Personally, I'm not wholly surprised. Anchor brews good beer but does little in brand building/recognition/marketing. They also haven't added anything new to their portfolio in easily a decade. This is something Sierra Nevada is hyperly aware for themselves and have begun reinvigorating their brand and their beers. Quite successfully too, I might add.

Fritz originally bought the brand from someone else and now the brand (his spirits too) have been bought by someone else. He's not exactly getting younger and never really worked on culling someone else to take his spot. Apparently he has other interests he's been wanting to pursue.

How will Anchor and the Griffin Group work together in the coming months and years? We shall have to wait and see and then go from there.

Skyy Vodka Team Acquires Anchor Brewing

Anchor Brewery Sold

Remembrance ~ Beer Geek Style

So I’m sitting in my La-Z-Boy last night drinking a Terrapin Rye Squared and re-watching the first Fire Bike episode from American Chopper Season 1 (on DVD). As it always does, my mind turned to beer. This year, 2010, marks nine years after the tragedy of September 11, 2001 and this year of 2010 on September 11th the Treasure Coast will be hosting its 3rd Annual Beer Fest. Some may call it sacrilege, insulting, dishonorable and so forth, but I think I’d call it just right. Last year on September 11th 2009, I was in Chicago attending my Professional Beer Styles and Tasting course at the Siebel Institute of Technology and World Brewing Academy. In honest admittance, it didn’t hit me the significance of what day it was until one of my classmates mentioned it in the early morning hours. We all held a moment of silence…and then life went on and we resumed our beery studies. Personally, I can’t think of a better way to honor the lives of those lost that day, those still suffering, and those still struggling than by living my life to the best of my beery ability. I will never forget, but neither will I wallow in one place. It is because I live in the lovingly dysfunctional USofA that I am freely able to put these feelings of mine on paper and online for all to read and ruminate on. A freedom hundreds of millions the world over do not enjoy.

Life is what I make of it.

For as long as mankind has been consciously cognizant, we have communed around beer. As I did once before in the Windy City, so too shall I commune this year with my fellow women and men of the Treasure Coast. My hearth. My heart. My home. To you, to me, to all may good will and community prosper. With glass in hand, arms entwined, and smiles adorned, Prosit!

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

Samuel Adams Brew News

Calling all homebrewers!
Wash out the carboy & siphon and get you best, most creative recipe ready to boil. Creativity (and quality) are the keys to this year's Samuel Adams - American Homebrew Contest. This year's competition will focus on Category 23 - the specialty beer category.
Each year 2 amateur homebrews are selected along with our employee homebrew winner to be featured in a mixed 6 pack and distributed nationally as part of our Longshot competition. To register your beer, learn how to homebrew or find a good place to buy your homebrew supplies visit the Longshot section of our website.
The competition is fierce as there are some damn good brews sent in each year, but always remember the sage advice of our dear friend Charlie Papazian: "Relax, have a homebrew!"

An IPA with some (L)attitude!
It's been a while since we've had a nice hoppy IPA, but this year you'll find a little something special in the Samuel Adams Summer Styles variety pack.
Samuel Adams® Latitude 48 is a unique IPA brewed with a select blend of hops from top German, English, and American growing regions all located close to the 48th latitude within the “hop belt” of the Northern Hemisphere. The combination of hops in this beer creates a distinctive but not overpowering hop character. The beer is dry hopped with Ahtanum, Simcoe®, and East Kent Goldings hops for a powerful citrus and earthy aroma. The hop character is balanced by a slight sweetness and full body from the malt blend. We love this beer...it's a beer hop heads will enjoy!

Beer & Cinema

I had my very first BeerCinemaNirvana experience yesterday afternoon/early evening when I popped the cork on my July 7, 2007 Kasteel Rouge...



... and inserted the wondrous Triplets of Belleville in my DVD player...



It was magical. Wondrous. Epic. The beer truly and the movie especially. I found a new zone of beervananess which combined with cinemavananess...classic. There are very few movies worth my dollar and rewatching time these days, but Triplets of Belleville is one along with the soundtrack. Fantastique!

(an original post by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

WOB Viera News

Spring Fling Release Party
Tonight April 21, we will be having a Spring Fling release party. Blue Point Brewery has brewed an amber ale crafted from a unique blend of malts with subtle flavors of honey and nut. You need to come by and get a spring fling while you can. Click here for flyer.

Let's Celebrate Earth Day
Earth Day is on Thursday, April 22 and we are celebrating by having half off all organic beers. We have over 10 different beers from Germany and America for you to try. We are going to do our part and recycle the bottles from all the beers/cans that are consumed. Click here for flyer.

Dogfish Head Month
We are approaching the end of the month and this is what we will have on tap this weekend, Palo Santo. It is brown ale aged on palo santo wood from Paraguay with a highly roasted and malty flavor. Get it while you can!

Customer Appreciation
It's here! On Sunday, April 25, we are going to barbeque from 2 pm till all the food is gone. Come hang out, enjoy good food and have a lazy Sunday with us. It's going to be a lot of fun!

Cinco de Mayo
In two weeks on Wednesday, May 5 it's time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. We will have special pricing for Dos Equis lager and amber beer. The first ten people to buy Dos Quis on draft receive a free t-shirt! Click here for flyer.

New Bottles

• Stone Sublimely Self-righteous, 8.7% (California)

New Drafts

• Harpoon IPA, 5.8% (Massachusetts)
• Laganitus Wilco Tango Foxtrot, 7.8%, (California)
• Oskar Blues Gubna, 10% (Colorado)
• Swmp Head Big Nose Midnight Oil, 5% (Florida)

Live Music This Week

• Thursday - Micah Reed
• Friday - Wilcor
• Saturday - James Johnson

Hoggie's Latest & Greatest

**featuring for this round the Cigar City Humidor Jai Alai IPA**

Cigar City Brew News

New Tasting Room Hours Our new Tasting Room Hours as of today are:

• Tuesday thru Thursday from 11 AM until 9 PM
• Friday and Saturday from 11 AM until 11 PM

No longer do you have to tell your boss that you have the last dental appointment of the day so you can get out of work early in order to grab a growler on the way home. And if you just want an IPA after work, we'll be here for you.

Cheers,
The CCB Staff

Dear MolsonCoors of the UK

Don't see what's so new. I already got your "clear beer" right here. Best of all, it comes by the pitcher, has zero calories, and doesn't cost me a single penny. Drink up. This one is on me.



**in response to their latest and greatest marketing fiasco, Clear Beer**

BEERflections ~ Brooklyn Brewery Brewmaster Dinner @ Town Crier Pub

Staying out late, getting up early, and repeating said process for days on end was something I could do when I was younger (and dumber as I like to joke). Now, not so much, but darned if I don’t try sometimes. And so it came to be that the very weekend of/before the Brooklyn Brewmaster Dinner, I hooked up with the maestro of magical carpet rides, Eric, and off to Dunedin we flew. Sliding in right around midnight Sunday night ala Monday morning, we got our beer on at the Dunedin House of Beer and much later, the hotel room. Have cooler full of beery goodness, will travel, I always say. Monday later in the morning and into early afternoon we got our relaxation on throughout the slow back roads of Florida with a brief trek through the Highland Hammocks in Sebring.

Suffice to say it was just the escape we needed from the trappings of our daily life. Of course, in the back of our mind was the Brooklyn dinner at 6:30pm, a date with destiny we had no intentions of missing. With a cooler slightly less full of beers thanks to Sunday night/Monday morning, we lazed, lollygagged, and wasted time all the way home. Beautifully so. Righteously so.

I eventually succumbed to a short nap during the final stretch along SR60 back to Vero Beach, thus proving that sleep can be had even with a 5 Hour Energy Drink surging through one’s veins. Once more Kristyn Lier proves her sleepy adage true: anytime anywhere. The nap along with a shower at home was just what I needed to refresh my weary yet sated bones. Ready and raring, destiny called and I heartily answered.

Having been to Town Crier Pub multiple times, I can honestly say there hasn’t been a bad meal yet. I don’t foresee such a culinary travesty anywhere in the future near, but it’s not impossible either. For now though, impressed I am.

Showered and refreshed, I made my way on down to Town Crier Pub (TCP). Along the way I picked up Paula and escorted her along with myself to dinner. Her hubby, Mike, was heading to TCP directly from work so there was no need to lug two cars down and two cars back up to the Sadlon abode. As with all supreme beer events, I go head-over-heels promoting, pimping, raving, and gushing about it to anyone and everyone who will listen and even those who won’t. My local beer peeps are always top of the list, but a beer dinner isn’t just for beer drinkers of a passionate persuasion. Women and men of varying prose are more than capable of and welcome to enjoy the burgundian pleasures of good food and good beer. All it takes is an open mind, a penchant for fun, and adventurous tastebuds. Now that doesn’t sound all that bad does it? Treat yourself to some beer dinner fun. You deserve it.

Arriving early for such a highly anticipated event will always be top priority. Beer events aside, I’m usually right on time or running a wee bit late, but I had a wonderful teacher when it comes to fashionable lateness: Mom. Not this time around, though. I also made sure to have camera in hand with a freshly charged battery on the ready and plenty of gigabyte space on my memory card. Throughout the night flash flashed, patrons laughed, and if only for just those few hours, time stood still.

As everyone trickled in, hugs were exchanged because I really and truly did know the large majority of beer geeks, beer newbs, and foodie aficionados in attendance. JW was styling and profiling as he graciously sat everyone at their chosen tables while Chris and the gang welcomed all with open arms. Yours truly was seated with her new friends Roger and Jessi along with old friend Marc Boland who once more shall chair the now 3rd Annual Treasure Coast Beer Fest of 2010.

But I digress.

Mike and Paula were just one table away while seated behind us were Jason and his lovely lady friend, Sujey. To my left were Eric, Allyson, and the fashionably late Randall who had also just enjoyed a weekend of gallivanting about Tampa generally and Cigar City Brewing specifically. Sitting at a round table inside was Tim, Chris, Jason (of Mickey Finns fame), and Rich Nowak of Brooklyn Brewery who in personable magnificence introduced the brewery and the beers throughout the evening. Love ya, Rich. You always rock like a star. Hugs and Kisses.

Where was I…oh yes, the lucky burgundians who shared our tasteful adventure of brews and food.

John Colontrelli and his brother Danny, their father John, Mark Matakaetis, Buddy Potter, and Todd Hampson were seated at a long table in the corner though still fully engaged in the festivities. Town Crier is a cozy pub so whether you are lounging on the patio, kicking back at the bar, or making social at a table, you always feel a part of the family. As the warmth of friendship and community fills your being, know you are home. There was ultimately only one table of patrons whom I did not know but hopefully another opportunity will arrive for us to get acquainted. Until then, cheers!

Anything worth waiting for has to be good. The dinner may have gotten off to an itsy-bitsy late start, but anticipation is the better part of satisfaction after all. Our culinary stars that night were Sandor Mattyi, Christine Dively, and George Cintron. Our beer expert extraordinaire was the affable Rich Nowak who conversed with gentility, enthusiasm, and friendly aplomb. Our publy host was Chris of the Mozaic group and the Town Crier Pub. With human introductions made, the beer and food introductions began.

For the very first dish and all dishes presented henceforth, I was extremely pleased to see all attendees eagerly hanging onto each word of introduction and explanation. I’ve been to beer dinners past where patrons rudely conversed amongst themselves while the chef and beer ambassador (not yours truly) explained the food lovingly prepared for our enjoyment and the beer purposefully chosen in complementary union. Such blatant rudeness and utter disrespect was wholly absent that evening for which I was extremely grateful. It says a lot for the fine ladies and gentleman sharing the evening with me. To all of you, thanks for walking the higher path.

Inbetween presentations was another matter altogether. Dinners of any sort should be as fun as they are informative. Beer and food and the tables around which they are enjoyed should be a place to relax, converse, and enjoy the social atmosphere of community. I know my table had zero trouble embracing and celebrating the mouth-watering, euphoria-inducing array of aromas, flavors, textures, and sights presented before us. I dare say and proudly so that we were the merriest table there. Not in raucous debauchery but in a constant flow of jovial banter and unabashed moans of orgasmic tastebud indulgence. Many a hot track of scintillating sounds escaped our eager lips from first dish to last and first beer to last. Even now, weeks later, just thinking about it is enough to send excitable shivers up and down my spine.

For those who lived through those tantalizing moments, this will be a heart-felt reminder. For those who did not attend, this will be your revelation of misfortune and the only encouragement you need to never again miss a Town Crier Pub Brewmaster Dinner.

Our start to the evening was the Amuse Bouche, a beer and cheese spread accompanied by toasted buttered pretzel bread. The beer used in the dish itself was also the beer paired with the meal: Brooklyner Weisse, a German-style hefeweizen. Not just the Amuse Bouche, but all courses were prepared with the its beer pairing. And now back to the course at hand. Served in a gentile crystal glass dish with two pretzel breads exquisitely toasted golden brown, our unanimous agreement was the need for more bread. Two slices were two slices too few; at the most four slices and at the least three slices would have been appropriate. Of course, that didn’t stop me and others from using our knives and forks to scoop up every last cheesy drop. I am proud to say at some point my index finger was involved in appropriately finger-licking lip-smacking satisfaction. Waste not want not, and I certainly wanted to not waste any of its spicy cheesy Brooklyner Weissey goodness. Fonduesque in texture, it was cheerfully puffy with mischievous cheddar richness ending in a dashing kiss of spicy heat while I would attribute an underlying breadiness to the Brooklyner Weisse within. Mighty tasty, the Amuse Bouche was just the stimulant our appetites needed to really get the party started.

As the waiters expertly weaved about tables picking up empty plates and glasses, new plates were graciously placed and new wine glasses lovingly filled in concert with each dish, but it was beer that graced her curvaceous designs and not wine. Yes ladies and gentleman, large bowled wine glasses were generously filled with five different beers throughout the evening. But why large wine glasses? That’s easy my dear. All the better to allow the beer to breathe freely, the chill to dissipate, and ultimately allowing the tastefully crafted beers of Brooklyn Brewery to flow unhindered into eager mouths waiting to savor the flavor. Pint glasses absolutely do not apply here and matter of factly should never apply at all. Good show TCP, and smartly done.

Though I digress once more and rightly so, there is a second course awaiting my loving attentions. I am worthy, yes I am.

What awaited was my second favorite course of the entire evening: beer battered seabass beignets drizzled with malt vinegar aioli and accompanied by waffled parmesan gaufrettes. A bite…Oh! My! Gawd! Paired with the Brooklyn Lager, there was an orgy of epic flavor proportions like no other ravaging my tastebuds and I was ever the willing captive. Sublime. Seductive. Sensual. Never has seabass tasted so fanfreakingtastic as each bite literally melted in my mouth with heavenly finesse. Paper-thin waffled parmesan gaufrettes crunched in a toasty explosion of parmesan cheese delights. The malt vinegar aioli melted into the beignets which melted into each sublime quaff of Brooklyn Lager as toes curled in ecstatic indulgence long after my course and beer were finished. Wow.

I don’t remember the name of the other young gentleman who watched over our table, but I saw my JW more often than not tending to our dining needs. When at TCP, ask for JW and prepare to be delightfully entertained with professional aplomb and genuine good humor.

I felt no need to descend from my seabass beignets and Brooklyn Lager high, but headed my way was course number two. That’s ok. I have more than enough room in my tummy to savor the night away. Being the seafood whore that I am, the second course was equally anticipated: thyme and Local 1 steamed mussels with olive oil grilled crustini while JW expertly filled my freshly deposited wine glass with Brooklyn Local 1. I do love me some Local 1 so no need to be shy here…not that I am ever really shy when it comes to beer. Know it. Embrace it. Celebrate it. With each lavish quaff of Local 1, I attacked my mountain of steamed mussels while soaking the crustini in her puddle of tasty juices. Still riding equally high on my Gumballhead Steamed Mussels experience at the Three Floyds Brewpub, the TCP mussels had a high pedestal upon which they had to climb. Unfortunately they didn’t quite make it to the top. Of all the dishes that night, the mussels were the least personally impressive. Of course, that’s akin to saying the 5karat ruby is not as precious as the 5karat diamond. Neither is better; it’s a matter of personal perspective. The Local 1 steamed mussels were good, just not good enough to open the gates to mussel snarfing nirvana. Fear not though for none were left behind.

As for my tablemates, Marc had never before tasted steamed mussels. A pleasurable first, I gained another mussel convert that night. For Roger who has never really been a fan of Belgian(style) beers, the Local 1 was a tasteful breakthrough and I gained another Belgian fan, albeit still in training.

Props must be given once more to Rich for interweaving fun facts and tasty tidbits into his beery musings throughout the five course Brewmaster dinner. Taking turns at our attentions, the TCP chef extraordinaire also expertly lavished mouthwatering details on the dishes without ever overwhelming our simple burgundian desires: good food, good beer, and good times. Prosit!

I am also not shy when it comes to bathroom breaks. I was in no mind to sit floating on full when I had so much more to look forward to. Remember this ladies and gentleman the next time you are carousing with friends or savoring a dinner equally divine: don’t worry be happy. It’s just human nature, after all.

Speaking of human nature, so too is guiltless indulgement which is exactly what myself and everyone else did inbetween exclamations of praise while inhaling our intermezzo. Intermezzo? What’s that? Why it is none other than a Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout infused granita. It was beer evolution revelation all over again, except this time instead of the Avery Brabant it was a frozen granita delight of tongue-tingling pleasure. Crunchy and icy on top, burnt espresso in the middle, and fudgy dark chocolates in the finish, she was finger-licking good. The rim of the shooter glass in which it was served enjoyed a crystallized dusting of brown sugar, cinnamon, and cocoa powder which I unabashedly sucked, licked, and fingered till there was nothing left but a contented smile of indulgement on my face.

A perfectly pleasing palate cleanser, I was refreshed and ready for the next course: petite shepard’s pie with scallions, gruyere gratin, and paired with the very beer it was infused with, the Brooklyn Brown Ale. Let’s take a moment and remind our attendees and readers of the meaning of petite: “small and trim of figure”. The shepard’s pie was anything but small and trim of figure. It was also at this moment that many of the participating patrons, myself included, faced down the wall of creeping fullness. A beer dinner should always leave one full and sated at the end but never stuffed and overwhelmed. Hence the numerous and small proportions. A beer dinner is a tasting experience. An exploration of flavors. A celebration of burgundian nirvana. It is not an all-you-can-eat buffet of boorish mediocrity. The not-so-petite shepard’s pie threatened to ruin the enduring pleasure of our night still unfulfilled, but smart restraint and leftovers saved the day. An honest mistake, our Brooklyn Brewmaster Dinner was Town Crier’s first and as with all things new and life in general, it was a learning experience which was taken to heart.

Size aside, she was the best shepard’s pie I have enjoyed to date. The meal was originally meant to fill tummies and nourish the laborer during times of hardship and shortage. A moshpot of agricultural staples, they magically transform into a culinary sensation when prepared with tender loving care and a dash of finesse. It’s been said before and proven many times over that the most satisfying dishes are those born of the earth, necessity, and love. Much like beer herself, I do say. Speaking of beer, the Brooklyn Brown Ale is what most other brown ales wish they could be. Rich with chocolate undercurrents, toasted dark breads, and caramelized sugary delights, she was the perfect companion to our shepard’s pie. Fearing a heavy dish, I was met instead with delicate bites that exploded in my mouth with juicy meaty chunks, soft gratin tidbits, spicy scallion nibs, ooey-gooey melted cheese and a constant infusion of the ever essential Brooklyn Brown Ale. Having grown up in the agricultural industry, it tasted just like home.

Throughout the evening I continued to snap pictures while making merry with my tablemates and all others gathered about the cozy and by now darkened atmosphere of the pub. Night had finally fallen, but the festivities continued to shine bright as evidenced by the fourth course. Yes! I finally get to lavish extra special praise on my favorite dish of the evening and the one which best showcased the magic of beer and food. Enter the beer basted lamb loin lovingly wrapped in gentle phyllo with mushroom duxelle resting laid atop a bed of barley risotto and drizzled with herbed lamb au jus. The beer star of the dish was none other than Brooklyn Local 2.

A moment please…

Thank you. I needed that not because my hand is cramping from writing all this but because the memory of that dish is so vivid, so beautiful, so real we needed a moment together, just the two of us, in fond recollection.

The lamb loin was pretty in pink, moist, melty, juicy, and heavenly. The barley risotto was soft as silk and melted in the mouth. Far too often one finds their risotto undercooked, starchy, and still crunchy in the middle. Not so with the TCP barley risotto. Each little morsel was a tender delight of barley, earth, and the soulful essence of fields growing golden under the watchful eye of Mother Nature and man. Barley is a course, husky grain so this was an extra special culinary accomplishment which earned a hearty two-thumbs up from me. Each bite oozed flavors which the Brooklyn Local 2 knows very well. A bite; heaven. A quaff; beervanic revelation. The meaty caramelized juices and tender breadiness of the risotto and phyllo paired with the herbed lamb au jus melted divinely into the Local 2. With neither a discernable end nor beginning, it was flavor communion on an epic level. I will savor many a Brooklyn Local 2 in the passing weeks and years, but she will never be quite the same.

Another moment please…

Last but certainly not least was the fifth and final course. All good meals must end with a dessert of equally epic proportions, right? What better way to end the night than with a Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout cheesecake with Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout Chantilly cream on the inside, topped with chocolate drizzles, a dusting of powdered sugar, a white chocolate twirl, mint sprig, and a sprightly raspberry. All was well in my world. The beer? Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, of course. A Christmas seasonal beer geeks the world over look forward to every winter, she is delicious fresh and also matures wonderfully with a few years under her cap. For those who fear dark beer, don’t. Embrace the darkness and the light ye shall see. The cheesecake was the cutest little half moon you’ll ever see. As I placed my fork to her surface, she opened herself freely unto me. Inside her cheesecakey outer layer awaited cream of utterly decadent desires. Smooth, silken, she made sweet chocolate and cream love to my tastebuds while her outer layer flittered about in softly whipped fun. The raspberry was saved for last, and inbetween each slow bite I savored my Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. Burnt, roasty, toasty, and percolating with black chocolates, espresso, and vanilla bean indulgence, she was wholly worthy of dining out the night with me.

My final nitpick has absolutely nothing to do with the unquestionable quality of the Black Chocolate Stout, but the arctic temperatures at which it (and Local 2) were poured. The more complex a beer is the warmer it should be tasted. I dare say the Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout required no refrigeration at all and the Local 2 just a minimal chill. It is proper and rightfully appropriate for a dinner and beer of such standings. Doing so also provides the opportunity to smartly discuss the reasons why richer beers need warmer temperatures and what actually constitutes warmer temperatures for beer in our sunny state of Florida (and beyond).

That public service announcement of beery proportions done, let’s move onward shall we.

In no rush whatsoever, Roger, Jessi, Marc, I, Jason, and Sujey lounged long into the evening savoring our stout and sharing thoughts, jubilations, and memories of the evening unfolded. I say in absolute certainty that the Brooklyn Brewery Brewmaster Dinner at Town Crier Pub in Tradition of Stuart is so far the best beer dinner I have had the privileged pleasure of attending. Magnifique. Timeless. Boundless. As I slowly savored my stout while coaxing her up to cellar temperature, there was nowhere else I wanted to be other than right where I was. Life is especially worth living for moments like these, friends like these, burgundian pleasures like these. Welcome and Thank You.



(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

I Have Arrived @ the Broken Barrel 1 Year Anniversary

...and I must say WOOHOO!!!!

Got some smoked wings on the way, appetizer sized, along with a glass of the CCB Humidor Series Gruit. The tasting book is out, facebook greased and ready, along with a desire to not go anywhere for a looooong time. Slow and steady shall be my motto of chilling for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Continuing my slow food and slow beer festivities, I lovingly ravaged the CCB Humidor Gruit and them moved onto the Ichetegems Grand Cru. Tart. Playful. Delightful. Her rhubarby granny smith apply nectar thoroughly indulged, I am currently awaiting the slow warming up of my Terrapin Dark Side.

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

Beer Wars 1 Year Old

**copy&paste is a beautiful thing**

ONE YEAR AGO

It was exactly one year ago today – April 16th, 2009 – that Beer Wars Live took place in over 440 theatres across America. This was the culmination of a 3-year journey that began in Las Vegas, NV where I first started shooting the film. Since the live event, the film has screened in various venues including theatres, arts centers, universities and bars. It’s been released on DVD and on February 1st went mainstream and is now available on demand, on iTunes, Amazon VOD and Netflix. But wide distribution, while an amazing achievement, is only cause for celebration when coupled with the holy grail of awareness. So please continue to spread the word about the film to everyone you know. As this phase of my journey comes to an end, I want to thank you for your support. I couldn’t have made it this far without you. So let's raise a toast the American entrepreneurial spirit. May it thrive and flourish.

Anat Baron

Special Offer
I’m still hoping to create a Director’s Cut DVD with all the fabulous footage that never made it into the film. Lots of exclusive interviews, brewery tours and deleted scenes. BUT in order to do that, I need to sell the DVDs I currently have in inventory. So I’m offering the DVD for a special price of $11.95 (40% off). The coupon code is FOBW10 and the DVD is available here for a limited time. Feel free to pass this offer on to your friends.

Upcoming Screenings

• June 12: Mobile, AL South Alabama Film Festival
• June 27: New York, NY NYC Food Film Festival (with Anat Baron and surprise guests in attendance)

Rhymes Wit *specs*

**for your pre-tasting drooling pleasure...**

UPDATE: Broken Barrel 1 Year Anniversary

**Got the final scoop on the draft list for this coming Saturday, April 17th at the Broken Barrel Tavern in Palm Bay. Join myself and dozens, maybe even hundreds, of other beer and foodie peeps celebrating life, beer, and how wonderfully they go together especially when the food is so good which it is at Broken Barrel. Myself personally, Kristyn Lier, plan on being there sometime between 2pm and 3pm. SEE YOU THERE!!!**

Here’s the list, but I broke it down by tapping order. Tier 1 is the first beers to go tap, and to be fair to the Brew Crew we will tap one or two of these tomorrow so that everyone can take advantage of the 5 beer cap per visit. Tier 2 & 3 won’t be tapped until all of the previously tier is online and begins to pop. There’s some real goodies in here that i’m gonna be enjoying personally. Have a blast to everyone headed elsewhere for the weekend, and see you guys soon to those who are coming here for the party!

Tier 1

• Allagash Black
• CC Gruit
• Ichetegem’s Grand Cru
• Smuttynose Imp Stout
• Stone 13th Ann- even though the specifically said not to cellar it, I did anyways, never followed directions well!
• Terrapin Dark Side

Tier 2

• Allagash Curieux
• DFH Fort
• DFH Red & White
• Lagunitas Hop Stoopid
• Ommegang BPA

Tier 3

• Bells Kalamazoo
• Highland Brewing Seven Sisters
• Lagunitas WTF
• SN 30th Ann(w/ Fritz)
• Tripel Karmeliet

Beers,
Kevin

Orlando Brewing Brew News

Upcoming Events:

Thursday, April 22nd @ 7pm: Slow Down at the Brewery
Join us every other month at your local brewery, Orlando Brewing, to learn more about food sustainability in Central Florida. A different topic is discussed each time along with food, beer or wine tastings for Taste Education. This month's topic is a discussion on grass fed beef.
RSVP to: jgonzalez.slowfoodorlando@gmail.com
For more information about Slow Food Orlando CLICK HERE.

Friday, April 23rd: 494th Anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot
Please join us to celebrate the 494th Anniversary of the Reinheitsgebot. This is the German Beer Purity law. CLICK HERE for more information. Orlando Brewing voluntarily complies with the Reinheitsgebot in making our handcrafted organic beers.

Saturday, April 24th @ 7pm:
Cornhole Tournament Under the Lights
$10 Entry Fee for each team. The more teams to sign up...
the BIGGER the CASH PRIZE. You may sign up and pay your entry fee at the brewery, 1301 Atlanta Avenue or e-mail crystal@orlandobrewing.com
All entry fees must be paid before the tournament begins.

Friday, April 30th: BEER:30
$2 Orlando Brewing Drafts ALL DAY
(noon to midnight)!

WOB Viera News

Dogfish Head Month
We are half way through the month already! This weeks roll out is Olde School (15%). Next week we will feature 3 more select drafts! We are saving the best for last. Stay tuned because you don't want to miss it.

Spring Fling Release Party
Do you have spring fever? Come by Wednesday April 21, we will be having a Spring Fling release party. Blue Point Brewery has brewed an amber ale crafted from a unique blend of malts with subtle flavors of honey and nut. Stop by to taste this great beer and get rid of your spring fever. Click here for flyer.

Let's Celebrate Earth Day
Earth Day is on Thursday, April 22 and we are celebrating by having half off all organic beers. We have over 10 different beers from Germany and America for you to try. We are going to do our part and recycle the bottles from all the beers/cans that are consumed. Click here for flyer.

Customer Appreciation
On Sunday, April 25, we are going to barbeque from 2 pm till all the food is gone. So mark your calendars because we love our sustomers. Come hang out, enjoy good food and have a lazy Sunday with us.

Cinco de Mayo
Wednesday, May 5 it's almost time to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. We will have special pricing for Dos Equis lager and amber beer. The first ten people to buy Dos Quis on draft receive a free t-shirt! Click here for flyer.

New Bottles

• Great Divide Colette, 7.3% (Colorado)
• Kalik, 5% (Bahamas)
• Wychwood Scarecrow, 4.7% (England)

New Drafts

• Gouden Carolus Tripel, 8.9% (Belgium)
• Left Hand Chainsaw, 9% (Colorado)
• Left Hand Polestar Pilsner, 5% (Colorado)
• Lost Coast Indica, 5.1% (California)
• Red Brick Double Chocolate Oatmeal Porter, 7.7% (Georgia)
• Swamp Head Stumpknocker, 5.6% (Florida)

Live Music This Week

• Thursday - Iris
• Friday - C-Lane & Beav
• Saturday - Matt Adkins

Brewers Association & the Top 50(+) Breweries for 2009

Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies
(Based on 2009 beer sales volume)
Rank Brewing Company City State

1 Boston Beer Co. Boston MA
2 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico CA
3 New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
4 Spoetzl Brewery Shiner TX
5 Pyramid Breweries Inc. Seattle WA
6 Deschutes Brewery Bend OR
7 Matt Brewing Co. Utica NY
8 Magic Hat Brewing Co. Burlington VT
9 Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City MO
10 Harpoon Brewery Boston MA
11 Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau AK
12 Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Galesburg MI
13 Kona Brewing Co. Kailua-Kona HI
14 Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River OR
15 Stone Brewing Co. Escondido CA
16 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton DE
17 The Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
18 Abita Brewing Co. Abita Springs LA
19 Summit Brewing Co. Saint Paul MN
20 Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco CA
21 Shipyard Brewery Portland ME
22 New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus WI
23 Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland OH
24 Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co. Newport OR
25 Long Trail Brewing Co. Bridgewater Corners VT
26 The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma CA
27 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose CA
28 SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta GA
29 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles CA
30 Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown PA
31 Flying Dog Brewing Co. Frederick MD
32 BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery Huntington Beach CA
33 Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
34 Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville CO
35 BridgePort Brewing Co. Portland OR
36 Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe Eureka CA
37 Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula MT
38 Stevens Point Brewing Co. Stevens Point WI
39 Mac and Jack’s Brewery Redmond WA
40 Karl Strauss Brewing Co. San Diego CA
41 The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc. St. Louis MO
42 Blue Point Brewing Co. Patchogue NY
43 Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants Chattanooga TN
44 Oskar Blues Brewery Longmont CO
45 North Coast Brewing Co. Fort Bragg CA
46 Breckenridge Brewery Denver CO
47 Utah Brewers Cooperative Salt Lake City UT
48 Saint Arnold Brewing Co. Houston TX
49 Boulder Beer Co. Boulder CO
50 Bear Republic Brewing Co. Cloverdale CA

Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies
(Based on 2009 beer sales volume)
Rank Brewing Company City State

1 Anheuser-Busch InBev St. Louis MO
2 MillerCoors Brewing Co. Chicago IL
3 Pabst Brewing Co. Woodridge IL
4 D. G. Yuengling and Son Inc. Pottsville PA
5 Boston Beer Co. Boston MA
6 Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Chico CA
7 New Belgium Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
8 Craft Brewers Alliance, Inc. Portland OR
9 Spoetzl Brewery (part of Gambrinus) Shiner TX
10 High Falls Brewing Co. Rochester NY
11 Minhas Craft Brewery Monroe WI
12 Pyramid Breweries (part of IBU) Seattle WA
13 Deschutes Brewery Bend OR
14 F.X. Matt Brewing Co. Utica NY
15 Magic Hat Brewing Co. (part of IBU) Burlington VT
16 Boulevard Brewing Co. Kansas City MO
17 Harpoon Brewery Boston MA
18 Alaskan Brewing Co. Juneau AK
19 Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Galesburg MI
20 Goose Island Beer Co. Chicago IL
21 Kona Brewing Co. Kailua-Kona HI
22 Full Sail Brewing Co. Hood River OR
23 Stone Brewing Co. Escondido CA
24 Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Milton DE
25 Iron City Brewing Co. Pittsburgh PA
26 August Schell Brewing Co. New Ulm MN
27 The Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn NY
28 Abita Brewing Co., L.L.C. Abita Springs LA
29 Summit Brewing Co. Saint Paul MN
30 Anchor Brewing Co. San Francisco CA
31 Shipyard Brewing Co. Portland ME
32 New Glarus Brewing Co. New Glarus WI
33 Great Lakes Brewing Co. Cleveland OH
34 Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co. Newport OR
35 Long Trail Brewing Co. Burlington VT
36 The Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma CA
37 Mendocino Brewing Co. Ukiah CA
38 Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. San Jose CA
39 SweetWater Brewing Co. Atlanta GA
40 Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles CA
41 Victory Brewing Co. Downingtown PA
42 Flying Dog Brewing Co. Frederick MD
43 BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery Huntington Beach CA
44 Odell Brewing Co. Fort Collins CO
45 Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants Louisville CO
46 Straub Brewery Saint Marys PA
47 BridgePort Brewing Co. (part of Gambrinus) Portland OR
48 Lost Coast Brewery & Cafe Eureka CA
49 Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula MT
50 Stevens Point Brewery Co. Stevens Point WI

Notable changes and additions:

• Three new breweries have made their first appearance on the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies list: Oskar Blues Brewery, Saint Arnold Brewing Co. and Bear Republic Brewing Co.
• Stevens Point Brewery was added to the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies list for 2008 and 2009, as the majority of its sales are now in traditional all-malt beers.
• Independent Brewers United and Gambrinus, each with two separate brand families in the Top 50 Overall Brewing Companies list, are shown by their seperate companies.
• Flavored malt beverages are not considered beer for the Top 50 rankings. The Association’s full 2009 industry analysis, which shows regional trends and sales by individual breweries, will be published in the May/June issue of The New Brewer, available on May 18.

For additional statistics, see the Craft Brewing Statistics section of the Brewers Association website, and 2009 Craft Brewer Sales Numbers press release.

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Collaberation & Rhymes Wit Tapping @ Vine & Barley

Ready yourself and make no plans for Monday April 19th and head down south to Vine & Barley in St. Lucie County.

Time: 6pm SHARP!

Why? To help myself and dozens of others celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Sierra Nevada Brewing out of Chico, California. Not only that, you will also be helping celebrate, taste, and drain the first of many kegs of Rhymes Wit.

Just what is Rhymes Wit you ask? Well! Let me tell you…it is none other than Mark Carbone’s very own beer that he designed and brewed himself at Sierra Nevada in Chico, California for their extra special Beer Camp. Specifically it is a Mandarin Wit, highlighting complex aromas of spicy Belgian yeast, wheat malt, and a hint of citrus. A silky smooth body is equally highlighted by tantalizing flavors of slight black pepper, and a malt graininess that fades into a mildly tart finish thanks to the addition of…locally grown mandarin oranges.

Of course, that can’t be the ONLY reason that I am commanding your presence at Vine & Barley on April 19th at 6pm SHARP! So, what else could there be?

Mwahahahaha…

A special beer by the name of Fritz & Kens Pioneers Stout. Yes, that’s right. Vine & Barley will be graciously hosting the one and ONLY keg of the very first (of 4) Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Celebration beers being brewed by Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada fame and four other collaborations. It is only righteous that the first should be with Fritz Maytag of equally famous Anchor Brewery standings. As the pioneers of the craft beer revolution that we now enjoy today and will continue to do so on into the beery future we stand humbly beholden before, it is destiny that the first beer is a collaboration between the two.

• Name: Pioneers Stout
• Stats: a richly roasted ale of stouty proportions enjoyable fresh and perfect for ageing.
• Glassware: a snifter

A few random important facts:

• Fritz & Ken’s Pioneers Stout is both keg and bottle.
• Rhymes Wit is keg only.

And so in summary you better be at Vine & Barley at 6pm SHARP! There are no ifs, ands, or buts allowed. To celebrate 30 years of tasty Sierra Nevada beers. To celebrate Mark’s first Rateable beer (for you RateBeer/BeerAdvocate geeks out there). To make merry. To cherish, to taste, to savor, and to celebrate.

I’ll be there and hopefully you will too.

3 minutes 56 seconds of CUTENESS

**if you don't ooooh! and aaaaw! at this...then there is no hope for you**

Wayne Discussing 110K+OT Batch #3 A Double IPA

Interview with Mr. Mikkeller himself

**Having enjoyed many of his beers, a very welcome and long overdue interview (in English) indeed. Enjoy! Then seek out some of this beers for further enjoyment, supping style.**

Conversation about Beer: MIKKELLER (Documentary Film) - English Version from Evoque - Officina d'Arte on Vimeo.

BrewDog Hardcore IPA

New packaging? Seeing as BrewDog recently tweaked the recipe and thus earned themselves a Gold Medal at the 2010 World Beer Cup in Chicago...I would gander yes. Of course, I'll find out for sure but for your current viewing pleasure, enjoy:

Undertow Update

Just ran into Ziggy at the store who filled me in on some Undertow updates.

*They will be reopening/having their soft opening this coming Thursday.
*Ziggy will still be manning the bar with his mad zany skillz.
*Menu will be changed; how much I don't know yet.
*Lots of paintings and yes, the wave is still there.

So, in a couple weeks or so I plan to revisit, sup a few brews, taste a few nibblies, and finally get a BEERport on Undertow, albeit post-Kitty.

1931 OLD DIXIE HWY
VERO BEACH, FLORIDA 32960
(772) 770-0977
http://www.undertowcafe.com/
(I have no idea what will happen to the old website, but for now it does the job in regards to location and contact info)

Deadliest Catch Countdown

It's going to be a particularly tough season knowing of Captain Phil's passing, but Dad and I will faithfully watch each weekly episode with a brew in hand as we always do. I haven't decided what special beer we will crack open for Phil's honorary episode, but I have a few weeks to figure it out.

Each season Dad and I get together and have some quality father+daughter time while watching one of the still coolest shows on Discovery: Deadliest Catch. Each evening I bring a different special beer over for me and Dad to share. So long as it doesn't require a spoon (ie: no brown ales, porters, or stouts) than Dad is game to giving it a whirl around the ol' tastebuds.

Seeing as this coming Tuesday, April 13th is the season premier, I think I'll bring over the Southampton Saison Deluxe. I just got it in, tis a brew for the seasons, and we are starting a new season...corny but appropriate. Of course, I have no doubt the beer will be fanfreakingtastic which is just the way I like it, and Dad will too.

Too crab fishing. To Captain Phil. To family. To beer.
Prosit!

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

Beer Styles & Shmyles

Beer for me will always be about flavor. You can slap whatever name, style, picture, etc on it you want but so long as I can get my flavor on than all is well in my beer quaffing world. It's wonderful that brewers and judges have guidelines upon which to create and to evaluate. It's beautiful, even. But when guidelines become rigid rules that stymie and suppress a brewer's creativity, a judges ability to fairly evaluate a brew, and a beer drinkers ability, nay right, to enjoy said beers whenever, however, and in whatever flavor imaginable than I dare say things are getting a wee bit out of hand.

Style conflicts aside for a moment, yes I still plan on furthering my knowledge and professionalism in regards to beer, brewing, styles, and judging. I haven't settled on my next goal for this year since receiving my Cicerone Beer Server Certification, but I have a few ideas. As much as it pains me to say, Siebel and their Master of Beer Styles and Evaluation program will have to wait till next year. Money you see, it's a fickle thing. But there are other possibilities to keep the ol' Kristyn Beer Train on track. BJCP Certification and Home Brewing are fighting for eventual wallet domination in this fine year of 2010. Shall see...

Of course both roll me right back into the world of styles and style guidelines. For example: the Iniquity from Southern Tier which we tasted yesterday at work. Awesome beer. Southern Tier calls it an Imperial Black Ale/IPA. RateBeer calls it an American Strong Ale (another dubiously generic style of wide-ranging proportions) and BeerAdvocate calls it an American Double/Imperial IPA. Which is right? Which is wrong? Does it really matter?

Personally, not so much. Styles are useful but sometimes highly overrated. Tasting a little bit of all the above in my Iniquity, I simply call it fanfreakingtastic. Tasty. Yummy. Flavorific.

And for me, that's really all I need.
Brew on. Drink on. Get your flavor on.
May I have another please.

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)

2010 World Beer Cup Winners

Champion Brewery and Brewer Awards

Large Brewing Company Category
Asia Pacific Breweries Limited, Singapore
APB Brewing Team

Mid-Size Brewing Company Category
Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, CA
Matthew Brynildson

Small Brewing Company Category
Ballast Point Brewing Company, San Diego, CA
Ballast Point Brewers

Large Brewpub Category
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant
Iron Hill Brewery Team

Small Brewpub Category
Devils Backbone Brewing Company, Roseland, VA
Jason Oliver

Category 1: American-Style Cream Ale or Lager, 17 entries

• Gold: Red Dog, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
• Silver: Old Style, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
• Bronze: Lone Star, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL

Category 2: American-Style Wheat Beer, 16 entries

• Gold: Shredders Wheat, Barley Brown’s Brew Pub, Baker City, OR
• Silver: Rockfish Wheat, Blue Mountain Brewery, Afton, VA
• Bronze: DD Blonde, Hop Valley Brewing Co., Springfield, OR

Category 3: American-Style Wheat Beer with Yeast, 24 entries

• Gold: Point Horizon Wheat, Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, WI
• Silver: UFO Hefeweizen, Harpoon Brewery, Boston, MA
• Bronze: Whitetail Wheat, Montana Brewing Co., Billings, MT

Category 4: Rye Beer, 22 entries

• Gold: Harvest Moon Rye, Rock Bottom Brewery - Arlington, Arlington, VA
• Silver: Rye Bob, The Grumpy Troll Brewery, Restaurant & Pizzeria, Mount Horeb, WI
• Bronze: Hoss Rye Lager, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Category 5: Fruit Beer or Field Beer, 86 entries

• Gold: Da’ Yoopers, Rocky Mountain Brewery, Colorado Springs, CO
• Silver: Lolita, Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, IL
• Bronze: Ephémère Apple, Unibroue, Chambly, Canada

Category 6: Herb and Spice Beer or Chocolate Beer, 109 entries

• Gold: Coco Jones Porter, Black Raven Brewing Co., Redmond, WA
• Silver: Lemon Grass Wheat Ale, Outer Banks Brewing Station, Kill Devil Hills, NC
• Bronze: Black Licorice Lager, Short’s Brewing Co., Bellaire, MI

Category 7: Coffee Flavored Beer, 47 entries

• Gold: Dude! Where’s My Vespa?, Rock Bottom Brewery - Arlington, Arlington, VA
• Silver: Addiction, Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery, Boulder, CO
• Bronze: Morning Bear, Devils Backbone Brewing Co., Roseland, VA

Category 8: Specialty Beer, 27 entries

• Gold: Country Girl Kabocha Ale, Baird Brewing Co., Numazu, Japan
• Silver: COEDO Beniaka, Coedobrewery Kyodoshoji Corp. Ltd., Kawagoe, Japan
• Bronze: Maple Tripple, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Warren, VT

Category 9: Specialty Honey Beer, 27 entries

• Gold: Tauras Alus su medumi, UAB “Kalnapilio - Tauro grupė”, Panevezys, Lithuania
• Silver: Bracia, Thornbridge Brewery, Bakewell, United Kingdom
• Bronze: Cable Car Amber Ale, World Brews, Novato, CA

Category 10: Session Beer, 28 entries

• Gold: Polygamy Porter, Utah Brewers Co-Op, Salt Lake City, UT
• Silver: Firestone Extra Pale Ale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
• Bronze: Guppie Pale Ale, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Chandler, Huntington Beach, CA

Category 11: Other Strong Beer, 44 entries

• Gold: Imperial Jack, 21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, CA
• Silver: Green Flash Stout, Green Flash Brewing Co., Vista, CA
• Bronze: Doug’s Very Noddy 40th Birthday Lager, Buckbean Brewing Co., Reno, NV

Category 12: Experimental Beer, 51 entries

• Gold: 100% Brett Autumn Maple, The Bruery, Placentia, CA
• Silver: Harvest, Snipes Mountain Brewing Co., Sunnyside, WA
• Bronze: Red & White, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE

Category 13: Out of Category - Traditionally Brewed Beer, 47 entries

• Gold: Fathom IPL, Ballast Point Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
• Silver: Hot Rocks Lager, Port Brewing Co., San Marcos, CA
• Bronze: State Pen Porter, Santa Fe Brewing Co., Santa Fe, NM

Category 14: Gluten Free Beer, 10 entries

• Gold: Celia Saison, The Alchemist, Waterbury, VT
• Silver: O’Brien Brown Ale, O’Brien Brewing, Bakery Hill, Australia
• Bronze: RedBridge, Anheuser-Busch InBev, St. Louis, MO

Category 15: American-Belgo-Style Ale, 46 entries

• Silver: Ommegang Biere de Mars, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
• Bronze: Hop God, Nebraska Brewing Co., Papillion, NE

Category 16: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer, 32 entries

• Gold: Bourbon Barrel Aged Piper Down, Ballast Point Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
• Silver: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, Alltech’s Lexington Brewing Co., Lexington, KY
• Bronze: Pullman’s Reserve, Flossmoor Station Restaurant & Brewery, Flossmoor, IL

Category 17: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer, 113 entries

• Gold: The Legend of the Liquid Brain Imperial, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO
• Silver: Barrel Aged La Petite Mort, Black Raven Brewing Co., Redmond, WA
• Bronze: Rudolf’s Bourbon Scotch Ale, Rock Bottom Brewery - Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

Category 18: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer, 39 entries

• Gold: Creeper, SweetWater Brewing Co., Atlanta, GA
• Silver: Rodenbach Vintage, Palm Breweries N.V., Steenhuffel, Belgium
• Bronze: White Woods, Cisco Brewers Inc., Nantucket, MA

Category 19: Aged Beer, 20 entries

• Gold: Alaskan Smoked Porter 1998, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
• Silver: Gonzo Imperial Porter Vintage 2007, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD
• Bronze: Saint Bob’s Imperial Stout ’06, Il Vicino Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM

Category 20: Kellerbier/Zwickelbier, 32 entries

• Gold: Störtebeker Bio “1402”, Stralsunder Brauerei GmbH, Stralsund, Germany
• Silver: VIAEMILIA, Birrificio del Ducato, Roncole Verdi, Italy
• Bronze: Hell In Keller, Uncle Billy’s Brew & Que, Austin, TX

Category 21: Smoked Beer, 35 entries

• Gold: Caldera Rauch Ur Bock, Caldera Brewing Co., Ashland, OR
• Silver: Smoke Ale, Rogue Ales, Newport, OR
• Bronze: Fujizakura Kogen Beer Rauch Bock, Fujikanko Kaihatsu Co. Ltd., Minamitsuru, Japan

Category 22: European-Style Low-Alcohol Lager/German-Style Leicht(bier), 16 entries

• Gold: Falcon Extra Brew 3.5%, Carlsberg Sverige AB, Stockholm, Sweden
• Silver: Distelhäuser Leichtes, Distelhäuser Brauerei, Tauberbischofshei, Germany
• Bronze: Pripps Blå 3.5%, Carlsberg Sverige AB, Stockholm, Sweden

Category 23: German-Style Pilsener, 69 entries

• Gold: Pilsner, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA
• Silver: Trumer Pils, Trumer Brauerei, Berkeley, CA
• Bronze: Grünten-Pils, Engelbräu Rettenberg, Rettenberg, Germany

Category 24: Bohemian-Style Pilsener, 43 entries

• Gold: Golden Pilsner, Morgan Street Brewery, St. Louis, MO
• Silver: Gambrinus Excelent, Plzeňský Prazdroj a.s., Plzeň, Czech Republic
• Bronze: Velkopopovický KOZEL Premium, Plzeňský Prazdroj a.s., Plzeň, Czech Republic

Category 25: Münchner-Style Helles, 48 entries

• Gold: Hoepfner Export, Privatbrauerei Hoepfner GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany
• Silver: Zipfer Märzen, Brau Union Österreich AG, Linz, Austria
• Bronze: Gordon Biersch Golden Export, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, Chattanooga, TN

Category 26: Dortmunder/European-Style Export or German-Style Oktoberfest/Wiesen (Meadow), 42 entries

• Gold: Schönramer Gold, Private Landbrauerei Schönram, Petting / Schönram, Germany
• Silver: Spezialbier Edel, Aktienbrauerei Kaufbeuren AG, Kaufbeuren, Germany
• Bronze: Weihnachtsbier, Alpirsbacher Klosterbräu Glauner GmbH & Co. KG, Alpirsbach, Germany

Category 27: Vienna-Style Lager, 28 entries

• Gold: Schild Brau Amber, Millstream Brewing Co., Amana, IA
• Silver: Vienna Lager, The Covey Restaurant & Brewery, Fort Worth, TX
• Bronze: Heavy Seas Marzen, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD

Category 28: German-Style Märzen, 28 entries

• Gold: Rocktoberfest, Rock Bottom Brewery - Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
• Silver: Gordon Biersch Marzen, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, Chattanooga, TN
• Bronze: Festus, The SandLot, Denver, CO

Category 29: European-Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel, 33 entries

• Gold: Chuckanut Dunkel, Chuckanut Brewery, Bellingham, WA
• Silver: Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel, Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg GmbH, Kelheim, Germany
• Bronze: Munich Dunkles, Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, Topeka, KS

Category 30: German-Style Schwarzbier, 38 entries

• Gold: Black Forest Schwarzbier, Squatters Pub Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT
• Silver: TAPS Schwarzbier, TAPS Fish House & Brewery - Corona, Corona, CA
• Bronze: Schwartz Bier, Devils Backbone Brewing Co., Roseland, VA

Category 31: Traditional German-Style Bock, 25 entries

• Gold: Troegenator, Troegs Brewery, Harrisburg, PA
• Silver: Sidewinder Bock, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA
• Bronze: Kollaborator, Devils Backbone Brewing Co., Roseland, VA

Category 32: German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock, 26 entries

• Gold: Distelhäuser Frühlingsbock, Distelhäuser Brauerei, Tauberbischofsheim, Germany
• Silver: Kalnapilis 7.30, UAB “Kalnapilio - Tauro grupė”, Panevezys, Lithuania
• Bronze: Kloster Starkbier, Alpirsbacher Klosterbräu Glauner GmbH & Co. KG, Alpirsbach, Germany

Category 33: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock, 43 entries

• Gold: Broken Skeg, Breakwater Brewing Co., Oceanside, CA
• Silver: Dunkles Bock, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA
• Bronze: Dominator Dopplebock, Sun King Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN

Category 34: American-Style Lager, 75 entries

• Gold: Olympia, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
• Silver: National Bohemian, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
• Bronze: Coors Light, Coors Brewing Company, Golden, CO

Category 35: American-Style Specialty Lager, 19 entries

• Gold: Boulevard Pilsner, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO
• Silver: Mickey’s Malt Liquor, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
• Bronze: Colt 45, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL

Category 36: American-Style Amber Lager, 24 entries

• Gold: Numazu Lager, Baird Brewing Co., Numazu, Japan
• Silver: Upland Oktoberfest, Upland Brewing Co., Bloomington, IN
• Bronze: Riverwest Stein, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI

Category 37: American-Style Dark Lager, 12 entries

• Gold: Session Black, Full Sail Brewing Co., Hood River, OR
• Silver: Durango Dark, Durango Brewing Co., Durango, CO
• Bronze: Ben’s Brown, Golden Hills Brewing Co., Reardan, WA

Category 38: Australasian, Latin American or Tropical-Style Light Lager, 19 entries

• Gold: Tiger Crystal, Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd., Singapore
• Silver: Quilmes Cristal, Cervecería y Maltería Quilmes, Quilmes, Argentina
• Bronze: Landshark, Anheuser-Busch InBev, St. Louis, MO

Category 39: International-Style Lager, 58 entries

• Gold: Tiger Beer, Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd., Singapore
• Silver: Gambrinus Svĕtlé, Plzeňský Prazdroj a.s., Plzeň, Czech Republic
• Bronze: Egils Polar, Olgerdin Egill Skallagrímsson, Reykjavik, Iceland

Category 40: Baltic-Style Porter, 28 entries

• Gold: Danzig, Devils Backbone Brewing Co., Roseland, VA
• Silver: 3 Dog Night, Chama River Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
• Bronze: Token, Alpine Beer Co., Alpine, CA

Category 41: Belgian-Style Witbier, 47 entries

• Gold: Allagash White, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
• Silver: Ommegang Witte Wheat Ale, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
• Bronze: Whoop Ass Witbier, Great Basin Brewing Co., Reno, NV

Category 42: Belgian- and French-Style Ale, 57 entries

• Gold: Saison Sayuri, Baird Brewing Co., Numazu, Japan
• Silver: Saison du Bastone, Bastone Brewery, Royal Oak, MI
• Bronze: Fluxus ‘09, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME

Category 43: Belgian-Style Blonde Ale or Pale Ale, 41 entries

• Gold: Troubadour Blond, Brewery The Musketeers, Ursel, Belgium
• Silver: Brugse Zot Blond, Brouwerij de Halve Maan, Brugge, Belgium
• Bronze: Leffe Blonde, Anheuser-Busch InBev, St. Louis, MO

Category 44: Belgian-Style Sour Ale, 23 entries

• Gold: Geuze Mariage Parfait, Brouwerij BOON N.V., Lembeek, Belgium
• Silver: Oude Geuze Boon, Brouwerij BOON N.V., Lembeek, Belgium
• Bronze: Lambic de Hill, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Wilmington, DE

Category 45: Belgian-Style Flanders/Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale, 20 entries

• Gold: Oude Tart, The Bruery, Placentia, CA
• Silver: Red Poppy, The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA
• Bronze: Le Serpent, Snake River Brewing, Jackson, WY

Category 46: Belgian-Style Dubbel, 29 entries

• Gold: Ommegang Abbey Ale Dubbel, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
• Silver: Mad Monk Dubbel, Chicago Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
• Bronze: Abbey Dubbel, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Wilmington, DE

Category 47: Belgian-Style Tripel, 53 entries

• Gold: Daisy Chain Tripel, Chicago Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
• Silver: Samuel Adams New World Triple, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA
• Bronze: Merry Monks’ Ale, Weyerbacher Brewing Co., Easton, PA

Category 48: Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale, 33 entries

• Gold: Omer. Traditional Blond, Bockor Brewery, Bellegem, Belgium
• Silver: Revelations, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
• Bronze: Fin du Monde, Unibroue, Chambly, Canada

Category 49: Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale, 46 entries

• Gold: Witte Noire Imperial Amber Wheat Ale, De Proef Brouwerij, Lochristi, Belgium
• Silver: La Grivoise de Noel, Micro-Brasserie le Trou du Diable, Shawinigan, Canada
• Bronze: Brooklyn Local 2, The Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY

Category 50: Other Belgian-Style Ale, 35 entries

• Gold: New Norcia Abbey Ale, Malt Shovel Brewery, Camperdown, Australia
• Silver: Frozen Kriek, Sleeping Lady Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK
• Bronze: Signature Quadruple, Choc Beer Company, Krebs, OK

Category 51: English-Style Summer Ale, 24 entries

• Gold: Leghorn, Roosters Brewing Co. Ltd., Knaresborough, United Kingdom
• Silver: Y.P.A., Roosters Brewing Co. Ltd., Knaresborough, United Kingdom
• Bronze: Helios Pale Ale, Upland Brewing Co., Bloomington, IN

Category 52: Classic English-Style Pale Ale, 29 entries

• Gold: Summit Extra Pale Ale, Summit Brewing Co., Saint Paul, MN
• Silver: Michelob Pale Ale, Michelob Brewing Co., St. Louis, MO
• Bronze: Heavy Seas Pale Ale, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD

Category 53: English-Style India Pale Ale, 32 entries

• Gold: India Pale Ale, Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, IL
• Silver: Brewer’s Alley India Pale Ale, Brewer’s Alley Restaurant and Brewery, Frederick, MD
• Bronze: Russell IP’eh!, Russell Brewing Co., Surrey, Canada

Category 54: Ordinary Bitter, 12 entries

• Gold: Drop Top, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR
• Silver: Redoak Bitter, Redoak, Sydney, Australia
• Bronze: Cutthroat Pale Ale, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT

Category 55: Special Bitter or Best Bitter, 30 entries

• Gold: Bachelor Bitter, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
• Silver: Lumberyard Red, Beaver St. Brewery, Flagstaff, AZ
• Bronze: Spitfire, Shepherd Neame Ltd., Faversham, United Kingdom

Category 56: Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter, 24 entries

• Gold: Steep Trail Amber Ale, Black Diamond Brewing Co., Concord, CA
• Silver: Organic Velvet ESB, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR
• Bronze: Extra Special Ale, Yards Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA

Category 57: Scottish-Style Ale, 29 entries

• Gold: Highland Courage, Rock Bottom Brewery - Bethesda, Bethesda, MD
• Silver: MacPelican’s Scottish Style Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
• Bronze: Russell Wee Angry Scotch Ale, Russell Brewing Co., Surrey, Canada

Category 58: English-Style Mild Ale, 23 entries

• Gold: Minerva Pale Ale, Cerveceria Minerva SA de CV, Zapopan, Mexico
• Silver: London Tavern Ale, Valley Brewing Co., Stockton, CA
• Bronze: Whistler Black Tusk Ale, Whistler Brewing Co., Vancouver, Canada

Category 59: English-Style Brown Ale, 46 entries

• Gold: Red Hydrant Ale, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
• Silver: Longboard Brown, Rock Bottom Brewery - La Jolla, La Jolla, CA
• Bronze: Mudslinger Ale, Redhook Ales Woodinville, Woodinville, WA

Category 60: Brown Porter, 37 entries

• Gold: Tamerlane Brown Porter, Black Raven Brewing Co., Redmond, WA
• Silver: Caldera Pilot Rock Porter, Caldera Brewing Co., Ashland, OR
• Bronze: Industrial Porter, Crown Brewing Co., Crown Point, IN

Category 61: Robust Porter, 64 entries

• Gold: Pier Rat Porter, Pizza Port San Clemente, San Clemente, CA
• Silver: Founders Porter, Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, MI
• Bronze: Russian River Porter, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA

Category 62: Sweet Stout, 25 entries

• Gold: Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout, The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery Inc., Farmville, NC
• Silver: Cream Stout, Redwood Brewing Co., Flint, MI
• Bronze: Udder Goodness, Rock Bottom Brewery - Desert Ridge, Phoenix, AZ

Category 63: Oatmeal Stout, 34 entries

• Gold: Oatmeal Stout, Gella’s Diner and LB Brewing Co., Hays, KS
• Silver: Velvet Merkin, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
• Bronze: Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, Anderson Valley Brewing Co., Boonville, CA

Category 64: Scotch Ale, 38 entries

• Gold: AleSmith Wee Heavy, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
• Silver: Three Heavy, Dry Dock Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
• Bronze: Reed’s Wee Heavy, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA

Category 65: British-Style Imperial Stout, 24 entries

• Gold: Russian Imperial Stout, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Wilmington, DE
• Silver: Crazy Ivan, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Wilmington, DE
• Bronze: Jay Walker, Walking Man Brewing, Stevenson, WA

Category 66: Old Ale, 15 entries

• Gold: Fourth Dementia Olde Ale, Kuhnhenn Brewing Co., Warren, MI
• Silver: Irish Walker, Olde Hickory Brewery, Hickory, NC
• Bronze: Subzero, Rock Bottom Brewery - Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

Category 67: Strong Ale, 26 entries

• Gold: Outback X, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR
• Silver: Dirty Bastard, Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, MI
• Bronze: Cabin Fever, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA

Category 68: Barley Wine-Style Ale, 58 entries

• Gold: Little Korkny Ale Niepoort Barrel, Nørrebro Bryghus, Copenhagen N., Denmark
• Silver: Thor’s Hammer, Central City Brewing Co., Surrey, Canada
• Bronze: Alaskan Barleywine 2009, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK

Category 69: German-Style Kӧlsch/Kӧln-Style Kӧlsch, 23 entries

• Gold: Schlafly Kolsch Ale, The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc., St. Louis, MO
• Silver: Fox Light, Fox River Brewing Company, Oshkosh, WI
• Bronze: Chaser Pale, Blackstone Brewing Co., Nashville, TN

Category 70: German-Style Brown Ale/Düsseldorf, 26 entries

• Gold: Lands End Amber, Kannah Creek Brewing Co., Grand Junction, CO
• Silver: The Detroit Dwarf, The Detroit Beer Co., Detroit, MI
• Bronze: ALT, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR

Category 71: German-Style Sour Ale, 9 entries

• Gold: Berliner Weisse, Snake River Brewing, Jackson, WY
• Silver: Ich Bin Ein Berliner Weisse, Nodding Head Brewery and Restaurant, Philadelphia, PA
• Bronze: Gose, Upright Brewing Co., Portland, OR

Category 72: South German-Style Hefeweizen/Hefeweissbier, 66 entries

• Gold: Hefeweizen, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
• Silver: Baltika N°8 Wheat, Baltika Breweries, St. Petersburg, Russia
• Bronze: Top Heavy Hefeweizen, Piece Brewing Co., Chicago, IL

Category 73: German-Style Pale Wheat Ale, 13 entries

• Gold: TAP 2 Mein Kristall, Schneider Weisse, Kelheim, Germany
• Silver: Unertl Leichte Weisse, Weißbräu Unertl GmbH & Co. KG, Mühldorf, Germany
• Bronze: Distelhäuser Kristallweizen, Distelhäuser Brauerei, Tauberbischofsheim, Germany

Category 74: German-Style Dark Wheat Ale, 22 entries

• Gold: VùDù, Birrificio Italiano, Lurago Marinone, Italy
• Silver: Unertl Mühldorfer Weisse, Weißbräu Unertl GmbH & Co. KG, Mühldorf, Germany
• Bronze: Distelhäuser Dunkles Weizen, Distelhäuser Brauerei, Tauberbischofsheim, Germany

Category 75: South German-Style Weizenbock/Weissbock, 27 entries

• Gold: Plank Heller Weizenbock, Brauerei Michael Plank, Laaber, Germany
• Silver: Old Harbor Taina, Old Harbor Brewery, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Bronze: AleSmith Decadence 2009, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category 76: Irish-Style Red Ale, 26 entries

• Gold: Red Trolley Ale, Karl Strauss Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
• Silver: Samuel Adams Irish Red, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA
• Bronze: Ragtop Red, Rock Bottom Brewery - La Jolla, La Jolla, CA

Category 77: Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout, 22 entries

• Gold: McLuhr’s Irish Stout, Dillon DAM Brewery, Dillon, CO
• Silver: Port Truck Stout, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
• Bronze: Porterhouse Plain Porter, The Porterhouse Brewing Co., Dublin, Ireland

Category 78: Foreign-Style Stout, 21 entries

• Silver: Zonker Stout, Snake River Brewing, Jackson, WY
• Bronze: Spetsnaz Stout, The Grumpy Troll Brewery, Restaurant & Pizzeria, Mount Horeb, WI

Category 79: Golden or Blonde Ale, 50 entries

• Gold: Heavy Seas Gold Ale, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD
• Silver: Sunlight Cream Ale, Sun King Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
• Bronze: Aud Blonde, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA

Category 80: American-Style Pale Ale, 77 entries

• Gold: Pale 31, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
• Silver: Drakes 1500 Pale Ale, Drakes Brewing Co., San Leandro, CA
• Bronze: Mission Street Pale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA

Category 81: American-Style Strong Pale Ale, 59 entries

• Gold: O’Brien’s IPA, Alpine Beer Co., Alpine, CA
• Silver: Hop Bomb IPA, Rock Bottom Brewery - Bellevue, Bellevue, WA
• Bronze: Lumberyard IPA, Beaver St. Brewery, Flagstaff, AZ

Category 82: American-Style India Pale Ale, 104 entries

• Gold: Norm’s Raggedy-Ass IPA, Big Rock Chop House & Brewery, Birmingham, MI
• Silver: Centennial IPA, Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, MI
• Bronze: Duet, Alpine Beer Co., Alpine, CA

Category 83: Imperial India Pale Ale, 69 entries

• Gold: Hardcore IPA, BrewDog, Fraserburgh, United Kingdom
• Silver: Bonnie’s Raggedy-Ass Imperial IPA, Big Rock Chop House & Brewery, Birmingham, MI
• Bronze: Imperial IPA, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA

Category 84: American-Style Amber/Red Ale, 66 entries

• Gold: Rudolph’s Red, Rock Bottom Brewery - La Jolla, La Jolla, CA
• Silver: Red Rock, Triple Rock Brewery and Alehouse, Berkeley, CA
• Bronze: Odell Red Ale, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Category 85: Imperial Red Ale, 32 entries

• Gold: Behemoth, Three Floyds Brewing Co. LLC, Munster, IN
• Silver: Lumberyard Imperial Red, Beaver St. Brewery, Flagstaff, AZ
• Bronze: Shark Attack, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA

Category 86: American-Style Brown Ale, 40 entries

• Gold: Nut Brown Ale, Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, IL
• Silver: Hawai’i Nui Brewing Company Hapa, Hawai’i Nui Brewing Co., Hilo, HI
• Bronze: Christmas Ale, Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, IL

Category 87: American-Style Sour Ale, 14 entries

• Gold: Raspberry Torte, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Wilmington, DE
• Silver: Viking Oud Bruin, Nørrebro Bryghus, Copenhagen N., Denmark
• Bronze: Wild Ale #4, Santa Fe Brewing Co., Santa Fe, NM

Category 88: American-Style Stout, 31 entries

• Gold: Black Magic Stout, Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA
• Silver: Sticky Stout, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
• Bronze: Terminal Stout, Rock Bottom Brewery - Chicago, Chicago, IL

Category 89: American-Style Imperial Stout, 37 entries

• Gold: Seven Imperial Stout Niepoort Barrel, Nørrebro Bryghus, Copenhagen N., Denmark
• Silver: Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout, Foothills Brewing, Winston-Salem, NC
• Bronze: Imperial Stout, Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, MI

Category 90: International Pale Ale, 28 entries

• Gold: Sculpin IPA, Ballast Point Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
• Silver: Straits Pale, Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd., Singapore
• Bronze: P.L. IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA

Stoudts Brewing & Mother Earth

**every day should be Earth Day - kristyn**

Here at Stoudt's, we try to do as much as we can to promtoe a happy and healthy Mother Earth.The less impact we have on the environment, the better off we'll all be in the future. With our new edition, The Wonderful Good Market, we are trying to set an example not only in promoting and consuming organic and local food, but also by limiting our intake of natural resources. We put in brand new solar panels, which dramatically cuts our electricity use. This is an amazing new asset in our increasing needs to conserve our resources. By providing local food, we can rely less on the commercial food industry and gasoline consumption, as well as the outsourcing of our local farmers and food purveyors. On a different level, the Market provides a local book share, where you can borrow and share your own books with others in the community. We have also introduced a thrift store, providing affordable clothing to the greater community.

The brewery is also playing a major role in being ecologically aware...and on so many levels! Our spent grain has been feeding our farm friends for years, a classic win-win situation for everybody. This is an obvious win-win situation for everybody. The grain provides nutrient-rich food for local animals. It is also a great compost element, proven to grow large and numerous worms in Ed Stoudt's compost, providing rich nutrients and earthworms for his beloved Dahlia garden. The worms also provide great treats for his pet duck, Donald. Also, by coming in for a pint at the bar, or purchasing a keg rather than cases, responsible drinkers are greatly depleting the amount of bottles, as well as the energy, which goes into processing those bottles at the recycling center. On a larger scale, the brewery is currently working on a glycol (chilling) system for the Lager Cellar and two of our fermentation rooms. This new system will greatly reduce our energy consumption with regard to cooling and maintaining temperatures in the fermentors. We are also in the process of putting in motion-sensitive lighting in our warehouses, limiting our overall electricity intake.

You're all probably wondering how antiquing can affect the environment. There has been a re-emergence in buying used goods from thrift stores and summertime yard sales. It not only feels great to get something cool for a steal, but it also slows the demand of manufactured products from outsourced companies. Rather than throw away, we can all re-use, swap, and mend what we have. Rather than buying brand new goods, why not buy used furniture, clothing, and trinkets, …after all, they were probably made better back in the day. Plus, you get a one of a kind look for your home and garden. There's some-thing special about antiques in that they provide rich stories of personal histories, and the element of one object being used by various people, which connects all of us on a more personal level.

We try to do our part in every aspect of business at Stoudt's, and we encourage all of you to do the same. This Earth Day, if we all pitch in, we can enhance our Earth's well being in so many wonderful ways. As consumers, we have the power to change the world and make it a better place for generations to come!

Cheers!