EUGENE, OR—Last week, Denver, Colorado hosted the 2013 Great American Beer Festival (GABF), an annual, three-day beer festival and one of the most coveted beer competitions in the brewing industry. Presented by the Brewers Association, GABF is the largest national beer competition that recognizes the most outstanding beers produced in the nation.

In an award ceremony held on Oct. 13 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, the top three winners in the competition’s 84 beer-style categories were announced. Jamie Floyd, Ninkasi’s founding brewer and co-owner, and other Ninkasi team members excitedly accepted an award on-stage as the brewery was presented with a gold medal in the Bohemian-Style Pilsener beer-style category for its Bohemian Pilsner. In total, 53 beers from breweries across the nation competed in this category.

Released in July 2013, Ninkasi’s Bohemian Pilsner was brewed under its Rare and Delicious Series, offering limited-release beers that are creative expressions of its brewing collective. The beer itself was released specifically for the 26th Oregon Brewers Festival, and is a Ninkasi take on the traditional Bohemian-Style Pilsener. Ninkasi’s Bohemian Pilsner is a medium-bodied golden lager with spicy floral aromas from the styles signature hop, Saaz.

“Winning gold or any medal for a Bohemian-Style Pilsener is an incredible achievement for us as brewers,” explains Floyd. “This is an incredibly difficult beer to make and we love to show that we are as committed to making delicious lagers as much as we are to the hoppy beers we are associated with.”

Set to release in January 2014, Ninkasi will release its Bohemian Pilsner as the next beer in its Prismatic Lager Series. Renamed after the Czech word for truth, Pravda will be available in 12oz. bottles and on-draft January through April 2014.

“This style has been produced for centuries in Europe so we are excited to share this delicious lager with our fans as a true representation of the style,” says Floyd.

Ninkasi’s complete line-up of beers can be found at: www.NinkasiBrewing.com/beers.

About Ninkasi Brewing Company
Founded in 2006 by Jamie Floyd and Nikos Ridge, Ninkasi Brewing Company continues to grow from its first batch of Total Domination IPA, to a 55-barrel brewing system located in Eugene, Ore. Ninkasi’s Flagship beers—Total Domination IPA, Tricerahops Double IPA, Believer Double Red, Oatis Oatmeal Stout, and Vanilla Oatis Oatmeal Stout—are sold throughout Oregon, Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and British Columbia. The brewery remains privately-owned and is committed to community support and giving. Ninkasi’s Beer Is Love program offers in-kind donations and support for organizations throughout its footprint.

(Press Release)

LONGMONT, CO—Four weeks ago, 3 inches was all that remained between a flood disaster and a dodged bullet for Left Hand Brewing Company. On Saturday morning, the number 3 proved its good luck again for the brewery – this time with 3 Gold Medals for Sawtooth Ale, Milk Stout, and Fade to Black Volume 1 – Foreign Export Stout at this year’s Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Denver, CO. The brewery tied for the most Gold Medals taken home this year.

Back in September, the Longmont, CO brewery came close to destruction as the mighty St. Vrain River raged to epic levels during the 500 year flood. After plenty of hard work and cleanup, the brewery was back on its feet and fundraising over $60K for CO Flood Relief.  It was a tough month, and as VP of Operations Chris Lennert quipped “this wasn’t just another GABF for us – we needed to cut loose collectively, celebrate 20 years of making great beer, thank all of our customers for their support during the flood and tell the world we’re stronger than ever.” And did we ever – on the opening night of the Great American Beer Festival, Left Hand introduced two new Nitro beers in 12oz bottles – Sawtooth Nitro & Wake Up Dead Nitro – to an audience of over 1,500 friends and industry guests at the brewery’s 20th Anniversary party.

Two days later, Left Hand won the most medals in its 20th year since its first GABF in 1994. Sawtooth Ale, the brewery’s original flagship and still going strong, took Gold (just like ’94) for Ordinary / Special Bitter. Left Hand’s best seller, Milk Stout took Gold for Sweet Stout. Finally, in the first year Left Hand has brought back Fade to Black Volume 1 since its 2010 Gold win for Export Stout, FTB 1 took another Gold medal home Saturday for the same category. The latest hardware additions bring Left Hand’s GABF medal count to 22.

Gerald Wyman of Gella's Diner & Lb. Brewing Co. (Hays, KS) displays the silver and gold medals he won at the 2013 Great American Beer Festival. Photo by Jon Page

DENVER—The 2013 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition awarded 252 medals on Saturday to some of the best commercial breweries in the United States, including GABF Pro-Am medals. The competition is presented by the Brewers Association.

Winners were chosen from 4,809 competition entries from 745 breweries, hailing from 49 states, plus Washington, DC. Here is a complete list of award winners.

2013 BREWERY AND BREWER OF THE YEAR AWARDS

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year

Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.

Gella’s Diner & Lb. Brewing Co., Hays, KS

Gerald Wyman

Mid-Size Brewpub and Mid-Size Brewpub Brewer of the Year

Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA

Julian Sarago and Ian McCall

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year

Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group

Pelican Brewing Co., Pacific City, OR

Darron Welch and Steve Panos

Brewpub Group and Brewpub Group Brewer of the Year

Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group

Rock Bottom Brewery, Broomfield, CO

Team Rock Bottom

Very Small Brewing Company and Very Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year

Baker City Brewing Co., Baker City, OR

Marks Lanham & Eli Dickison

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year

Sponsored by Microstar Keg Management

Devils Backbone Brewing Co.—Basecamp, Roseland, VA

Jason Oliver

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year

Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group

Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA

Matt Brynildson

Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year

Sponsored by Beer Institute

SandLot, Denver, CO

John, Tom, Bill & Addison

2013 MEDALISTS

Category 1: American-Style Wheat Beer (31 Entries)

Gold: Shredders Wheat, Baker City Brewing Co., Baker City, OR

Silver: American Wheat, Gella’s Diner & Lb. Brewing Co., Hays, KS

Bronze: Super 77 Wheat, Wiley Roots Brewing Co., Greeley, CO

Category 2: American-Style Wheat Beer With Yeast (32 Entries)

Gold: American Hefeweizen, Gella’s Diner & Lb. Brewing Co., Hays, KS

Silver: Wheatfish, Great Northern Brewing Co., Whitefish, MT

Bronze: Helio Hefeweizen, Red Lodge Ales Brewing Co., Red Lodge, MT

Category 3: Fruit Beer (73 Entries)

Gold: Golden Knot—Chardonnay, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Silver: Serendipity, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI

Bronze: Sparkleberry Ale, Bell’s Brewery, Galesburg, MI

Category 4: Fruit Wheat Beer (48 Entries)

Gold: Peachy Peach, Pagosa Brewing & Grill, Pagosa Springs, CO

Silver: Bitchin’ Berry, Great Basin Brewing Co. – Reno, Reno, NV

Bronze: Lilikoi Kepolo, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO

Category 5: Field Beer or Pumpkin Beer (91 Entries)

Gold: Elektrick Cukumbahh, Trinity Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO

Silver: Anaheim IPA, Ram Restaurant and Brewery—Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

Bronze: Splashing Pumpkin, Great South Bay Brewery, Bay Shore, NY

Category 6: Herb and Spice Beer (134 Entries)

Gold: Bitterama, Namaste Brewing at the Whip In, Austin, TX

Silver: Chai Milk Stout, Yak & Yeti Restaurant & Brewpub, Arvada, CO

Bronze: Elba, Black Star Co-op Pub and Brewery, Austin, TX

Category 7: Chocolate Beer (39 Entries)

Gold: Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Silver: The Fix, Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA

Bronze: Chocolate Meltdown, Pennsylvania Brewing Co., Pittsburgh, PA

Category 8: Coffee Beer (92 Entries)

Gold: Panama Joe’s Coffee Stout, Il Vicino Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM

Silver: Barrel-Aged Sump Coffee Stout, Perennial Artisan Ales, St. Louis, MO

Bronze: System of a Stout, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA

Category 9: Specialty Beer (31 Entries)

Gold: Warmer, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, Redlands, CA

Silver: Fate Candy Bar Milk Stout, Fate Brewing Co.—Scottsdale, AZ, Scottsdale, AZ

Bronze: Pack Dog Peanut Butter Ale, Marley’s Brewery & Grille, Bloomsburg, PA

Category 10: Rye Beer (63 Entries)

Gold: LowRyeDer, SweetWater Brewing Co., Atlanta, GA

Silver: Rye Smile, Triple Rock Brewery, Berkeley, CA

Bronze: RastafaRye, Blue Point Brewing Co., Patchogue, NY

Category 11: Specialty Honey Beer (40 Entries)

Gold: Buzzed Bee Honey Ale, High Sierra Brewing Co., Carson City, NV

Silver: Midas Touch, Dogfi sh Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE

Bronze: West Bound Braggot, Twisted Pine Brewing Co., Boulder, CO

Category 12: Session Beer (56 Entries)

Gold: Beer Hunter, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, Ocean Beach, CA

Silver: MCA, 21st Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, CA

Bronze: Torque, Kinetic Brewing Co., Lancaster, CA

Category 13: Other Strong Beer (51 Entries)

Gold: Mass Rising, Jack’s Abby Brewing, Framingham, MA

Silver: Power Wagon, Big Sky Brewing Co., Missoula, MT

Bronze: XX Dwarf, Detroit Beer Co., Detroit, MI

Category 14: Experimental Beer (66 Entries)

Gold: Hops n’ Roses, Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Elmsford, NY

Silver: Dragon’s Milk Reserve—Smaug’s Breath, New Holland Brewing Co., Holland, MI

Bronze: Redrock Paardebloem, Redrock Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT

Category 15: Fresh Hop Ale (46 Entries)

Gold: Cent’s and Censability, Old Town Brewing Co., Portland, OR

Silver: Trail Head, Fat Heads Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH

Bronze: Fresh Hop Pallet Jack, Barley Brown’s Brew Pub, Baker City, OR

Category 16: Indigenous Beer (28 Entries)

Gold: Vinland 2, Mystic Brewery, Chelsea, MA

Silver: Sage Fight Imperial IPA, Deschutes Brewery Bend Public House, Bend, OR

Bronze: Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce, Yards Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA

Category 17: Gluten-Free Beer (14 Entries)

Gold: Harvester Brewing IPA No. 1, Harvester Brewing, Portland, OR

Silver: Gluten Free, Deschutes Brewery Bend Public House, Bend, OR

Bronze: Gluten-Free Brown Ale, New Planet Beer Co., Boulder, CO

Category 18: American-Belgo-Style Ale (81 Entries)

Gold: BrickStone Belgo-APA, BrickStone Brewery, Bourbonnais, IL

Silver: Belgo Hoptologist, Knee Deep Brewing Co., Lincoln, CA

Bronze: Little Green, Flat Tail Brewing Co., Corvallis, OR

Category 19: American-Style Sour Ale (31 Entries)

Gold: Ching Ching, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Silver: Myrtle, The Commons Brewery, Portland, OR

Bronze: Red Poppy, The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA

Category 20: American-Style Brett Beer (38 Entries)

Gold: Serenity, Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, NC

Silver: Sanctification, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA

Bronze: HopSavant, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, Denver, CO

Category 21: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer (49 Entries)

Gold: Hellshire III, Oakshire Brewing, Eugene, OR

Silver: Barrel-Aged Frostbite Lager, Ram Restaurant and Brewery—Illinois, Wheeling, IL

Bronze: Rum Barrel Belgian Dubbel Style Ale, Three Brothers Brewing, Harrisonburg, VA

Category 22: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer (117 Entries)

Gold: Afternoon Delight, Sun King Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN

Silver: Twisted Trace, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN

Bronze: Barrel-Aged Full Malted Jacket, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA

Category 23: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout (89 Entries)

Gold: Blot Out the Sun, Three Floyds Brewing Co., Munster, IN

Silver: Barrel-Aged Narwhal, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA

Bronze: Barrel Aged BORIS The Crusher, Hoppin’ Frog Brewing Co., Akron, OH

Category 24: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer (76 Entries)

Gold: Love Child No. 3, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO

Silver: Dark and Stormy, McKenzie Brew House, Glen Mills, PA

Bronze: Pentagram, Surly Brewing Co., Brooklyn Center, MN

Category 25: Aged Beer (31 Entries)

Gold: Lovely, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Silver: 2009 Big Black Voodoo Daddy, Voodoo Brewery, Meadville, PA

Bronze: COLOSSAL ONE, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA

Category 26: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier (30 Entries)

Gold: Keller Pils, Prost Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Silver: Surfliner Lager, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Santa Barbara,

Santa Barbara, CA

Bronze: Progress Pilsner, Market Garden Brewery, Cleveland, OH

Category 27: Smoke Beer (79 Entries)

Gold: Second Hand Smoke, SandLot, Denver, CO

Silver: Smokin’ Handsome, Yellow Springs Brewery, Yellow Springs, OH

Bronze: COLOSSAL TWO, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA

Category 28: American-Style or International-Style Pilsener (29 Entries)

Silver: Gold Leaf Lager, Devils Backbone Brewing Co.—Basecamp, Roseland, VA

Bronze: Gold Country Pilsner, Auburn Alehouse, Auburn, CA

Category 29: German-Style Pilsener (56 Entries)

Gold: Pivo, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA

Silver: Pilsner, Marble Brewery, Albuquerque, NM

Bronze: Sunshine Pils, Tröegs Brewing Co., Hershey, PA

Category 30: Bohemian-Style Pilsener (53 Entries)

Gold: Bohemian Pilsner, Ninkasi Brewing Co., Eugene, OR

Silver: Czech Pilsner, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Broomfield, CO

Bronze: Bohemian Pilsner, Mother Earth Brewing, Kinston, NC

Category 31: Munich-Style Helles (42 Entries)

Gold: Helles Festbier, Hoppers Grill & Brewing Co., Midvale, UT

Silver: Saint Arnold Summer Pils, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Bronze: TAPS Helles, TAPS Fish House & Brewery—Brea, Brea, CA

Category 32: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest (29 Entries)

Gold: Move Back, SandLot, Denver, CO

Silver: Oktoberfest, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.—Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Bronze: Thunder from Dortmunder, Marble Brewery, Albuquerque, NM

Category 33: American-Style Lager or Light Lager (42 Entries)

Gold: Budweiser Select, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO

Silver: Miller High Life, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Bronze: Special Export, Pabst Brewing Co., Los Angeles, CA

Category 34: American-Style Cream Ale (37 Entries)

Gold: Natural Ice, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO

Silver: Old Style, Pabst Brewing Co., Los Angeles, CA

Bronze: Rainier, Pabst Brewing Co., Los Angeles, CA

Category 35: Vienna-Style Lager (30 Entries)

Gold: Churchville Lager, Neshaminy Creek Brewing, Croydon, PA

Silver: Oktoberfest, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA

Bronze: Octoberfest, Sly Fox Brewing Co., Pottstown, PA

Category 36: German-Style Märzen (51 Entries)

Gold: Rhinofest, Lost Rhino Brewing Co., Ashburn, VA

Silver: Octoberfest, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA

Bronze: Dogtoberfest, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD

Category 37: American-Style Amber Lager (61 Entries)

Gold: Rod’s Steam Bitter, Second Street Brewery, Santa Fe, NM

Silver: OktoberFish, Flying Fish Brewing Co., Somerdale, NJ

Bronze: Schell’s Oktoberfest, August Schell Brewing Co., New Ulm, MN

Category 38: European-Style Dunkel (19 Entries)

Gold: Munich Dunkel, Carver Brewing Co., Durango, CO

Silver: Heart of Darkness Dunkel, Springfield Brewing Co., Springfield, MO

Bronze: The Fearless Youth, Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, Loveland, CO

Category 39: American-Style Dark Lager (22 Entries)

Gold: Old Virginia Dark, Devils Backbone Brewing Co.—Basecamp, Roseland, VA

Silver: Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI

Bronze: Black Diamond, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Category 40: German-Style Schwarzbier (26 Entries)

Gold: Black Thunder, Austin Beerworks, Austin, TX

Silver: Black Knight, Fat Heads Brewery & Saloon, North Olmsted, OH

Bronze: TAPS Schwarzbier, TAPS Fish House & Brewery – Corona, Corona, CA

Category 41: Bock (28 Entries)

Gold: Troegenator Double Bock, Tröegs Brewing Co., Hershey, PA

Silver: Andygator, Abita Brewing Co., Abita Springs, LA

Bronze: Goat Rancher, SandLot, Denver, CO

Category 42: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock (32 Entries)

Gold: Samuel Adams Double Bock, Samuel Adams—Cincinnati Brewery,

Cincinnati, OH

Silver: Christian Moerlein Emancipator, Christian Moerlein Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH

Bronze: Resurrection Doppelbock, Red Lodge Ales Brewing Co., Red Lodge, MT

Category 43: Baltic-Style Porter (16 Entries)

Gold: Black Eagle Baltic Porter, Black Tooth Brewing Co., Sheridan, WY

Silver: The Hammer, Rock Bottom Brewery, Broomfield, CO

Bronze: Danzig, Devils Backbone Brewing Co.—Basecamp, Roseland, VA

Category 44: Golden or Blonde Ale (69 Entries)

Gold: Foam Top, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA

Silver: Steelhead Extra Pale Ale, Mad River Brewing Co., Blue Lake, CA

Bronze: Kiwanda Cream Ale, Pelican Brewing Co., Pacific City, OR

Category 45: German-Style Kölsch (60 Entries)

Gold: Leinenkugel’s Canoe Paddler, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI

Silver: Tailgater Kölsch, Flat Tail Brewing Co., Corvallis, OR

Bronze: Potential Blonde, Kinetic Brewing Co., Lancaster, CA

Category 46: English-Style Summer Ale (27 Entries)

Gold: True Blonde Ale, Ska Brewing, Durango, CO

Silver: Hanging Lake, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co., Glenwood Springs, CO

Bronze: Sum’r, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT

Category 47: Classic English-Style Pale Ale (29 Entries)

Gold: 5 Barrel Pale Ale, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Silver: Extra Pale Summer Ale, Dry Dock Brewing Co.—North Dock, Aurora, CO

Bronze: Breakside ESB, Breakside Brewery – Pub Brewery, Portland, OR

Category 48: English-Style India Pale Ale (31 Entries)

Gold: Taproom IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA

Silver: Silverspot IPA, Pelican Brewing Co., Pacific City, OR

Bronze: Enterprise IPA, Dry Dock Brewing Co.—North Dock, Aurora, CO

Category 49: International-Style Pale Ale (30 Entries)

Gold: Hand Truck, Baker City Brewing Co., Baker City, OR

Silver: Amazeballs, Peekskill Brewery, Peekskill, NY

Bronze: IPL, AC Golden, Golden, CO

Category 50: American-Style Pale Ale (124 Entries)

Gold: Lumberyard American Pale Ale, Lumberyard Brewing Co., Flagstaff, AZ

Silver: Featherweight Pale, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Bronze: Citra Rye Pale Ale, Joseph James Brewing Co., Henderson, NV

Category 51: American-Style Strong Pale Ale (120 Entries)

Gold: Bonobos, Monkey Paw Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Silver: Hop Knot, Four Peaks Brewing Co., Tempe, AZ

Bronze: Kung Fu Elvis, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, Ocean Beach, CA

Category 52: American-Style India Pale Ale (252 Entries)

Gold: Pallet Jack IPA, Barley Brown’s Brew Pub, Baker City, OR

Silver: Union Jack, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA

Bronze: Project Dank: Operation Pharoah’s Return, La Cumbre Brewing Co.,

Albuquerque, NM

Category 53: Imperial India Pale Ale (149 Entries)

Gold: Hop JuJu, Fat Heads Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH

Silver: Permanent Funeral, Three Floyds Brewing Co., Munster, IN

Bronze: Notch 9 Double IPA, Smartmouth Brewing Co., Norfolk, VA

Category 54: American-Style Amber/Red Ale (89 Entries)

Gold: Prohibition Ale, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers, San Francisco, CA

Bronze: Red Rock, Triple Rock Brewery, Berkeley, CA

Category 55: Imperial Red Ale (56 Entries)

Silver: Rhino Chaser, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, Ocean Beach, CA

Bronze: Bombay Rouge Red IPA, Third Street Aleworks, Santa Rosa, CA

Category 56: English-Style Mild Ale (35 Entries)

Gold: S.S. Minnow Mild, Dry Dock Brewing Co.—South Dock, Aurora, CO

Silver: Brawler, Yards Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA

Bronze: Ale of Fergus, Devils Backbone Brewing Co.—Basecamp, Roseland, VA

Category 57: Ordinary or Special Bitter (37 Entries)

Gold: Sawtooth Ale, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO

Silver: HMS Victory Amber, Dry Dock Brewing Co.—North Dock, Aurora, CO

Bronze: Men’s Room Original Red, Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA

Category 58: Extra Special Bitter (56 Entries)

Gold: Public Ale, Community Beer Co., Dallas, TX

Silver: True Brit IPA, Summit Brewing Co., Saint Paul, MN

Bronze: Fed, White & Brew, American Brewing Co., Edmonds, WA

Category 59: Scottish-Style Ale (42 Entries)

Gold: Scottish Ale, Campbell Brewing Co., Campbell , CA

Silver: Kilt Lifter, Four Peaks Brewing Co., Tempe, AZ

Bronze: Redhawk Ale, Rockyard Brewing Co., Castle Rock, CO

Category 60: Irish-Style Red Ale (48 Entries)

Gold: Red Trolley Ale, Karl Strauss Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Silver: Colorado Boy Irish Ale, Colorado Boy Brewing Co., Ridgway, CO

Bronze: Ragtop Red, Rock Bottom Brewery, Broomfield, CO

Category 61: English-Style Brown Ale (41 Entries)

Gold: Bandit Brown, City Star Brewing, Berthoud, CO

Silver: Sierra Blanca Nut Brown Ale, Sierra Blanca Brewing Co., Moriarty, NM

Bronze: Longboard Brown, Rock Bottom Brewery, Broomfield, CO

Category 62: American-Style Brown Ale (66 Entries)

Gold: Davy Brown Ale, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.—Buellton, Buellton, CA

Silver: End Of The Trail Brown Ale, Blue Corn Brewery, Santa Fe, NM

Bronze: Doryman’s Dark Ale, Pelican Brewing Co., Pacific City, OR

Category 63: American-Style Black Ale (73 Entries)

Gold: Wookey Jack, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA

Silver: Black Sails, Coronado Brewing Company Brewpub, Coronado, CA

Bronze: Oxymoron, Oceanside Ale Works, Oceanside, CA

Category 64: German-Style Altbier (32 Entries)

Gold: Tree Hugger, Terrapin Beer Co., Athens, GA

Silver: Brewers Cut Altbier, Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX

Bronze: Echo Amber, Echo Brewing Co., Frederick, CO

Category 65: German-Style Sour Ale (46 Entries)

Gold: German Sparkle Party Berliner Weiss, 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Silver: Berliner Metro Weiss, Devils Backbone Brewing Co.—Basecamp, Roseland, VA

Bronze: Passionfruit Sour, Breakside Brewery—Milwaukie Brewery, Milwaukie, OR

Category 66: South German-Style Hefeweizen (77 Entries)

Gold: Big Horn Hefeweizen, CB and Potts Restaurant and Brewery—Highlands Ranch,

Highlands Ranch, CO

Silver: Ebel’s Weiss, Two Brothers Brewing Co., Warrenville, IL

Bronze: Brooklyner Weisse, Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY

Category 67: German-Style Wheat Ale (28 Entries)

Gold: Slam Dunkel, Steamworks Brewing Co., Durango, CO

Silver: Bavarian Sun, Ram Restaurant and Brewery—Illinois, Wheeling, IL

Bronze: Saint Arnold Weedwacker, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category 68: Belgian-Style Witbier (66 Entries)

Gold: Optimal Wit, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA

Silver: Wasatch White Label, Utah Brewers Co-op, Salt Lake City, UT

Bronze: ZON, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO

Category 69: French & Belgian-Style Saison (119 Entries)

Gold: Liopard Oir Farmhouse Saison, Lavery Brewing Co., Erie, PA

Silver: Urban Farmhouse Ale, The Commons Brewery, Portland, OR

Bronze: Maggie’s Farmhouse Ale, Crossroads Brewing Co., Athens, NY

Category 70: Belgian- and French-Style Ale (71 Entries)

Gold: Azreal, Devils Backbone Brewing Co.—Outpost, Lexington, VA

Silver: Grisette, Sly Fox Brewing Co., Pottstown, PA

Bronze: California Ale, Telegraph Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA

Category 71: Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale (47 Entries)

Gold: American Blackberry Sour Ale, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI

Silver: Squatters Fifth Element, Squatters and Wasatch Beers, Salt Lake City, UT

Bronze: Atrial Rubicite, Jester King Brewery, Austin, TX

Category 72: Belgian-Style Abbey Ale (88 Entries)

Gold: Cedar Creek Belgian Style Dubbel, Cedar Creek Brewery, Seven Points, TX

Silver: AleSmith Decadence 2012 Quadrupel, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Bronze: Ommegang Three Philosophers, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown , NY

Category 73: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale (80 Entries)

Gold: Stumblin’ Monk, Stewart’s Brewing Co., Bear, DE

Silver: Quad Damn It, Chicago Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV

Bronze: The Twelve—Belgian Quad, Black Diamond Brewing Co., Concord, CA

Category 74: Brown Porter (30 Entries)

Gold: Old Tom Porter, Piney River Brewing Co., Bucyrus, MO

Silver: St. Charles Porter, Blackstone Brewing Co., Nashville, TN

Bronze: Blind Jake, Pinthouse Pizza, Austin, TX

Category 75: Robust Porter (74 Entries)

Gold: Moonlight Porter, Rock Bottom Brewery, Broomfield, CO

Silver: Black Robusto Porter, Drake’s Brewing Co., San Leandro, CA

Bronze: Genuine Oatmeal Porter, Carolina Brewery, Pittsboro, NC

Category 76: Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout (31 Entries)

Gold: Blarney Sisters Dry Irish Stout, Third Street Aleworks, Santa Rosa, CA

Silver: Stearns Stout, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.—Santa Barbara,

Santa Barbara, CA

Bronze: Dragoon’s Dry Irish Stout, Moylan’s Brewing Co., Novato, CA

Category 77: Foreign-Style Stout (31 Entries)

Gold: Fade to Black Volume 1, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO

Silver: Don Vanuchi “The Killer”, Baker City Brewing Co., Baker City, OR

Bronze: Tsunami Stout, Pelican Brewing Co., Pacific City, OR

Category 78: American-Style Stout (40 Entries)

Gold: Kilgore Stout, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA

Silver: Battlecat Stout, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Bronze: Stumpy Ridge Stout, Black Tooth Brewing Co., Sheridan, WY

Category 79: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout (39 Entries)

Gold: Milk Stout, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO

Silver: Udder Love, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA

Bronze: Dark Lightning Milk Stout, Thunder Canyon Brewery, Tucson, AZ

Category 80: Oatmeal Stout (48 Entries)

Gold: Stagecoach Stout, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.—Buellton, Buellton, CA

Silver: Gold Medal Stout, Blue Corn Brewery, Santa Fe, NM

Bronze: Oats., Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA

Category 81: Imperial Stout (59 Entries)

Gold: Ale Epeteios, Left Coast Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA

Silver: Russian Imperial Stout, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Wilmington, DE

Bronze: Hammer and Sickle, Renegade Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Category 82: Scotch Ale (44 Entries)

Gold: Wee Heavy, Dry Dock Brewing Co.—South Dock, Aurora, CO

Silver: Loose Lucy Scotch Ale, Seabright Brewery, Santa Cruz, CA

Bronze: Heritage, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA

Category 83: Old Ale or Strong Ale (41 Entries)

Gold: Pilgrim’s Dole, New Holland Brewing Co., Holland, MI

Silver: Irish Walker, Olde Hickory Brewery, Hickory, NC

Bronze: Mule Kick, City Star Brewing, Berthoud, CO

Category 84: Barley Wine-Style Ale (55 Entries)

Gold: AleSmith Old Numbskull, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Silver: Old Bounder, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA

Bronze: Release the Hounds Barley Wine, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO

2013 Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am Competition

Sponsored by Briess, Country Malt Group, Hopunion & White Labs

Gold: Poblano, Cigar City Brewing, Tampa, FL

Brewmaster: Wayne Wambles, AHA Member: Jeff Gladish

Silver: Charlie’s Brown, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Brewmaster: Peter Bouckaert/Grady Hull, AHA Member: Mike Formisan

Bronze: Oatmeal Stout, Upslope Brewing Co., Boulder, CO

Brewmaster: Alex Violette, AHA Member: Derek Ordway

What do you get when you cross the experience of a 125-year-old brewery with a drive to revolutionize the beer industry? Nothing short of 11 fantastic entries into the country’s largest and most-anticipated beer festival and competition.

With innovation brewed into each of F.X. Matt Brewing Company’s entries into the 2013 Great American Beer Festival (GABF), October 10-12 in Denver, Colo., everyone at the brewery is excited about their shot at a medal.

“Some may think it’s hard to stay fresh and relevant for a company that has been participating since the festival’s start in 1982,” said company President Fred Matt. “But we’ve been scheming up some pretty outstanding recipes in our new pilot brewery, and I think we’ve got more than a few knockout entries this year.”

So Fresh, So New
F.X. Matt Brewing Co. has pulled out all the stops to celebrate its 125th anniversary this year. That includes feverishly testing and developing new and innovative recipes.

Even Saranac staples – such as Pale Ale, which was entered into competition Category 47: Classic English Style Pale Ale – are getting a fresh new spin. Saranac brewers updated this flagship beer by using their new “Hop Infusion Process,” which maximizes beer-to-hop exposure for an even more refreshing taste. The change hasn’t gone unnoticed: this 5.5% ABV Pale Ale took home a gold medal at the 2013 United States Open Beer Championship.

Some of the new brews entered into the 2013 GABF competition include:
Saranac West End IPA, Category 52: American Style IPA, 7.7% ABV – With a name that pays homage to the brewery’s history in the West side of Utica, N.Y., brewers tested countless individual hops in their new pilot brewery to achieve the sharpest, brightest flavor in this great West Coast Style IPA.
Tramonay Vineyard Saison, Category 69: French and Belgian Style Saison, 7.4% ABV – This aromatic beer is a brewing marvel featuring a full-flavored grape hybrid from Cornell University’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, highlighted by three distinctive hops (hallertau blanc, madarina bavaria, and huell melon) bred at the Hop Research Institute in Hull, Germany.
Farm to Tap – Fresh Hop IPA, Category 15: Fresh Hop Ale, 7.0% ABV – A true testament to supporting local, this beer uses fresh heirloom hops picked by Saranac fans at local Wrobel Farms to boast an excellent aroma with a dry, citrusy taste and fresh leafy greenness brought on by the unique fresh-hop brewing process.

F.X. Matt Brewing Company thinks these beers are also pretty fantastic – and hopes the judges at this year’s GABF competition do, too:
Saranac Pumpkin Ale – Category 5: Field or Pumpkin Beer – Subcategory B: Pumpkin Beer – 5.1% ABV
Saranac White IPA – Category 18: American Belgo Style Ale – Subcategory A: Pale American Belgo Style Ale – 6.0% ABV
Saranac Adirondack Lager – Category 36: German Style Marzen – 5.5% ABV
Saranac Black Forest – Category 39: American Style Dark Lager – 5.3% ABV
Saranac Legacy IPA – Category 51: American Style Strong Pale Ale – 6.5% ABV
Utica Club – Category 33 American Style Lager or Light Lager – Subcategory A: American Style Lager – 5.0% ABV
ProAm Entry: Panther Lake Gose – Category 85: ProAm & Category 65: German-Style Sour Ale – Subcategory B: Leipzig-Style Gose – 7.3%

Stop, Collaborate and Listen
Collaboration is also the name of the game for brewers these days.

In a unique pairing, F.X. Matt Brewing Company joined forces with home brewer Carl Woodward of Panther Lake, N.Y., who took home “Best in Show” in the 2013 New York State Fair Home Brewer’s Competition. F.X. Matt brewers worked with Woodward to develop his Gose recipe into an exceptional entry into GABF’s ProAm competition.

“Collaborations are unique because you get the advantage of having the knowledge and experience of both brewers,” said Rich Michaels, product development manager for F.X. Matt. “Each brewer has a style they love to brew or a technique specific to their brewery, so it’s fun to put our heads together and come up with something that will be really different. The result ends up being a really unique and exceptional beer, both in style and flavor.”

But the teamwork doesn’t stop there. F.X. Matt Brewing Co. has also paired up with four other phenomenal breweries to bring the party to the streets at Denver Beer Co.’s Collaboration Celebration from 3-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11, 1695 Platte Street, Denver.

Denver Beer Co. of Colorado, Pizza Port Brewing Company of California, Rahr & Sons Brewing Company of Texas, Telluride Brewing Co. of Colorado, and F.X. Matt Brewing Co. will share their collaboration brews alongside food and entertainment. There is no cost to attend this event.

Try a Taste
GABF attendees looking to get their hands on the latest in innovation from F.X. Matt Brewing Co. will have the opportunity to sample:
Saranac Legacy IPA – American IPA – 6.5% ABV
Saranac Pumpkin Ale – Spiced Fruit Ale – 5.1% ABV
Saranac West End IPA – American Style IPA – 7.7% ABV
Saranac White IPA – Hybrid IPA/Belgian White Ale – 6.0% ABV
Saranac High Peaks Tramonay – Saison/Fruit Beer Hybrid – 7.4% ABV

Celebrate with us. Use #Saranac125 and connect with F.X. Matt Brewing Company and Saranac on Facebook (facebook.com/Saranac), Twitter (@SaranacBrewery), and Instagram (@SaranacBrewery). For more information, visit saranac.com.

F.X. Matt Brewing Company in Utica, N.Y., was founded in 1888. Today, under the leadership of the third and fourth generations of the Matt family, the brewery is celebrating 125 years of brewing. Through a commitment to innovation and brewing excellence, the company has earned a reputation as one of the country’s most respected brewers of craft beers, including the premium Saranac line. In each bottle of Saranac, you’ll find exceptional quality, distinctive ingredients and a refreshing twist on tradition – the signature of the F.X. Matt Brewing Company.

How might I alarm you? Not by criticising your beers, if you are a brewer; your pub, if you are a saloon-keeper; or your taste in beer, if you are one of those noble souls who describe themselves as “just a drinker.” That humble description indicates that you are a paying customer, which ennobles you in the view of both of the previous parties.

Being a critic is one of the things I do for a living. Being a reporter is another. Is a reporter a fearless seeker-out of truth, neutral and objective? Or does he recruit those qualities in support of his personal passions? When I enlisted, at the age of sixteen, I may have been attracted by the powerful purity of the first role. In the event, I grew into the second.

My favorite exponent of subjective reporting was Whitney Balliett, jazz critic of The New Yorker. He recently died, and I am wondering how he is coping with being offered a position Upstairs when all decent jazz clubs (not to mention drinking dens) are in the Other Place. There is also the question as to the choice of beers Downstairs. One might expect a decent Hell, Helles or Heller, depending on the grammar of the label, but what is on offer for darker days? For the moment I shall not pursue this investigation any further, for fear that I should find out soon enough.

A man who has the chutzpah to be both a talented writer and a cartoonist, Alan Moen, once drew a cartoon showing a bearded, bespectacled fellow exuding a storm of sweat while declining to accept a glass of Miller Lite. The heading on the cartoon was: Michael Jackson in Hell.

I have wondered how imminent this assignment might be. It has been a busy year already. Let me see, where have I been? In love. Yes, I have been in love. That’s for sure. Still am.

I have also been in Turkey, where I cavorted professionally with a troupe of Russian girls in tubular golden dresses. (It was the girls who were in the dresses, not me. They were purporting to be stalks of wheat.) This curious event was in the service of a major Turkish brewery which was launching a wheat beer in broadly the south German style.

I have been in Poland twice this year. On both beer and whisky business. I am beginning to reach the conclusion at this late stage that Slavic girls are as magnetically charming as Colleens, perhaps without the downside of Yeats’s “terrible beauty.”

Italy, I can reveal, is as beautiful as ever. I spent a week there this year promoting my new book, Storie nel bicchiere di birra, di whisky, di vita. This is an anthology comprising mainly articles from Slow Food magazines, especially their Italian edition. It includes some writing in a new vein: what might be termed memoir, in some cases lightly fictionalised. There is even the odd fiction short story.

This book was commissioned by Slow Food, to whom I was originally introduced by Charlie Papazian. Unfortunately, it is thus far available only in Italian. A couple of people have offered to translate it into English for me. I nearly agreed before remembering that I actually wrote it in English. The problem lies not in finding a translator, but in locating a publisher for an English-language edition. I am working on that at the moment. I also hope eventually to find an English-language publisher for the revised version of the fifth edition of my book the Great Beers of Belgium.

Before the end of the year, there will also a be a new book, the Eyewitness Guide to Beer which is published under my name as writer/editor, but with substantial contributions by Stan Hieronymus, Derek Walsh, Conrad Seidl and others.

Heavyweights in a Clinch

I am hoping that my next book will be an account of my dealings with Parkinson’s Disease. I have lived with Parkinson for many years, but I have only recently allowed him out of the closet. I find myself referring to ‘my Parkinson’s’. We do this, don’t we? We refer to our ailments possessively, as though we are staking a claim. Perhaps we are. Perhaps I am. I would rather him inside the tent, pissing out, than the reverse. Pissing, with excessive frequency and desperate urgency is one of his annoying habits. I cannot exclude him, so I embrace him. It is not the bear-hug of old buddies. We are more like heavyweights in a clinch, or even schoolboys locked in a playground fight.

It is this element of my behavior that may frighten you. I am sometimes the quiet, courteous, friendly Lithuanian Jewish Yorkshire Englishman that I always was. On other occasions, I look about as fresh and mobile as one of those ancient men found in peat bogs (no doubt in search of an Islay Malt). Other versions of the new and not necessarily improved Michael Jackson include the Immobile (Good heavens, I didn’t realise they’d made a statue of him already), the Dancing Dyskinetic, The Mumbling Mystic and the Garrulous Grandstander. It was a virtuoso performance of these characters at Denver Airport a year ago that led to my longest and strangest journey in a lifetime of restlessness and wanderlust.

Or perhaps it was simply the fact that I appeared to be drunk. I was not. I hadn’t had an alcoholic drink that day or the day before. As to when I last consumed too much alcohol, that is history—of the ancient genre. I do not have, and never have had, a drink problem.

Apparently, it **appeared** as though I did and, unbeknown to me, many friends had been concerned that my profession had taken its most obvious toll. The Lady from the Friendly Skies was also concerned. She wanted me to meet some friendly paramedics who apparently reside at the airport. They were keen beer lovers, and I seem to remember signing a few autographs on my way to the hospital. In the meantime, my Parkinson’s had taken a turn for the Tourette’s (if you’re going to embrace virtuoso ill-health, you might as well go for gold).

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. It was just like it is in the movies. I was surrounded by people in white coats, one of whom asked me: “What is your name?” When I replied, “Michael Jackson,” there was none of the usual sniggering. People in Denver know who Michael Jackson is. Nonetheless, he asked again. My voice sounded a little crackly. I later learned that I had had a tube down my throat. It had been removed before they brought me out of a coma. That’s where I’d been? Coma? Where is that? Iowa, perhaps? Oklahoma? North Dakota? I have heard of Hygiene, Colorado. Been there, in fact. Likewise, Intercourse, Pennsylvania. Now I have been to Coma, Iowa. “Tell us your name again,” said the doctor. “The Artist formerly known as Prince.” He looked across at another of the white coats whom I later came to know as a neurologist. “I guess he’s OK,” he said.

Then, addressing himself to me, he asked whether I was hungry, and what I fancied to eat. I suggested a large mimosa and a Denver omelette, though I think something less extravagant was eventually provided.

They said they thought I might have had a minor heart attack. My previous travels had taken me from Poland to Patagonia. Now I had pursued a journey almost to the end of my life. As occasionally happens, I had missed the plane I had intended to take. Sometimes I prefer to travel by rail. An advantage of the train is that one can always, like a Glasgow Catholic practising coitus interruptus, get off at Paisley. Metaphorically, this is what I had done. For the moment, I had cheated Mort Subite.

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DENVER—Since nobody can bring the largest collection of U.S. beer ever served to their wedding, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., the oldest craft brewery in Texas, is bringing the wedding to the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). Saint Arnold plans to construct a chapel at its booth at this year’s GABF and has put out the call for couples who would like to make a lifetime commitment while experiencing the premier U.S. beer festival.
A Saint Arnold employee who has officiated weddings in the past will preside over the nuptials dressed as Saint Arnold of Metz, the patron saint of brewers.

“One of my favorite toasts is, ‘May your heart always be full and your glass never empty,’ and I expect to hear that toast a lot at the GABF weddings,” said Saint Arnold Director of Marketing and Events, Lennie Ambrose. “Saint Arnold is closely associated with the legend of the miraculous mug that never ran dry, so I expect he will be right at home at GABF.”

Saint Arnold is scheduling weddings between 5:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. on Thursday October 10th through Saturday October 12th in booth number 134. Saint Arnold will also perform civil ceremonies and vow renewals.

“This will be a lot of fun and we expect there will be no shortage of people taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share the love with thousands of fellow craft beer enthusiasts,” said Ambrose. “While it is a relatively simple process to get married in Colorado, a Colorado marriage license is required, so this will require a little planning for those wishing to wed. Fortunately, the Denver Office of the Clerk and Recorder, which provides marriage licenses, is conveniently located within four blocks of the chapel we’re planning to build at GABF.”

According to experts with TheKnot.com, Wedding.com and others, craft beer has been a leading trend in weddings this year. More couples are carefully choosing the beer offered at their wedding reception to pair with foods served, adding beer tasting stations, printing custom labels or brewing their own beer for the special day. In fact, the recipe for Saint Arnold Icon Green – an Amarillo hefeweizen – was inspired by a brewer’s wedding gift for his sister and brother-in-law to be.

For more information about getting married by Saint Arnold at GABF, visit http://www.saintarnold.com/gabfwedding/.

If we miss each other in the crowd, I shall be sorry, but it is understandably popular. There will be about 25,000 people there.

I shall be even more regretful if we have already failed to connect; if our date for a beer is well past time, and the first weekend in October fading in the distance.

Everything fades eventually, though the distant memories are often clearer than the recent ones. There have been not only sad anniversaries this year but also happy ones. I have been remembering the time that Charlie Papazian, the guru of homebrewing, came down from the mountains (the Rockies, in his case) and made his first visit to London. He stayed at my house, and we went to the Great British Beer Festival.

“Do you think we could do this in America?” he asked. He says that I responded, “Yes, but what would we do for beers?” Homebrewing was doing well, but microbrewing had barely begun to emerge. There were only four or five micros, and fewer than 20 regional breweries, but he somehow managed to create a Great American Beer Festival.

Forgive me if I have told you all of this before. It’s just that this year’s GABF is the 21st, and that thought has nudged me into a rare moment of reflection. By helping Charlie in London, I played a part in the creation of the Great American Beer Festival. It turned out to be a very big creation, and scores of people have played major roles over the years, but I remain very proud of my very small part. The Great American is the world’s best beer festival. None comes close in the diversity of beers available.

Across the United States, homebrewers drove this diversity, bringing enormous dedication and skill to their creations, and often turning professional. This new industry was serviced by Charlie and a growing team of enthusiasts. A competition for homebrewers, a conference for those who wished to turn professional, and the festival have all grown out of a single beer weekend.

Many of the homebrewers, and even some of the new professionals, were trying to produce beers in styles they had never tasted. Sometimes, their only reference was a (probably slight) description in the 1977 edition of my World Guide to Beer. On the odd occasion, judging the homebrewers’ competition, I would be the only person present who had tasted a commercial example of a particular style. My descriptions were not very detailed, but they helped lay the foundations for today’s judging criteria.

I had been discouraged from detail by my publishers, who were afraid that the book, which was aimed at the consumer, would be “too technical.” They were worried that anything remotely thoughtful would be “too difficult” for beer-drinkers. In their hearts, they thought that people who liked beer couldn’t read.

People who like beer are fair game for derision. “Homebrewers!” some polystyrene man would laugh. “My Uncle Hiram used to homebrew down in the hollow. His bottles always exploded.” I heard this story so many times that I wanted to explode a few bottles myself. The polystyrene men were usually radio journalists on whose shows I was appearing in order to publicize the Great American.

This was arranged by an ostensibly bookish fellow called Daniel Bradford, who emerged after a couple of years as the director of the festival. I would come into town (initially Boulder, later Denver), a day or two ahead of time for media appearances. I usually had a new book, or an update of my Pocket Guide to Beer. A “London-based, internationally-known author on a book tour” was more easily sold to the media than a beer festival run by people who lived in Boulder. No matter that the beer festival would soon be internationally known.

I would then struggle to squeeze a mention of my book and the essential information about the festival into a three-minute interview conducted by someone who kept telling his audience that the festival was a celebration of homebrew; that the products on offer would have names such as Toad-Spit Stout; and that all the bottles would undoubtedly explode.

One year, I wrote an article about the festival for The Denver Post, emphasizing the point that it was a festival of American beers. The paper illustrated it with bottles of imported beer. I complained, but understood. Such things happen, I know. Daily newspapers are produced quickly. I first worked on a daily when I was 18 years old, and still contribute to one, writing an occasional column on beer. (Unrelated: The Denver Post subsequently started a beer column by the estimable Dick Kreck.)

The Denver Post’s rival, The Rocky Mountain News, once covered the festival with a single paragraph, which appeared a week after the event. It was an A.P. story, on a New York dateline, and noted that the event was “said to be the biggest beer festival in the U.S.” I wrote a letter, from London, suggesting that a reporter in Denver might have been better placed to write a properly researched story. I did not receive an answer. The Rocky Mountain News much later became one of the sponsors of the festival.

Some people in Denver still don’t realize that they are not just one venue on a national tour. “Where do you go next?” someone asked me. “Japan,” I answered. He looked surprised. “Not somewhere more like, say, Kansas City, Missouri? The whole show goes to Japan?”

I liked the idea of a place being “more like Kansas City, Missouri.” I tried to imagine putting the KC test into practice. Supposing you are on tour, and arrive in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “I don’t know. It’s not much like Kansas City, Missouri, is it? Shall we head on to Oklahoma City? I’ve heard that’s a bit more KC–ish.”

More like KC than Japan? Supposing you went to Dallas, Texas? Would that be more like Japan? Could be…

Excuse that digression. I needed to stretch my legs. The “show” does not go to Japan, but I do. In Tokyo, I appear in a “show” called “Whisky Magazine Live.”

The Great American Beer Festival has thus far stayed within the Rocky Mountain Empire, whatever that is (I guess Fort Collins is a frontier station). Denver is capital of that Empire. There is much missionary work to do even in Denver, but it is one of America’s best beer cities. That’s another reason to visit at least once a year, but this is an indulgence, like our conversation today, spiked with private jokes. We need to do missionary work everywhere.

While the main event stayed in Denver, there was one year a smaller, out-of-town, production in Baltimore, but it lost money. I was not able to be there, and therefore cannot report first-hand that the big crowds were absent. I believe it was the wrong time; possibly the wrong place; but the right idea.

The U.S. has the world’s greatest diversity of beers, but a significant majority of Americans don’t know that, cannot believe it, or don’t care. In this respect, Americans are no different from anyone else. Some people just don’t understand the importance of beer. We have to take beer to them. This may involve being patient: there could still be jokes about exploding bottles,

Was that one I just heard? No, it was a bag of pennies dropping. Kansas City used to be regarded as more or less the geographical center of the continental U.S. It would be convenient.

There are some good breweries in the area–and the folk at Boulevard once sent me some excellent jazz CDs. Kansas City jazz, of course, All we need now are some red-headed women.

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LONGMONT, CO—What’s the big Ordeal?

For the third year in a row, Oskar Blues Brewery is offering “Oskar Blues Ordeal” bus trips during Great American Beer Festival week. Ordealers get special behind-the-scenes adventures at all of our OB party spots—and, of course, lots of great craft beer and amazing nosh.

We’re throwing Ordeal events Wednesday, Oct. 9, Thursday, Oct. 10, and Friday, Oct. 11.

The OB trolley will pick you up outside of the Falling Rock Tap House in Denver and take you to our digs in Longmont and Lyons. We’ll even get all ColoRADo on ya at our Hops and Heifers Farm. Each Ordeal includes classic and specialty Oskar Blues beers all day, and off-the charts barbecue and Americana meals throughout the day.

Here are the deets for each day:

Wednesday, October 9 - $100 round-trip ticket
Oskar Blues Ordeal and Hops and Heifers Barn Burner Pig Roast – 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
The Ordeal kicks off Wednesday with Ten FIDY Handshakes at the newest Oskar Blues restaurant, CHUBurger. From there, we’re serving up a Cajun-style lunch at Oskar Blues Homemade Liquids and Solids and buying you two 10 oz. Oskar Blues beers, but feel free to try any of the 43 craft beers on draft. A backstage tour of Oskar Blues Brewery and more beers will happen at the Tasty Weasel tap room, then it’s time for the main event. To kick off the Great American Beer Festival in style, we’re throwing a Barn Burner and Pig Roast at the Hops and Heifers Farm that will include live music, plenty of food, specialty beers, a bonfire and ridiculously awesome views of the Flatirons from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday’s Ordeal starts at 11 a.m., and we’ll drop you back outside of the Falling Rock Tap House at 9 p.m. Reserve your spot(s) here: http://obordealandbarnburner.eventbrite.com/

Thursday, October 10 - $75 round trip-ticket
Oskar Blues Ordeal Tour – 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
We’re hitting all the Oskar Blues stops on Thursday, and starting the tour off at our Grill & Brew brewpub in Lyons, the place where our beer began. Enjoy Steak and Egg Breakfast Burritos and our specialty Coffee Stout (the breakfast of champions) and we’ll show you around the original Oskar Blues Brewery where we’re still pumping out specialty OB brews and our B. Stiff & Sons craft root beer. 19.2 oz. cans of Dale’s Pale Ale and Mama’s Little Yella Pils will quench your thirst as we next give you a tour around Hops and Heifers Farm. Then a barbecue lunch and a cold Oskar Blues beer at Homemade Liquids and Solids Restaurant is on tap, and we’re rounding out the trip with a VIP tour of the Oskar Blues Brewery before we shuttle you back to the Falling Rock Tap House just in time to hit the first session of the GABF. Reserve your spot(s) here: http://oskarbluesordealtour.eventbrite.com/

Friday, October 11 - $100 round-trip ticket
Oskar Blues Ordeal and Gospel Brunch – 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Back by popular demand, the highly praised Gospel Brunch, held in the hop rows at our Hops and Heifers Farm, is the first stop on the Friday Ordeal. Confess your sins to our preacher and get down to a Southern-style brunch paired with specialty Oskar Blues beers and some soul-saving live music. Grab a beer and check out the 43 craft beers on draft at Homemade Liquids and Solids next, and finish the trip with a VIP brewery tour of the Oskar Blues Brewery and Tasty Weasel Tap Room. We’ll get you back to the Falling Rock Tap House with enough time to catch your breath and make it over to the Convention Center.
http://oskarbluesordealandgospelbrunch.eventbrite.com/

Please contact tyras@oskarblues.com for questions, more information.

About Oskar Blues Brewery

Founded by Dale Katechis in 1997 as a brewpub and grill, Oskar Blues Brewery launched its craft-brewed beer canning operations in 2002 in Lyons, Colo. It was the first American craft brewery to brew and hand-can its beer. Today there are more than 200 craft breweries canning beer. The original crew used a hand-canning line on a tabletop machine that sealed one can at a time. Oskar Blues Brewery in Longmont packaged 59,000 in 2011 and grew to 85,750 in 2012 while opening an additional brewery in Brevard, NC, in late 2012.

I know, it’s not exactly a monster claim. Put down the phone, Matilda, no need to ring up the Guinness World Records people. But it’s something, and I’ll take whatever glory I can get at this point in my career.

To those who have been gunning for this distinction, I regret to report that I’ve had several unfair advantages. My mother, father and grandparents on both sides were soda bottlers and beer distributors, so I started attending both soda bottler and beer distributor conventions while still wet behind the ears. Pepsi convention in Orlando, Schweppes in Vegas, 7-UP (owned by Philip Morris at the time) in Richmond, Lone Star in Houston, Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc in Grand Cayman, S&P (now called Pabst) in Los Angeles, California Cooler in Chicago, etc. etc. Yes, at a Pepsi meeting I met Joan Crawford, and though I was a child, for the record she didn’t beat me with a wire hanger. And yes, at a Lone Star meeting I met Willie Nelson. And got my picture taken with Sonny and Cher, curiously enough.

Upon graduation from college and being cast into the cold cruel world by my wretched parents, I went to work for a Miller beer distributor in Houston, which also sold a myriad of other beers, fizzy waters, teas and juices whose parent companies—all vying for the fleeting attention of their distributor—threw elaborate shows for us to attend. Again I was on the distributor convention road. Then I started Beer Business Daily, which eventually afforded me the invitations of most all brewers and importers to attend their national distributor meetings each year. Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors even took to having two meetings a year. Plus the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s two meetings a year, plus the Craft Brewers Conference, plus SAVOR, plus the GABF, plus the myriad state distributor meetings I attend each year. I wasn’t allowed at first to attend the annual Beer Institute meetings since August Busch III blackballed me. But the late Beer Institute president Jeff Becker would sneak me in. “Don’t worry, pal,” he said with a smile and a wink. “He doesn’t even know what you look like. Just don’t draw attention to yourself.” I sat in the back and never made eye contact with anybody.

Then I started a wine and spirits trade publication and started attending all of their conventions, seminars and confabs as well. Meetings meetings meetings. Sometimes I’d go to the restroom and accidentally board a plane heading to an industry conference. Sometimes I’d kiss my wife, Lulu, on the cheek good night, lay my head on my pillow—and wake up on stage at the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego.

Pretty soon I achieved Executive Platinum status on American Airlines, which allows me to board the plane before others and sit in the front where there are no chickens, pigs or, most importantly, human babies. And the beer is free. Being from San Antonio—not exactly a hub—I naturally have to fly to Dallas to fly anywhere else. I fly to Dallas so much that sometimes I forget myself and fly to Dallas just to pee and then fly back home. I’m not certain, but I may have a second family in Dallas. I think they live under the bar at the Terminal D Admirals Club, and they might be Vietnamese. If you see them, tell them I love them, and green cards and cash are forthcoming as promised.

The golden age of beer company distributor conferences, I fear, has come and gone. In the old days, the big brewers’ conventions held for their distributors were a spectacle to behold, although the degree of spectacle depended largely on market share. Anheuser-Busch, which had 50 percent of the market, threw the best parties. Lobsters piled up a mile high on ice, free Dove Bars (don’t go well with beer, though), those giant shrimp people call prawns, George Strait playing in one room and Elton John in another, August Busch III arriving dramatically on the putting green self-piloting his jet helicopter; his son August IV arriving much more modestly in a fleet of armored black Suburbans piloted by mercs in the employ of Blackwater, later to ferry him and his entourage late night to clubs. Those were the days.