Day 231 Drink: Josephbrau Summer Brew

Josephbrau Brewing in San Jose, Calif., is the nom de guerre of the contract brewing arm of Trader Joe's, the supermarket chain. The store sells some decent craft brews and also markets some store brands that don't look like -- or taste like -- generics.

Josephbrau Summer Brew is a Kolsch-style golden colored brew with a a lacing white head. There is a slight citrus note to the aroma. Overall the brew has a nice sweet malt character. Hints of biscuit and a decent hop finish that leaves a crisp edge.

A Quick Visit to Cologne: Kolsch Anyone?

Cologne (Koln) is located along the Rhine River in western Germany. It is a major river town that was pretty much leveled in World War II, but has been rebuilt into a great city. I am passing through the region this evening enjoying a couple of nights of relaxation before heading to Dublin for the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit.

I decided tonight to try to hit as many Kolsch breweries as possible. It is a fairly easy thing to do since the brauhaus locations are packed together near the Koln Dom cathedral and the Rhine River. Add to this the fact the beers are served in 0.2 liter sizes and you realize that as long as you keep moving you can hit a bunch of spots.

The Koln Guild of Brewers was established in 1396 and it set standards for beers made in the city. Today's Kolsch first appeared in the 1800s and in 1986 the breweries established an appelation under which only about 20 breweries are allowed to us the term Kolsch. Kolsch is a golden colored top fermenting beer. Unlike other ales, Kolsch is fermented in cold temperatures similar to lager beers. The results are worth the work.

I started off at Fruh au Dom. It took me longer than I expected to find the place because you cannot really see the place from the eastern side, where I was trying to make my approach. After building up a thirst, I had the kolsch, priced at 1.80 Euros per 0.2 liters. It is a light, crisp drink that leaves you wanting more. The bartenders serve the beer via gravity at the tap. I also quickly realized the glassware is as delicate as the beer. I watched three come back to the bar broken after a nearby toast.

My next stop was Brauhau Sion. I watched in near amazement as the bartenders filled kranz after kranz (the name they give to the trays that have twelve slots and can actually accommodate 20 of the kolsch pipes.) Sion at 1.55 Euros was more malty than most of the kolsch beers I had on this visit. I watched after a keg ran dry while a bartender grabbed what looked like a Jiffy Lube filling system to replenish the empty keg.

At Peters Kolsch I was able to talk for a couple of minutes with a waiter who told me they are constantly moving because of the small portion sizes. The restaurant was bustling, which is a great sign for a German beer hall. This beer had a good level of hop bitterness, but like the others the portion sizes meant you beer was always cold and being replenished.

My next stop was at the Dom Kolsch outlet along the Rhine. I was impressed by the amazing continuous flow of raw materials up and down the river. Coal, freight containers, liquid natural gas and dozens of barges with unknown cargo passed by while I had a single beer. Dom is a clean beer, but lacks the crispness of some of the other hoppier brews. It still leaves you wanting more.

Outside I walked by a place called the “Bier Museum” that bragged on an overhead sign at having 18 taps. The place was empty, telling me the locals value freshness over variety.

I had a Gaffel Kolsch at Haxenhaus zum Rheingarten with my dinner. It was served in a 0.4 liter glass and just did not have the same sense of freshness offered by the others. It felt more like a regular beer than a treat.

My next stop was a the Paffgen Bierhaus, which felt like the place most 30+ single office workers in Cologne had decided to try their luck. Still, the service was prompt and the kolsch was crisp and on the hoppy side.

The final stop of the evening was for a taste at Gilden Kolsch. This beer was a subtle and soft kolsch that ended on a dry note. It was more complex than most of the others and I wished I had really tasted it earlier to judge it closely against a couple of my other favorites.

In preparing for the trip I had reads several comments about the waiters in kolsch brauhaus being rude and unfriendly. I have to say that was not my experience as a single traveler. In fact, the service is almost too good if you want to have just a single beer and move on. The efficiency of the operations on a busy Friday was impressive.

This has been a quick stop in Cologne and I hope to get back here again.

Tuesday Tasting: Four Beers from New Holland

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we sample four beers from a great Michigan craft brewery.

A few weeks back Joel Armato, who handles sales for New Holland Brewing along the east coast, hosted a tasting for members of the Charlotte Beer Club featuring four brews from the company. New Holland has been making beer since 1997 and they added a distillery to the mix in 2005. The range of solid beers -- from a kolsch to an oatmeal stout -- flowing from New Holland is a pretty impressive display of brewing flexibility.

Full Circle Kolsch-Style Beer: This beer poured yellow and slightly cloudy. It had a relatively thin head, with a nice hop tang to the background of the brew. Good refreshing flavor overall.

Ichabod Pumpkin Ale: Amber color, with a thin head. Upfront flavors of nutmeg with a slight hint of cinnamon at the end. Good balance for a spiced seasonal beer.

The Poet Oatmeal Stout: Black, brown color with a nice roasted character. There is a touch of cocoa to the rich flavor and hints of grain that linger. Great brew for a Michigan winter.

Dragon's Milk Ale: Aged in oak barrels, this is a thick and flavorful brew. There is a mix of vanilla and port qualities to the liquid. It weighs in at 8.5 percent alcohol by volume, so the bomber bottle is perfect for sharing.

Great American Beer Festival Hands Out 222 Medals

The 27th edition of the Great American Beer Festival ended a few minutes ago. Earlier today the Brewers Association handed out 222 medals for beers entered in 75 style categories.

Also awards were given out for the small, medium and large breweries and small and large brewpubs of the year.

Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year:
Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
Doug Muhleman

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year: Sponsored by Crosby & Baker Ltd.
Pyramid Breweries Inc.
Simon Pesch

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year: Sponsored by Microstar Keg Management
AleSmith Brewing Co.
The AleSmith Brewing Team

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year: Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Rock Bottom Brewing
Rock Bottom Brewing Team

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year: Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.
Redwood Brewing Co.
Bill Wamby

Category: 1 American-Style Cream Ale or Lager - 25 Entries
Gold: Lone Star, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Silver: Hamm’s, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Henry Weinhard’s Blue Boar Pale Ale, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI

Category: 2 American-Style Wheat Beer - 21 Entries
Gold: Pyramid Crystal Wheat Ale, Pyramid Breweries Inc., Seattle, WA
Silver: Spanish Peak Crystal Weiss, Spanish Peaks Brewing Co., Stamford, CT
Bronze: American Wheat, Gella’s Diner and Lb. Brewing Co., Hays, KS

Category: 3 American-Style Hefeweizen - 52 Entries
Gold: Henry Weinhard’s Hefeweizen, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Hefeweizen, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Bronze: Whitetail Wheat, Montana Brewing Co., Billings, MT

Category: 4 Fruit or Vegetable Beer - 87 Entries
Gold: Pyramid Apricot Ale, Pyramid Breweries Inc., Seattle, WA
Silver: Alaskan Raspberry Wheat Beer, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Bronze: Sangre de Frambuesa, Santa Fe Brewing Co., Santa Fe, NM

Category: 5 Herb and Spice or Chocolate Beer - 72 Entries
Gold: Russian Roulette, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN
Silver: Pangaea, Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE
Bronze: State Beach Blonde, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA

Category: 6 Coffee Flavored Beer - 28 Entries
Gold: Java the Hut, CB & Potts Restaurant & Brewery (Flatirons - Westminster), Broomfield, CO
Silver: Big Shot Espresso Stout, Twisted Pine Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Bronze: Double Espresso Stout, Barley Brothers Brewery and Grill, Lake Havasu City, AZ

Category: 7 Specialty Beer - 21 Entries
Gold: Red & White, Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE
Silver: Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR
Bronze: Palo Santo Marron, Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE

Category: 8 Rye Beer - 24 Entries
Gold: Roggenbier, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Media, Wilmington, DE
Silver: Right On Rye, Rock Bottom Brewery - Bethesda, Bethesda, MD
Bronze: Ryeteous Red, Amherst Brewing Co., Amherst, MA

Category: 9 Specialty Honey Beer - 33 Entries
Gold: Honey Lager, Capitol City Brewing Co. - Capitol Hill, Washington, DC
Silver: Eye of the Storm, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery, Minneapolis, MN
Bronze: Honey Moon Summer Ale, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category: 10 Session Beer - 33 Entries
Gold: 3.2 Unfiltered Wheat Beer, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO
Silver: USS Minnow Mild Ale, Dry Dock Brewing, Aurora, CO
Bronze: Blonde Bombshell, Cascade Lakes Brewing Co., Redmond, OR

Category: 11 Other Strong Beer - 32 Entries
Gold: Derail Ale, Durango Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Silver: Imperial Oatmeal Stout, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA
Bronze: FiftyFifty Imperial Stout, FiftyFifty Brewing Co., Truckee, CA

Category: 12 Experimental Beer - 82 Entries
Gold: Arquebus, Cambridge Brewing Co., Cambridge, MA
Silver: Fifteen Avery Anniversary Ale, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Bronze: Le Pelican Brun, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR

Category: 13 Gluten-Free Beer - 10 Entries
Gold: Redbridge, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., St. Louis, MO
Silver: New Grist, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Chinquapin Butte Golden Ale, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR

Category: 14 American-Belgo Style Ale - 36 Entries
Gold: Xtra Gold, Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Pleasantville, NY
Silver: Brush Fire Ale, Pump House Restaurant & Brewery, Longmont, CO
Bronze: Big Wednesday, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA

Category: 15 American-Style or German-Style Sour Ale - 34 Entries
Gold: The Dissident, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
Silver: Brute, Ithaca Beer Co., Ithaca, NY
Bronze: Fifth Element, Squatters Pub Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT

Category: 16 Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer - 25 Entries
Gold: Old Jack, Ram Restaurant & Brewery (Indianapolis), Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Buffalo Bock, Ram Restaurant & Brewery (Indianapolis), Indianapolis, IN
Bronze: Beastie Barrel Stout, Barley Island Brewing Co., Fishers, IN

Category: 17 Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer - 79 Entries
Gold: Bourbon Barrel Barleywine, Central Waters Brewing Co., Amherst, WI
Silver: The Legend of the Liquid Brain Imperial Stout, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Golden Delicious, Captain Lawrence Brewing Co., Pleasantville, NY

Category: 18 Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer - 27 Entries
Gold: Beekeeper, Bullfrog Brewery, Williamsport, PA
Silver: Cherry Dubbel, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Newark, Wilmington, DE
Bronze: Cascade Kriek Ale, Cascade Brewing Co., Portland, OR

Category: 19 Aged Beer - 38 Entries
Gold: Alaskan Smoked Porter 2006, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Silver: Vintage Speedway Stout, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Samuel Adams Utopias 2003, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

Category: 20 Kellerbier/Zwickelbier - 23 Entries
Gold: Helles Keller, Fredericksburg Brewing Co., Fredericksburg, TX
Silver: Hell In Keller, Uncle Billy’s Brew & Que, Austin, TX
Bronze: Zwickel, Chama River Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM

Category: 21 Smoke-Flavored Beer - 31 Entries
Gold: Rauch Bier, Sly Fox Brewing Co., Royersford, PA
Silver: Alaskan Smoked Porter 2007, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Bronze: Second Hand Smoke, The SandLot, Denver, CO

Category: 22 International-Style Pilsener - 22 Entries
Gold: Session Premium Lager, Full Sail Brewing Co., Hood River, OR
Silver: Yep, Still Boneheads, The SandLot, Denver, CO
Bronze: OE 800, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI

Category: 23 German-Style Pilsener - 44 Entries
Gold: Kaiser Pilsner, Pennsylvania Brewing Co., Pittsburgh, PA
Silver: Party Pants Pilsener, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Prima Pils, Victory Brewing Co., Downingtown, PA

Category: 24 Bohemian-Style Pilsener - 34 Entries
Gold: Pleasantville Pils, Durango Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Silver: Pallavicini Pilsner, Pug Ryans Brewery, Dillon, CO
Bronze: Double Aught, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA

Category: 25 Munich-Style Helles - 30 Entries
Gold: Himmelbrau Helles, Laurelwood Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Silver: Saint Arnold Summer Pils, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: BS Helles, The SandLot, Denver, CO

Category: 26 Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest - 16
Entries
Gold: Rolling Thunder Dortmunder, Snake River Brewing Jackson,
Jackson, WY
Silver: Westy Export, CB & Potts Restaurant & Brewery (Flatirons -
Westminster), Broomfield, CO
Bronze: Penn Oktoberfest, Pennsylvania Brewing Co., Pittsburgh, PA

Category: 27 America-Style Light Lager - 25 Entries
Gold: Coors Light, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Old Milwaukee Light, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Bronze: Keystone Light, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI

Category: 28 American-Style Lager or Premium Lager - 29 Entries
Gold: Olympia, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Silver: Blatz, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Bronze: Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI

Category: 29 American-Style Specialty Lager - 24 Entries
Gold: Hurricane High Gravity, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., St. Louis, MO
Silver: Natural Ice, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., St. Louis, MO
Bronze: Busch Ice, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., St. Louis, MO

Category: 30 Vienna-Style Lager - 28 Entries
Gold: Vienna Red Lager, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - West Chester,
Wilmington, DE
Silver: Oaktoberfest, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Bronze: Clipper City MarzHon, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD

Category: 31 German-Style Märzen - 48 Entries
Gold: Dogtoberfest, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD
Silver: Saratoga Lager, Olde Saratoga Brewing Co., Saratoga Springs, NY
Bronze: Munsterfest, Three Floyds Brewing Co., Munster, IN

Category: 32 American-Style Amber Lager - 43 Entries
Gold: BJ’s Oktoberfest, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Chandler, Huntington
Beach, CA
Silver: Old Scratch Amber Lager, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD
Bronze: El Oso, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA

Category: 33 European-Style Dunkel - 18 Entries
Gold: Munich Dark, Redwood Brewing Co., Flint, MI
Silver: Bastone Münchner Dunkel, Bastone Brewery, Royal Oak, MI
Bronze: Michelob AmberBock, Michelob Brewing Co., St. Louis, MO

Category: 34 American-Style Dark Lager - 12 Entries
Silver: Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.,
Chippewa Falls, WI
Bronze: Henry Weinhard’s Classic Dark, MillerCoors, Milwaukee, WI

Category: 35 German-Style Schwarzbier - 23 Entries
Gold: B3K, Wynkoop Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Cherny Bock, Bohemian Brewery, Midvale, UT
Bronze: Black Noddy Lager, Buckbean Brewing Co., Reno, NV

Category: 36 Bock - 39 Entries
Gold: Goat Rancher, The SandLot, Denver, CO
Silver: Bock Lager, Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant, Elk Grove, CA
Bronze: Butt Head Bock, Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, CO

Category: 37 German-Style Strong Bock - 19 Entries
Gold: Capital Autumnal Fire, Capital Brewery Co., Inc., Middleton, WI
Silver: Deep Water Dopplebock, Thomas Creek Brewery, Greenville, SC
Bronze: Red Cock Doppel Bock, Maui Brewing Co., Lahaina, HI

Category: 38 Baltic-Style Porter - 18 Entries
Gold: Kick in the Baltic Porter, Bluegrass Brewing Co., Louisville, KY
Silver: Killer Kowalski, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL
Bronze: SMP, Sixpoint Craft Ales, Brooklyn, NY

Category: 39 Golden or Blonde Ale - 40 Entries
Gold: Steelhead Extra Pale Ale, Mad River Brewing Co., Blue Lake, CA
Silver: Alaskan Summer Ale, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Bronze: All Nighter, Chicago Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV

Category: 40 German-Style Kölsch - 42 Entries
Gold: Wind Blown Blonde, Stewart’s Brewing Co., Bear, DE
Silver: Sierra Nevada Kolsch Style Ale, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA
Bronze: Guido’s Kolner Brau, Snake River Brewing Jackson, Jackson, WY

Category: 41 English-Style Summer Ale - 34 Entries
Gold: Surfer’s Summer Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Silver: Montgomery Blonde, Montgomery Brewing Co.,
Montgomery, AL
Bronze: 312 ‘Urban Wheat Ale’, Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, IL

Category: 42 Classic English-Style Pale Ale - 48 Entries
Gold: Full Sail Pale Ale, Full Sail Brewing Co., Hood River, OR
Silver: Clipper City Pale Ale, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD
Bronze: Summit Extra Pale Ale, Summit Brewing Co., Saint Paul, MN


Category: 43 English-Style India Pale Ale - 28 Entries
Bronze: Hop Daddy IPA, Main Street Brewery, Corona, CA

Category: 44 American-Style Pale Ale - 76 Entries
Gold: Mission Street Pale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Drake’s 1500 Pale, Drake’s Brewing Co., San Leandro, CA
Bronze: Firestone Pale 31, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA

Category: 45 American-Style Strong Pale Ale - 71 Entries
Gold: Hop Bomb, Rock Bottom Brewing, Louisville, CO
Silver: Nectar Pale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Bronze: Organic IPA, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR

Category: 46 American-Style India Pale Ale - 104 Entries
Gold: Union Jack IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Blind Pig IPA, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Bronze: Hop Head, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Category: 47 Imperial or Double India Pale Ale - 50 Entries
Gold: Hopnotic 2X IPA, San Diego Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Hip Hop Double IPA, Hollister Brewing Co., Goleta, CA
Bronze: Hop 15, Port Brewing and The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA

Category: 48 American-Style Amber/Red Ale - 65 Entries
Gold: Dry Hopped Red, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR
Silver: CascaZilla, Ithaca Beer Co., Ithaca, NY
Bronze: American Amber, Rogue Ales, Portland, OR

Category: 49 Imperial or Double Red Ale - 30 Entries
Gold: Rock Hopera Imperial IPA, Vino’s Pizza • Pub • Brewery, Little Rock, AR
Silver: Alpha Dog Double Red Ale, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Bronze: Weekender Red Ale, Amicas, Salida, CO

Category: 50 Bitter or Pale Mild Ale - 42 Entries
Gold: Drop Top, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Silver: Hopsmith Pale Ale, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Sawtooth Ale, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO

Category: 51 Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter - 43 Entries
Gold: Bachelor ESB, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
Silver: Sweetwater Motorboat ESB, Sweetwater Brewing Co., Atlanta, GA
Bronze: Standing Wave Pale Ale, Kannah Creek Brewing Co., Grand
Junction, CO

Category: 52 Scottish-Style Ale - 24 Entries
Gold: Highland Courage, Rock Bottom Brewery - Bethesda, Bethesda, MD
Silver: Dells Chief Amber Ale, Dells Brewing Co., Wisconsin Dells, WI
Bronze: Railbender Ale, Erie Brewing Co., Erie, PA

Category: 53 Irish-Style Red Ale - 31 Entries
Gold: Red Rocks Red Ale, Rock Bottom Brewing, Louisville, CO
Silver: Ragtop Red, Rock Bottom Brewery - La Jolla, La Jolla, CA
Bronze: Eric The Red, Rock Bottom Brewery - Orland Park, Orland Park, IL

Category: 54 English-Style Dark Mild Ale or Brown Ale - 48
Entries
Gold: Sweet George’s Brown, Dillon DAM Brewery, Dillon, CO
Silver: Old Elk Brown Ale, Walnut Brewery, Boulder, CO
Bronze: OB-1, Snake River Brewing Jackson, Jackson, WY

Category: 55 American-Style Brown Ale - 47 Entries
Gold: Kick-Ass Brown, C.H. Evans Brewing at the Albany Pump Station,
Albany, NY
Silver: Bitch Creek ESB, Grand Teton Brewing Co., Victor, ID
Bronze: Bad Dog Brown Ale, Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant, Elk
Grove, CA

Category: 56 German-Style Altbier - 27 Entries
Gold: The Detroit Dwarf, The Detroit Beer Co., Detroit, MI
Silver: Railyard Ale, Titletown Brewing Co., Green Bay, WI
Bronze: All The Way Alt, Desert Edge Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT

Category: 57 South German-Style Hefeweizen - 52 Entries
Gold: Wixa Weiss, Wynkoop Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: The Love, Starr Hill Brewing Co., Crozet, VA
Bronze: Mueller Hefeweizen, Springfield Brewing Co., Springfield, MO

Category: 58 German-Style Wheat Ale - 32 Entries
Gold: I’m Half the Beer I Used to Be, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Chandler,
Huntington Beach, CA
Silver: Dark-n-Curvy Dunkelweizen, Piece Brewery, Chicago, IL
Bronze: Wasatch Hefeweizen, Wasatch Brew Pub, Park City, UT

Category: 59 Belgian-Style Witbier - 53 Entries
Gold: Mothership Wit/Organic Wheat Beer, New Belgium Brewing Co.,
Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Belgian Wit, Redrock Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Squatters Wit, Utah Brewers Co-op, Salt Lake City, UT

Category: 60 French- and Belgian-Style Saison - 37 Entries
Gold: Saison, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - West Chester,
Wilmington, DE
Silver: Saison, Nodding Head Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA
Bronze: Luciernaga, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter, MI

Category: 61 Belgian- and French-Style Ale - 34 Entries
Gold: Redemption, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: Pride, Midnight Sun Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK
Bronze: Rare Vos, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY

Category: 62 Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale - 29 Entries
Gold: Lambic de Hill, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Media,
Wilmington, DE
Silver: Upstream Gueuze-Lambic, Upstream Brewing Co., Omaha, NE
Bronze: Cassis de Hill, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Newark,
Wilmington, DE

Category: 63 Belgian-Style Abbey Ale - 53 Entries
Gold: Bishop’s Tipple Trippel, Main Street Brewery, Corona, CA
Silver: Abbey Dubbel, Flying Fish Brewing Co., Cherry Hill, NJ
Bronze: 6th Glass, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO

Category: 64 Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale - 44 Entries
Gold: Darth Delirium, Moose’s Tooth Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK
Silver: Brother David’s Double, Anderson Valley Brewing Co., Boonville, CA
Bronze: Golden Armor, CB & Potts Restaurant & Brewery (Highlands
Ranch), Highlands Ranch, CO

Category: 65 Brown Porter - 30 Entries
Gold: BlackWatch Cream Porter, Pyramid Breweries Inc., Seattle, WA
Silver: FireHouse Porter, FireHouse Grill & Brewery, Sunnyvale, CA
Bronze: Prospector Porter, Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, CO

Category: 66 Robust Porter - 47 Entries
Gold: Nolan’s Porter, Barrio Brewing Co., Tucson, AZ
Silver: Sweet Sanderine Porter, Il Vicino Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Pacemaker Porter, Flyers Restaurant and Brewery, Oak Harbor, WA

Category: 67 Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout - 19 Entries
Gold: Blarney Sisters Dry Irish Stout, Third Street Aleworks, Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: Shaft House Stout, Dostal Alley Brewpub & Casino, Central City, CO
Bronze: Port Truck Stout, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA

Category: 68 Foreign-Style Stout - 28 Entries
Gold: Whiteface Black Diamond Stout, Great Adirondack Brewing Co.,
Lake Placid, NY
Silver: Black Bear XX Stout, Alameda Brewhouse, Portland, OR
Bronze: Black Hole XXX Stout, Chelsea Brewing Co., New York, NY

Category: 69 American-Style Stout - 23 Entries
Gold: Terminal Stout, Rock Bottom Brewing, Louisville, CO
Silver: Black Mocha Stout, Highland Brewing Co., Asheville, NC
Bronze: Troegs Dead Reckoning, Troegs Brewery, Harrisburg, PA

Category: 70 Sweet Stout - 19 Entries
Gold: Cream Stout, Redwood Brewing Co., Flint, MI
Silver: Milk Stout, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
Bronze: Cow Stout, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA

Category: 71 Oatmeal Stout - 32 Entries
Gold: Oatmeal Stout, Gella’s Diner and Lb. Brewing Co., Hays, KS
Silver: Velvet Merkin, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Bronze: Oatmeal Stout, Schooner’s Grille & Brewery, Antioch, CA

Category: 72 Imperial Stout - 44 Entries
Gold: BORIS The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout, Hoppin’ Frog Brewing
Co., Akron, OH
Silver: Night Rider Imperial Stout, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Yeti Imperial Stout, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Category: 73 Strong Scotch Ale - 38 Entries
Gold: AleSmith Wee Heavy, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Way Heavy, Pizza Port San Clemente, Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Bag Pipe’s Scotch Ale, Allentown/Bethlehem Brew Works,
Allentown, PA

Category: 74 Old Ale or Strong Ale - 40 Entries
Gold: AleSmith Decadence Old Ale, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Old Scrooge, Silver City Restaurant & Brewery, Silverdale, WA
Bronze: Old Scratch Barley Wine ‘99, Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co.,
Madison, WI

Category: 75 Barley Wine-Style Ale - 55 Entries
Gold: Treblehook, Redhook Ales Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: AleSmith Old Numbskull, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Scratch #4 “The Flying Mouflan”, Troegs Brewery, Harrisburg, PA

Weekend Watering Hole: Fox River Brewing, Oshkosh, Wisc.

As a regular weekend feature, Lyke2Drink will visit some of the world's great watering holes. This week we find ourselves in Wisconsin at a riverside brewpub.

Fox River Brewing Co.
1501 Arboretum Drive
Oshkosh, WI 54901
(920) 232-2337

During a recent visit to Wisconsin, I was hosted for dinner at the Fox River Brewing Co. by Darv Koneman and his sons, Jake and Adam. The spot is part of the Fratellos restaurant chain and sits along the Fox River in Oshkosh.

The main reason we went to this spot was that the Konemans knew I'd like to try the local beer, but Fox River was also serving fresh perch. It had been a number of years since I had enjoyed any fresh water perch from cold northern waters, so this was an extra treat.

Fox River has both indoor and outdoor bars, plus plenty of restaurant seating. The location is perfect for enjoying the end of a day while watching fishermen and pleasure boaters on the river. The service was not crisp, but the location and the beer made up for it.

We all started with a sampler that included six of Fox River's draughts: Winnebago Wheat (Bavarian style), Fox Light (a German Kolsch), Buzzin' Honey Ale, Caber Tossing Scottish Ale, Fox River Blu (blueberry flavored) and Slam Dunkel.

I thought the Fox Light was a clean beer perfect for a hot summer evening. The Caber Tossing Scottish Ale had some nice flavor. But my favorite was the Fox River Slam Dunkel, which had tons of malt and a nice smoky base. I ordered a pint to go with dinner. This brew had plenty of character, kind of like this part of Wisconsin.

Tuesday Tasting: Eight German Beers

Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we head to where the Reinheitsgebot is still enforced.

Plenty has changed since the Reinheitsgebot -- known by many as the German Beer Purity Law -- was first adopted in the Duchy of Bavaria in 1516. However, you can still count on German brewers to turn out some of the best made beers in the world. Much of what Americans know about German beer is shaped by straight forward lagers like Becks and St. Pauli Girl. While German brewers stick to a relatively narrow band of styles when compared say to their neighbors in Belgium or American craft brewers, there are some interesting German brews available that do get creative.

I spent most of my beer drinking time this past week sampling German beers. A couple were draught beers at the Flying Saucer in Charlotte. The bottled beers were enjoyed during the monthly beer and wine group in our neighborhood -- the Society of Overlook Beverage Sippers (S.O.B.S.) -- where the theme was Oregon wines and German beers.

Here's a small beer tour from the land east of the Rhine:

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier: If you have never had a smoked beer before, this classic from Bamberg is a great place to start. Germans call smoked beer "Rauchbier" and it is a traditional style of Bamberg. Schlenkerla brewery originates in the middle of Bamberg's old town, directly underneath the Bamberg Cathedral. The beer is indeed a heavenly treat. The smoke flavor has characteristics similar to a well made Scotch. The flavor is distinct, yet not over powering. This beer would work well with a gourmet meat and cheese platter or with some chopped pork barbecue.

Erdinger Hefe-Weizen: The Erdinger website says this beer comes 'with fine yeast' that results in a traditional bottle-fermented brew that takes about a month to mature. The bottle we enjoyed tasted crisp, had some slight citrus notes and a firm head.

Kulbacher Monchshof Shwarz: This is a traditional dark lager. Very nice malt flavors with a hint of roasted grain. A lively dark brew from the moment it hits the glass, it is refreshing and satisfying.

Maisel’s Weisse: Made in Bayreuth, a city in Bavaria, this brew is slightly cloudy and an off gold color. There were nice fruit in the nose, with bananas and a tart flavor profile. Very refreshing for a hot North Carolina evening.

Paulaner Hefe-Weizen: (Draught) Unfiltered and a golden cloudy color. There are good hits of traditional banana and clove flavor notes. Very refreshing. Perfect for a 90 degree day.

Reissdorf Kolsch: This is a golden, effervescent brew from Cologne, the home of Kolsch. Very little malt signs, but some pleasant hops. Soft and smooth.

Spaten Franziskaner Dunkel Hefe Weisse: This is a dark, unfiltered wheat beer from Munich. A fairly light bodied dark beer with some good flavor notes. A bit more malty than other wheat brews enjoyed during this tasting.

Spaten Franziskaner Hefe Weisse: (Draught) The brew was an inviting cloudy, golden color. Fairly dry for a German beer with nice citrus notes. Refreshing.

Lyke2Drink's GABF All-Festival Selections

Try as we might, with more than 1,600 beers being poured at the public tasting sessions of the Great American Beer Festival, it was impossible for the Lyke2Drink team to sample each brew. We did get to every corner of the Colorado Convention Center in search of great beer, followed tips from other beer fans and chased more than a few hunches. Along the way we kept track of our favorites.

Here in alphabetic order are our top 24 beers, the 2006 Lyke2Drink GABF All-Festival Case:

Atlanta Brewing Red Brick Ale (Atlanta, Ga.)
Bison Brewing Organic Chocolate Stout (Berkley, Calif.)
Boundary Bay Imperial IPA (Bellingham, Wash.)
Breckenridge Brewing Vanilla Porter (Denver, Colo.)
Bristol Brewing Tripel Warlock Double Imperial Stout (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Browning's Brewery Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout (Louisville, Ky.)
Brugge Brasserie Diamond Kings of Heaven (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Cambridge Brewing The Wind Cried Mari (Cambridge, Mass.)
Dogfish Head Pumpkin Ale (Milton, Del.)
Foothills Brewing Baltic Porter (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Great Divide Hercules Double IPA (Denver, Colo.)
Great Lakes Rackhouse Ale (Cleveland, Ohio)
Lazy Magnolia Amberjacque Rye Ale (Kiln, Miss.)
Michelob Celebrate Oak Vanilla (St. Louis, Mo.)
New Glarus Raspberry Tart (New Glarus, Wisc.)
Oskar Blues Brewing Dale's Old Chub Scottish Ale (Lyons, Colo.)
Pizza Port Dawn Patrol Dark (San Clemente, Calif.)
Samuel Adams Utopias (Boston, Mass.)
Sierra Nevada Wood Aged Bigfoot Barleywine (Chico, Calif.)
Stewart's Brewing Oktoberfest (Bear, Del.)
Stone Brewing 10th Anniversary IPA (Escondido, Calif.)
Tommyknocker Cocoa Porter (Idaho Springs, Colo.)
Wiedenmayer Brewing Quad (Bedminster, N.J.)
Wolf Pack Storm Castle Irish Stout (West Yellowstone, Mont.)

Honorable Mention: Deschutes Brewery Obsidian Stout, Drakes Brewing Denogginizer, Firestone Walker IPA, Flossmoor Station Pullman Brown Ale, Great Basin Brewing Smoke Creek Rauchbier, Great Divide Hibernation Ale, Iron Hill Russian Imperial Stout, Ithaca Cascazilla, Lancaster Brewing Gold Star Pilsner, Magnolia Kalifornia Kolsch, Pumphouse Backdraft Imperial Stout, Prescott Brewing Pilsner 500, Russian River Brewing Piny the Elder, Southampton 10th Anniversary Old Ale, Victory Prima Pils, Wynkoop Brewing Patty's Chile Beer and Wynkoop Brewing Tripel Sixes.

Great American Beer Festival Medal Winners Announced

On the final day of the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, the Brewers Association announced the medal winners for the 25th annual event.

2006 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards

Large Brewery Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Beer Institute
Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Bob Newman

Mid-Size Brewery Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by HopUnion CBS, LLC
New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI
Daniel J. Carey

Small Brewery Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Microstar Keg Management
Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA
Richard G. Norgrove

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Brewery Supply Group
Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Darron R. S. Welch

Small Brewpub Company and Small Brewpub Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.
Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL
Matt Van Wyk

Category: 1 American Cream Ale or Lager - 24 Entries
Gold: Red Dog, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Lone Star, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Bronze: Henry Weinhard Private Reserve, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Category: 2 American-Style Wheat Beer - 23 Entries
Gold: Pyramid Crystal Weizen, Pyramid Breweries, Seattle, WA
Silver: William Jones Wheat Beer, El Toro Brewing Co., Morgan Hill, CA
Bronze: Shiner Dunkelweizen, The Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, TX

Category: 3 American-Style Hefeweizen - 37 Entries
Gold: Hefeweizen, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Silver: American Wheat, Opa-Opa Brewing Co., Southampton, MA
Bronze: Mueller Unfiltered Wheat, Springfield Brewing Co., Springfield, MO

Category: 4 Fruit and Vegetable Beer - 46 Entries
Gold: Belgian Red, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI
Silver: Blue Moon Chardonnay Blonde, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: Patty’s Chile Beer, Wynkoop Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Category: 5 Herb and Spice Beer - 64 Entries
Gold: The Wind Cried Mari, Cambridge Brewing Co., Cambridge, MA
Silver: Leinenkugel’s Sunset Wheat, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI
Bronze: Fred Miller’s Classic Chocolate Lager, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Category: 6 Coffee Flavored Beer - 28 Entries
Gold: Fuel, Capitol City Brewing Co., Arlington, VA
Silver: Black Magic Java Stout, Barley Island Brewing Co., Noblesville, IN
Bronze: Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter, Midnight Sun Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK

Category: 7 Specialty Beer - 16 Entries
Gold: Smokin’ Mesquite Ale, Humperdinks Restaurant and Brewery, Dallas, TX
Silver: Pullman Brown Ale, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL
Bronze: Maple Nut Brown Ale, Tommyknocker Brewery, Idaho Springs, CO

Category: 8 Rye Beer - 22 Entries
Gold: Worryin’ Ale, Piece Brewery, Chicago, IL
Silver: Sun Rye, Redhook Ale Brewery, Portsmouth, NH
Bronze: Surfer in the Rye, Huntington Beach Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA

Category: 9 Specialty Honey Lager or Ale - 26 Entries
Gold: Blue Moon Honeymoon, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Ray’s Honey Rye, Boscos, Memphis, TN
Bronze: Hummingbird Ale, Mountain Sun/Southern Sun Pub & Brewery, Boulder, CO

Category: 10 Experimental Beer - 37 Entries
Gold: New Grist, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Angry Mike’s Stoudt Creek, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL
Bronze: Samuel Adams Utopias 2003, The Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA

Category: 11 Wood- and Barrel-aged Beer - 29 Entries
Gold: Cherry Stout, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI
Silver: Barrel 001, Santa Barbara Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA
Bronze: Bourbon Ivan, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - West Chester,
West Chester, PA

Category: 12 Wood- and Barrel-aged Strong Beer - 58 Entries
Gold: Bourbon Cherry Stout, Central Waters Brewing Co., Junction City, WI
Silver: Full Sail Black Gold Imperial Stout, Full Sail Brewing at River Place, Portland, OR
Bronze: Wooden Hell, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL

Category: 13 Aged Beer (Ale or Lager) - 28 Entries
Gold: Triple Exultation - 2004, Eel River Brewing Co., Fortuna, CA
Silver: Hibernation Ale 2005, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: World Wide Stout, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE

Category: 14 Cellar or Unfiltered Beer - 18 Entries
Gold: Kellerbier, Herkimer Pub and Brewery, Minneapolis, MN
Silver: U.C.I.P.A., Steelhead Brewery - Irvine, Irvine, CA
Bronze: Wild West Fest, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA

Category: 15 Smoke-Flavored Beer - 20 Entries
Gold: Smoke Creek Rauchbier, Great Basin Brewing Co., Sparks, NV
Silver: Smokestack Porter, Rocky River Brewing Co., Rocky River, OH
Bronze: Stewart’s Smoked Porter, Stewart’s Brewing Co., Bear, DE

Category: 16 German-Style Pilsener - 40 Entries
Gold: Organic Pilsner, Butte Creek Brewing Co., Chico, CA
Silver: Eagle Pride Pilsener, Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant, Elk Grove, CA
Bronze: Dog Day’s Pils, Big Buck Brewery and Steakhouse - Auburn Hills,
Auburn Hills, MI

Category: 17 Bohemian-Style Pilsener - 33 Entries
Gold: Schtolen Pils, SandLot Brewery at Coors Field, Denver, CO
Silver: La Plata Pils, Carver Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Bronze: Papa’s Pilsner, 75th Street Brewery - Lawrence, Lawrence, KS

Category: 18 Münchner-Style Helles - 32 Entries
Gold: Sunfest Lager, Ham’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Greenville, NC
Silver: 6X Golden Lager, C.B. & Potts Big Horn Brewery - Fort Collins, Fort Collins, CO
Bronze: Gordon Biersch Golden Export, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, Chattanooga, TN

Category: 19 European-Style Pilsener - 23 Entries
Gold: Gold Mt. Pilsner, Silver City Brewing Co., Silverdale, WA
Silver: Schell Pilsner, August Schell Brewing, New Ulm, MN
Bronze: Widmer Export Lager, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR

Category: 20 American-Style Light Lager - 29 Entries
Gold: Old Milwaukee Light, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Silver: Milwaukee’s Best Light, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Southpaw Light, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Category: 21 American-Style Lager - 27 Entries
Gold: Pabst Blue Ribbon, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL
Silver: Miller High Life, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Blatz, Pabst Brewing Co., Woodridge, IL

Category: 22 American-Style Specialty Lager - 19 Entries
Gold: Mickey’s Malt Liquor, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Icehouse, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: HG 800, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Category: 23 Vienna-Style Lager - 20 Entries
Silver: Balto Marz Hon, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD
Bronze: Schild brau Amber, Millstream Brewing Co., Amana, IA

Category: 24 German-Style Märzen / Oktoberfest - 45 Entries
Gold: Samuel Adams Octoberfest, The Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA
Silver: Michelob Marzen, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO
Bronze: Dominion Octoberfest, Old Dominion Brewing Co., Ashburn, VA

Category: 25 American-Style Amber Lager - 35 Entries
Gold: Steam Engine Lager, Steamworks Brewing Co., Durango/Bayfield, CO
Silver: Toasted Lager, Blue Point Brewing Co., Patchogue, NY
Bronze: Oktoberfist, Bluegrass Brewing Co., Louisville, KY

Category: 26 European-Style Dark / Münchner Dunkel - 21 Entries
Silver: Storm King, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co., Glenwood Springs, CO
Bronze: Dunkel Rico, Stewart’s Brewing Co., Bear, DE

Category: 27 American-Style Dark Lager - 13 Entries
Gold: Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI
Silver: Freidafest, Humperdinks Restaurant and Brewery, Dallas, TX
Bronze: Ziegenbock, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO

Category: 28 German-Style Schwarzbier - 21 Entries
Gold: Black Wolf Schwarzbier, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL
Silver: Schwarzbier, Rock Bottom Brewery - King of Prussia, King of Prussia, PA
Bronze: Iron Horse Lager, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA

Category: 29 Bock - 33 Entries
Gold: Maibock, Blind Tiger Brewery Pub & Play, Topeka, KS
Silver: Tröegenator Double Bock, Tröegs Brewing Co., Harrisburg, PA
Bronze: Fornicator Maibock, Piece Brewery, Chicago, IL

Category: 30 German-Style Strong Bock - 12 Entries
Gold: Autumnal Fire, Capital Brewery Co., Middleton, WI
Silver: Eisphyre, Capital Brewery Co., Middleton, WI
Bronze: Procrastinator, Back Street Brewery - Vista, Vista, CA

Category: 31 Baltic-Style Porter - 8 Entries
Silver: Raven, McKenzie Brew House, Glen Mills, PA
Bronze: Neptune’s Nemesis, Rocky River Brewing Co., Rocky River, OH

Category: 32 Golden or Blonde Ale - 41 Entries
Gold: Kiwanda Cream Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Silver: Korruption Kölsch, Bottoms Up Brewing Co., Pinedale, WY
Bronze: Aud Blonde, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA

Category: 33 German-Style Kölsch / Köln-Style Kölsch - 43 Entries
Gold: Chaser Pale, Blackstone Restaurant & Brewery, Nashville, TN
Silver: Clear Water Kolsch, RAM Restaurant and Big Horn Brewery - Boise, Boise, ID
Bronze: Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower Beer, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category: 34 English-Style Summer Ale - 25 Entries
Gold: 312 Urban Wheat Ale, Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, IL
Silver: Sandbagger Gold, Montana Brewing Co., Billings, MT
Bronze: True Blonde Ale, Ska Brewing Co., Durango, CO

Category: 35 Classic English-Style Pale Ale - 25 Entries
Gold: 5 Barrel Pale Ale, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Mac’s Ale, Pyramid Breweries, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Denver Pale Ale, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Category: 36 English-Style India Pale Ale - 26 Entries
Gold: India Pale Ale, Carolina Brewery, Chapel Hill, NC
Silver: Beech Street Bitter, Pizza Port - Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Triumph Bengal Gold I.P.A., Triumph Brewing Co. of New Hope, New Hope, PA

Category: 37 American-Style Pale Ale - 83 Entries
Gold: Tumble Off Pale Ale, Barley Brown’s Brew Pub, Baker City, OR
Silver: Brewmasters’ Pale, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Bronze: XP Pale Ale, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA

Category: 38 American-Style Strong Pale Ale - 66 Entries
Gold: Big Fish, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Chandler, Chandler, AZ
Silver: Racer’s, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA
Bronze: Hop Knot, Four Peaks Brewing Co., Tempe, AZ

Category: 39 American-Style India Pale Ale - 94 Entries
Gold: HopHead Imperial IPA, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR
Silver: Apex Ale, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA
Bronze: Taildragger IPA, RAM Restaurant and Big Horn Brewery - Boise, Boise, ID

Category: 40 Imperial or Double India Pale Ale - 57 Entries
Gold: Pliny the Elder, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: Poor Man’s IPA, Pizza Port - Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Left Coast Hop Juice, Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA

Category: 41 American-Style Amber / Red Ale - 62 Entries
Gold: Anniversary Ale, Amherst Brewing Co., Amherst, MA
Silver: Amber Waves Ale, Capitol City Brewing Co., Arlington, VA
Bronze: Sharkbite Red Ale, Port Brewing Co., San Marcos, CA

Category: 42 Imperial or Double Red Ale - 24 Entries
Gold: Organic Deranger, Laurelwood Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Silver: Shark Attack, Pizza Port - Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA
Bronze: Rock Opera Imperial IPA, Vino’s Pizza*Pub*Brewery, Little Rock, AR

Category: 43 Bitter - 33 Entries
Gold: Raccoon Red, Rock Bottom Brewery - Bethesda, Bethesda, MD
Silver: Alaskan Pale, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Bronze: Cutthroat Pale Ale, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT

Category: 44 Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter - 45 Entries
Gold: Firestone Walker IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Autumn Ale, Short’s Brewing Co., Bellaire, MI
Bronze: Stone Pale Ale, Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, CA

Category: 45 Scottish-Style Ale - 20 Entries
Gold: Laughing Lab Scottish Ale, Bristol Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO
Silver: MacPelican’s Scottish Style Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Bronze: Kiltlifter Scottish Ale, Pug Ryan’s Brewery, Dillon, CO

Category: 46 Irish-Style Red Ale - 32 Entries
Gold: TAPS Irish Red, TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Brea, CA
Silver: Red Rocks Red, Rock Bottom Brewery - Westminster, Westminster, CO
Bronze: St. James Red Ale, Walnut Brewery, Boulder, CO

Category: 47 English-Style Brown Ale - 44 Entries
Gold: Dawn Patrol Dark, Pizza Port - San Clemente, San Clemente, CA
Silver: Old Town Brown, Natty Greene’s Brewing Co., Greensboro, NC
Bronze: Balboa Brown, Newport Beach Brewing Co., Newport Beach, CA

Category: 48 American-Style Brown Ale - 45 Entries
Gold: Doryman’s Dark Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Silver: Great American Brown, Pizza Port - Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Bear Tooth Ale, Moose’s Tooth Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK

Category: 49 German-Style Brown Ale / Düsseldorf-Style Alt Bier- 26 Entries
Gold: Otis Alt, Elk Grove Brewery and Restaurant, Elk Grove, CA
Silver: “Alt 45”, The Cambridge House Brewpub, Granby, CT
Bronze: Terrapin Alt, Rock Bottom Brewery - Bethesda, Bethesda, MD

Category: 50 South German-Style Hefeweizen / Hefeweissbier- 50 Entries
Gold: Mueller Hefeweizen, Springfield Brewing Co., Springfield, MO
Silver: Wapiti Wheat, Wolf Pack Brewing Co., West Yellowstone, MT
Bronze: In-Heat Wheat Hefeweizen, Flying Dog Brewery, Denver, CO

Category: 51 German-Style Wheat Ale - 34 Entries
Gold: Gordon Biersch Weizenbock, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group, Chattanooga, TN
Silver: Boscos Hefeweizen, Boscos, Memphis, TN
Bronze: Berliner Weiss, Bethlehem Brew Works, Bethlehem, PA

Category: 52 Belgian-Style White (or Wit) / Belgian Style Wheat- 36 Entries
Silver: Wits End, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA
Bronze: 35th Anniversary Ale, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO

Category: 53 French- Belgian-Style Saison - 44 Entries
Gold: Organic Farmhouse Ale, Bison Brewing Co., Berkeley, CA
Silver: Saison, Capitol City Brewing Co., Arlington, VA
Bronze: Hennepin Farmhouse Saison, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY

Category: 54 Belgian- and French-Style Ale - 14 Entries
Gold: Le Fleur Misseur, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Dim Wit, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Chandler, Chandler, AZ
Bronze: Belgian Double White Ale, Southampton Publick House, Southampton, NY

Category: 55 Belgian-Style Sour Ale - 24 Entries
Gold: La Folie, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Beatification, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Bronze: Festina Lente, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE

Category: 56 Belgian-Style Abbey Ale - 56 Entries
Gold: Tripel Ale, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Silver: Adirondack Abbey Ale, Great Adirondack Brewing Co., Lake Placid, NY
Bronze: Bishop’s Tipple Tripel, Main Street Brewery, Corona, CA

Category: 57 Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale - 45 Entries
Gold: Golden Armor, C.B. & Potts Big Horn Brewery - Denver Tech Center, Englewood, CO
Silver: Interlude, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Bronze: Reve II, Redrock Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT

Category: 58 Robust Porter - 71 Entries
Gold: Goddess Porter, Big Time Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: Pacemaker Porter, Flyers Restaurant and Brewery, Oak Harbor, WA
Bronze: Total Eclipse Black Ale, Hoppy Brewing Co., Sacramento, CA

Category: 59 Brown Porter - 29 Entries
Gold: Molly Titanic, Rock Bottom Brewery - Denver, Denver, CO
Silver: St. Charles Porter, Blackstone Restaurant & Brewery, Nashville, TN
Bronze: Peter Brown Tribute Ale, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA

Category: 60 Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout - 21 Entries
Gold: Maxwell’s Stout, Basil T’s Brewery & Italian Grill, Red Bank, NJ
Silver: Slapshot Stout, RAM Restaurant and Big Horn Brewery - Seattle, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Irish Stout, Schooner’s Grille & Brewery, Antioch, CA

Category: 61 Foreign (Export)-Style Stout - 19 Entries
Gold: Tsunami Stout, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Silver: Black Bear XX Stout, Alameda Brewhouse, Portland, OR
Bronze: San Quentin’s Breakout Stout, Marin Brewing Co., Larkspur, CA

Category: 62 American-Style Stout - 20 Entries
Gold: Sticky Stout, Pizza Port - Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Silver: Oggi’s Black Majic Stout, Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA
Bronze: Terminal Oatmeal Stout, Rock Bottom Brewery - Chicago, Chicago, IL

Category: 63 Sweet Stout - 18 Entries
Gold: Udder Goodness, Rock Bottom Brewery - Desert Ridge, Phoenix, AZ
Silver: Steel Toe Stout, Ska Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Bronze: The Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout, The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Farmville, NC

Category: 64 Oatmeal Stout - 37 Entries
Gold: Oatmeal Stout, Schooner’s Grille & Brewery, Antioch, CA
Silver: Seabright Oatmeal Stout, Seabright Brewery, Santa Cruz, CA
Bronze: Lasto’s Oatmeal Stout, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Portland, Portland, OR

Category: 65 Imperial Stout - 35 Entries
Gold: Russian Imperial Stout, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Media, Media, PA
Silver: TAPS Imperial Russian Stout, TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Brea, CA
Bronze: Siberian Night, Thirsty Dog Brewing Co., Independence, OH

Category: 66 Strong Scotch Ale - 25 Entries
Gold: Kilt Sniffer Strong Scotch Ale, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Silver: Highland Scotch Reserve, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA
Bronze: Rambeaux, RAM Restaurant and Big Horn Brewery - Seattle, Seattle, WA

Category: 67 Old Ale / Strong Ale - 34 Entries
Gold: Vintage Ale, The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co., Madison, WI
Silver: Tripel Exultation, Eel River Brewing Co., Fortuna, CA
Bronze: Curmudgeons Nip, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Category: 68 Other Strong Ale or Lager - 30 Entries
Gold: Winter Wheatwine, Rubicon Brewing Co., Sacramento, CA
Silver: Dragonstooth Stout, Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Bronze: Pit Bull High Gravity Ice Malt Liquor, Pig’s Eye Brewing Co., St. Paul, MN

Category: 69 Barley Wine-Style Ale - 55 Entries
Gold: Old Ruffian Barley Wine, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Stormwatcher’s Winterfest, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Bronze: Arctic Devil Barley Wine, Midnight Sun Brewing Co., Anchorage, AK