Bottoms Up

This weekend — Sunday May 20 to be exact — the circus is once again coming to the town of Petaluma as the fourth annual Lagunitas Beer Circus will be held on the grounds of the Lagunitas Brewery. If you haven’t been to the beer circus before, it’s one of the most amazing events of the beer festival season. As their press release promises; “Come One, Come All to Petaluma! Witness death-defying aerialists acts, be amazed by human marvels, laugh at outrageous clowns, get thrilled by exotic burlesque dancers, head-spinning sideshows and so much more to dazzle your mind.”

Tickets are a reasonable $40, which includes 10 beer tokens. Tickets can be be purchased at either online, by phone at 707.769.4495 or at the Lagunitas Brewery Schwag Shop, located on the same spot as where the circus will take place: 1280 N. McDowell in Petaluma. The event is for adults only, goes from 1:00-6:00 p.m., and will benefit the Petaluma Music Festival and Music In Schools.

The circus acts and musical groups performing on Sunday include the Vau de Vire Society, the Extra Action Marching Band, The Moral Minority, The Ferocious Few, the Sour Mash Hug Band, Wanderlust Circus, Kehoe Nation, Cyclecide, artist Neal Barbosa painting live, “Bed of Nails, Roller Girls, Sword Swallowers, Snake Dancers, Burlesque Dancers, Contortionists … and so much more!”

But wait, there’s more, here’s the food and beer listing from the press release:

Great food! Beyond the Glory (wings, pork sliders, pork shanks), Extreme Pizza, Hog Island Oysters, Bros BBQ (bbq & paella), Sift (cupcakes), Roy’s @ the Yard (hot dogs), Tres Hombres (burritos, tacos), Toad in the Hole (bangers on a bun) Cotton Candy, and Those Fabulous Frickle Brothers… and much more!

Great Beer! Lagunitas, Moylan’s, Marin, Russian River, 3rd St. Aleworks, Stumptown, 21st Amendment, Moonlight, Dempsey’s, Anchor Brewing, North Coast, Iron Springs, Napa Smith, Henhouse Brewing, Palo Alto Brewing, Sonoma Springs, and Ace Cider.

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Another record crowd of 2,034 sat down to a beer dinner by Adam Dulye of Monk’s Kettle and to listen to the awards for the 2012 Brewers Association World Beer Cup. This was the 10th World Beer Cup, which takes place every two years. This year’s competition saw 3,921 beers in 95 categories from 54 nations judged by 218 judges (including yours truly). That represented a nearly 18% increase over the last World Beer Cup and last night 284 awards were handed out to breweries from 21 countries. Congratulations to all the winners.

In years past, I recall writing that California won more medals than any country than Germany. This year, actually, two states won more medals than Germany, the nearest competitor — medal-wise — to the United States: Colorado and California. Germany took home 23 medals while Colorado alone won 27. California crushed it, winning 55 medals, more than both combined. The U.S. won a total 208 of the 284 medals, with Germany second and Belgium in third, with 8 medals. California and Colorado were 1 and 2, with Oregon in 3rd (12), Washington coming in 4th (10), Wisconsin 5th (9) and Indiana 6th (8). After that, there’s a drop off with some states winning 3 or 4. Again, IPA was the category with the most beers entered, 150, with number two this year being Imperial IPA, with 93 entries.

Individual Beer Awards

Category 1: American-Style Wheat Beer, 23 Entries
Gold: Wagon Box Wheat, Black Tooth Brewing Co., Sheridan, WY
Silver: 1919 choc beer, choc Beer Co., Krebs, OK
Bronze: DD Blonde, Hop Valley Brewing Co., Springfield, OR

Category 2: American-Style Wheat Beer With Yeast, 28 Entries
Gold: Whitetail Wheat, Montana Brewing Co., Billings, MT
Silver: Miners Gold, Lewis & Clark Brewing Co., Helena, MT
Bronze: Leavenworth Boulder Bend Dunkelweizen, Fish Brewing Co., Olympia, WA

Category 3: Fruit Beer, 41 Entries
Gold: Eat A Peach, Rocky Mountain Brewery, Colorado Springs, CO
Silver: Da Yoopers, Rocky Mountain Brewery, Colorado Springs, CO
Bronze: Blushing Monk, Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, MI

Category 4: Fruit Wheat Beer, 28 Entries
Gold: Minoh Beer YUZU-WHITE-ALE, A•J•I Beer, Minoh City, Japan
Silver: Blue Moon Vintage Blonde Ale, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: Amsterdam Framboise, Amsterdam Brewing Co., Toronto, Canada

Category 5: Field Beer or Pumpkin Beer, 19 Entries
Gold: Turnip the Beets, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO
Silver: Saint Arnold Pumpkinator, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: The Great Pumpkin, Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA

Category 6: Herb and Spice Beer, 80 Entries
Gold: Sgt. Pepper, Cambridge Brewing Co., Cambridge, MA
Silver: Ring Of Fire, Dragonmead Microbrewery, Warren, MI
Bronze: Hardywood Gingerbread Stout, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Richmond, VA

Category 7: Chocolate Beer, 34 Entries
Gold: Házmela Rusa, La Chingonería, Mexico City, Mexico
Silver: X-1 Chocolate Imperial Rye Porter, DuClaw Brewing Co., Bel Air, MD
Bronze: Odin’s Raven, Alpine Beer Co., Alpine, CA

Category 8: Coffee Beer, 56 Entries
Gold: Bacon and Eggs Breakfast Coffee Imperial Porter, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA
Silver: Drunken Elf Stout, Columbia River Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Bronze: Coffee Stout, Rock Bottom Arlington, Arlington, VA

Category 9: Specialty Beer, 38 Entries
Gold: Hangar 24 Winter Warmer, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery, Redlands, CA
Silver: Maple Tripple, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Warren, VT
Bronze: Donner Party Porter, FiftyFifty Brewing Co., Truckee, CA

Category 10: Rye Beer, 29 Entries
Gold: Ruthless Rye IPA, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA
Silver: 3 Flowers IPA, Marin Brewing Co., Larkspur, CA
Bronze: Jopen Jacobus RPA, Jopenkerk Bierbrouwerij, Haarlem, Netherlands

Category 11: Specialty Honey Beer, 23 Entries
Gold: Boréale Dorée, Les Brasseurs du Nord, Blainville, Canada
Silver: Ménage a Trois Braggot, Crabtree Brewing Co., Greeley, CO
Bronze: Killer Bee, Dragonmead Microbrewery, Warren, MI

Category 12: Session Beer, 33 Entries
Gold: Vienna Lager, Squatters Pub Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT
Silver: Kellerweis, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA
Bronze: Revelations Stout, The Public House Brewing Co., Rolla, MO

Category 13: Other Strong Beer, 35 Entries
Gold: Star Brew, Marin Brewing Co., Larkspur, CA
Silver: Imperial Cream Ale, Nexus Brewery, Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Double Pilsner, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Category 14: Experimental Beer, 42 Entries
Gold: Petit Obscura, Telegraph Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA
Silver: Noble Rot, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
Bronze: Where There’s Smoke…, Manzanita Brewing Co., Santee, CA

Category 15: Indigenous Beer, 26 Entries
Gold: Got Beer, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Tacoma, Huntington Beach, CA
Silver: Hqt, 21st-Amendment Brewery, San Francisco, CA
Bronze: Oyster Stout, Upright Brewing Co., Portland, OR

Category 16: Gluten-Free Beer, 15 Entries
Gold: Glutenberg Rousse, Brasseurs Sans Gluten, Montreal, Canada
Silver: Glutenberg Pale Ale, Brasseurs Sans Gluten, Montreal, Canada
Bronze: Glutenberg Blonde, Brasseurs Sans Gluten, Montreal, Canada

Category 17: American-Belgo-Style Ale, 48 Entries
Gold: Last Chance, The Haymarket Pub & Brewery, Chicago, IL
Silver: Blue Reserve, Blue Mountain Brewery, Afton, VA
Bronze: Le Freak, Green Flash Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category 18: American-Style Sour Ale, 14 Entries
Gold: Ching Ching, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR
Silver: Mattina Rossa, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Bronze: Supplication, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA

Category 19: American-Style Brett Ale, 28 Entries
Gold: Peche ‘n Brett, Logsdon Farmhouse Ales, Hood River, OR
Silver: Peche, AC Golden Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: Wild Wild Brett Rouge, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, Fort Collins, CO

Category 20: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer, 34 Entries
Gold: Sarah’s Two Headed Buffalo, Rock Bottom Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Brandy Barrel Abbey Normal, Fox River Brewing Co., Oshkosh, WI
Bronze: Central City Oaked Porter, Central City Brewing Co., Surrey, Canada

Category 21: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer, 91 Entries
Gold: Samuel Adams Utopias 2011, The Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA
Silver: King Henry, Goose Island Beer Co., Chicago, IL
Bronze: Bourbon Abominable Winter Ale, Fremont Brewing Co., Seattle, WA

Category 22: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout, 58 Entries
Gold: Barrel Aged BORIS The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout, Hoppin’ Frog Brewing Co., Akron, OH
Silver: Great Grandfather Raven, Black Raven Brewing Co., Redmond, WA
Bronze: The Event Horizon, Olde Hickory Brewery, Hickory, NC

Category 23: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer, 42 Entries
Gold: Lovibonds Sour Grapes, Lovibonds Brewery, Henley-on-Thames, United Kingdom
Silver: Le Serpent Cerise, Snake River Brewing Co., Jackson, WY
Bronze: Melange #1, The Bruery, Anaheim, CA

Category 24: Aged Beer, 20 Entries
Gold: Samichlaus “2004”, Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg, Vorchdorf, Austria
Silver: Vintage Horn Dog, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD
Bronze: Release the Hounds Barley Wine Vintage 1999, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO

Category 25: Kellerbier/Zwickelbier, 45 Entries
Gold: Ketterer Zwickel Pils, Familienbrauerei M. Ketterer, Hornberg, Germany
Silver: VIÆMILIA, Birrificio del Ducato, Roncole Verdi, Italy
Bronze: 5 O’Clock Shadow, Grand Teton Brewing Co., Victor, ID

Category 26: Smoke Beer, 48 Entries
Gold: Fujizakura Kogen Beer Rauch, Fujizakura Kogen Beer, Minamitsuru, Japan
Silver: BraufactuM Roog, Die Internationale Brau-Manufacturen, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Bronze: Grodzinski, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant – Newark, Newark, DE

Category 27: Australasian, Latin American or Tropical-Style Light, 12 Entries
Gold: Quilmes Cristal, Cervecería y Maltería Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Silver: Anchor Ice, Hainan Asia Pacific Brewery Co., Haikou, China
Bronze: Norte Blanca, Cervecería y Maltería Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Category 28: International-Style Lager, 63 Entries
Gold: Paceña Pico de Oro, Cervecería Boliviana Nacional, La Paz, Bolivia
Silver: Cisk Export Premium Lager, Simonds Farsons Cisk, Mriehl, Malta
Bronze: Birra Moretti, Heineken Italia, Milan, Italy

Category 29: Baltic-Style Porter, 28 Entries
Gold: Baltic Gnome Porter, Rock Bottom Denver, Denver, CO
Silver: Battle Axe Baltic Porter, Fat Heads Brewery, North Olmsted, OH
Bronze: Dan – My Turn Series, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI

Category 30: European-Style Low-Alcohol Lager/German-Style, 18 Entries
Silver: Beck’s Premier Light, Brauerei Beck & Co., Bremen, Germany
Bronze: Hochdorfer Hopfen-Leicht, Hochdorfer Kronenbrauerei Otto Haizmann, Nagold-Hochdorf, Germany

Category 31: German-Style Pilsener, 74 Entries
Gold: Brio, Olgerdin Egill Skallagrimsson, Reykjavik, Iceland
Silver: Schönramer Pils, Private Landbrauerei Schönram, Schönram, Germany
Bronze: Baumgartner Pils, Brauerei Jos. Baumgartner, Schaerding, Austria

Category 32: Bohemian-Style Pilsener, 62 Entries
Gold: Starobrno Ležák, Heineken Czech Republic, Krušovice, Czech Republic
Silver: Krušovice Imperial, Heineken, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Bronze: Gambrinus Premium, Plzeňský Prazdroj, Pilsen, Czech Republic

Category 33: Münchner-Style Helles, 68 Entries
Gold: Urtyp Hell, Löwenbrauerei Passau, Passau, Germany
Silver: Löwenbräu, Löwenbräu, München, Germany
Bronze: Helles, Kitzmann Bräu, Erlangen, Germany

Category 34: Dortmunder/Export or German-Style Oktoberfest, 39 Entries
Gold: Švyturys Ekstra, JSC Švyturys-Utenos Alus, Vilnius, Lithuania
Silver: Tauras Tradicinis, Kalnapilio-Tauro Grupe, Panevezys, Lithuania
Bronze: Schlappeseppel Export, Brauerei Schlappeseppel, Grossostheim, Germany

Category 35: Vienna-Style Lager, 41 Entries
Gold: Vienna Lager, Devils Backbone Brewing Co., Roseland, VA
Silver: Heavy Seas Marzen Vienna Lager, Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, MD
Bronze: Belle Gueule Originale, Brasseurs RJ, Montreal, Canada

Category 36: German-Style Märzen, 39 Entries
Gold: Florhosen, The SandLot, Denver, CO
Silver: Rocktoberfest, Rock Bottom Long Beach, Long Beach, CA
Bronze: Ur-Saalfelder, Bürgerliches Brauhaus Saalfeld, Saalfeld, Germany

Category 37: European-Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel, 34 Entries
Gold: Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel, Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg, Kelheim, Germany
Silver: King Dark Lager, King Brewery, Nobleton, Canada
Bronze: Riegele Aechtes Dunkel, Brauerei S. Riegele, Augsburg, Germany

Category 38: German-Style Schwarzbier, 40 Entries
Gold: Art of Science Schwarzbier, Dillon DAM Brewery, Dillon, CO
Silver: Point 2012 Black Ale, Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, WI
Bronze: Cameron’s Dark 266, Cameron’s Brewing Co., Oakville, Canada

Category 39: Traditional German-Style Bock, 30 Entries
Gold: Doppel-Hirsch, Der Hirschbräu, Immenstadt, Germany
Silver: Winter Bock, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Bronze: Troegenator, Tröegs Brewing Co., Hershey, PA

Category 40: German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock, 38 Entries
Gold: Maibock, Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, Topeka, KS
Silver: Der Ulmer Maibock, Familienbrauerei Bauhöfer, Renchen, Germany
Bronze: Blonde Doppelbock, Capital Brewery Co., Middleton, WI

Category 41: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock, 44 Entries
Gold: Holzfassgelagerter Eisbock, Brauhaus Faust, Miltenberg, Germany
Silver: Hochdorfer Barbara Bock, Hochdorfer Kronenbrauerei Otto Haizmann, Nagold-Hochdorf, Germany
Bronze: Dominator Dopplebock, Sun King Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN

Category 42: American-Style Cream Ale or Lager, 23 Entries
Gold: Prestige, Brasserie Nationale d’Haiti, Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Silver: Old Style, Pabst Brewing Co., Allentown, PA
Bronze: Milwaukee’s Best, Miller Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 43: American-Style Lager or Light Lager, 39 Entries
Gold: Coors Light, Coors Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Michelob Ultra, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO
Bronze: Michelob Light, Anheuser-Busch, St. Louis, MO

Category 44: American-Style Premium Lager or Specialty Lager, 37 Entries
Gold: Steel Reserve, Miller Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Evans Original, Cervecería Mexicana, Corona, CA
Bronze: Icehouse, Miller Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 45: American-Style Amber Lager, 40 Entries
Gold: Winter Skal, Capital Brewery Co., Middleton, WI
Silver: Colorado Native, AC Golden Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: Cali Common, Lucky Hand Beer, Novato, CA

Category 46: American-Style Dark Lager, 18 Entries
Gold: Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI
Silver: Shiner Bock, The Spoetzl Brewery, San Antonio, TX
Bronze: Santo, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category 47: Australasian-Style Pale Ale or International-Style Pale Ale, 22 Entries
Gold: 805 IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Endeavour True Vintage 2011 Reserve Pale Ale, Endeavour True Vintage Beer,
Macquarie Centre, Australia
Bronze: Benny’s Pale Ale, Shoreline Brewery, Michigan City, IN

Category 48: German-Style Kölsch/Köln-Style Kölsch, 46 Entries
Gold: Sunbru, Four Peaks Brewing Co., Tempe, AZ
Silver: Chuckanut Kolsch, Chuckanut Brewery, Bellingham, WA
Bronze: Point Three Kings, Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, WI

Category 49: German-Style Brown Ale/Düsseldorf-Style Altbier, 29 Entries
Gold: Alt-eration, Hops & Grain Brewing, Austin, TX
Silver: Rhine Heights, Vintage Brewing Co., Madison, WI
Bronze: Real McCoy Amber, Mammoth Brewing Co., Mammoth Lakes, CA

Category 50: German-Style Sour Ale, 11 Entries
Gold: Berliner Weisse, Steamworks Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Silver: Hottenroth Berliner Weisse, The Bruery, Anaheim, CA
Bronze: Vitis Reductus Weisse, Outer Banks Brewing Station, Kill Devil Hills, NC

Category 51: South German-Style Hefeweizen/Hefeweissbier, 85 Entries
Gold: HEF, Burleigh Brewing Co., West Burleigh, Australia
Silver: Baltika N°8 Wheat, Baltika Breweries, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
Bronze: Edelweiss Hefetrüb, Brau Union Österreich, Linz, Austria

Category 52: German-Style Pale Wheat Ale, 22 Entries
Gold: Boscos Hefeweizen, Boscos Brewing Co., Memphis, TN
Silver: Gold Ochsen Kristallweizen, Brauerei Gold Ochsen, Ulm, Germany
Bronze: Ketterer Ur-Weisse kristall, Familienbrauerei M. Ketterer, Hornberg, Germany

Category 53: German-Style Dark Wheat Ale, 29 Entries
Gold: Brauerei Michael Plank Original Hefeweizen, Brauerei Michael Plank, Laaber, Germany
Silver: Schneider Weisse Original, Weisses Bräeuhaus G. Schneider & Sohn, Kelheim, Germany
Bronze: Unertl Gourmet Weisse, Weißbräu Unertl, Mühldorf, Germany

Category 54: South German-Style Weizenbock/Weissbock, 20 Entries
Gold: Brauerei Michael Plank Heller Weizenbock, Brauerei Michael Plank, Laaber, Germany
Silver: Live Oak Primus, Live Oak Brewing Co., Austin, TX
Bronze: Rhaner Lilly Bock, Rhanerbräu, Schönthal, Germany

Category 55: Belgian-Style Witbier, 50 Entries
Gold: Allagash White, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Silver: Hoegaarden, Hoegaarden Brewery, New York, NY
Bronze: La Perouse White, Maui Brewing Co., Lahaina, HI

Category 56: French- & Belgian-Style Saison, 44 Entries
Gold: Carnevale, The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA
Silver: Saison Station 55, Hopfenstark Brewery, L’Assomption, Canada
Bronze: Urban Farmhouse Ale, The Commons Brewery, Portland, OR

Category 57: Belgian- and French-Style Ale, 22 Entries
Gold: FSB Spring Brew, Front Street Brewery, Wilmington, NC
Silver: Saison Noir, Bastone Brewery, Royal Oak, MI
Bronze: Gift of the Magi, The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA

Category 58: Belgian-Style Blonde Ale or Pale Ale, 32 Entries
Gold: Ommegang Rare Vos, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
Silver: Leffe Blonde, AB InBev, New York, NY
Bronze: Troubadour Blond, Brouwerij The Musketeers, Ursel, Belgium

Category 59: Belgian-Style Sour Ale, 27 Entries
Gold: Oude Geuze Boon, Brouwerij Frank Boon, Lembeek, Belgium
Silver: Oude Kriek Oud Beersel, Oud Beersel, Beersel, Belgium
Bronze: Fifth Element Vintage 2011, Squatters Pub Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT

Category 60: Belgian-Style Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale, 16 Entries
Gold: Oude Tart, The Bruery, Anaheim, CA
Silver: Monomoy Kriek, Cisco Brewers, Nantucket, MA
Bronze: Oud Jeremiah, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Brea, Huntington Beach, CA

Category 61: Belgian-Style Dubbel, 39 Entries
Gold: Leffe Brown, AB InBev, New York, NY
Silver: Belgian Dubbel, Bier Brewery, Indianapolis, IN
Bronze: Ovila Dubbel, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA

Category 62: Belgian-Style Tripel, 57 Entries
Gold: Westmalle Trappist Tripel, Westmalle Trappist Brewery, Westmalle, Belgium
Silver: Nectar des Dieux, Bastone Brewery, Royal Oak, MI
Bronze: Steenbrugge Tripel, Palm Breweries, Steenhuffel, Belgium

Category 63: Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale, 33 Entries
Gold: Piraat, Van Steenberge, Ertvelde, Belgium
Silver: Thor’s Hammer, Bastone Brewery, Royal Oak, MI
Bronze: Prisoner of Hell, Dock Street Brewery, Philadelphia, PA

Category 64: Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale, 41 Entries
Gold: Batch 333: The Velvet Fog, Sun King Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Two Tortugas Belgian Quad, Karl Strauss Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Grand Prestige, Hertog Jan Brouwerij, Arcen, Netherlands

Category 65: Other Belgian-Style Ale, 41 Entries
Gold: Seef, Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie, Hove, Belgium
Silver: Gauloise Amber, Brasserie du Bocq, Purnode, Belgium
Bronze: Rhinoceros, Telegraph Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA

Category 66: English-Style Summer Ale, 32 Entries
Gold: Cross of Gold: Revolution Brewing, Chicago, IL
Silver: Stone & Wood Pacific Ale, Stone & Wood Brewing Co., Byron Bay, Australia
Bronze: Mother Lode Golden Ale, Laurelwood Brewing Co., Portland, OR

Category 67: Classic English-Style Pale Ale, 33 Entries
Gold: Annadel Pale Ale, Third Street Aleworks, Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: Summit Extra Pale Ale, Summit Brewing Co., St. Paul, MN
Bronze: Caldera Ashland Amber, Caldera Brewing Co., Ashland, OR

Category 68: English-Style India Pale Ale, 48 Entries
Gold: Man Beer, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO
Silver: IP’Eh!, Russell Brewing Co., Surrey, Canada
Bronze: Intercontinental Pale Ale, Flossmoor Station Brewing Co., Flossmoor, IL

Category 69: Ordinary or Special Bitter, 32 Entries
Gold: Redoak Bitter, Redoak, Sydney, Australia
Silver: Happy Hour Hero Ale, Montana Brewing Co., Billings, MT
Bronze: 8th Street Ale, Four Peaks Brewing Co., Tempe, AZ

Category 70: Extra Special Bitter, 49 Entries
Gold: Red Racer ESB, Central City Brewing Co., Surrey, Canada
Silver: GAR Pale Ale, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA
Bronze: The Tower E.S.B., Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO

Category 71: Scottish-Style Ale, 26 Entries
Gold: MacPelican’s Scottish Style Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Silver: Redhawk Ale, Rockyard Brewing Co., Castle Rock, CO
Bronze: Beltaine Scottish Ale, Shoreline Brewery, Michigan City, IN

Category 72: English-Style Mild Ale, 27 Entries
Gold: Crown Brown, Crown Brewing, Crown Point, IN
Silver: Alyssa’s Attitude, Oggi’s Pizza & Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA
Bronze: Nerf Herder, Pizza Port San Clemente, San Clemente, CA

Category 73: English-Style Brown Ale, 30 Entries
Gold: Longboard Brown Ale, Rock Bottom La Jolla, La Jolla, CA
Silver: Nut Brown Ale, Redhook Ale Brewery, Woodinville, WA
Bronze: Sweet George’s Brown, Dillon DAM Brewery, Dillon, CO

Category 74: Brown Porter, 42 Entries
Gold: Double Nut Brown, Mammoth Brewing Co., Mammoth Lakes, CA
Silver: Poundage Porter, Sound Brewery, Poulsbo, WA
Bronze: Chocolate Porter, Bayhawk Ales, Irvine, CA

Category 75: Robust Porter, 68 Entries
Gold: Pier Rat Porter, Pizza Port San Clemente, San Clemente, CA
Silver: Pro-Am Porter, Wormtown Brewery, Worcester, MA
Bronze: Chocolate Porter, Kumazawa Brewing Co., Chigasaki, Japan

Category 76: Sweet Stout, 25 Entries
Gold: Steel Toe Stout, Ska Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Silver: Outlaw Oatmeal Stout, Great Basin Brewing Co., Sparks, NV
Bronze: Blackjack Stout, Feather Falls Casino Brewing Co., Oroville, CA

Category 77: Oatmeal Stout, 49 Entries
Gold: Naked Oat Stout, Rock Bottom College Park, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Stumblers Stout, Columbia River Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Bronze: Alaskan Oatmeal Stout, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK

Category 78: Scotch Ale, 51 Entries
Gold: Wee Heavy, Dry Dock Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
Silver: Way Heavy, Pizza Port San Clemente, San Clemente, CA
Bronze: Cold Smoke Scotch Ale, Kettlehouse Brewing Co., Missoula, MT

Category 79: British-Style Imperial Stout, 40 Entries
Gold: Russian Imperial Stout, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant – Media, Media, PA
Silver: Luscious, The Alchemist, Waterbury, VT
Bronze: Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, The Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY

Category 80: Old Ale or Strong Ale, 51 Entries
Gold: Old Ale, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant – Media, Media, PA
Silver: AleSmith Decadence 2010 Old Ale, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Old Scrooge, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA

Category 81: Barley Wine-Style Ale, 62 Entries
Gold: Stormwatcher’s Winterfest, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Silver: Barley’s Wine, La Cumbre Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: AleSmith Old Numbskull, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category 82: Irish-Style Red Ale, 31 Entries
Gold: Red Trolley Ale, Karl Strauss Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Alaskan Amber, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Bronze: McLovin, Vintage Brewing Co., Madison, WI

Category 83: Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout, 30 Entries
Gold: Blarney Sisters Dry Irish Stout, Third Street Aleworks, Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: Ring of Dingle, Sun King Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
Bronze: Breakside Dry Stout, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR

Category 84: Foreign-Style Stout, 37 Entries
Gold: Starry Night Stout, Island Brewing Co., Carpinteria, CA
Silver: Malpais Stout, La Cumbre Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Voo Doo, Left Coast Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA

Category 85: Golden or Blonde Ale, 46 Entries
Gold: Foam Top, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA
Silver: Labatt 50, Labatt Brewing Co., LaSalle, Canada
Bronze: Steelhead Extra Pale, Mad River Brewing Co., Blue Lake, CA

Category 86: American-Style Pale Ale, 84 Entries
Gold: Pale 31, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Mission Street Pale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Bronze: BrickStone APA, BrickStone Restaurant & Brewery, Bourbonnais, IL

Category 87: American-Style Strong Pale Ale, 82 Entries
Gold: Hop Knot, Four Peaks Brewing Co., Tempe, AZ
Silver: Odell IPA, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Bronze: Alaskan IPA, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK

Category 88: American-Style India Pale Ale, 150 Entries
Gold: DRIPA, Kuhnhenn Brewing Co., Warren, MI
Silver: Head Hunter IPA, Fat Heads Brewery, North Olmsted, OH
Bronze: Elevated IPA, La Cumbre Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM

Category 89: Imperial India Pale Ale, 93 Entries
Gold: Poor Man’s IPA, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Silver: Saint Arnold Endeavour, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: Palate Wrecker, Green Flash Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category 90: American-Style Amber/Red Ale, 68 Entries
Gold: Big Cottonwood, Utah Brewers Co-op, Salt Lake City, UT
Silver: Swan Lake Beer Amber Swan Ale, Hyokoyashikinomori Brewery Tenchokaku Co., Agano, Japan
Bronze: Mavericks Amber Ale, Half Moon Bay Brewing Co., Princeton-by-the-Sea, CA

Category 91: Imperial Red Ale, 38 Entries
Gold: G’Knight Imperial Red Ale, Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, CO
Silver: Bigfoot, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA
Bronze: Pursuit of Hopiness, Grand Teton Brewing Co., Victor, ID

Category 92: American-Style Brown Ale, 47 Entries
Gold: Face Down Brown, Telluride Brewing Co., Telluride, CO
Silver: Uptown Brown, Galena Brewing Co., Galena, IL
Bronze: Great American Brown, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA

Category 93: American-Style Black Ale, 49 Entries
Gold: Black Racer, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Cloverdale, CA
Silver: Tarantulas 2.0, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Raven, Thornbridge, Bakewell, United Kingdom

Category 94: American-Style Stout, 34 Entries
Gold: Rise American Stout, Revolution Brewing, Chicago, IL
Silver: Pike XXXXX Extra Stout, Pike Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Bronze: Achievement Beyond Life’s Experiences American Stout Brit Antrim Benefit Beer,
Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA

Category 95: American-Style Imperial Stout, 36 Entries
Gold: Imperial Stout, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Silver: The Fundamental Blackhorn, Hornbeer, Kirke Hyllinge, Denmark
Bronze: Imperial Stout, Olde Hickory Brewery, Hickory, NC

Champion Brewery and Brewer Awards

Large Brewing Company
AB InBev, New York, New York
Claudio Ferro

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

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

Small Brewing Company Category
Brauerei Michael Plank, Kelheim, Germany
Michael Plank

Large Brewpub Category
Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Darron R S Welch

Small Brewpub Category
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant – Media, Media, PA
Iron Hill Brewery Team

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Apparently Monster.com had a recent job posting for an “Import & Craft Trade Brewer” position in the Bay Area advertised by MillerCoors. Actually, the person hired will work for 10th & Blake, which is their craft and import division. The company is looking for “a beer ambassador and homebrewing coach in the western U.S. [to] Teach sales teams and consult on new beer recipes.” They want someone who “knows all things beer.” Could that be you? Check out this video from Bloomberg all about the job.

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If you read my most recent newspaper column on building a beer cellar, below is one of my earlier columns from 2010 about what beers work well for aging. Once you’ve built your beer cellar, here are some tips for choosing beers to fill up your new cellar.

AGING BEER

Ninety-nine percent of the world’s beer is brewed to be enjoyed as soon as possible after it’s bottled, canned or kegged. There’s no doubt that fresh beer is best … but then there’s that remaining one percent that proves the exception to the rule. Nobody’s sure exactly sure how many beers are ripe for aging, but most experts agree there aren’t very many.
But it begs the question; if most beers are best fresh, why age beer at all? Like vintage wines and spirits, beers that have been stored properly for a period of time mature into amazingly complex beverages with taste profiles that cannot be achieved any other way. Older beer becomes drier, more vinous and less sweet. It also develops rounder, less sharp or harsh flavors, becoming refined, even elegant.

Cellar Beers

As a general rule, ales work best, and beers over 8% a.b.v. are especially good candidates for aging. The stronger the beer, the longer it can be aged without becoming undrinkable and losing all its positive flavor components. The exception to that rule is sour beers. Many lower alcohol sour beers, like lambics, benefit greatly from aging. Also, unpasteurized and bottle-conditioned beers, which still have live yeast in them, will continue to improve with age. Malty beer likewise tends to hold up better than hoppy beers, which seems counter-intuitive since hops were originally added to beer as a preservative. But while hops will keep a beer fresher than without them, they do start to break down and lose their bite after a few short months.

Some of the most ideal beer styles for aging include Belgian-style dubbels (can be aged 1-3 years), tripels (1-4 years), Belgian strong dark ales (2-10 years), Imperial styles (roughly 1-6 years), barley wines and imperial stouts (2-20 years) and the extremely strong ales, like Samuel Adams Utopias (up to 100 years). Also, many barrel-aged beers, spicy beers and winter ales can be aged.

How to Store and Age Beer

Heat and light are the enemies of beer, so the place you store your beer should be cool and dark. Perhaps more importantly, it should not be subject to temperature fluctuations but maintain a constant 55 degrees, plus or minus five degrees. That’s why a cellar is better than a refrigerator. Cooler will work, too, but never warmer. For every additional ten degrees, beer will spoil twice as fast. Unlike wine, bottles should be stored upright to reduce the surface area of oxygen and slow oxidation.

Tasting Vertically

Perhaps the best, and certainly the most fun, reason to age beer is to do a vertical tasting to see first hand what time does to beer. Many big beers do a new version each year and vintage date the label or crown. Sierra Nevada’s Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale, for example, uses a different crown (or bottle cap) with the year clearly printed on them. That allows you to buy a six-pack each year, and put a few away for aging. In a few short years, you can have a world class vertical tasting, opening the newest first and the oldest last.
In the end, thirst is probably the biggest hurdle to aging beer. That’s why I also recommend putting your cellar out of sight, if possible. That will keep you from opening all your bottles too soon. Having a beer cellar really is an endeavor where patience truly is its own reward.

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I just learned that one of my favorite beer events of the year still has a few seats left. The annual Toronado Belgian Beer Dinner — really a luncheon — or I like to call it, a Blunch, is this Sunday, April 1, and that’s no joke. The food for this always amazing beer dinner is done by Sean Paxton, the Homebrew Chef, and he’s paired the twelve courses — yes, you read that right, 12 courses! — with 21 different Belgian and Belgian-inspired beers throughout the meal. The Blunch begins at 11:30 a.m. and is expected to be over around 4:30. I’ve printed the menu below to whet your appetite. As I said, there are still a few open spots left. The dinner costs $150 per person and tickets can be purchased at the bar between now and Sunday. See you there.

Toronado Belgian Beer Beer Dinner

Pre-Dinner Reception Brew: Dupont Avril

First Course

Cream of Caramelized Belgian Endive Soup
White Belgian endive coated in Belgian soft sugar and caramelized, Foret Saison, yukon gold potatoes, splash of organic cream

Paired with: St. Louis Gueuze

Second Course

Charcuturie Platter
Liberty duck rillettes infused with Itchegem’s Flemish Red, house-made headcheese cooked in Russian River Temptation Batch 3, duck heart rabbit liver Affligem Noel pâté, herbs de Provence cornichons, house-made Nieuw Ligt Grand Cru ‘03 & date mustard, dried fruit Gouden Carolus Noël compote, red beet juice & Oud Beersel Geuze Vielle pickled cauliflower, served with local ‘The Bejkr’ breads

Paired with: Boon Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait 2003 and Rochefort 6 2007

Third Course

Water Buffalo Butter Poached Sea Scallop
Smoked in Mort Subite lambic barrel staves, De Dolle Oerbier duck demi glaze, turnip purée infused with Gouden Carolus Carolus D’Or 2006, sprinkled with black truffle salt

Paired with: De Dolle Stille Nacht Special Reserva 2005

Fourth Course

Waterzooi
Monkfish, crawfish and lobster meat mixed with purple potatoes, baby fennel, leeks, lobster mushrooms, shallots and simmered in a Westmalle Tripel shellfish stock with a sweet cream

Paired with: Delirium Tremens and Tripel Karmeliet

Fifth Course

Lapin a lá Gueuze
Local rabbit braised in Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze with shallots, thyme, bay leaves, served with a candied kumquat baby carrots, caramelized pearl onion gueuze sauce

Paired with: Russian River Temptation Batch 4 3L and Dupont Avec les Bons Voeux 2009

Sixth Course

Duck Braised in Sour Cherry Sauce
Sonoma county duck legs cooked sous vide with a dried and sour cherries Boon Kriek sauce
on a bed of beluga lentils simmered in Goudenband

Paired with: Cantillon Oude Kriek 2008 and Rodenbach Vintage 2008

Seventh Course

Carbonnade of Lamb Cheek
Westmalle Dubbel stewed lamb cheeks with leeks, caramelized onions, prunes, dried figs, thyme, bay leaves and a Mort Subite Kriek red currant sauce

Paired with: De Dolle Oerbier Special Reserva 2002 and Maredsous Brune

Eighth Course

PB & Foie Gras
Cantillon Saint Lamvinus foie gras mousse, on a hazelnut fig cracker, tart cherry gastrique, garnished with vanilla bean sea salt

Paired with: Malheur Brut Michael Jackson Brut 2006

Ninth Course

Beyond Greens
curry-scented cauliflower, quinoa cooked in Fantôme La Dalmatienne, mâche greens, golden raisins rehydrated in Moinette Blonde and toasted hemp seeds
and toasted almonds with a Drie Fonteinen Doesjel Lambic Paneer cheese tossed in a goat yoghurt Drie Fonteinen Oude Geuze dressing

Paired with: Duvel

Tenth Course

Assorted Belgian Cheeses, including Grevenbroecker, Meikaas Boerenkaas, Kriek Washed Fromage, Charmoix, Wavreumont, and Le Saint-Servais
With Saucerful of Secrets wort honey, The Bejkr Biologlque bread, Oude Gueuze Tilquin injected dried apricots, Cantillon Rosé De Gambrinus beer jelly and assorted crackers and breads

Paired with: Bockor Cuvee Des Jacobins Rouge and Orval

Eleventh Course

Strawberries & Cream
organic strawberries and lemon thyme macerated in Hanssens Oudbeitje Lambic 2006 with a homemade Advocaat, Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René 2006 sabayon, almond crumble

Paired with: Russian River Damnation 23 Batch 46

Twelfth Course

Liège Style Waffle
Speculoos flavored yeast waffle made with Chimay Red, Belgian pearl sugar, drizzled with a St. Bernardus Special Edition Abt 12. quad chocolate sauce

Paired with: De Struise Black Albert 2009, De Struise Pannepot 2007 and Rochefort Trappistes 10

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Today was media day at AT&T Park, where the San Francisco Giants play. It’s not the kind of event I’m normally invited to, but this year is a little different. Debuting this season at the Giants’ stadium is Anchor Plaza, a new area behind the giant scoreboard where fans can find beer from Anchor Brewing, among other related goodies.

An Anchor beer stand sits in the center of Anchor Plaza.

Which is known as Anchor Taproom.

There’s plenty of seating in Anchor Plaza.

And the entire Anchor Plaza is also ringed with related food and beverage vendors.

Anchor co-owner Keith Greggor behind the taps at the Anchor Taproom. Sadly, no beer was flowing today.

The sign overlooking Anchor Plaza.

Which is located out of sight, behind the scoreboard. It looks like it could be a great place to get away from the crowds for a spell, and enjoy an Anchor Steam Beer. There are large screen televisions back there so you won’t miss the game while you sip your beer.

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Today I had a great experience that’s been a few months in the making. Last October, one of my newspaper columns was about the 35th anniversary of the date in 1976 when New Albion Brewery, the first modern microbrewery built from scratch, was incorporated by Jack McAuliffe. A homebrewer and beer collector in San Jose, Ed Davis, read my piece in the San Jose Mercury News and contacted me with an intriguing proposal. He had some full bottles of New Albion beer — Ale, Porter and Stout — and did I know anyone who might be interested in them? Obviously, I knew at least one person — me! — and I suggested that it might be fun to open them with Don Barkley, who would been involved in their creation, since he had been the assistant brewer there. Finding a day we were all available took some time, but today Ed and I traveled to Napa to Napa Smith Brewery and met with Don Barkley, who’s now the brewmaster there. But in addition to working at New Albion, Don also founded Mendocino Brewing during his illustrious career, before building and running the new Napa brewery.

Ed told me he’d bought the beers originally at Beltramo’s around 1979 and they’ve been stored in his garage ever since. While they were stored at a slightly higher than cellar temperature, the temperature was relatively consistent and they hadn’t been moved in all that time.

Ed brought one bottle each of Stout, Ale and Porter.

Don Barkley, me and Ed Davis each with a 1979 bottle of New Albion beer, that Ed was kind enough to donate to the cause.

Each of the three beers and their bottles.

Click on this link to see a video of our tasting of these beers on YouTube.

After the tasting, Don, Napa Smith lead brewer Michael Payne, me and Ed.

In addition to the New ALbion beers, Ed also brought a few additional treats, too.

A bottle of DeBakker Porter. DeBakker was a short-lived brewery (1980-82, I believe) that was located in my hometown of Novato, California and was started by a fireman, Tom DeBakker, who had been a homebrewer for about a decade before he opened the brewery.

Ed also brought a run of old Anchor Christmas Ale, 1978, 1980 through 1985, 1991 and 1996.

What a great way to spend a Friday afternoon! I wish all my Fridays could be as enjoyable. The DeBakker porter also held up quite well, it still had a fair amount of carbonation with chocolate notes. The Anchor beers were a mixed bag, some were still terrific, others were past their prime though none were strictly speaking undrinkable. Some of the spicier ones were still showing those spices, though a few of the earlier ones were oxidized, at least a little. The real surprise, of course, was how well the New Albion beers had held up after 33 years. They were bottle-conditioned, which probably helped, but still I expected them to be in worse shape than they were. I think we all though that, but we were pleasantly surprised. I could stand to be surprised like that more often. Thanks, Ed, for being able to not open those beers for over thirty years and for sharing them with us today. It was like opening and tasting a piece of history.

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Here’s an interesting infographic on beer — both history and factoids — created by Online Bachelor Degree Programs, presumably to drive traffic. But as I’m a sucker for infographics, I’ll happily fall for it. At least they listed their sources at the end. Enjoy!

To see it full size, go to Online Bachelor Degree Programs.

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Anchor Brewing today posted a new video about the history of California Lager, and their new Zymaster series which attempts to recreate the beer brewed by Boca Brewing in the 1870s. You can read more about that history on their blog, too, in Part 1 and Part 2.

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The picturesque location on San Francisco’s Embarcadero of the former HillS Brothers Coffee building is home to the third Gordon Biersch brewpub, which opened originally in 1992. According to Inside Scoop SF, as of the end of April, that will no longer be the case. (And thanks to Pete S. for sending me the link.) Apparently the twenty-year lease expires April 28, and the landlord and Gordon Biersch have been unable to reach an agreement. Gordon Biersch is currently scouting for a new location nearby. So you’ve got a little over six weeks if you want to pay the brewpub one last visit.

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