Five Minnesota Craft Breweries Earn Medals at Great American Beer Festival
Five Minnesota craft breweries were recently honored at the 2016 Great American Beer Festival in Denver — the nation’s premier beer festival and competition. These hometown heavy hitters held their own against 7,227 beer entries from 1,752 breweries nationwide.
Fan favorites and cornerstones of Minnesota beer culture, Summit Brewing and Surly Brewing brought home gold medals this year. Bemidji Brewing, Jack Pine Brewery, and first-year entrant Roundhouse Brewery took home bronze medals for their yeoman’s efforts.
Minnesota breweries earning gold medals
• Summit Brewing Co. (St. Paul), “Extra Pale Ale” — Classic English-Style Pale Ale (38 entries)
Photo © 2016 Jason E. Kaplan
• Surly Brewing Co. (Brooklyn Center / Mpls), “Barrel-Aged Darkness” — Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout (131 entries)
Photo © 2016 Jason E. Kaplan
Minnesota breweries earning bronze medals
• Bemidji Brewing Co. (Bemidji), “German Blonde Ale” — Golden or Blonde Ale (115 Entries)
• Jack Pine Brewery (Baxter), “Vengeance! Jalapeno Cream Ale” — Chili Beer (112 entries)
• Roundhouse Brewery (Brainerd), “Runaround Rye Ale” — Rye Beer (81 entries)
“It has become a tradition for Minnesota breweries to be honored at this prestigious competition,” says Tom Whisenand, President of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild. “This recognition reinforces that Minnesota is a great state for beer. Minnesotans can be proud of these local businesses that are representing their communities.”
Other Recent Minnesota GABF winners
Minnesota 2015 GABF Medalists:
August Schell Brewing Co. (New Ulm), Bemidji Bewing Company (Bemidji), Bent Paddle Brewing Co. (Duluth), Fitger’s Brewhouse (Duluth), Fulton Brewng (Minneapolis), Mankato Brewery (Mankato), Steel Toe Brewing (St. Louis Park).
Minnesota 2014 GABF Medalists:
Badger Hill Brewing (Shakopee), Bent Paddle Brewing Co. (Duluth), Indeed Brewing (Minneapolis), Steel Toe Brewing (St. Louis Park), Summit Brewing Co. (St. Paul) and Town Hall Brewery (Minneapolis).
A full list of Great American Beer Festival winners can be found here: https://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/the-competition/winners/
Related: Minnesota BeerCast talks with Pete Rifakes from Town Hall Brewery and Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild.
http://minnesotabeercast.com/episodes/live-minnesota-state-fair/
