Several Minnesota Craft Brewers took part in the largest American craft beer competition last weekend in Denver, CO. Local brewers did well with 6 medals coming home to Minnesota. Great American Beer Festival awards are coveted by beer makers across the country. There was more than 1,500 breweries competing for prizes. Over 6,500 beers were judges across 92 distinct categories.
“These honors reinforce that Minnesota brewers create exceptional craft beers,” says Dan Schwarz, President of the Minnesota Craft Brewers Guild. “We are proud of our Guild members for representing the strong state of craft beer in Minnesota at this prestigious competition.”
Steel Toe Brewing GABF Gold Medal Photo Credit: Dan Kearney
This weekend, brewers from around the country gathered for the annual Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado. Put on by the Brewers Association, the GABF is among the largest in the world. More than 700 breweries poured 1oz samples of 3,500 beers from all over the America to about 49,000 attendees. One of the highlights of the weekend long madness is the beer competition. The competition is comprised of brewing industry professionals evaluating approximately 5,700 entries from over 1,300 breweries, in 90 unique beer categories.
Six Minnesota brewers were awarded medals during the brewing competition award ceremony on Saturday afternoon. Minnesota was well represented, bringing home two more awards than in 2013, and 3 three more than in 2012. Gold medals went to Badger Hill Brewing for White IPA in the American-Belgo category, and Steel Toe Brewing for Wee Heavy in the Scotch Ale Category. Indeed Brewing took home a silver for Mexican Honey in the Specialty Honey Beer Category. Summit Brewing won Bronze for Extra Pale Ale (EPA) in the Classic English-Style Pale Ale. Arguably the king of barrel aging beer in Minnesota, Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery was awarded Bronze for Buffalo Bock, a Weizenbock aged in Buffalo Trace Barrels, among the the Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer. Rounding out the Minnesota winners list is relative newcomers, Bent Paddle Brewing. The Duluth brewery captured a Bronze with 14° ESB in the Extra Special Bitter category.
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery Buffalo Bock paired with cherry tart Photo Credit: Andrew Schmitt
Award Criteria
A world-class beer that accurately exemplifies the specified style, displaying the proper balance of taste, aroma and appearance.
An excellent beer that may vary slightly from style parameters while maintaining close adherence to the style and displaying excellent taste, aroma and appearance.
A fine example of the style that may vary slightly from style parameters and/or have minor deviations in taste, aroma or appearance.
After only 6 months of brewing, Duluth’s Bent Paddle Brewing Co. has begun distributing to the thirsty Twin Cities craft beer market. The beer will initially be limited to just five liquor stores: The Wine Thief & Ale Jail (St. Paul), Elevated Beer + Wine + Spirits (South Minneapolis), North Loop Wine & Spirits (Downtown Minneapolis), Stinson Wine, Beer & Spirits (NE Minneapolis) and The Four Firkins (St. Louis Park).
The beer is available in 12oz can 6-packs, including the current flagship beers: Venture Pils, Bent Hop and Black Ale. Bent Paddle plans to increase production capacity along with the number of liquor store and draft accounts throughout the upcoming year.
You may also be able to find Black Ale at Zipp’s Liquor as part of the VITA.MN Six-Pack. I also recommended a special version of their Black Ale as a “must try” at the most recent Autumn Brew Review. Many of your must have agreed, as Black Ale won “Best Beer” at ABR. Twin Cities, you are in for a treat.
VENTURE PILS – Pilsener Lager
This craft lager harmonizes noble hops and premium malts found in North America and Europe. We did the traveling to save you the paddling. Brewed with pristine Lake Superior water, this straw colored pilsener takes on characteristics of Bohemia, Northern Germany with a touch of American inventiveness. Refreshingly crisp with a gentle floral hop aroma.
ABV: 5.0% | IBU: 38 | Style: Pilsener Style Lager | Availability: Year-Round | Packaging: Draft / 12oz Cans Malts: Pilsener, 2-Row, Carafoam | Hops: Sterling, Saaz, Saphir | Yeast: House Lager Strain
Bent Hop – Golden IPA
An unexpected visual bend to an American India Pale Ale, this style is one that stands out in a crowd, or if you’re more like us – enjoyed at a campsite…with no crowd. This non-traditional IPA is golden in color with an enormous floral/citrus hop aroma and a supporting malt profile.
ABV: 6.2% | IBU: 68 | Style: Golden India Pale Ale | Availability: Year-Round | Packaging: Draft / 12oz Cans
Malts: 2-Row, Pilsenser, C-10, C-20, Carafoam | Hops: CTZ, Centennial, Sovereign, Cascade, El Dorado, Glacier | Yeast: House Ale Strain
Black Ale – Stout / Porter
Brewed to be smooth, chocolatey, semi-roasted ale that bridges the islands of porter and stout. And if you aren’t a fan of bridges, there’s always the canoe. This Black Ale drinks like a porter but is opaque like a stout. Brewed with a generous amount of oats to round out the flavor.
ABV: 6.0% | IBU: 34 | Style: Black Ale | Availability: Year-Round | Packaging: Draft / 12oz Cans
Malts: Pale, 2-Row, Golden Promise, De-husked Black, Flaked + Malted Oats, Golden Naked Oats, C-165, C-20 | Hops: CTZ, Willamette
Yeast: House Ale Strain
