Winners of the 2013 Great American Beer Festival competition were announced in Denver on Oct. 12, with multiple North Bay breweries being recognized. The competition is the largest of its kind in the country, with over 4,800 different beers competing this year in a diverse 84 categories. Besides the judging, the festival itself draws 49,000 people annually.
Third Street Aleworks brought home the most hardware of any North Bay brewery in 2013, winning a gold medal for their Blarney Sisters Dry Irish stout in the Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout category and a bronze for their Bombay Rouge Red IPA in the Imperial Red Ale category. Moylan’s Brewing Co. also took bronze in the Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout category for their Dragoon’s Dry Irish stout. Additionally, Bear Republic earned a bronze medal for Heritage in the Scotch Ale category, while Russian River Brewing Co.’s Sanctification took the silver in the American-Style Brett Beer category. North Bay brewers received just three medals the year before (a silver to Russian River, and a bronze and silver to Bear Republic.)
California took home a total of 52 medals, along with two 2013 Brewery of the Year awards for best mid-sized brewpub (Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach) and mid-sized brewing company (Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles). This latest marks Firestone Walker’s fourth award in that category over the past 10 years, following wins in 2003, 2007 and 2011.
