San Diego Brewer’s Take 15 Awards @ Great American Beer Festival 2012

The Great American Beer Festival 2012

Times are changing for San Diego. Our beloved city is finally on the map for something other than great weather and a beautiful city. We’re being recognized for something hoppy, that’s right ‘hoppy’, not ‘happy’. San Diego’s Craft Beer Scene is on the map as one of the top cities for craft brewing in the country. Beer lovers from all over should be cheering right now!

San Diego’s former Mayor Jerry Sanders even went as far as declaring June as ‘Craft Beer Month’. Can you believe it? A city dedicating a month to beer, now that’s what I’m talking about! Brewing is becoming a phenomenon; it’s as if everybody knows at least one person who brews or at least knows someone who knows someone. We’ll my in-laws are right there with you!

I’ve never met a family so passionate about beer! I always knew I enjoyed beer but I can honestly say until I met my husband I didn’t give it the appreciation it deserves. I’ve realized brewing beer is like art. You pick the right materials, you mix and blend, and you experiment until you’ve created your masterpiece. It takes passion, so remember behind every craft beer is an artist. An artist who worked hard to achieve that perfect taste for you to enjoy!

My husband and I recently attended The Great American Beer Festival in Denver, the largest craft brewing festival/competition in the country. I’d never experienced something quite like this, it was as if we were at the opening games for the ‘Beer Olympics’. Twitter was flooding with people expressing their excitement, breweries and restaurants were offering promotional deals, the airports were filled with people also flying to Denver, and the anticipation was like waiting for Christmas morning! I can say that as a Homebrewers wife who also blogs, I see the latest beer news, I catch up on the newest trends, but I also interact with brewers from all over the World. So you can imagine the excitement I was feeling for my first Great American Beer Festival!

San Diego Beer Brewer Awards

San Diego represented well at this year’s Great American Beer Festival winning a total of 15 medals (Five less than last year, but who cares!). I’ll list off each winner with a brief description of the brewery so you can also get a better idea of who these winners are… If you’re interested in touring some of these great places just be sure to contact them in advance to confirm their hours!

Gold Medal Winners

Green Flash Brewing – “Le Freak” -American Belgo Style
Green Flash Brewing – “Trippel” -Belgian Style Abby Ale
(Located in a large warehouse with a tasting room only)
Pizza Port (Carlsbad) – “Twerp” – Session Beer (Restaurant & Brewery)
Pizza Port (Solana Beach) – “Seaside Stout”- Classic Irish Style Dry Stout (smaller location of the Pizza Ports)
Pizza Port (Solana Beach) – “Oats” – Oatmeal Stout (smaller location of the Pizza Ports)
The Beer Company – “Manhattan Project” -Wood and Barrel Aged Strong Beer
(Brewery & Restaurant – great for watching sports)
The Lost Abbey – “Saint’s Devotion” – Belgian and French Style Ale
(Brewery with Tasting Room)

Silver Medals Winners

Green Flash Brewing – “Silva Stout” -Wood and Barrel Aged Strong Stout
The Lost Abbey – “Red Poppy” -American Style Sour

Bronze Medals Winners

AleSmith – “Grand Cru” -Belgian Style Strong
AleSmith – “Decadence 2010 Old Ale” -Old or Strong Ale
(Small brewery with tasting room only)
Alpine Brewing – “Duet”-American IPA
(Brewery & Pub)
Pizza Port (Carlsbad) – “547 Haight”- Imperial Red
Port Brewing – “Hot Rocks Lager”- Indigenous Beer
(Brewery & Tasting Room)
The Lost Abbey – “Track 8”- Experimental Beer

So there you have it, this year’s big winners for San Diego! If you haven’t had the opportunity to check these breweries out, I’d recommended visiting them in person or at least ordering their beer off the menu at your next dinner. San Diego has a lot to offer and with the tremendous growth in craft brewing I have a feeling there’s more to come our way. We’re all artists… What’s your masterpiece?

Okay, stop reading this, get up, and get yourself a craft beer! Cheers my friends!

www.greenflashbrew.com
www.thebeerco.net
www.lostabbey.com
www.alesmith.com
www.alpinebeerco.com
www.portbrewing.com
Pizza Port

Tags: Beer/Wine & Spirits

About the Author

Cristina Burns is a native San Diegan with a passion for exploring new eateries, bars, and finding new things to do in her hometown. She is the owner of ‘Bridal Stop and Events’, event planning services, as well as a blogger for ‘A HomeBrewers Wife’. She and her husband enjoy eating out and finding places with great food at a great price. Not only does she enjoy a good meal, but Cristina and her husband homebrew their own beer, hence, ‘A homebrewers wife’. Through the years she has developed a strong pallet for good beer, smooth wine, and cocktails with a kick! Follow Cristina around San Diego for the latest reviews on beer, wine, and spirits! Facebook | Twitter