San Diego breweries nab 16 medals at the Great American Beer Festival
San Diego county breweries got to defend the region’s title of “Capitol of Craft” this weekend at the Great American Beer Festival.
35 different breweries from around the county submitted beers into the competition, and those beers bringing home hardware were:
Gold Medalists
- Pale ale: B. Right On: OB Brewery
- English-style summer ale: Liquid AC: Karl Strauss
- Session IPA: The Coachman: Societe
- Session beer: Natural Bridge: Vienna Lager: Eppig Brewing
- Rye beer: Rye Dawn: Breakwater Brewing
Silver Medalists
- Dopplebock: Delaminator Doppelbock: Rip Current Beer
- Barrel-aged sour: Duck, Duck, Gooze: Lost Abbey
- Wood and barrel-aged beer: Redrum: Duck Foot
- Brown ale: Piloncillo Brown Ale: Groundswell Brewing
- Session beer: Noble Miner: Burgeon Beer Co.
- Oatmeal stout: Oats: Pizza Port Solana Beach
Bronze Medalists
- Bohemian-style pilsner: Bird Park :North Park Beer Co.
- Historical beer: Zungen Brecher: Home Brewing Co.
- Chocolate beer: Chocolate Macadamia Nut Stout: Kilowatt Beer
- Classic Irish-style dry stout: Know Ego: Groundswell Brewing Co.
- Old ale or strong ale: Rail Gun Wee Heavy: BNS Brewing & Distilling Co.
Additionally, OB Brewery won the Small Brewpub of the Year award.
Despite being known for its aggressive, hop-forward ales, San Diego’s darker beers — stouts and porters — tend to fare better in national competitions. This year, many “sessionable beers” succeeded, as the national palate is shifting toward beers with lower alcohol content.
This is partly due to many local beers not being brewed “true to style.” The Brewers Association has strict guidelines on what defines each of the more than 100 styles of beer.
The 16 medals won is on par with how well San Diego County has done in recent years, and is two more than what county breweries won last year.
The full results are here.
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Reach the writer at: daniel.wheaton@sduniontribune.com or @theheroofthyme
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