2002 Summer Competition Awards
Friday, June 14, 2002
The United States Beer Tasting ChampionshipTM recently completed its 8th annual summer competition. A total of 453 beers from 183 breweries were examined across 11 different beer categories (an additional 11 categories are examined in a winter competition). Within each category, the USBTC determined both a Grand Champion and the best from each of six U.S. regions: 1) Northeast, 2) Mid-Atlantic/ Southeast, 3) Midwest, 4) Rockies/Southwest, 5) Northwest/Pacific, and 6) California. The USBTC Grand Champions were:
Category Grand Champion Company Location Total Beers Judged
India Pale Ale Mad Hatter New Holland Brewing Company Holland, MI 63
Pale Ale Cream City Pale Ale Lakefront Brewery Milwaukee, WI 79
Amber/Red Ale Jamaica Brand Red Ale Mad River Brewing Company Blue Lake, CA, 53
Bitter/ESB Extra Special Bitter Ale McNeill’s Brewery Brattleboro, VT 31
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale Farmhouse Ale Pizza Port Solana Beach, CA 23
Golden Ale/Kolsch Honey Cream Ale Rogue Ales Newport, OR 32
Bock/Doppelbock Doppelbock LaConner Brewing Company LaConner, WA 37
Pilsner Prima Pils Victory Brewing Company Downington, PA 39
Dortmunder/Helles Dortmunder Gold Great Lakes Brewing Company Cleveland,OH 24
Wheat Beer Weizen Penn Brewery Pittsburgh, PA 42
Fruit Beer Wisconsin Belgian Red New Glarus Brewing Company New Glarus, WI 30
The six regional winners (along with beers receiving honorable mention) from each category were:
Region/Category Regional Champion/ Company Location
Honorable Mention
Northeast
India Pale Ale Old East India Pale Ale Sea Dog Brewing Company Bangor, ME
Harpoon IPA Massachusetts Bay Brewing Company Boston, MA
Pale Ale Shoals Pale Ale Smuttynose Brewing Company Portsmouth, NH
Chamberlain Pale Ale The Shipyard Brewing Company Portland, ME
Amber/Red Ale Ruby Ale McNeill’s Brewery Brattleboro, VT
Bitter/ESB Extra Special Bitter Ale McNeill’s Brewery Brattleboro, VT
Best Bitter Gritty McDuff’s Brewpub Portland, ME
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale White Allagash Brewing Company Portland, ME
Speciale Reserve Allagash Brewing Company Portland, ME
Golden Ale/Kolsch Windjammer Ale Sea Dog Brewing Company Bangor, ME
Samuel Adams Spring Ale Boston Beer Company Boston, MA
Bock/Doppelbock Maibock Smuttynose Brewing Company Portsmouth, NH
Samuel Adams Double Bock Boston Beer Company Boston, MA
Pilsner Samuel Adams Boston Lager Boston Beer Company Boston, MA
Dortmunder/Helles Olde Buzzard Lager Buzzards Bay Brewing Company Westport, MA
Wheat Beer Samuel Adams Weiss Bier Boston Beer Company Boston, MA
Fruit Beer Blue Paw Wild Blueberry Wheat Ale Sea Dog Brewing Company Bangor, ME
Mid-Atlantic/Southeast
India Pale Ale HopDevil India Pale Ale Victory Brewing Company Downington, PA
India Pale Ale Weyerbacher Brewing Company Easton, PA
Pale Ale Rockford Red Williamsville Brewery Farmville, NC
American Pale Ale Stoudt Brewing Company Adamstown, PA
Amber/Red Ale Dergys Amber Ale Williamsville Brewery Farmville, NC
Amber Beer Wild Goose Brewery Frederick, MD
Bitter/ESB Saranac ESB Matt Brewing Company Utica, NY
ESB Ale Weyerbacher Brewing Company Easton, PA
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale Blanche des deaux fleuves Weyerbacher Brewing Company Easton, PA
Golden Ale/Kolsch Gold Ale Clipper City Brewing Company Baltimore, MD
Blue Ridge Golden Ale Frederick Brewing Company Frederick, MD
Bock/Doppelbock Wagner Valley Sled Dog Doppelbock Wagner Brewing Company Lodi, NY
Pilsner Prima Pils Victory Brewing Company Downington, PA
Tuppers’ Hop Pocket Pils Old Dominion Brewing Company Ashburn, VA
Dortmunder/Helles Dominion Lager Old Dominion Brewing Company Ashburn, VA
Mountain Lager Appalachian Brewing Company Harrisburg, PA
Wheat Beer Weizen Penn Brewery Pittsburgh, PA
Fruit Beer Oxford Raspberry Wheat Clipper City Brewing Company Baltimore, MD
Mountain Berry Ale Matt Brewing Company Utica, NY
Midwest
India Pale Ale Mad Hatter New Holland Brewing Company Holland, MI
High Seas India Pale Ale Michigan Brewing Company Webberville, MI
Pale Ale Cream City Pale Ale Lakefront Brewery Milwaukee, WI
Bitter End Pale Ale Two Brothers Brewing Company Warrenville, IL
Amber/Red Ale Amber Ale Founders Brewing Company Grand Rapids, MI
Badger Red Ale J.T. Whitney’s Pub & Brewery Madison, WI
Bitter/ESB Original ESB Crooked River Brewing Company Cleveland, OH
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale Domaine DuPage Two Brothers Brewing Company Warrenville, IL
Bell’s Oberon Ale Kalamazoo Brewing Company Kalamazoo, MI
Golden Ale/Kolsch Zommerfest August Schell Brewing Company New Ulm, MN
Summertime Goose Island Brewery Chicago, IL
Bock/Doppelbock Dark Doppelbock Capital Brewing Company Middleton, WI
Blonde Doppelbock Capital Brewing Company Middleton, WI
Pilsner Goose Island Pils Goose Island Brewery Chicago, IL
August Schell Pils August Schell Brewing Company New Ulm, MN
Dortmunder/Helles Dortmunder Gold Great Lakes Brewing Company Cleveland, OH
Dog Days Dortmunder Two Brothers Brewing Company Warrenville, IL
Wheat Beer Wheatland Wheat Beer Michigan Brewing Company Webberville, MI
Solstice Wheat Beer New Glarus Brewing Company New Glarus, WI
Fruit Beer Wisconsin Belgian Red New Glarus Brewing Company New Glarus, WI
Rockies/Southwest
India Pale Ale Avery IPA Avery Brewing Company Boulder, CO
Sonora IPA Sonora Brewing Company Phoenix, AZ
Pale Ale Pale Ale Snake River Brewing Company Jackson Hole, WY
Palo Verde Pale Ale Nimbus Brewing Company Tucson, AZ
Amber/Red Ale Redpoint Amber Avery Brewing Company Boulder, CO
Amber Ale RedRock Brewing Company Salt Lake City, UT
Bitter/ESB Sawtooth Ale Left Hand Brewing Company Longmont, CO
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale No winner declared
Golden Ale/Kolsch Tire Bite Ale Flying Dog Brewery Denver, CO
Bock/Doppelbock Butt Head Bock Tommyknocker Brewery Idaho Springs, CO
Pilsner Indian Paintbrush Pilsner Snake River Brewing Company Jackson Hole, WY
Dortmunder/Helles No winner declared
Wheat Beer Weiss Beer Tabernash Brewing Company Longmont, CO
Fruit Beer Frambozen Raspberry Brown Ale New Belgium Brewing Company Fort Collins, CO
California
India Pale Ale Celebration Ale Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Chico, CA
India Pale Ale Marin Brewing Company Larkspur, CA
Pale Ale Mt. Tam Pale Ale Marin Brewing Company Larkspur, CA
Pale Ale Stone Brewing Company San Diego, CA
Amber/Red Ale Jamaica Brand Red Ale Mad River Brewing Company Blue Lake, CA
Golden Gate Amber Ale Golden Pacific Brewing Company Berkeley, CA
Bitter/ESB Belks Extra Special Bitter Anderson Valley Brewing Company Boonville, CA
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale Farmhouse Ale Pizza Port Solana Beach, CA
Saison Pizza Port Solana Beach, CA
Golden Ale/Kolsch Poleeko Gold Pale Ale Anderson Valley Brewing Company Boonville, CA
Bock/Doppelbock No winner declared
Pilsner Pils Lagunitas Brewing Company Petaluma, CA
Pilsner Gordon Biersch Brewing Company Palo Alto, CA
Dortmunder/Helles Golden Export Gordon Biersch Brewing Company Palo Alto, CA
Wheat Beer Blue Star Wheat North Coast Brewing Company Fort Bragg, CA
Fruit Beer Stinson Beach Peach Marin Brewing Company Larkspur, CA
Wheat Berry Ale Moylan’s Brewing Company Novato, CA
Northwest/Pacific
India Pale Ale Castaway IPA Kona Brewing Company Kailua-Kona, HI
IPA Pike Brewing Company Seattle, WA
Pale Ale Pale Ale Pyramid Brewing Company Seattle, WA
Pale Ale Pike Brewing Company Seattle, WA
Amber/Red Ale American Amber Ale Rogue Ales Newport, OR
Bitter/ESB Extra Special Bitter LaConner Brewing Company LaConner, WA
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale Half-a-Weizen Rogue Ales Newport, OR
Golden Ale/Kolsch Honey Cream Ale Rogue Ales Newport, OR
Drawbridge Blonde Hale’s Ales Seattle, WA
Bock/Doppelbock Doppelbock LaConner Brewing Company LaConner, WA
Pilsner Zephyrus Pilsner Elysian Brewing Company Seattle, WA
Pilsner LaConner Brewing Company LaConner, WA
Dortmunder/Helles Longboard Lager Kona Brewing Company Kailua-Kona, HI
Wheat Beer Hula Hefeweizen Kona Brewing Company Kailua-Kona, HI
Honeymoon Wheat Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company Coeur d’Alene, ID
Fruit Beer Lilikoi Wheat Ale Kona Brewing Company Kailua-Kona, HI
The USBTC takes a unique approach in that its competition is held in multiple stages. Sequential field trials are conducted wherein judges evaluate beers and select the best to advance to subsequent rounds. This allows beers to be judged in relatively small flights while ensuring that the best beers are still determined through head-to-head competition. All beers were tasted in blinded fashion and judged on a hedonic scale.
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