2003 Summer Competitions Awards
Sunday, July 20, 2003
Buffalo, NY - The United States Beer Tasting ChampionshipTM recently completed its 9th annual summer competition. A total of 398 beers from 151 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 Castaway IPA Kona Brewing Company Kailua-Kona, HI 55
Pale Ale Mt. Tam Pale Ale Marin Brewing Company Larkspur, CA 66
Amber/Red Ale Jamaica Brand Red Ale Mad River Brewing Company Blue Lake, CA, 39
Bitter/ESB Extra Special Bitter Ale McNeill’s Brewery Brattleboro, VT 27
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale Farmhouse Ale Pizza Port Solana Beach, CA 28
Golden Ale/Kolsch Honey Cream Ale Rogue Ales Newport, OR 33
Bock/Doppelbock Eisbock New Glarus Brewing Company New Glarus, WI 37
Pilsner Prima Pils Victory Brewing Company Downington, PA 29
Dortmunder/Helles Dog Days Lager Beer Two Brothers Brewing Company Warrenville, IL 26
Wheat Beer Weizen Penn Brewery Pittsburgh, PA 30
Fruit Beer Raspberry Imperial Stout Weyerbacher Brewing Company Easton, PA 28
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 Big A IPA Smuttynose Brewing Company Portsmouth, NH
Old East India Pale Ale Sea Dog Brewing Company Bangor, ME
Pale Ale Champ Pale Ale McNeill’s Brewery Brattleboro, VT
Chamberlain Pale Ale The Shipyard Brewing Company Portland, ME
Amber/Red Ale Ruby Red Ale McNeill’s Brewery Brattleboro, VT
Bitter/ESB Extra Special Bitter Ale McNeill’s Brewery Brattleboro, VT
Old Thumper The Shipyard Brewing Company Portland, ME
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale White Allagash Brewing Company Portland, ME
Summer Ale Allagash Brewing Company Portland, ME
Golden Ale/Kolsch Windjammer Ale Sea Dog Brewing Company Bangor, ME
Bock/Doppelbock Maibock Smuttynose Brewing Company Portsmouth, NH
Samuel Adams Double Bock Boston Beer Company Boston, MA
Pilsner Portsmouth Lager Smuttynose Brewing Company Portsmouth, NH
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
Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat Boston Beer Company Boston, MA
Mid-Atlantic/Southeast
India Pale Ale HopDevil India Pale Ale Victory Brewing Company Downington, PA
Kashmir IPA Highland Brewing Company Asheville, NC
Pale Ale Pale Ale New River Brewing Company Blacksburg, VA
Dominion Pale Ale Old Dominion Brewing Company Ashburn, VA
Amber/Red Ale HopBack Amber Ale Troegs Brewing Company Harrisburg, PA
Dergys Amber Ale Williamsville Brewery Farmville, NC
Bitter/ESB ESB Red Ale Frederick Brewing Company Frederick, MD
Purist Pale Ale Appalachian Brewing Company Harrisburg, PA
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale Biere D’Art Heavyweight Brewing Company Ocean Township, NJ
Hennepin Brewery Ommegang Cooperstown, NY
Golden Ale/Kolsch Golden Ale The St. George Brewing Company Hampton, VA
Aussie Gold Ale Barley Creek Brewing Company Tannersville, PA
Bock/Doppelbock Wagner Valley Sled Dog Doppelbock Wagner Brewing Company Lodi, NY
Pilsner Prima Pils Victory Brewing Company Downington, PA
Pilsner Dogwood Brewing Company Atlanta, GA
Dortmunder/Helles Gold Penn Brewery Pittsburgh, PA
Wheat Beer Weizen Penn Brewery Pittsburgh, PA
Dominion Summer Wheat Old Dominion Brewing Company Ashburn, VA
Fruit Beer Raspberry Imperial Stout Weyerbacher Brewing Company Easton, PA
Oxford Raspberry Wheat Clipper City Brewing Company Baltimore, MD
Midwest
India Pale Ale High Seas IPA Michigan Brewing Company Webberville, MI
Alpha King Three Floyds Brewing, LLC Munster, IN
Pale Ale Bitter End Two Brothers Brewing Company Warrenville, IL
Honkers Ale Goose Island Brewing Company Chicago, IL
Amber/Red Ale Bell’s Amber Ale Kalamazoo Brewing Company Kalamazoo, MI
Bitter/ESB Lake Superior ESB Arcadia Brewing Company Battle Creek, MI
Organic ESB Lakefront Brewery Milwaukee, WI
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale John Generations White Ale John’s Grocery Iowa City, IA
Golden Ale/Kolsch Summertime Goose Island Brewing Company Chicago, IL
City Cream Ale City Brewing Company, Inc. La Crosse WI
Bock/Doppelbock Eisbock New Glarus Brewing Company New Glarus, WI
Maifest August Schell Brewing Company New Ulm, MN
Pilsner Grand Pilsner Summit Brewing Company St. Paul, MN
Pils Goose Island Brewing Company Chicago, IL
Dortmunder/Helles Dog Days Lager Beer Two Brothers Brewing Company Warrenville, IL
Wheat Beer Wheatland Wheat Beer Michigan Brewing Company Webberville, MI
Wood Duck Wheat Wisconsin Brewing Company Black River Falls, WI
Fruit Beer Blueberry Ale BluCreek Brewing Madison, WI
Rockies/Southwest
India Pale Ale India Pale Ale Avery Brewing Company Boulder, CO
Maverick IPA Great Divide Brewing Company Denver, CO
Pale Ale Pale Ale Nimbus Brewing Company Tucson, AZ
Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale Flying Dog Brewery Denver, CO
Amber/Red Ale Redpoint Ale Avery Brewing Company Boulder, CO
Sundance Amber Rockies Brewing Company Boulder, CO
Bitter/ESB 14’er ESB Avery Brewing Company Boulder, CO
ESB Snake River Brewing Company Jackson Hole, WY
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale White Rascal Avery Brewing Company Boulder, CO
Wit Nimbus Brewing Company Tucson, AZ
Golden Ale/Kolsch Tire Bite Golden Ale Flying Dog Brewery Denver, CO
Bock/Doppelbock Pandora’s Bock Breckenridge Brewery Denver, CO
Pilsner Blue Paddle Pilsner New Belgium Brewing Company Fort Collins, CO
Dortmunder/Helles No winner declared
Wheat Beer Weiss Beer Tabernash Brewing Company Longmont, CO
Fruit Beer Wild Raspberry Great Divide Brewing Company Denver, CO
California
India Pale Ale Mike’s Pale Ale Pizza Port Solana Beach, CA
Indica India Pale Ale Lost Coast Brewery Eureka, CA
Pale Ale Mt. Tam Pale Ale Marin Brewing Company Larkspur, CA
Tipperary Pale Ale Moylan’s Brewing Company Blue Lake, CA
Amber/Red Ale Jamaica Brand Red Ale Mad River Brewing Company Blue Lake, CA
Alley Cat Amber Ale Lost Coast Brewery Eureka, CA
Bitter/ESB Belk’s 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
Celts Golden Ale Moylan’s Brewing Company Novato, CA
Bock/Doppelbock Blonde Bock Gordon Biersch Brewing Company San Francisco, CA
Pilsner Scrimshaw Pilsner North Coast Brewing Company Fort Bragg, CA
Pilsner Gordon Biersch Brewing Company San Francisco, CA
Dortmunder/Helles Golden Export Gordon Biersch Brewing Company San Francisco, CA
Wheat Beer Blue Star Wheat North Coast Brewing Company Fort Bragg, CA
Hefe Wies Marin Brewing Company Larkspur, CA
Fruit Beer Raspberry Brown Ale Lost Coast Brewery Eureka, CA
Northwest/Pacific
India Pale Ale Castaway IPA Kona Brewing Company Kailua-Kona, HI
Sockeye Red IPA Midnight Sun Brewing Company Anchorage, AK
Pale Ale Yellow Snow Ale Rogue Ales Newport, OR
Amber/Red Ale American Amber Ale Rogue Ales Newport, OR
Bitter/ESB Dick’s Best Bitter Dick’s Brewing Company Centralia, WA
Belgian/French
Specialty Ale Half-E-Weizen Rogue Ales Newport, OR
Golden Ale/Kolsch Honey Cream Ale Rogue Ales Newport, OR
Oregon Golden Ale Rogue Ales Newport, OR
Bock/Doppelbock Doppelbock Bayern Brewery Missoula, MT
Pilsner Pilsner Bayern Brewery Missoula, MT
Dortmunder/Helles Longboard Lager Kona Brewing Company Kailua-Kona, HI
Wheat Beer Old Whiskers Hefeweizen Midnight Sun Brewing Company Anchorage, AK
Hula Hefeweizen Kona Brewing Company Kailua-Kona, HI
Fruit Beer Huckleberry Ale Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company Coeur d’Alene, ID
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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