For Immediate Release

August 31, 2006

USBTC Announces 12^th Annual Summer Competition Winners

Buffalo, NY - The United States Beer Tasting Championship^TM (USBTC) recently completed the Summer Competition of its 12th annual competition. A total of 358 beers from 129 breweries were examined across 12 different beer categories. Within each category, the USBTC determined both a Grand Champion and the best entry from each of six U.S. regions: 1) Northeast, 2) Mid-Atlantic/Southeast, 3) Midwest, 4) Rockies/Southwest, 5) California, and

6) Northwest/Pacific.

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.

The USBTC recognizes that American brewers are continually establishing new beer styles and reviving interest in classic styles.  As one way to acknowledge this, the USBTC devotes a single “pull-out” category in each competition to a style that is currently emerging or being faithfully carried on.  In our most recent event, Maibock was selected and included in the Summer Competition.

The USBTC Grand Champions were:

Category Grand Champion Company Location Total Beers

Judged

India Pale Ale Big Sky IPA Big Sky Brewing Company Missoula, MT 64

Pale Ale New River Pale Ale New River Brewing Company Atlanta, GA 37

Amber/Red Ale Ruby Red Ale McNeill's Brewery   Brattleboro, VT 21

Bitter/ESB ESB Appalachian Brewing Company Harrisburg, PA 19

Belgian/French Specialty Amber Saison McKenzie Brew House Chadds Ford, PA 25

Golden Ale/Kolsch Poleeko Gold Pale Ale    Anderson Valley Brewing Company Boonville, CA 25

Bock/Doppelbock Subliminator Frederick Brewing Company Fredrick, MD 28

Maibock St. Boisterous Victory Brewing Company  Downington, PA 17

Pilsner Tuppers’ Hop Pocket Pils Old Dominion Brewing Company Ashburn, VA 35

Dortmunder/Helles Portsmouth Lager Smuttynose Brewery   Portsmouth, NH 19

Wheat Beer Penn Weizen Penn Brewery Pittsburgh, PA 43

Fruit Beer Generation Porter Sprecher Brewing Company Glendale, WI 25

The regional winners (along with beers receiving honorable mention) from each category were:

Region/ Regional Champion/ Company Location

Category Honorable Mention

Northeast

India Pale Ale    Smuttynose IPA Smuttynose Brewery   Portsmouth, NH
Honorable Mention  Deadhorse IPA    McNeill's Brewery   Brattleboro, VT

Pale Ale     Pemi Pale Ale Woodstock Inn Brewery N. Woodstock, NH

Honorable Mention Chaimberlain Pale Ale The Shipyard Brewery   Portland, ME

Amber/Red Ale   Ruby Red Ale     McNeill's Brewery   Brattleboro, VT
Belgian/French Specialty Farmhouse Ale Smuttynose Brewery   Portsmouth, NH

Bitter/ESB    Extra Special Bitter    McNeill's Brewery   Brattleboro, VT

Honorable Mention Old Thumper The Shipyard Brewery Portland, ME

Golden Ale/Kolsch  Loon Golden Ale Woodstock Inn Brewery N. Woodstock, NH

Honorable Mention Big Nose Blonde Ale McNeill's Brewery   Brattleboro, VT

Bock/Doppelbock  Samuel Adams Double Bock Boston Beer Company   Boston, MA

Pilsner    Samuel Adams Boston Lager   Boston Beer Company   Boston, MA
Dortmunder/Helles   Portsmouth Lager Smuttynose Brewery   Portsmouth, NH
Wheat Beer    Summer Weizen Smuttynose Brewery   Portsmouth, NH

Honorable Mention Samuel Adams Summer Ale   Boston Beer Company   Boston, MA
Fruit Beer    Raspberry Wheat Ale    Sea Dog Brewery   Portland, ME

Honorable Mention Wild Blueberry Wheat Ale    Sea Dog Brewery   Portland, ME

Maibock (No winners declared)

Region/ Regional Champion/ Company Location

Category Honorable Mention

Mid-Atlantic/Southeast

India Pale Ale Rt. 113 IPA Sly Fox Brewing Company Royersford, PA

Honorable Mention IPA Sweetwater Brewing Company Atlanta, GA

Pale Ale New River Pale Ale New River Brewing Company Atlanta, GA

Honorable Mention 420 Extra Pale Ale Sweetwater Brewing Company Atlanta, GA

Amber/Red Ale HopBack Amber Ale Troegs Brewing Company Harrisburg, PA

Bitter/ESB ESB Appalachian Brewing Company Harrisburg, PA

Belgian/French Specialty Amber Saison McKenzie Brew House Chadds Ford, PA

Honorable Mention Saison Vos Sly Fox Brewing Company Royersford, PA

Golden Ale/Kolsch Golden Ale The St. George Brewing Company Hampton, VA

Honorable Mention Gold Ale Clipper City Brewing Company Baltimore, MD

Bock/Doppelbock Subliminator Frederick Brewing Company Fredrick, MD

Honorable Mention St. Victorious Victory Brewing Company Downington, PA

Maibock St. Boisterous Victory Brewing Company Downington, PA

Pilsner Tuppers’ Hop Pocket Pils Old Dominion Brewing Company Ashburn, VA

Honorable Mention Prima Pils Victory Brewing Company Downington, PA

Dortmunder/Helles Lager Victory Brewing Company Downington, PA

Honorable Mention Lager Legend Brewing Company Richmond, VA

Wheat Beer Penn Weizen Penn Brewery Pittsburgh, PA

Honorable Mention Dreamweaver Wheat Troegs Brewing Company Harrisburg, PA

Fruit Beer Raspberry Wheat Oxford Brewing Company Baltimore, MD

Midwest

India Pale Ale Bitter Woman From Hell Tyranena Brewing Company Lake Mills, WI

Honorable Mention Wild Ride IPA Sand Creek Brewing Company Black River Falls, WI

Pale Ale Cream City Pale Ale Lakefront Brewery Milwaukee, WI

Honorable Mention The Bitter End Pale Ale Two Brothers Brewing Company Warrenville, IL

Amber/Red Ale Sundog Amber Ale New Holland Brewing Company Holland, MI

Honorable Mention Amber Ale Arcadia Brewing Company Battle Creek, MI

Bitter/ESB Organic ESB Lakefront Brewery Milwaukee, WI

Maibock Capital Maibock Capital Brewery Middleton, WI

Honorable Mention Upland Maibock Upland Brewing Company Bloomington, IN

Belgian/French Specialty Upland Wheat Ale Upland Brewing Company Bloomington, IN

Golden Ale/Kolsch Schlafly Kolsch The Saint Louis Brewing Company Saint Louis, MO

Bock/Doppelbock Dark Dopplebock Capital Brewery Middleton, WI

Honorable Mention Blue Goat Dopplebock New Holland Brewing Company Holland, MI

Pilsner Special Pilsner Capital Brewery Middleton, WI

Dortmunder/Helles Dog Days Dortmunder Style Lager Two Brothers Brewing Company Warrenville, IL

Wheat Beer Fargo Brothers Hefeweizen Tyranena Brewing Company Lake Mills, WI

Honorable Mention Woody’s Wheat Sand Creek Brewing Company Black River Falls, WI

Fruit Beer Generation Porter Sprecher Brewing Company Glendale, WI

Rockies/Southwest

India Pale Ale Avery IPA Avery Brewing Company Boulder, CO

Honorable Mention Snake Dog IPA Flying Dog Brewery, LLC Denver, CO

Pale Ale Denver Pale Ale Great Divide Brewing Company Denver, CO

Amber/Red Ale Redpoint Ale Avery Brewing Company Boulder, CO

Honorable Mention Jackson Hole Draft Snake River Brewing Company Jackson, WY

Bitter/ESB Sawtooth Ale Left Hand Brewing Company Longmont, CO

Belgian Wit White Rascal Avery Brewing Company Boulder, CO

Maibock Discombobulator Snake River Brewing Company Jackson, WY

Honorable Mention Bucking Bock Rahr & Sons Brewing Company Ft. Worth, TX

Golden Ale/Kolsch Estes Park Gold Estes Park Brewery Estes Park, CO

Bock/Doppelbock The Kaiser Avery Brewing Company Boulder, CO

Pilsner Indian Paintbrush Pilsner Snake River Brewing Company Jackson, WY

Honorable Mention Pole Star Pilsner Left Hand Brewing Company Longmont, CO

Dortmunder/Helles Blonde Lager Rahr & Sons Brewing Company Ft. Worth, TX

Wheat Beer In Heat Wheat Flying Dog Brewery, LLC Denver, CO

Honorable Mention Bristol’s Beehive Honey Wheat Bristol Brewing Company Colorado Springs,CO

Fruit Beer Longs Peak Raspberry Wheat Estes Park Brewery Estes Park, CO

Region/ Regional Champion/ Company Location

Category Honorable Mention

California

India Pale Ale   Hop Ottin IPA Anderson Valley Brewing Company Boonville, CA

Honorable Mention White Hawk IPA Mendocino Brewing Hopland, CA
Pale Ale    Mt. Tam Pale Ale     Marin Brewing Company Larkspur, CA
Honorable Mention Steelhead Pale Ale Mad River Brewing Company Blue Lake, CA

Amber/Red Ale Jamaica Brand Red Ale    Mad River Brewing Company Blue Lake, CA

Honorable Mention  Boont Amber Ale Anderson Valley Brewing Company Boonville, CA
Bitter/ESB    Belk's ESB      Anderson Valley Brewing Company Boonville, CA
Belgian/French Specialty Avante Garde The Lost Abbey     San Clemente, CA

Honorable Mention Saisan Pizza Port Brewing Solana Beach, CA

Golden Ale/Kolsch Poleeko Gold Pale Ale    Anderson Valley Brewing Company Boonville, CA

Bock/ Doppelbock    No winner declared
Pilsner    Scrimshaw Pilsner Style Ale North Coast Brewing Company Fort Bragg, CA
Dortmunder/Helles    Golden Export Gordon Biersch Brewery San Francisco, CA
Fruit Beer    Raspberry Trail     Lost Coast Brewing Company Eureka, CA

Wheat Beer    Wheat Beer    Anderson Valley Brewing Company Boonville, CA

Maibock (No Winner Declared)

Northwest/Pacific

India Pale Ale Big Sky IPA Big Sky Brewing Company Missoula, MT

Honorable Mention Inversion IPA Deschutes Brewery Bend, OR

Pale Ale Scape Goat Pale Ale Big Sky Brewing Company Missoula, MT

Amber/Red Ale American Amber Ale Rogue Brewery Newport, OR

Bitter/ESB Younger’s Special Bitter Rogue Brewery Newport, OR

Belgian/French Specialty Farm Frog Saison Issaquah Brewery Issaquah, WA

Honorable Mention FestivAle Rogue Brewery Newport, OR

Golden Ale/Kolsch Oregon Golden Ale Rogue Brewery Newport, OR

Bock/Doppelbock Broken Top Bock Deschutes Brewery Bend, OR

Honorable Mention Doppel Bock Bayern Brewery Missoula, MT

Maibock Maibock Bayern Brewery Missoula, MT

Honorable Mention Wendellbrau Maibock Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company Coeur d’Alene, ID

Pilsner Pilsner Bayern Brewery Missoula, MT

Dortmunder/Helles Session Lager Full Sail Brewing Company Hood River, OR

Wheat Beer Trout Slayer Ale Bayern Brewery Missoula, MT

Fruit Beer Orange Honey Wheat Eugene City Brewery Eugene, OR