For Immediate Release

February 15, 2008

 

 

USBTC Announces 14th Annual Winter Competition Winners

 

Princeton, NJ - The United States Beer Tasting ChampionshipTM (USBTC) recently completed the Winter Competition of its 14th annual competition.  A total of 405 beers from 141 breweries were examined across 13 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 “pull-out” categories in each competition to a style that is currently emerging or being faithfully carried on.  In our most recent event, Imperial IPA/Red Ale was selected as well as a USBTC-original categorization, Yeast Killer! TM

 

For additional information on The USBTC, How to enter beer or how to Contact us, please visit our web site at www.usbtc.com

 

The USBTC Grand Champions were:

 

Category                               Grand Champion                             Company                                                Location                      Total Beers

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Judged

Barleywine                            Old Crustacean                             Rogue Brewery                                       Newport, OR                         42

Strong/Old Ale                      Hibernation Ale                              Great Divide Brewing Company           Denver, CO                           28

Imperial IPA/Red Ale          White Knuckle                                Marin Brewing Company                       Larkspur, CA                         39

Imperial Stout                      Dark Lord Imperial Stout              Three Floyds Brewing Company         Munster, IN                            36

Stout                                       Obsidian Stout                               Deschutes Brewery                                Bend, OR                               37

Porter                                     Mocha Porter                                  Rogue Brewery                                        Newport, OR                         32

Brown Ale                              Hazelnut Brown Nectar                Rogue Brewery                                        Newport, OR                         36

Scottish-Style Ale                 Backwoods Bastard                     Founders Brewing Company               Grand Rapids, MI                 20

Belgian-Style Ale                 Gift of the Magi                               The Lost Abbey                                       San Clemente, CA               46

Dark Lager/Dunkel             Black Bavarian                               Sprecher Brewing Company                Glendale, WI                         18

Vienna/Marzen Lager         Festbier                                           Victory Brewing Company                     Downington, PA                    35

Spice/Smoke Beer              Frosty Frog                                      Issaquah Brewery                                   Issaquah, WA                       28

YEAST KILLER!                   The Beast Grand Cru                   Avery Brewing Company                        Boulder, CO                            8

 

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

 

Region/                        Regional Champion/                                 Company                                    Location

Category                      Honorable Mention

 

Northeast

Barleywine                            Old Ringworm                                                             McNeill’s Brewery                                   Brattleboro, VT

Strong/Old Ale                      Hampshire Special Ale                                             D.L. Geary Brewing                                 Portland, ME     

          Honorable Mention    Double Bag Ale                                                           Long Trail Brewing                                 Burlington, VT

Imperial IPA/Red Ale           No winner declared

Imperial Stout                       Imperial Stout                                                              McNeill’s Brewery                                   Brattleboro, VT

Stout                                       Cream Stout                                                                Boston Beer Company                          Boston, MA        

Porter                                     Robust Porter                                                              Smuttynose Brewing Company           Portsmouth, NH        

Honorable Mention              Samuel Adams Holiday Porter                                Boston Beer Company                          Boston, MA

Brown Ale                              Pig’s Ear Brown Ale                                                   Woodstock Inn Brewery                         N.  Woodstock, NH

          Honorable Mention    Old Brown Dog Ale                                                     Smuttynose Brewing Company           Portsmouth, NH

Scottish-Style Ale                 Samuel Adams Scotch Ale                                       Boston Beer Company                          Boston, MA                 

Belgian-Style Ale                  Allagash White                                                            Allagash Brewing Company                 Portland, ME

Dunkels Lager                     Samuel Adams Black Lager                                    Boston Beer Company                          Boston, MA

Vienna/Marzen Lager          Samuel Adams Octoberfest                                     Boston Beer Company                          Boston, MA        

Spice/Smoke Beer              Wassail                                                                        Woodstock Inn Brewery                         N.  Woodstock, NH

          Honorable Mention    Samuel Adams Old Fezziwig                                   Boston Beer Company                          Boston, MA

YEAST KILLER!                    Samuel Adams Utopias                                           Boston Beer Company                          Boston, MA

 

Region/                        Regional Champion/                                 Company                                    Location

Category                      Honorable Mention

 

Mid-Atlantic/Southeast

Barleywine                             275th Anniversary Ale                                                 General Lafayette Inn & Brewery          Lafayette Hill, PA

Strong/Old Ale                      Indian Brown Ale                                                        Dogfish Head Craft Brewery                 Lewes, DE

Honorable Mention      Wailing Wench                                                            Middle Ages Brewing Company           Syracuse, NY

Imperial IPA/Red Ale           Double Simcoe                                                           Weyerbacher Brewing Company         Easton, PA

Honorable Mention      Shipwrecker Double Red                                         McKenzie Brew House                           Chadds Ford, PA

Imperial Stout                       The Grim Reaper                                                       General Lafayette Inn & Brewery          Lafayette Hill, PA

Honorable Mention      Duck-Rabbit Imperial Stout                                      The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery            Farmville, NC

Stout                                       Black Bear Stout                                                         Big Bear Brewing Company                  Coral Springs, FL

Porter                                     Washington’s Porter                                                  Williamsburg AleWerks, LLC               Williamsburg, VA

Brown Ale                              Duck-Rabbit Brown Ale                                             The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery            Farmville, NC

          Honorable Mention    Olde Richmond Brown Ale                                       The St. George Brewing Company      Hampton, VA

Scottish-Style Ale                 Kilt Tilter                                                                       Middle Ages Brewing Company           Syracuse, NY

Honorable Mention      Foe Hammer                                                               John Harvard’s Brewery                        Pittsburg, PA

Belgian-Style Ale                  Ten                                                                                John Harvard’s Brewery                        Pittsburg, PA

Dunkels Lager                     Dunkel Lager                                                              Sly Fox Brewing Company                    Royersford, PA           

Honorable Mention      Saranac Black Forest                                                FX Matt Brewing Company                    Utica, NY

Vienna/Marzen Lager          Festbier                                                                        Victory Brewing Company                     Downington, PA

          Honorable Mention    Oktoberfest Beer                                                        Lancaster Brewing Company               Lancaster, PA

Spice/Smoke Beer              Winter Wonder                                                            Triumph Brewing Company                  Philadelphia, PA        

YEAST KILLER!                    OIde School Barleywine                                            Dogfish Head Craft Brewery                 Lewes, DE

 

Midwest

Barleywine                            Curmudgeon Old Ale                                                 Founders Brewing Company               Grand Rapids, MI

Strong/Old Ale                      Dragon’s Milk                                                              New Holland Brewing Company         New Holland, MI

Imperial IPA/Red/Amber     Dreadnaught Imperial IPA                                        Three Floyd’s Brewing Company        Munster, IN

          Honorable Mention    Double IPA                                                                   Goose Island Brewing Company        Chicago, IL

Imperial Stout                       Dark Lord Imperial Stout                                           Three Floyd’s Brewing Company        Munster, IN

          Honorable Mention    B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Imperial Stout                   Hoppin’ Frog Brewery                            Akron, OH

Stout                                       Spetsnaz Stout                                                            Grumpy Troll Restaurant & Brewery    Mt. Horeb, WI

          Honorable mention   Oatmeal Stout                                                             Goose Island Brewing Company        Chicago, IL

Porter                                     Alpha Klaus Christmas Porter                                 Three Floyd’s Brewing Company        Munster, IN

Brown Ale                              Rocky’s Revenge                                                       Tyranena Brewing Company                Lake Mills, WI

          Honorable Mention    Bender                                                                          Surly Brewing Company                        Brooklyn Center, MN

Scottish-Style Ale                 Backwoods Bastard                                                  Founders Brewing Company               Grand Rapids, MI

          Honorable Mention    Brewmaster’s Reserve Scotch-Style Ale               Sprecher Brewing Company                Glendale, WI

Belgian-Style Ale                  Gulden Frog Belgian Ale                                           Hoppin’ Frog Brewery                            Akron, OH

Dunkels Lager                     Black Bavarian                                                            Sprecher Brewing Company                Glendale, WI

Vienna/Marzen Lager          Winter Skal                                                                  Capital Brewery                                       Middleton, WI

          Honorable Mention    Riverwest Stein Beer                                                 Lakefront Brewery                                   Milwaukee, WI

Spice Beer                            Schlafly Christmas Ale                                              The Saint Louis Brewing Company    St. Louis, MO

YEAST KILLER!                    Bourbon County Stout                                               Goose Island Brewing Company        Chicago, IL

                  

Rockies/Southwest

Barleywine                            Old Ruffian                                                                   Great Divide Brewing Company           Denver, CO

          Honorable Mention    Jack’s Reserve Barleywine                                      The Covey Restaurant & Brewery        Ft. Worth, TX     

Strong/Old Ale                      Hibernation Ale                                                           Great Divide Brewing Company           Denver, CO

Imperial IPA/Red/Amber     Double Dog                                                                 Flying Dog Brewery                                 Denver, CO

Imperial Stout                       Yeti Imperial Stout                                                     Great Divide Brewing Company           Denver, CO

Stout                                       Zonker Stout                                                                Snake River Brewing Company           Jackson Hole, WY

Porter                                     State Pen Porter                                                         Santa Fe Brewing Company                 Santa Fe, NM

Brown Ale                              Santa Fe Nut Brown Ale                                            Santa Fe Brewing Company                 Santa Fe, NM    

Scottish-Style Ale                 Kilt Lifter                                                                       Four Peaks Brewing Company            Tempe, AZ

Belgian-Style Ale                  Fourteen                                                                       Avery Brewing Company                        Boulder, CO

          Honorable Mention    Collaboration Not Litigation Ale                               Avery Brewing Company                        Boulder, CO

Dunkels Lager                     No winner declared  

Vienna/Marzen Lager          Vienna Lager                                                               The Covey Restaurant & Brewery        Ft. Worth, TX               

Spice Beer                            Java Imperial Stout                                                    Santa Fe Brewing Company                 Santa Fe, NM

YEASTKILLER!                     The Beast Grand Cru                                                Avery Brewing Company                        Boulder, CO

 

 

Region/                        Regional Champion/                                 Company                                    Location

Category                      Honorable Mention

 

California

Barleywine                            Angel Share                                                                 The Lost Abbey                                        San Marcos, CA

          Honorable Mention    Old Blarney                                                                  Moylan’s Brewing Company                 Novato, CA

Strong/Old Ale                      Arrogant Bastard                                                        Stone Brewing Company                      San Diego, CA

Imperial IPA/Red Ale           White Knuckle Double IPA                                        Marin Brewing Company                       Larkspur, CA

          Honorable Mention    Hopsickle Imperial IPA                                              Moylan’s Brewing Company                 Novato, CA

Imperial Stout                       Older Viscosity                                                            Port Brewing                                            San Marcos, CA

          Honorable Mention    Imperial Stout                                                              Moylan’s Brewing Company                 Novato, CA

Stout                                       Dry Irish Stout                                                              Moylan’s Brewing Company                 Novato, CA

Porter                                     Point Reyes Porter                                                     Marin Brewing Company                       Larkspur, CA

          Honorable Mention    Smoked Porter                                                            Stone Brewing Company                      San Diego, CA

Brown Ale                              Downtown Brown                                                       Lost Coast Brewery                                Eureka, CA

          Honorable Mention    Acme California Brown Ale                                       North Coast Brewing Company           Fort Bragg, CA

Scottish-Style Ale                 Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale                                                   Moylan’s Brewing Company                 Novato, CA

Belgian-Style Ale                  Gift of the Magi                                                             The Lost Abbey                                        San Marcos, CA                   

Honorable Mention    Red Poppy Flanders Ale                                           Port Brewing                                            San Marcos, CA

Dunkels Lager                     No winner declared

Vienna/Marzen Lager          No winner declared                                         

Spice/Smoke Beer              Our Special Ale                                                           Anchor Brewing Co.                                San Francisco, CA

YEAST KILLER!                    No winner declared

                                               

 

 

Northwest/Pacific

Barleywine                            Old Crustacean                                                          Rogue Brewery                                        Newport, OR

  Honorable Mention    Old Blowhole                                                               Kona Brewing Company                       Kailua-Kona, HI

Strong/Old Ale                      Wreck the Halls                                                           Full Sail Brewing Company                  Hood River, OR         

Imperial IPA/Red Ale           Imperial India Pale Ale                                              Rogue Brewery                                        Newport, OR

Imperial Stout                       Imperial Stout                                                              Rogue Brewery                                        Newport, OR

  Honorable Mention    The Abyss                                                                    Deschutes Brewery                                Bend, OR           

Stout                                                 Obsidian Stout                                                  Deschutes Brewery                                Bend, OR 

          Honorable Mention    XXXXX Stout                                                                 Pike Brewing Company                         Seattle, WA                 

Porter                                     Mocha Porter                                                               Rogue Brewery                                        Newport, OR

Honorable Mention    Black Sand Porter                                                      Kona Brewing Company                       Kailua-Kona, HI                   

Brown Ale                              Hazelnut Brown Nectar                                             Rogue Brewery