By Joel Williams
Published: June, 2008
This year there were 2,864 entries from 644 breweries in 58 different countries and 45 U.S. states. Brewers from five continents and 21 countries from Bolivia to Japan earned awards from an elite international panel of 129 beer judges. The judges were chosen from the ranks of professional brewers and industry experts. Most of the judges came from international breweries, with 64 percent from outside the United States.
Brewers all over the world participate in order to win recognition for their creativity and brewing ability, said Charlie Papazian, President of the Brewers Association, the U.S.-based trade association that has put on the competition every two years since 1996. For a brewer, a World Beer Cup award allows them to say that their winning beer represents the best of that style in the world.
California Breweries won more medals at the 2008 World Beer Cup Awards this year than any other state, bringing home a staggering 35 medals this year, 11 which went to local Bay Area Breweries. The following is a list of the awards won by Bay Area breweries. I encourage you to try these spectacular and now world renowned local beers.
Gold Medal Winners:
Iron Springs Pub & Brewery, Fairfax – Sless’ Stimulating Stout
– Category: Oatmeal Stout –
Third Street AleWorks, Santa Rosa – Blarney Sisters Dry Irish Stout
– Category: Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout –
Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa – Salvation
– Category: Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale –
Schooner’s Grill & Brewery, Antioch – Old Diablo
– Category: Barley Wine-Style Ale –
Trumer Brauerei, Berkeley – Trumer Pils
– Category: German-Style Pilsener –
Silver Medal Winners:
Black Diamond Brewing Co., Concord – Belgian Blond
– Category: Belgian-Style Pale Ale –
Marin Brewing Co., Larkspur – San Quentin’s Breakout Stout
– Category: Foreign (Export)-Style Stout –
Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa – Temptation
– Category: Wood-and Barrel-aged Sour Beer –
Bronze Medal Winners:
Marin Brewing Co., Larkspur – Tiburon Blond
– Category: Belgian-and-French-Style Ale –
Marin Brewing Co., Larkspur – Star Brew
– Category: American-Style Wheat Wine Ale –
Schooner’s Grill & Brewery, Antioch – Irish Stout
– Category: Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout –
Joel Williams was a professional craft brewer for over seven years at several breweries. He earned a diploma in Brewing Sciences in 1996 from the world-renowned Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago.
