Westbound and Down Brewing Co. Wins Two Silver Medals; Named Midsize Brewpub of the Year at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival

Photo © 2019, Brewers Association

IDAHO SPRINGS, CO— Westbound and Down Brewing Co. was awarded two silver medals and the Midsize Brewpub of the Year recognition at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival® (GABF) competition, the 33rd edition of the world’s largest commercial beer competition.

Westbound and Down Brewing Co. was recognized in the Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer category for its Double Barrel Louie, a Barrel-Aged 11.5% ABV English Barleywine named after a rescue dog in Head Beer Drinker Jake Garder’s family, that was aged in Port-finished rye barrels and  finished in Breckenridge Bourbon Barrels on whiskey-soaked peaches.

Westbound and Down Brewing Co. was also recognized in the Imperial India Pale Ale category for 9.3% ABV Westbound Double IPA, a Double IPA with ludicrous amounts of  Galaxy, Mosaic, Enigma and Cryo Mosaic hops that pack big aromas of tangerine, blueberries, and papaya.. Westbound Double IPA is balanced with a sweet biscuit malt profile, with a clean dry finish. 

“We are proud of the beers our team makes and it is rewarding to see our beers recognized, but it won’t change our process and desire to keep getting better,” says Gardner.

GABF, presented by the Brewers Association, recognizes the most outstanding beers produced in the United States. Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded on October 5 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, in 107 beer categories covering 174 different beer styles (including all subcategories), establishing the best examples of each style in the country. This year 9,497 entries were submitted to the general competition, along with 113 Pro-Am and 70 Collaboration entries. The beer was made by 2,295 breweries from across the nation, with entries from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Judging took place over the course of three days, with an international panel of 322 judges from 18 countries. 

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto@radcraftbeer.com with inquiries about this announcement. For more GABF competition information, including the 2019 winners list and photos, visit GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com. 

ABOUT WESTBOUND & DOWN BREWING COMPANY

Westbound and Down is a small brewpub located in Idaho Springs, CO that prides itself in brewing well-executed beers in a wide array of beer styles to pair with great food. Brewed with a bit of Rocky Mountain air and served with a side of fresh powder, Westbound and Down’s beers have been awarded multiple accolades since their opening in 2015. Find this destination brewpub online at westboundanddown.com.

Comrade Brewing Named 2019 Small Brewing Company of the Year; Earns Two Gold GABF Medals for IPA Categories

DENVER, CO— Comrade Brewing was named 2019 Small Brewing Company of the Year by the Brewers Association at the 33rd Great American Beer Festival® awards ceremony at the Colorado Convention Center after receiving gold medals for two of its India Pale Ales. These are the fourth and fifth medals the brewery has won since opening in 2014. 

Superpower IPA  was awarded a gold medal in the American-Style Strong Pale Ale category, which had 131 entries. Superpower IPA is an American IPA with loads of Pacific Northwest hops that lend huge pine and grapefruit hop aroma and citrus flavors. Its bitterness is balanced with a crisp, light malt character and is available year-round at the Comrade Brewing tasting room. Just a few days prior, the Denver Westword called it one of the most important beers in Colorado history. 

More Dodge Less RAM, a triple-dry hopped sister of Superpower IPA, took gold in the second most-entered category, American-Style India Pale Ale, which had 342 entries. More Dodge Less RAM was the first beer that Comrade brewed after a Dodge Ram plowed into the brewery three years ago. 

“We still can’t believe it” said Chairman and Founder David Lin. “It’s an incredible honor to take home these awards with so many other great breweries and proud of our brewmaster Marks Lanham and brewer Rio Urioste."

The 2019 GABF® competition winners were selected by an international panel of 322 expert judges from 9,497 entries, received from 2,295 U.S. breweries, plus 113 Pro-Am and 70 Collaboration entries.

For more information about Comrade Brewing or its internationally recognized IPA brewing prowess, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com. For more information about the 2019 Great American Beer Festival competition and its winners, visit greatamericanbeerfestival.com.

ABOUT COMRADE BREWING

Launched in 2014 by David Lin and Marks Lanham, Comrade Brewing is often noted as one of Denver and Colorado’s masters of the India Pale Ale style, home of the flagship Superpower IPA. Comrade also brews the award-winning Yellow Fever Chile Beer, the Koffee Kream Extra Coffee Milk Stout, and the REDCON Irish-Style Red Ale year-round, as well an array of rotating seasonals and lots of collaboration beers with fellow brewing companies. Comrade’s trophy case now sports 5 medals from the Great American Beer Festival® and a 2016 World Beer Cup® gold award, among others. Find the brewery online at comradebrewing.com.

Brink Brewing Named 2019 Very Small Brewing Company of the Year, Takes Home Two GABF Gold Medals

Photo © 2019, Brewers Association

CINCINNATI, OH— Brink Brewing was named 2019 Very Small Brewing Company of the Year by the Brewers Association today at the 33rd annual Great American Beer Festival® awards ceremony after receiving gold medals for two of its most decorated beers in the competition. 

Hold the Reins was awarded gold in the English-style Mild Ale category that had 40 entries. This classic “session ale” is full flavored with moderate sweetness, and a bit nutty with a touch of caramel. Chocolate and roast notes give way to a dry finish. This beer, which was originally one of Brink Brewing Head Brewer Kelly Montgomery’s home brew recipes, was awarded a gold medal in 2017 and a silver in 2018 in the same category. “I have been tweaking that recipe for the last decade as new and better ingredients have become available,” he says. “It was always the house beer on tap.” 

Moozie, a rich Milk Stout, was awarded gold in the Sweet or Cream Stout category that had 67 entries. Like a chocolate milkshake without the straw, it features chocolate and coffee notes and is almost chewy thanks to the addition of lactose and flaked oats. Moozie is a family namesake, named after Molly (Brink owners John and Kelly's sister). Their Uncle Jack— whose memory sparked their interest in the craft beer world and inspired the conception of Brink— always referred to her as Moozie. “We wanted to pay homage to both and a Milk Stout seemed fitting (moo!). It also helps that it's one of Molly's favorite styles. The first medal we received a few months after opening was for Moozie, and now she is our most decorated beer with 7 awards,” Montgomery says. 

Moozie also boasts a bronze medal from the 2018 World Beer Cup®, silver at the inaugural Ohio Craft Brewers Cup earlier this year, and a gold medal from the 2018 Great American Beer Festival. 

Brink Brewing is the first brewing company in Great American Beer Festival history to be named Very Small Brewing Company two years back to back. This honor is a huge accomplishment for the brewery, which will celebrate its third anniversary early in 2020. "We went into this year thinking we could never top last year's wins, so the magnitude of exceeding it this year is still sinking in!,” says Brink co-owner John McGarry. “We could not be more proud than to be part of elevating the Ohio beer scene into the top 5 in the US this year based on medals."

If you’d like more information about Brink Brewing or its award-winning beers, contact Emily Hutto at coop@radcraftbeer.com. 

ABOUT BRINK BREWING

Brink Brewing Co is craft brewery in the College Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati that serves some of Ohio’s most decorated beers. Since Brink’s opening in 2017, the brewing team has accumulated an impressive 22 awards and a World Beer Cup plaque. Brink was honored at the Great American Beer Festival® as Very Small Brewing Company of the Year both in 2018 and 2019. For more information visit brinkbrewing.com.