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Saturday, 07 October 2000 00:00 |
Alaskan Brewing Company captured its 23rd medal at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival today in Denver, Colorado.
Note: Video of the festival and interview with Alaskan Brewing Co. Brewmaster available upon request.
Alaskan Brewing Scores at the Great American Beer Festival
(JUNEAU) -- Alaskan Smoked Porter won a bronze medal for excellence in the smoke-flavored beer category. With this years award, Alaskan Brewing continues to lead small breweries in total medals received and trails only Anheuser-Busch and Coors for the most medals overall since the inception of the festival.
Brewer Tyler Lindquist was one of several Alaskan Brewing employees on hand at the festival, and was honored to accept the medal. "This is a great moment for our crew," said Lindquist. “My feet haven't really touched the ground since we won the award.”
A perennial favorite, Alaskan Smoked Porter continues to be one of the most award-winning beers at the Great American Beer Festival garnering a total of 10 medals since its introduction in 1988. Also this year Alaskan Smoked Porter won a silver at the Brewing Industries International Awards in London and a gold at the World Beer Cup Competition in New York.
Alaskan Smoked Porter has been credited with helping inspire an American revival of smoked beers. The malt for Alaskan Smoked Porter is smoked over alder wood at the local smokery, Taku Smokeries in Juneau. It takes approximately 72 hours to smoke enough malt for one small batch of the award-winning brew. The technique stems from early Alaska when gold rush-era brewers malted their own grain over fire, thus creating a smoked character.
“Our Smoked Porter highlights the ingenuity and historical ties that make Alaska and Alaskan Brewing unique,” said Brewmaster Geoff Larson. “Our crew does a great job and we are all very proud to be brewers of world class beers.”
The Great American Beer Festival is considered by many in the industry to be the “Olympics” of American breweries. The festival this year had over 1800 beers competing in 55 categories. A professional panel of brewers, industry members, writers and beer experts judge the beers in a series of blind tastings. In addition to judging, the participating breweries are given an opportunity to share their products with festival attendees.
The Juneau-based brewery opened in 1986 and also produces Alaskan Amber, Pale, ESB, and Stout year round with their newest seasonal release, Alaskan Winter Ale. Alaskan Smoked Porter will be available by the holidays in Alaska and throughout the Pacific Northwest.
For More Information Contact:
Contact: Kristi Monroe (907) 780-5866
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