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Sunday, 28 September 2003 00:00 |
JUNEAU – Alaska’s gold rush history influenced the two Alaskan Brewing beers that brought home medals from the nation’s most prestigious beer competition this weekend in Denver, Colorado.
Alaskan Barleywine won a silver medal in the Barleywine-style ale category at the Great American Beer Festival. And the internationally renowned Alaskan Smoked Porter, a perennial favorite with more medals than any other beer at the festival, was awarded a Bronze medal in the Smoke-Flavored Beer category.
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 2,000 beers competing in 65 categories. A professional panel of brewers, industry members, writers and beer experts judge the beers in a series of blind tastings and announce the winners on the last day of the festival.
“We had six members of our crew attending the event in Denver this year so they were able to walk on stage and receive the medals,” said Marcy Larson, Alaskan co-founder. “It was pretty exciting. We’re proud to be recognized for our consistency and our quality on a national level like this.”
Influenced by the rich historical background in Alaska, the Alaskan Barleywine was aged in a mineshaft as gold rush beers likely were before the days of refrigeration. Juneau Brewers during this era also roasted their own grain over local hardwoods and brewed darker beers. This inspired the Alaskan brewers to experiment with alder smoked malt in the Alaskan Smoked Porter.
The Alaskan Brewing Company brews other historically recreated beers including their flagship Alaskan Amber that is based on a gold rush era recipe from the old Douglas City Brewing Company. Alaskan Winter Ale, brewed with Sitka Spruce Tips and released each October, is a recreation of a style that was brewed by seafaring explorers like Captain Cook as they sailed the Inside Passage of Alaska during the 1700’s.
The state of Alaska was well represented at the medal ceremony as Anchorage-based Moose’s Tooth brought home a bronze medal for their Prince William Porter. “There are a lot of great beers being brewed in Alaska,” says Larson. “We are thrilled for Moose’s Tooth and the presence of other breweries in Alaska that help showcase our state on a national level.”
Celebrating 17 years of brewing world class beer, Alaskan Brewing has won a total of 28 medals at the Great American Beer Festival, more than any other craft brewery. The Juneau-based brewery’s distribution extends throughout the Pacific Northwest and is expanding into California.
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For More Information Contact:
Kristi Monroe (907) 780-5866
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