2012 U.S. Open

2012 U.S. Open Beer Championship Medal Winners & Grand National Champion

Atlanta, GA(July, 2012) — Winners in the 2012 United States Open Beer Championships – the only brewery competition to include professional breweries and award-winning home brewers – were announced this week. More than 1650 beers were submitted in 65 different categories.

Sweetwater Brewing of Atlanta, Georgia was awarded Grand National Champion, winning three gold, three silver and a bronze medal. Boston Beer Company, makers of Samuel Adams, won second and last year’s overall winner, Deschutes Brewery of Bend, Ore. won third.

For the first time in three years, a group of homebrewers won a gold medal in the barley wine style. This group consisted of Michael Habrat, Chris Bartik, Brett Goldstock, and Suzy Pessutti of San Diego, CA. Other homebrewers who took home medals at the U.S. Open included silver medalist Kent Shultz for his alt sytle beer and bronze medalist David Motter for his ESB.

“This competition is significant because it accepts entries from breweries around the world and allows national winning homebrews to compete,” said Dow Scoggins, director of the U.S. Open Beer Championships. “This year, the U.S. Open also had its first college in the Top 10. Niagara College Teaching Brewery from Ontario, which sells and distributes its ales and lagers to local retail stores and restaurants, finished 6th with two golds and two silvers.

“More than international breweries entered the U.S. Open in 2012, including breweries from Canada, Belgium, Iceland, Germany, Mexico, and England medaled.”

Competing beers were judged in 65 different beer style categories. This year’s judges were from England, Canada and the United States.

Along with the medals awarded, a Grand National Champion is awarded based on a point system for beers (5 minimum POINTS) entered in the competition.

The top 10 breweries based on the number of beers placing first (3 points), second (2 points) or third (1 point) are:

1. Sweetwater Brewing – Atlanta, GA
2. Boston Beer Company – Boston, Massachusetts
3. Deschutes Brewery – Bend, Oregon
4. Cigar City Brewing – Tampa, FL
5. Black Tooth Brewing – Sheridan, Wyoming
6. Niagara College – Niagara College – Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
7. Full Sail Brewing – Hood River, Oregon
8. Sprecher Brewing – Glendale, Wisconsin
9. Morgan Street Brewing – St. Louis, Missouri
10. Maui Brewing – Lahaina, Hawaii

The judges also named a “Judges Award” for the top ten “most creative names” ” Among the judges favorites:
1. Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale
2. Bolshevik Bastard Imperial Stout
3. Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale
4. When Helles Freezes Over Munchner Helles
5. Nude Beach Summer Wheat
6. Phlux Capacitor Strong Ale
7. Smokey the Bear Rauch
8. Honey, I can explain Ale
9. Hazed & Infused Dry Hopped Ale
10. Rudolph’s Red Nose Barley Wine

2012 United States Open Medal Winners
Golden or Blonde ale
GOLD – Metolius River Yellow Sally Blonde Ale – World Brews
SILVER – Sweetwater 420 – Sweetwater Brewing
BRONZE – Golden Feather Extra Pale Ale – Feather Falls Casino Brewing

English Summer Ale
GOLD – Twilight Ale – Deschutes Brewery
SILVER – First Draft Ale – Niagara College
SILVER – Sisters of the Moon – Mother Earth Brewing

English Pale Ale
GOLD – Hurricane Reef Pale Ale – Florida Beer Company
SILVER – Schooner Pale Ale – Port Jeff Brewing
BRONZE – Hooligan English Pale Ale – Sprecher Brewing

IPA
GOLD – Inversion IPA – Deschutes Brewery
SILVER – Full Sail IPA – Full Sail Ales
BRONZE – Naughty Native IPA – Feather Falls Casino Brewing
BRONZE – Buzzsaw IPA – Arbor Brewing

Imperial IPA
GOLD – Humulo Nimbus – Sound Brewing
SILVER – Hopasaurs Rex – Steelhead Brewing
BRONZE – Pugsley’s Signature Series XXXX
BRONZE – Incredible Hop Imperial IPA – Fort Collins Brewing

Bitter
GOLD – Butler’s Bitter – Niagara College
SILVER – Arkell Best Bitter – Wellington County Brewing
BRONZE – Neustadt Bitter – Neustadt Brewing

ESB
GOLD – Bitch Creek ESB – Grand Teton Brewing
SILVER – Stone Pale Ale – Stone Brewing
BRONZE – Crown Jewels ESB – David Motter

English Mild Ale
GOLD – Taps Mild Ale – Tapps Brewing
SILVER – Bear Ass Brown – Silverton Brewing
BRONZE – Original – Box Car Brewing

English Brown Ale
GOLD – Samuel Adams Hazel Brown – Boston Brewing Company – Massachusetts
SILVER – Tilburg’s Dutch Brown – Konlingshoeven
BRONZE – Saddle Bronc Brown – Black Tooth Brewing

Porter
GOLD – LoneRider DeadEye Jack – LoneRider Brewing
SILVER – Exodus Porter – Sweetwater Brewing
BRONZE – Black Butte Porter – Deschutes Brewery

Stout
GOLD – Stumpy Ridge Stout – Black Tooth Brewing
SILVER – Happy Ending – Sweetwater Brewing
BRONZE – Jefferson Stout – Lazy Magnolia Brewing

Oatmeal Stout
GOLD – Buffalo Sweat Stout – Tallgrass Brewing
SILVER – Alaskan Stout – Alaskan Brewing Company
BRONZE – Young’s Oatmeal Stout – Wells & Young’s Ltd

Imperial Stout
GOLD – Stone Imperial Russian Stout – Stone Brewing
SILVER – Arcadia Imperial Stout – Arcadia Brewing
BRONZE – Bolshevik Bastard Imperial Stout – Nickel Brook Beers

Old Ale
GOLD – Sweetwater 15 – Sweetwater Brewing
SILVER – Iron Duke – Wellington County Brewing
BRONZE – Fuller’s Vintage Ale – Fuller Smith & Turner

Barley Wine
GOLD – Nevral Rust – Michael Habrat, Chris Bartik, Brett Goldstock, Suzy Pessutti, San Diego, CA
SILVER – Church on a Hill – Cigar City Brewing
BRONZE – Cerial Killer – Arcadia Brewing

Scottish Ale
GOLD – Bomber Mountain Amber – Black Tooth Brewing
SILVER – Wee Heavy – Maui Brewing
BRONZE – Scottish Pale Ale – Neustadt Brewing

Strong Scottish Ale
GOLD – Loch Down – Arcadia Brewing
SILVER – Old Chub Scotch Ale – Oskar Blues
BRONZE – Harvest Ale – 16 Mile Brewing

Irish Red Ale
GOLD – Samuel Adams Irish Red Ale – Boston Beer Company – Pennsylvania
SILVER – Grizzly Red – Big Bear Brewing
BRONZE – Irish Red Ale – Four Horsemen Brewing

American Amber / Red
GOLD – Epicenter Amber – San Tan Brewing
SILVER – Red Banshee – Fort Collins Brewing
BRONZE – Kentucky Ale – Alltech Lexington Brewing
BRONZE – Metolius Amber Ale – World Brews

American Pale Ale
GOLD – Roadside Pale Ale – Mother Road Brewing
SILVER – Sweatgrass APA – Grand Teton Brewing
BRONZE – Devils Ale – San Tan Brewing

American IPA
GOLD – Sweetwater IPA – Sweetwater Brewing
SILVER – Bootjack IPA – Icicle Brewing
BRONZE – Deviant Dale’s IPA – Oskar Blues Brewing

American Brown Ale
GOLD – Fresh Sticky Nogs – Sweetwater Brewing
SILVER – Savannah Brown – Coastal Empire Brewing
BRONZE – 10W30 Brown Ale – Neustadt Brewing
BRONZE- Flashback India Brown Ale – Boulder Beer Company

German Alt
GOLD – Samuel Adams Boston Ale – Boston Beer Company – Massachusetts
SILVER – Alt – Kent Shultz
BRONZE – Frankenheim Alt – Privatbrauerei Frankenheim

German Kolsch
GOLD – Polar Light – Big Bear Brewing
SILVER – Kentucky Light – Alltech Lexington Brewing
BRONZE – Khos Kolsch – Icicle Brewing

German Wheat
GOLD – Tucher Kristall Weizen – Brauerei Tucher Brau
SILVER – Bayern Dragon’s Breath – Bayern Brewing
BRONZE – Bayern Face Plant – Bayern Brewing

German Hefeweizen
GOLD – EOS Hefeweizen – Nebraska Brewing
SILVER – Ayinger Ur-Weisse – Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying
BRONZE – Shell’s Hefeweizen – August Schell Brewing

French / Belgian Saison Ale
GOLD – Red Hare Saison – Red Hare Brewing
SILVER – Raspberry Saison – Stevens Point Brewing
BRONZE – Golden Cap – New Holland Brewing

French / Belgian Ale
GOLD – St. Feuillian Tripple – Brasserie St. Feuillien
SILVER – Tripel Karmeliet – Brouwerij Bosteels
BRONZE – La Trappe Triple – Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V.

Belgian Abbey Ale
GOLD – Belgian Tripel – Sound Brewing
SILVER – Belle Star – Lonerider Brewing
BRONZE – Velvet Rooster – Tallgrass Brewing

Belgian Lambic
GOLD – The Dissident – Deschutes Brewery
SILVER – Samuel Adams American Kriek – Boston Beer Company – Massachusetts
BRONZE – Sprecher Kriek Lambic – Sprecher Brewing Comapny

Belgian Witbier
GOLD – Witty – Chamelon Brewing
SILVER – La Perouse White – Maui Brewing
BRONZE – Fu Man Brew – Monday Night Brewing

American Light
GOLD – Kraftig Light – William H. Busch Brewing
SILVER – Schell Light- August Schell Brewing
BRONZE – Evans Light Lager – Evans Brewing

American Lager / Pilsener
GOLD – Bruce County Lager – Neustadt Brewing
SILVER – Cable Car Lager – World Brews
BRONZE – Tiger Crystal – Tiger Brewing

American Premium Lager
GOLD – Session Premium Lager – Full Sail Brewing
SILVER – Special Lager – Stevens Point Brewing
BRONZE – Evans Original Lager – Evans Brewing

American Amber/California Common
GOLD – Southern Lager – FullSteam Brewing
SILVER – Firebrick – August Schell Brewing
BRONZE -Winter Skol – Capital Brewing

Bohemian Pilsener
GOLD – Golden Pilsner – Morgan Street
SILVER – Samuel Adams Boston Lager – Boston Beer Company – Pennsylvania
BRONZE – Red Hook Pilsner – Red Hook Brewing

Geman Lager / Pilsener
GOLD – Cameron’s Lager – Cameron’s Brewing Company
SILVER – Soaring Eagle Pilsner – Feathers Fall Brewing
BRONZE – Bayern Pilsner – Bayern Brewing

Munchner Helles
GOLD – Helenboch Beer – Niagara College
SILVER – When Helles Freezes Over – Morgan Street Brewing
BRONZE – Full Sail LTD 3 – Full Sail Brewing

Munchner Dunkel / Dark
GOLD – Session Black Permium Dark Lager – Full Sail Brewing
SILVER – Capital Dark – Capital Breweing
BRONZE – Winter Brew – Sprecher Brewing

Marzen / Oktoberfest
GOLD – Dirty Face Amber – Icicle Brewing
SILVER – Samuel Adams Octoberfest – Boston Beer Company – Pennsylvania
BRONZE – Point Octoberfest – Stevens Point Brewing

Schwarzbier
GOLD – Black Bavarian – Sprecher Brewing
SILVER – B3K – Wyncoop Brewing
BRONZE – Land Ho! – Heavy Seas Brewing
BRONZE – Ligero – Cigar City Brewing

Bock
GOLD – Bayern Maibock – Bayern Brewing Company
SILVER – Capital Mai Bock – Capital Brewery
BRONZE – Bucking Bock – Rahr and Sons Brewing

Dopple / Strong Bock
GOLD – Sprecher Dopple Bock – Sprecher Brewing Company
SILVER – Regulator – Rahr and Sons Brewing
BRONZE – Deviator – Camerons Brewing

American Cream Ale
GOLD – Cameron’s Cream Ale – Cameron’s Brewing
SILVER – El Toro Cream Ale – Fullsteam Brewing
BRONZE – Hop Cream – Capital Brewery

American Wheat
GOLD – Honey Wheat Lager – Morgan Street brewing
SILVER – Indian Summer – Lazy Magnolia Brewing
BRONZE – White Water Wheat – Grand Canyon Brewing

American Specialty Wheat
GOLD – Tallgrass Halcyon – Tallgrass Brewing
SILVER – Haystack Wheat – Left Hand Brewing
BRONZE – Circus Boy – Magic Hat Brewing Company

Fruit / Vegetable beer
GOLD – Samuel Smith’s Apricot Ale – Samuel Smith’s Brewing
SILVER – Sobre Humano Palena’ole – Maui Brewing/Jolly Pumpkin
BRONZE – Mandarin Gold – Big Island Brewing
BRONZE – Spring IPA with Kumquats – Fullsteam Brewing

Herb and Spice beer
GOLD – Yule 2011 – Calavera
SILVER – Coconut Porter – Maui Brewing
BRONZE – Fire Side Chat – 21st Amendment Brewing
BRONZE – White Mountain Porter – Big Island Brewing

Chocolate / Cocoa Beer
GOLD – Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout – Cigar City Brewing
SILVER – Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock – Boston Beer Company – Massachusetts
BRONZE – Banana Split Chocolate Stout – Thomas Creek Brewing Company

Coffee Beer
GOLD – Big Shot Espresso Stout – Twisted Pine Brewing
SILVER – Espresso Porter – South Street Brewing
BRONZE – Drip Dry Coffee Stout – Maui Brewing

Baltic Porter
GOLD – Kalevipoeg Baltic Porter – Cigar City Brewing
SILVER – Black Eagle Porter – Black Tooth Brewing
BRONZE – Big George – Icicle Brewing

Rye/Roggen
GOLD – Rich and Dan’s Rye IPA – Harpoon Brewing
SILVER – Rye Pale Ale – South Street Brewing
BRONZE – Emerald Rye – August Shell Brewing

Wood / Barrel aged beer
GOLD – Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale – Lexington Brewing
SILVER – Innis and Gunn Original – Innis and Gunn
BRONZE – Barrel Aged Porter – Port Jeff Brewing

Wood / Barrel aged strong beer
GOLD – Utopias 2011 – Boston Beer Company – Massachusetts
Silver – Bertwell Barrel Aged Barley Wine – Niagara College
BRONZE – 2010 Old Guardian Barley Wine – Stone Brewing

Smoked / Rauch beer
GOLD – Lava Smoked Imperial Stout – Olvisholt
SILVER – Samuel Adams Cinder Block – Boston Beer Company – Pennsylvania
BRONZE – Smokey the Bear – Big Bear Brewing

Specialty / Anything Goes
GOLD – Honey, I Can Explain – South Street Brewing
SILVER – Golden Sabbath – Big Island Brewing
BRONZE – Allies Win the War – 21st Amendment Brewing
BRONZE – Leviathan Red Squared – Harpoon Brewing

Out of Bounds Pale Ale
GOLD – Silverback Pale Ale – Wyncoop Brewing
SILVER – Headstock IPA – Nickel Brook Beers
BRONZE – Indian Paintbrush Ale – Black Tooth Brewing

Best of Show Organic
GOLD – Foret Organic – Brasserie Dupont
SILVER – Baba Black Lager – Uinta Brewing
BRONZE – OB1 – Snake River Brewing
BRONZE – Steemer Summer – Orlando Brewing

Gluten Free
GOLD – Brunehaut Amber – Brunehaut Brewing
SILVER – Brunehaut Blond – Brunehaut Brewing
BRONZE – Gluten Free – Nickel Brook Beers

Experimental
GOLD – Orange Avenue Wit – Cornado Brewing
SILVER – Chocolate Orange IPA – Thomas Creek Brewing
BRONZE – Anniversay Ale – Terrapin Beer Company

Session Beer
GOLD – Bitter American – 21st Amendment Brewing
SILVER – Easy Rider – Terrapin Beer Company
BRONZE – Samuel Adams Belgian Session Ale – Boston Beer Company – Ohio

American Black Ale
GOLD – Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale – Stone Brewing
SILVER – Back in Black – 21st Amendment
BRONZE – Hop in the Dark – Deschutes Brewery
BRONZE – Bubhe – Uinta Brewing

Baltic Porter
GOLD – Kalevipoeg Porter – Cigar City Brewing
SILVER – Black Eagle Porter – Black Tooth Brewing
BRONZE – Big George – Icicle Brewing

Wood Barrel Aged Sour
GOLD – Window Pane Blackberry – Mother Earth Brewing
SILVER – Framboozled – Arbor Brewing
BRONZE – Samuel Adams Stoneybook Red – Boston Beer Company – Massachusetts

Wood Barrel Imperial Stout
GOLD – Love Craft Beer – Calavera
SILVER – Dragon’s Milk – New Holland Brewing
BRONZE – Black Betty Imperial Stout – Nebraska Brewing
BRONZE – Silent Night Imperial Stout – Mother Earth Brewing

Root Beer
GOLD – Saranac Root Beer – F.X. Matt Brewing
SILVER – Mount Angel Root Beer – Mount Angel
BRONZE – Permium Root Beer – Stevens Point Brewing
BRONZE – Steelhead Rootbeer – Steelhead Brewing