Oregon Biggest Winner at 2010 NABA

Idaho Falls, Idaho – 2010’s North American Beer Awards were a tour de force by Oregon brewers. Oregon led the way with 29 medal, more than any other state, including Washington, who finished second with 22 wins. Idaho came in third with 18 medals.

Leading the pack for Oregon at this year’s awards was Pelican Pub and Brewery of Pacific City, Oregon. At one point the three representative brewers circled podium like congo line. Nine medals for Pelican nearly matched 11 from Anheuser-Busch‘s collective brands that included Budweiser, Michelob, Natural Ice, Busch O’Douls, and King Cobra.Three of Pelican’s awards came for Kiwanda Cream Ale, which won three silver medals alone. Pelican’s Stormwatchers Winterfest and Surfers Summer Ale were bestowed with gold as well. Interestingly, Kiwanda Cream and Surfers Summer Ale took first and second place in the Light Ales category.

Other big winners for Oregon included Barley Brown’s Brewpub of Baker City, a perennial multi-medal winner at NABA, who raked in four medals. The high win for brewer Shawn Kelso was being awarded gold for his Hot Blonde in the Chili Beer bracket. Caldera, Deschutes, and Bend Brewing each won three medals, Widmer, and RAM Big Horn of Salem each won two medals, while Full Sail, Ninkasi,and RAM Big Horn of Happy Valley rounded out Oregon’s winning ways by winning one a piece.

Oregon swept two categories, winning all three medals in the Imperial IPA and English Summer Ale categories.

Here’s a look at the Oregon winners:

Pelican Brewery & Pub, Pacific City, Oregon

Silver 11D – Foreign Stout – Tsunami Stout

Gold 12C – English Barley Wine – Final Round Stormwatchers Winterfest

Gold 14B – Light Ales – Surfers Summer Ale

Silver 14B – Light Ales – Kiwanda Cream Ale

Silver 14C – Blonde or Golden Ale – Kiwanda Cream Ale

Silver 20D/E – Strong Belgian Ales – Saison du Pelican

Silver 2A – Kolsch – Kiwanda Cream Ale

Bronze 5C – (Extra Special) Strong Bitter ESB – Nestucca ESB

Silver 6A – English Summer Ale – Surfers Summer Ale

Barley Brown’s Brewpub, Baker City, Oregon

Silver 11E – American Stout – Disorder Stout

Gold 17E – Chili Beer – Hot Blonde

Bronze 21 – Specialty and Experimental Beers – Turmoil

Silver 6G – Double/Imperial India Pale Ale – WFO IPA

Bend Brewing Company, Bend, Oregon

Bronze 11A – Dry Stout – Dry Irish Stout

Bronze 12B – English Old Ale – Outback X

Bronze 6A – English Summer Ale – Metolius Golden Ale

Caldera Brewing Company, Ashland, Oregon

Bronze 11F – Imperial Stout – Caldera Old Growth Imperial

Gold 18A/B – All Smoke Flavored Beers – Caldera Rauch Ur Bock

Silver 3A – Munich Helles – Caldera Helles Lager

Deschutes Brewery

Bronze 12C – English Barley Wine – Jubel 2010

Gold 5C – (Extra Special) Strong Bitter ESB – Bachelor ESB

Gold 6A – English Summer Ale – Twilight Ale

Widmer Brothers

Bronze 15A – American Hefeweizen – Widmer Hefeweizen

Bronze 6G – Double/Imperial India Pale Ale – Deadlift

RAM Big Horn Brewery, Salem, Oregon

Bronze     19D – Belgian Dark Strong Ale – Ski Lifter

Bronze     4B – Helles Bock / Maibock – Salem Spring Bock

RAM Big Horn Brewery, Happy Valley, Oregon

Bronze 7A – American Amber Ale – West Village Red

Ninkasi Brewing Company, Eugene, Oregon

Gold 6G – Double/Imperial India Pale Ale – Tricerahops Double IPA

Full Sail Brewing Company, Hood River, Oregon

Silver 13B – American Premium Lager – Session Premium Lager

Other notes:

Washington breweries swept all three medals in the Scotch Ale category as follows:

Gold Laht Neppur Brewing Company, Waitsburg, WA – Piper Canyon Scotch Ale

Silver Walking Man Brewing, Stevenson, WA – High Road Scotch Ale

Bronze Black Raven Brewing Company, Redmond, WA – Second Sight Strong Scotch Ale

Four American-style India Black Ales (aka Cascadian Dark Ales/Black IPAs) advanced to the medal round of experimental and specialty ales (category 21). According to NABA judge coordinator Bob Beckwith, a new category will be added for these beers next year. Congratulations to Barley Brown’s for winning bronze in category 21 this year. Had there been a category specific to this style, the brewery would have won gold.

Almost 1200 entries were submitted at this years judging, featuring 149 judging flights for 74 medal rounds. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to all those participating.

For a complete list of NABA winners, visit http://www.northamericanbrewers.org/awards/NABA2010-WinnersByBrewery.html

Read more on this year’s NABA on The Northwest Beer (aka The Pickled Liver) site.