It’s been a few days since the BC Beer Awards, and I have to say, I’m still buzzing. And not just from all the amazing beer on offer (well, that’s part of it, I’m sure).
The BC Beer Awards are great example of what makes our local beer scene so amazing. Obviously, there’s the beer, but really, it’s the people.
I’m always amazed at how kind and supportive everyone in the industry is; instead of fierce competition and animosity amongst rivals, there’s nothing but support, encouragement and mentorship.
And the beer drinking public are the ultimate benefactors of this. When BC breweries help each other out, the result is better beer and a stronger BC beer scene. That also makes BC beer more marketable abroad, and helps make BC a global craft beer destination. A rising tide truly floats all boats.
As for the awards themselves, Steamworks once again took home Best in Show (this is the third time they’ve won) for their Flagship IPA, with head brewer Julia Hanlon becoming the first female brewer (but certainly not the last) to win the coveted award. Steamworks took home a total of six awards, including three gold medals for Best Kolsch (Steamworks Kolsch), Best Scottish and Irish Ales (Classic Scotch) and Best North American IPA (Flagship IPA).
Dageraad (whom I consider my hometown beer, as I grew up in Forest Grove, just a few blocks away from their brewery in Burnaby) were big winners as well, with three golds (Best Smoke and Wood Aged Beer –Entropy Series No. 1; Best Specialty IPA – Blonde IPA; Best Belgian Strong Ale – Dageraad Blonde), a silver and a bronze.
Nelson Brewing also took home three gold medals, winning in the British Brown Ale (After Dark Ale), North American Light Beer (Hooligan Organic Pilsner), and North American Blonde Ale (Organic Wild Honey Ale) categories.
A number of fledgling breweries were also recognized with gold medals this year, including Barkerville Brewing in Quesnel, Foamer’s Folly in Pitt Meadows and Gladstone Brewing in Courtenay, while Vancouver’s Boombox Brewing won the CBC People’s Choice Award.
Field House won the coveted Rookie of the Year award, which was well deserved. It’s easily the best reason to make a trip out to Abbotsford.
Here’s a full run-down of this year’s gold medal winners. For full results, visit Westender.com.
Best in Show
Flagship IPA – Steamworks Brewing Company
Dan Small Homebrew Award
Sho Ogawa & Novia Chen
Richards Buell Sutton LLP – Rookie of the Year Award
CBC People’s Choice Award
Pablo Esco Gnar IPA – Boombox Brewing Company
Timber Brewer’s Challenge
Old Money Mild – Brassneck Brewery
International Lager
1: 33 Acres of Darkness – 33 Acres Brewing Company
2: Vienna Lager – Moody Ales
3: Red Racer Pils – Central City Brewers + Distillers
German pale lager
1: Red Racer Old School Lager – Central City Brewers + Distillers
2: Keller Pilsner – Persephone Brewing Company
3: Steamworks Pilsner – Steamworks Brewing Company
Kolsch
1: Steamworks Kolsch – Steamworks Brewing Company
2: High Country Kolsch – Mt. Begbie Brewing Co.
3: Arctic Kolsch – Swan’s Brewery
German amber beer
1: Gladstone Altbier – Gladstone Brewing Co.
2: Vienna Lager – R&B Brewing Co.
3: Potts Pils – Moon Under Water
European dark beer
1: Dark Lager – Steel & Oak Brewing Co.
2: Baltic Porter – Cannery Brewing Company
3: Red Racer Dopplebock – Central City Brewers + Distillers
German wheat beer
1: Demimondaine Dunkelweizen – Barkerville Brewing Co.
2: THIS IS HEFEWEIZEN – Moon Under Water
3: Weizenbock – Steel & Oak Brewing Co.
British bitter
1: English Bitter – Foamers’ Folly Brewing Co.
2: Red Devil Ale – R&B Brewing Co.
3: Beacon ESB – Lighthouse Brewing Company
British pale ale
1: Clover IPA – Big Ridge Brewing Co.
2: Paddywhack Organic IPA – Nelson Brewing Company
3: English IPA – Strathcona Beer Company
British brown ale
1: After Dark Ale – Nelson Brewing Company
2: Tall Timber Ale – Mt. Begbie Brewing Co.
3: Aethelred the Mild – Foamers’ Folly Brewing Co.
Scottish and Irish ales
1: Classic Scotch – Steamworks Brewpub Gastown
2: Irish Stout – Raven’s Brewing Company
3: 1880 Export Stout – Moody Ales
British stout
1: 52 Foot Stout – Barkerville Brewing Co.
2: Perfect Storm – Townsite Brewing
3: 710 Oaked Stout – Faculty Brewing Co.
Strong ale
1: Thor’s Hammer – Central City Brewers + Distillers
2: Wee Heavy – Persephone Brewing Company
3: Wobbly Bob – Red Collar Brewing Company
Fruit beer
1: Pinot Noir Raspberry Blonde – Tin Whistle Brewing Company
2: Red Truck Raspberry Ale – Red Truck Beer Company
3: Tropic Vice – Dead Frog Brewery
Spiced beer
1: Jackline Rhubarb Grissette – Lighthouse Brewing Company
2: Spruce Tree Ale – Tofino Brewing Company
3: Hibiscus Wit – Brassneck Brewery
Smoke and Wood Aged beer
1: Entropy Series No. 1 – Dageraad Brewing
2: Inertia II – Brassneck Brewery
3: Thor’s Hammer Bourbon Barrel Aged – Central City Brewers + Distillers
Specialty beer
1: Roggen Weizen – Steel & Oak Brewing Co.
2: Londen – Dageraad Brewing
3: Sour Wheat Gose – Field House Brewing Co.
North American light beer
1: Hooligan Organic Pilsner – Nelson Brewing Company
2: Jerkface 9000 – Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
3: Cypress Honey Lager – Granville Island Brewing
North American blonde ale
1: Organic Wild Honey Ale – Nelson Brewing Company
2: Postmark Blonde – Postmark Brewing
3: Dutch Pale Ale – Field House Brewing Co.
North American pale ale
1: Chase My Tail Pale Ale – Yellow Dog Brewing Co.
2: One Hop Mind – Callister Brewing Company
3: East Side Bitter – R&B Brewing Co.
North American amber ale
1: 33 Acres of Life – 33 Acres Brewing Company
2: Troller Bay Ale – Howe Sound Brewing
3: Thirsty Beaver Amber Ale – Tree Brewing Co.
North American brown ale
1: Bandit Brown – Foamers’ Folly Brewing Co.
2: Slipstream – Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.
3: Kim-Ach-Touch Ale – Tree Brewing Co.
North American porter and stout
1: Commander Imperial Stout – Dead Frog Brewery
2: Stag and Pheasant Imperial Stout – Main Street Brewing Company
3: Russian Imperial Stout – Moody Ales
North American IPA
1: Flagship IPA – Steamworks Brewing Company
2: Play Dead IPA – Yellow Dog Brewing Co.
3: The Ultra Delux – Boombox Brewing
Specialty IPA
1: Blonde IPA – Dageraad Brewing
2: White ISA – Red Truck Beer Company
3: YVR ISA – Steamworks Brewing Company
Imperial IPA
1: 187 On An Undercover Hop – Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
2: Cosmic Wave Double IPA – Tofino Brewing Company
3: Second Anniversary Double IPA – Main Street Brewing Company
Belgian ale
1: Jongleur Wit – Strange Fellows Brewing Company
2: Bier de Garde – Old Abbey Ales
3: White Gold Witbier – Barkerville Brewing Co.
Belgian strong ale
1: Dageraad Blonde – Dageraad Brewing
2: Saison No. 7 – Main Street Brewing Company
3: Old Barn Saison – Fernie Brewing Company
Trappist ale
1: 33 Acres of Euphoria – 33 Acres Brewing Company
2: Central City Belgian Strong – Central City Brewers + Distillers
3: 10 Degrees – Dageraad Brewing
European sour ale
1: Raynard – Strange Fellows Brewing Company
2: Cantus Fermus – Main Street Brewing Company
3: Bizarro – Phillips Brewing & Malting Co.
North American wild ale
1: Bodhisattva – Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
2: Sour Raspberry – Old Abbey Ales
3: Little Red One – Strange Fellows Brewing Company
