ATLANTAS SWEETWATER BREWING COMPANY WINS BIG AT GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL

Southeast Brewery wins Small Brewery of the Year and Best Brewmaster awards.

CONTACT:   Lori Oliva
      lorioliva@yahoo.com
      404.815.5675

ATLANTA--10.11.02-- Sweetwater Brewing Company, Atlantas premier microbrewery clinched four coveted awards this year at the 2002 Great American Beer Festival held annually in Denver Colorado. Most significantly, the company was named the 2002 Small Brewery of the Year", out of 1,400 microbreweries nationwide.

This is a significant honor," states Kevin McNerney, partner and recent recipient of the festivals Brewmaster of the Year". The Great American Beer Festival is the premier judging event for the American craft beer industry."
The 2002 Great American Beer Festival winners were selected by a panel of international brewing experts. Sweetwater also claimed the following awards at the event:
•    Brewmaster of the Year (Kevin McNerney)
•   Gold Medal    - Sweetwater Exodus Porter
•   Silver Medal   - Sweetwater 420 Extra Pale Ale

ABOUT SWEETWATER BREWING COMPANY:
Sweetwater Brewing Company is a 10,000 barrel microbrewery located in Atlanta, GA that specializes in producing aggressive West Coast style beers throughout Georgia. For more information, please visit http://www.sweetwaterbrew.com.

ABOUT GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL:
The Great American Beer Festival has been held every year since 1982 and is presented by the National Association of Brewers, a not-for-profit educational and trade organization founded in 1978 that is dedicated to the promotion of quality beers and brewing throughout the world. For more information please visit http://www.beertown.org.

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