Most Awards Ever for N.C. Brewers at Great American Beer Festival

North Carolina craft brewers demonstrated this past week that the Tar Heel state is truly a craft beer destination, winning five medals at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival Competition. North Carolina’s three gold, one silver and one bronze medals represent the first time the state’s brewers have received more than one medal at an annual GABF Awards Ceremony.

Chapel Hill, NC (PRWEB) October 7, 2006 -- North Carolina craft brewers demonstrated this past week that the Tar Heel state is truly a craft beer destination, winning five medals at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival Competition. The top three winners in the competition’s 69 beer-style categories were announced September 30 at the 25th Great American Beer Festival Awards Ceremony (GABF) held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colo. North Carolina’s three gold, one silver and one bronze medals represent the first time the state’s brewers have received more than one medal at an annual GABF Awards Ceremony.

Gold medals were awarded to Ham’s Restaurant and Brewhouse in Greenville for its Sunfest Lager, Carolina Brewery in Chapel Hill for its India Pale Ale, and Foothills Brewing in Winston-Salem for its Baltic Porter. Natty Greene’s Brewing Company received silver in the English-Style Brown Ale beer-style category for its Old Town Brown, and The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery received bronze for its Milk Stout.

Duck-Rabbit brewer and owner Paul Philippon proudly exclaims, “This is a glorious day for the North Carolina beer renaissance. The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery has been thrilled and honored to enjoy the recognition of North Carolina's beer lovers. That is the recognition that matters most, but it's certainly nice to get some love from far away Denver as well!”

Jon Connolly, head brewer at the Carolina Brewery echoes these sentiments: “I am really proud of the fine beers being handcrafted throughout the state of North Carolina. It is an honor to be part of a pool of talented brewers that is constantly growing and improving. The awards we have received at the Great American Beer Festival are a testament to the world class beers being produced right here at home.”

With an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 9 percent, Foothills Brewing’s GABF gold medal for its Baltic Porter represents the first time a beer over 6 percent ABV has received a national award for beer excellence. In 2005, Pop The Cap’s lobbying efforts helped overturn the state’s 70-year-old 6 percent limit on alcohol-by-volume on beer, opening the doors for North Carolina brewers to explore the full range of the world’s beer styles.

The Great American Beer Festival has been held every year since 1982 and is presented by the Brewers Association not-for-profit educational, trade association for craft brewers Visit the website: http://www.beertown.org to learn more. The Brewers Association also hosts the bi-annual World Beer Cup® and is based in Boulder, Colo., U.S.A

Pop The Cap is a non-profit association dedicated to celebrating beer culture in North Carolina. The organization formed in 2003 to help lift North Carolina’s 6 percent alcohol by volume limit on beer, and has recently expanded its mission to promote craft beer in North Carolina through education, events, beer tastings and publications. For more information, please visit http://www.popthecap.org.

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