Firestone Walker – Big Winnings at GABF 2010

Local Brewery Fares Very Well At 2010 Great American Beer Festival

Firestone Walker Brewing Company took home an astounding 6 medals from this year’s Great American Beer Festival in Denver this past weekend.

The brewery won gold medals for Velvet Merkin in the Barrel Aged category, Red Nectar in the American Amber category and Mission St. Pale in the American Pale Ale category.  Pale 31 took silver in the American Pale category while DBA and Nectar IPA also took silver in their respective categories.

“The 40,000 beer fans at the three day festival really inspire us to keep making great beer. Six percent of the beers entered won a medal and we won six.  We are very happy,” David Walker, co-proprietor said.

This year’s Great American Beer Festival hosted 151 judges from 10 countries judging more than 3523 beers.  The GABF, held each year in Denver, is the largest beer competition in the world.

“Pale Ales are the focus of our brewing program,” said brew master Matt Brydilson. “The brewing team is extremely proud to have won first and second place against 109 other American Style Pales Ales from across the country. And we are even more excited to have our flagship DBA win as well.  It’s a very good reason to raise a fresh pint of DBA and cheers.”

The medals round off a very good year for the brewery, which was named Champion Mid-sized Brewery at the 2010 World Beer Cup back in April, a feat it has repeated a record 3 times.

Firestone Walker Brewing Company was founded in 1996 and is located in Paso Robles, Ca.  The brewery prides itself in producing the world’s finest pale ales to a regional market.  Firestone has been awarded Best Mid-sized Brewery honors at both the 2003 and 2007 Great American Beer Festivals as well as Champion Mid-sized Brewery at the 2004, 2006 and 2010 World Beer Cup competitions.