Ameri”CAN” Canned Craft Beer Festival to Hold Awards

Ameri“CAN” Canned Craft Beer Festival to Hold Awards Ceremony at Courtyard Marriott in Chandler

Best canned beers will be honored at a special ceremony on Sunday, May 15, 2011; More than 30 brewers from around the USA will participate in the inaugural event on Saturday, May 21, 2011.

Chandler, AZ – The Ameri”CAN” Canned Craft Beer Festival, presented by Whole Foods Market, will host its awards ceremony on Sunday, May 15, from the Courtyard Marriott Chandler Fashion Center. The awards ceremony will precede the inaugural Ameri”CAN” Canned Craft Beer Festival scheduled for Saturday, May 21, 2011, from 2 pm through 6 pm in Historic Downtown Chandler, AJ Chandler Park West (3 S San Marcos Place). Both events conclude American Craft Beer Week.

The judging session will take place from 9 am – 4 pm on May 15, but is closed to the public. An Awards Dinner is scheduled from 5 pm-8 pm from the Courtyard Marriott Chandler Fashion Center, located at 1100 South Price Road in Chandler. Anthony Canecchia, the owner and head brew master of SanTan Brewing Company, will emcee the awards ceremony, which will be streamed live online at www.cannedcraftbeerfest.com.

Select canned beers will receive Gold, Silver and Bronze medals awarded in nine categories: IPA; American Pale Ale; English Pale Ale; Wheat Beers; Stouts and Porters; Ambers and Browns; Golds, Blondes, Pilsners and Light Lagers; Fruit; and Specialty Beer.

All beer will be judged according to the 2011 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) Guidelines. All judges are professional brewers, BJCP certified or Cicerones certified. The ACCBF awards medals for excellence in nine categories and does not necessarily award medals to the top three finishers in a particular category. When judges decide a category contains three excellent examples of the style, they award gold, silver and bronze medals for the first, second and third place beers, respectively.

• Gold – A world-class beer that accurately exemplifies the specified style, displaying the proper balance of taste, aroma and appearance.

• Silver – An excellent beer that may vary slightly from style parameters while maintaining close adherence to the style and displaying excellent taste, aroma and appearance.

• Bronze – A fine example of the style that may vary slightly from style parameters and/or have minor deviations in taste, aroma or appearance.

If judges believe that no beer in the category meets the quality and style-accuracy criteria, they may elect not to award a medal. Judges may award a beer with a silver or bronze medal and yet not award a gold medal.

An unprecedented lineup of national and local breweries will participate in the competition including 21st Amendment Brewing (CA), Anderson Valley Brewing Company (CA), Bavik (Belgium), Baxter (ME), Big Sky Brewing Company (MT), Blue Moon Brewing Company (CO), Bohemian (UT), Breckenridge Brewing (CO), Buckbean (NV), Caldera (OR), Crispin Cider (MN), Four Peaks (AZ), Grand Canyon Brewing (AZ), Leinenkugel’s (WI), Lumberyard Brewing (AZ), Mammoth (CA), Maui Brewing (HI), Mudshark Brewing (AZ), New Belgium Brewing Company (CO), Oskar Blues Brewery (CO), Prescott Brewing Co.(AZ), SanTan Brewing Company (AZ), SKA Brewing Company (CO), Sun King Brewing (IN), Tailgate Brewing (CA), Tallgrass Brewing (KS) and Wittekerke (Belgium).

Ameri”CAN” Canned Craft Beer Festival is presented by Whole Foods Market and brought to you by Draft Magazine, Marriott Courtyard/ Fairfield Chandler, Ball Corp, Hopunion, World Class Beverages, Breiss, Craftcans.com, Fullpint.com and hosted by SanTan Brewing Co. Portion of event proceeds will benefit Ear Candy, a 501c3 Phoenix charity that provides youth access to music education.

For more information, visit www.cannedcraftbeerfest.com.