San Diegan brewers exceeded expectations and previous performances by hauling in 20 medals at the Great American Beer Festival, as well as the awards for Small and Large Brewpubs of the Year. While medals went to many local brewers, the lion’s share went to the Pizza Port empire. Every Pizza Port location won something, but Carlsbad and Ocean Beach stood apart. Medals also went to AleSmith, Karl Strauss, Port Brewing, The Lost Abbey, and both San Diego Rock Bottom locations; San Diego Brewers Guild President Marty Mendiola won Gold for his Moonlight Porter at Rock Bottom La Jolla.
San Diegans won 3 more awards in 2011 than 2010. Pizza Port Carlsbad has now won the Large Brewpub of the Year award three years in a row (2009, 2010, 2011).
2011 Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego
Yiga Miyashiro
2011 Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad
Pizza Port Brew Crew
Category 8 (Coffee Beer)
Silver: Coffee Monster, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad
Category 12 (Session Beer)
Silver: Twerp, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad
Category 15 (Indigenous Beer)
Bronze: Hot Rocks Lager, Port Brewing Co., San Marcos
Category 18 (American Style Sour)
Silver: Framboise de Amorosa, The Lost Abbey, San Marcos
Category 50 (American Style Strong Pale Ale)
Silver: AleSmith IPA, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego
Category 54 (Imperial Red Ale)
Gold: 547 Haight – The Toronado San Francisco’s 20th Anniversary Imperial Red Ale, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad
Silver: Rhino Chaser Imperial Red Ale, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego
Category 55 (English-Style Mild Ale)
Gold: Skidmark Brown Ale, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego
Silver: Dawn Patrol Dark, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach
Category 60 (English-Style Brown Ale)
Gold: Good Grief Brown, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad
Silver: Rock Bottom Brown Ale, Rock Bottom Brewery, San Diego
Category 61 (American-Style Brown Ale)
Gold: Great American Brown, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad
Category 71 (Belgian-Style Abbey Ale)
Bronze: Two Tortugas, Karl Strauss Brewing Co., San Diego
Category 72 (Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale)
Silver: Revelations, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad
Category 74 (Robust Porter)
Gold: Moonlight Porter, Rock Bottom Brewery, La Jolla
Bronze: Pier Rat Porter, Pizza Port San Clemente, San Clemente*
Category 76 (Foreign-Style Stout)
Bronze: Z-Man Stout, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego
Category 77 (American-Style Stout)
Gold: Jules Winnfield, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach
Silver: Achievement Beyond Life’s Experiences American Stout (Brit Antrim Benefit Beer) Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego
Category 82 (Old Ale or Strong Ale)
Silver: AleSmith Decadence ‘10 Old Ale, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego
Category 83 (Barley Wine-Style Ale)
Silver: AleSmith Old Numbskull, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego
*We included Pizza Port San Clemente in the list only, not in the official count of medals won by San Diegan brewers.
Here’s the PDF of all winners.
