Today marked the first day of the California Craft Brewers Association’s fifth-annual California Craft Beer Summit. An industry conference for Golden State brewers, it is likened to a localized version of the national Craft Brewers Conference. The latter is an event by the trade organization representing independent U.S. breweries, the Brewers Association, which is also known for putting on the largest annual beer festival and competition in the country, the Great American Beer Festival.
For this year’s California Craft Beer Summit (taking place today through Saturday), the CCBA worked with brewers guilds throughout the state to put on a California version of GABF. Winners of the inaugural running of the California Craft Brewers Cup were announced this evening. San Diego breweries racked up 37 medals—16 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze.
Rip Current Brewing took home two golds and a bronze, including a Best of Show for its Breakline Bock. That beer is one of San Diego County’s most award-winning beers, having won at GABF and its international BA-produced counterpart, the World Beer Cup. AleSmith Brewing won the most medals with a gold and four silvers. Resident Brewing took two golds and a silver, while Duck Foot Brewing and Burning Beard Brewing both walked away with two golds.
The Guild of the Year award, given to the regional guild whose members won the most medals, went to the Sacramento Area Brewers Guild. Brewery of the Year, awarded to the brewing company that nabbed the most wins overall, went to Crooked Lane Brewing out of Auburn.
The following is a list of every local winner…
GOLD MEDALS
Bock—Breakline Bock | Rip Current Brewing, San Marcos
Rye Beer—Roggen the Lightning | Burning Beard Brewing, El Cajon
Chocolate Beer—Viva la Beaver | Belching Beaver Brewery, Oceanside
Smoked Beer—Bread & Smoke | South Park Brewing, South Park
British Mild & Bitters—Banksy | Burning Beard Brewing, El Cajon
Irish/Scottish Ales—Red Trolley Ale | Karl Strauss Brewing, Pacific Beach
Imperial Stouts—Rescue Buoy Imperial Stout | Rip Current Brewing, San Marcos
American Porter & Stout—Padfoot Porter | Rock Bottom, La Jolla
American Pale Ale—AleSmith San Diego Pale Ale .394 | AleSmith Brewing, Miramar
New England-style India Pale Ale—Chasing Mosaic | Resident Brewing, Downtown
Classic Saison—Golden Kiss | Resident Brewing, Downtown
Belgian Strong Ale—Glorious | Second Chance Beer Co., Carmel Mountain Ranch
Belgian-style Lambic—Framboise d’Tatas | Thorn Brewing, Barrio Logan
Wood (Wine)—Sour Blonde | Duck Foot Brewing, Miramar
Session Beer—Guillaume | Pizza Port, Ocean Beach
Chili Beer—Slow Burn | Duck Foot Brewing, Miramar
SILVER MEDALS
Gose—AleSmith Gose | AleSmith Brewing, Miramar
Blonde or Golden Ale—Surfeza Blonde Ale | Dos Desperados Brewery, San Marcos
British Mild & Bitters—West Kensington | Thorn Brewing, Barrio Logan
British Strong Ales—AleSmith Private Stock Ale 2017 | AleSmith Brewing, Miramar
Imperial Stouts—Niterideur Imperial Stout | Rouleur Brewing, Carlsbad
New England-style India Pale Ale—Art Is Hard | North Park Beer Co., North Park
Belgian & French-style Ale—Industrial Gris | Resident Brewing, Downtown
Belgian Strong Ale—AleSmith Grand Cru | AleSmith Brewing, Miramar
Belgian Sour Ale—AleSmith Obk | AleSmith Brewing, Miramar
Experimental Beer—Bird’s Milk | Burgeon Beer Co., Carlsbad
Session Beer—Natural Bridge: Vienna Lager | Eppig Brewing, North Park
BRONZE MEDALS
Bohemian-style Pilsner (Czech Lager)—Choppy Surf Czech-style Pilsner | Rip Current Brewing, San Marcos
Munich-style Helles—Crispy Boi | Original 40 Brewing, North Park
American-style Cream Ale—Jenny | South Park Brewing, South Park
Kölsch—Ketch Kölsch | Ketch Brewing, Kearny Mesa
Baltic-style Porter—Natural Bridge: Baltic Porter | Eppig Brewing, North Park
Coffee Beer—Bacon & Eggs | Pizza Port Bressi Ranch, Carlsbad
Classic Irish-style Dry Stout—The Pugilist | Societe Brewing, Kearny Mesa
American Pale Ale—The Publican | Societe Brewing, Kearny Mesa
Trappist-style Ale—The Debutante | Societe Brewing, Kearny Mesa
Belgian Sour Ale—Red Poppy | Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey, San Marcos