Last week, the judging took place for the 19th annual California State Fair Craft Beer Competition in West Sacramento. This year, there were 859 beers entered in 25 categories of beer plus one for hard cider were entered. I judged two of the four days for this year’s competition, but family obligations kept me from being there for the final two days of judging.
This year’s California State Fair will also include a Brewer’s Festival, which will take place on July 19 from 3-6 PM at the Miller Lite Grandstands at Cal Expo in Sacramento, where you’ll have an opportunity to try many of the winning beers. Tickets are $15 in advance, or $20 the day of the event. Check out the Cal State Expo website for details.
Below are all of the award winners. 1 is a Gold medal, 2 is Silver, 3 is Bronze, and 4 is an Honorable Mention.
Category 1: Light Lager (16 entries)
- Blue Eyed Blonde, Solvang Brewing (1D: Munich Helles)
- Helles Lager, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery (1D: Munich Helles)
- Buxom Blonde Pilsner, Loomis Basin Brewing (1C: Premium American Lager)
Category 2: Pilsner (22 entries)
- Czech Pilsner, Rubicon Brewing (2B: Bohemian Pilsener)
- Northern Pilsner, Sudwerk Brewing (2A: German Pilsner (Pils))
- Elemental Pilsner, Lightning Brewery (2A: German Pilsner (Pils))
Category 3: European Amber Lager (5 entries)
- Zen Amber Lager, Sudwerk Brewing (3B: Oktoberfest/Marzen)
- Ballast Point Oktoberfest, Ballast Point Brewing (3B: Oktoberfest/Marzen)
- Una Mas, Left Coast Brewing (3A: Vienna Lager)
Category 4: Dark Lager (5 entries)
- Terminal Island Black Lager, San Pedro Brewing (4C: Schwarzbier)
- Black Lager, Ol’ Republic Brewery (4C: Schwarzbier)
- Dunkel Bock, Ol’ Republic Brewery (4B: Munich Dunkel)
Category 5: Bock (13 entries)
- Doppel Down Doppelbock, Feather Falls Casino Brewing (5C: Doppelbock)
- Wild Bill Winter Bock, Feather Falls Casino Brewing (5B: Traditional Bock)
- Ultimator Dopplebock, Sudwerk Brewing (5C: Doppelbock)
Category 6: Light Hybrid Beer (69 entries)
- Bruin Blonde, San Pedro Brewing (6B: Blonde Ale)
- Castle Beach Kolsch, Santa Cruz Ale Works (6C: Kolsch)
- American, Schooner’s Grille & Brewery (6A: Cream Ale)
Category 7: Amber Hybrid Beer (10 entries)
- California Common, Ol’ Republic Brewery (7B: California Common Beer)
- Anaheim 1888, Anaheim Brewery (7B: California Common Beer)
- Sticke Alt, Dust Bowl Brewing (7C: Dusseldorf Altbier)
Category 8: English Pale Ale (19 entries)
- DBA, Firestone Walker Brewing (8A: Standard/Ordinary Bitter)
- E.S.B., Ol’ Republic Brewery (8C: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale))
- What The Fuggle ESB, Anacapa Brewing (8C: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (English Pale Ale))
Category 9: Scottish/Irish Ale (22 entries)
- Marauder, Schooner’s Grille & Brewery (9E: Strong Scotch Ale)
- Maltopia, Hermitage Brewing (9B: Scottish Heavy 70/-)
- Clan Ross Scotch Ale, Legacy Brewing (9E: Strong Scotch Ale)
Category 10: American Ale (101 entries)
- Woodenhead Amber Ale, River City Brewing (10B: American Amber Ale)
- Hoppy Palm Pale Ale, Track 7 Brewing (10A: American Pale Ale)
- 1500, Drake’s Brewery (10A: American Pale Ale)
Category 11: English Brown Ale (14 entries)
- Ironwood Dark, Tied House Brewing (11C: Northern English Brown Ale)
- Barrel Harbor Brown Ale, Barrel Harbor Brewing (11C: Northern English Brown Ale)
- Downtown Brown, Lost Coast Brewery (11C: Northern English Brown Ale)
Category 12: Porter (32 entries)
- Brown Bear Porter, Feather Falls Casino Brewing (12A: Brown Porter)
- Black Robusto Porter, Drake’s Brewery (12B: Robust Porter)
- Party Foul Porter, Lazy Daze Brewery at Mary’s Pizza Shack (12B: Robust Porter)
Category 13: Stout (58 entries)
- Ale Of The 2 Tun, Hermitage Brewing (13D: Foreign Extra Stout)
- Imperial Stout, Mendocino Brewing (13F: Imperial Stout)
- Big Bear Black Stout, Bear Republic Brewing (13E: American Stout)
Category 14: India Pale Ale (178 entries)
- Panic IPA, Track 7 Brewing (14B: American IPA)
- Evil Twin, Heretic Brewing (14D: Other IPA)
- Kermit The Hop, Bison Organic Beer (14B: American IPA)
- Honorable Mention: Hop Rod Rye, Bear Republic Brewing (14D: Other IPA)
Category 15: German Wheat/Rye Beer (27 entries)
- Hefeweizen, Faultline Brewing (15A: Weizen/Weissbier)
- Riverbend Hefeweizen, American River Brewing (15A: Weizen/Weissbier)
- Windansea Wheat, Karl Strauss Brewing (15A: Weizen/Weissbier)
Category 16: Belgian and French Ale (46 entries)
- Rhinoceros, Telegraph Brewing (16E: Belgian Specialty Ale)
- Fullsuit Belgian Brown Ale, Karl Strauss Brewing (16E: Belgian Specialty Ale)
- Silent Partner Saison, Telegraph Brewing (16C: Saison)
Category 17: Sour Ale (9 entries)
- Flander Red, Mraz Brewing (17B: Flanders Red Ale)
- Sour Farmhouse, Woodfour Brewing (17E: Gueuze)
- Cuvee, Boulder Creek Brewery (17B: Flanders Red Ale)
Category 18: Belgian Strong Ale (30 entries)
- Window Of Opportunity, Mraz Brewing (18C: Belgian Tripel)
- Axiom, Valiant Brewing (18E: Belgian Dark Strong Ale)
- Brother Thelonious, North Coast Brewing (18B: Belgian Dubbel)
Category 19: Strong Ale (30 entries)
- Old Diablo, Schooner’s Grille & Brewery (19B: English Barleywine)
- Stentorian, Valiant Brewing (19B: English Barleywine)
- Old Stock, North Coast Brewing (19A: Old Ale)
Category 20: Fruit Beer (22 entries)
- Rosie”s Strawberry Wheat, Six Rivers Brewery (20A: Fruit Beer)
- Flatbed Blueberry Cream, Garage Brewing (20A: Fruit Beer)
- Tangerine Wheat, Lost Coast Brewery (20A: Fruit Beer)
Category 21: Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer (16 entries)
- Gourdgeous, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery (21A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)
- Wreck Alley Imperial Stout, Karl Strauss Brewing (21A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)
- Mo’ Tcho Risin’, 21st Amendment Brewery (21A: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer)
Category 22: Smoke-Flavored/Wood-Aged Beer (30 entries)
- Barrel Aged Great Impression, Dust Bowl Brewing (22C: Wood-Aged Beer)
- Barrel-Aged Good Faith, Discretion Brewing (22C: Wood-Aged Beer)
- Jacked Again, Loomis Basin Brewing (22C: Wood-Aged Beer)
- Honorable Mention: Barrel Aged Vanilla Bean Wreck Alley Imperial Stout, Karl Strauss Brewing (22C: Wood-Aged Beer)
Category 23: Specialty Beer (30 entries)
- Campfire Stout, High Water Brewing (23A: Specialty Beer)
- NightTime Ale, Lagunitas Brewing (23A: Specialty Beer)
- 3 Best Friends, Sudwerk Brewing (23A: Specialty Beer)
- Honorable Mention: Great Ape Nectar, Monkey Paw Brewing (23A: Specialty Beer)
Category 27: Standard Cider and Perry (8 entries)
- None awarded
- Pacific Coast Ciders, Hard Apple Cider, Cider Brothers (27A: Common Cider)
- None awarded
Category 28: Specialty Cider and Perry (4 entries)
- Blood Orange Tangerine, Common Cider Co. (28B: Fruit Cider)
- None awarded
- Hibiscus Saison, Common Cider Co. (28D: Other Specialty Cider or Perry)
Category 32: Chili Beer (12 entries)
- French Mexican War, Highway 1 Brewing (32A: Chili Beer)
- Imperial Dragon Kiss, Stumblefoot Brewing (32A: Chili Beer)
- Where There’s Smoke, Twisted Manzanita Ales (32A: Chili Beer)
Category 33: Session Beer (31 entries)
- Mosaic Session Ale, Karl Strauss Brewing (33A: Session Beer)
- MCA Stout, 21st Amendment Brewery (33A: Session Beer)
- Easy Jack, Firestone Walker Brewing (33A: Session Beer)
A few statistics: Karl Strauss, Ol’ Republic Brewery and Sudwerk Brewing won the most medals, four apiece. Feather Falls Casino Brewing won three, and 21st Amendment, Drake’s Brewery, Dust Bowl Brewing, Firestone Walker Brewing, Hangar 24 Brewing, Loomis Basin Brewing, Lost Coast Brewery, Mraz Brewing, San Pedro Brewing, Schooner’s Grille & Brewery, Telegraph Brewing and Track 7 Brewing all won two medals apiece.
BEST OF SHOW
- Panic IPA, Track 7 Brewing (14B: American IPA)
- California Common, Ol’ Republic Brewery (7B: California Common Beer)
- Bruin Blonde, San Pedro Brewing (6B: Blonde Ale)
Each brewery chose 6 of their entered beers which they felt were their best. After all judging was completed, the brewery whose six beers scored best was awarded the title “Brewery of the Year.” This year, that honor went to the Antioch brewpub Schooner’s Grille & Brewery, and their brewmaster Craig Cauwels. In addition, a panel of media chose their favorite from among the “best of show” beers to receive the “Best of Show — Media Choice,” which was awarded to Ol’ Republic Brewery’s E.S.B.
Congratulations to all the winners.
