Island Brewing Company earned the Silver Medal October 2nd at the 2004 Great American Beer Festival (GABF), the largest competition in the United States recognizing the outstanding beers produced in the last year. The competition, held in Denver, CO, represents the highest level of acclaim a beer can reach and the national award comes on top of awards given to the brewery at both the California State Fair and the LA County Fair in July and August.
Island Brewing Company was recognized at the GABF in the English Brown Ale category for its Nut Brown Ale, a mahogany colored, gently hopped, malty tasting ale. Island Brewing Company is a 15-barrel brewery along the Santa Barbara coast that specializes in fresh, flavorful, and locally brewed beers. “This is our second time winning a medal at the Great American Beer Festival,” notes brewer and owner Paul Wright. “Two years ago, we won a Silver for the Jubilee Ale. Winning a Silver Medal for the Nut Brown Ale at the Great American Beer Festival is an honor that shows the strength and balance of our six varieties and makes all the hard work we put into brewing worth it.”
An international panel of brewing experts and judges fielded more than 2,000 entries submitted by 380 breweries from across the country. “The Great American Beer Festival is the premier judging event for the American craft beer industry,” says festival director Nancy Johnson. “Being chosen a winner is a true accomplishment.”