Firestone Walker Three-Peats at Eurostar Competition

Paso Robles, CA—Brewmaster Matt “Merlin” Brynildson and his team of brewing magicians at Firestone Walker Brewing Company have done it again, racking up top honors for the third consecutive year at the prestigious European Beer Star Competition.

Indeed, Brynildson was on hand in Germany to accept the competition’s award for “Consumers’ Favourite in Gold” for Firestone Walker’s Stickee Monkee, a barrel-aged “Central Coast Quad.”

Firestone Walker’s Pale 31 and Double Jack claimed the same “Consumers’ Favourite in Gold” honor at the preceding two European Beer Star Competitions.

The “Consumers’ Favourite” is the competition’s top and final prize each year, with Brau Beviale festival attendees blind-tasting all gold medal beers and awarding Gold, Silver and Bronze honors to determine the top three beers out of the entire competition.

The 2014 European Beer Star Competition included 1,613 beers from 42 countries. The judging was conducted by 105 expert tasters—including brewmasters, beer sommeliers, and specialized journalists from 25 countries.

Medals were awarded in 52 beer categories, as determined through blind tastings. Only one gold, silver and bronze medal was awarded per category.

Stickee Monkee earned the gold medal in the Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer category. Firestone Walker’s Pale 31, Union Jack IPA and Feral One earned silver medals in the English-Style Pale Ale, IPA categories and Belgian-Style Sour Ale categories, respectively.

“Matt and his brewing team continue to outdo themselves,” said brewery co-proprietor David Walker. “Numerous U.S. beers medaled at this competition as well. The American craft beer revolution continues to become a global force.”