Firestone Walker’s Imperial IPA Earns Gold Medal for Third Straight Year at Brussels Beer Challenge

Paso Robles, CA: Firestone Walker’s Double Jack IPA secured the hat trick in Belgium this week, landing a gold medal and top honors for the third straight year in its category at the prestigious Brussels Beer Challenge.

The Brussels Beer Challenge was first held in 2012, and Double Jack has now earned the gold medal for the “Pale & Amber: Imperial IPA” category in each competition held to date.

In the words of the Brussels Beer Challenge: “During two days, a tasting panel of 60 international renowned beer connoisseurs tasted 730 beers from all over the world. The participating beers were divided into categories based on origin, typicity and style and then evaluated. At the end of the two tasting days, the best beers, in each category, were awarded a gold, silver or bronze award.”

In total, American craft breweries took home 12 gold medals out of 50 categories at the 2014 Brussels Beer Challenge. “The American craft beer revolution continues to become a global force,” said brewery co-proprietor David Walker.

Double Jack is the amped-up big brother to Firestone Walker’s signature Union Jack IPA, resulting in an aggressively hopped, flawlessly balanced and dangerously drinkable imperial ale.

Double Jack opens up with bright grapefruit and tangerine American hop aromas, courtesy of liberal dry hopping with Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial and Simcoe. Undertones of stone fruit are revealed upon first sip, followed by the essence of blue basil and pine. A sturdy pale and crystal malt backbone brings balance to high hop intensity.