Pelican Brewing Company Wins 2 Medals at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival
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MyBeer Buzz
From Pelican:
Tillamook County, OR – October 6, 2014 
Pelican Brewing Company® received two medals at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival® (GABF) competition, bringing the total number of medals won by the Pelican Brewing Co. to 40 at this event since their first win back in 1998. Presented by the Brewers Association, GABF is the largest commercial beer competition in the world and a symbol of brewing excellence. In its 28th year, the 2014 competition surpassed all previous participation records. The top three winners in the competition’s 90 beer-style categories were announced October 4 at the Great American Beer Festival awards ceremony held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.
Out of 41 entries in the Belgian-Style Fruit Beer category, Pelican Brewing Co. won a Bronze medal for Poire du Pélican. The recipe of A+D Brewer Whitney Burnside, this was the first Beligian-Style Fruit Beer category Pelican Brewing Company has ever submitted an entry for at The Great American Beer Festival®.
This ale began its life as a Belgian golden strong brewed with rye malt. Poire was fermented with a spicy farmhouse yeast at a cooler temperature to achieve a pronounced pear/stone fruit ester profile. Once terminal, this golden nectar was then transferred into oak barrels that once held Chardonnay from Northern California. The barrels then received a healthy addition of two varieties of fresh pears from our friends at the Portland Farmers Market and was then aged for three months. Poire has an intoxicating aroma filled with huge notes of fresh pear, spice, and Chardonnay. On the palate, complex flavors of pear and warm spices are complimented by a soft malt character. The peppery/earthy farmhouse yeast lends a slightly tart and dry finish.
ABV: 8.2%, IBU: 18, O.G.: 17.2˙
"I had a very good feeling about the fate of this beer the day those pears made it into the chardonnay barrels. As the beer aged and its flavors melded, I fell in love with its development. It was awesome to see that the judges loved it just as much. I am one proud mama!" – Whitney Burnside
Pelican Brewing Company also brought home the bronze medal in the English-Style Summer Ale category for Surfer’s Summer Ale. This is the fourth time that Pelican’s Summer Ale has won a medal in this category at the Great American Beer Festival®. With a brilliant gold color, and a fruity, floral, and herbal aroma from Glacier hops, Surfer’s Summer Ale is a refreshing, tasty treat. A sweet, toasted malt flavor comes from the Golden Promise malt, and combines with bread-like wheat character to give this beer a full-bodied, rounded malt aspect. Finishing smooth and clean, Surfer’s Summer Ale exhibits a wonderful balance and character.
ABV: 5.3%, IBU: 25, OG: 12.2˙
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