Blue Point Wins Open Beer Championship Awards

STEVENS POINT, Wis. August 7, 2012 – Stevens Point Brewery’s hand-crafted specialty beers and Root Beer look like Olympic champions with four new silver and bronze medals from a prestigious American beer competition.

At the U.S. Open Beer Championships, announced on July 31st in Atlanta, GA, Point Special Lager won a silver medal in the American Premium Lager category, Whole Hog Raspberry Saison earned a silver medal in the French/Belgian Saison Ale category, fall seasonal Point Oktoberfest won a bronze medal in the Marzen/Oktoberfest category and the Point Premium Root Beer was awarded a bronze medal in the Root Beer category – new in 2012.

The 2012 United States Open Beer Championships, the only brewery competition to include professional breweries and award-winning home-brewers, included more than 1,650 beers represented in 65 different categories. The Root Beer category was the newest category added this year.

"This competition is significant because it accepts entries from breweries around the world and allows national winning home-brews to compete," said Dow Scoggins, director of the U.S. Open Beer Championships. "This year, over 20 international breweries entered the competition. Breweries from Canada, Belgium, Iceland, Germany, Mexico, and England medaled."

Competing beers were judged in 65 different beer style categories. This year’s judges were from England, Canada and the United States.

"It’s an honor to win these awards," said Joe Martino, Stevens Point Brewery Operating Partner. "These results reflect the dedication and hard work our brewers put forth every day, brewing the best hand-crafted specialty beers in America."