Karl Strauss Announces 2016 Pro-Am Winner: Kevin Stamer

SAN DIEGO, CA July 08, 2016 – Karl Strauss Brewing Company is excited to announce the winner of their 2016 Pro-Am (Professional-Amateur) competition. Each year in support of the local homebrewing community, they invite brewers to submit their handcrafted creations for a chance to brew big with KARL and have their beer entered into the Great American Beer Festival.

"Homebrewers played a big role in establishing craft-beer here in San Diego. They helped create a taste for bold, unique, locally made beers. We proudly support them in many ways & this competition is a way to give back and provide them a shot to compete at GABF." – Paul Segura, Karl Strauss Brewmaster.

This year’s competition featured 35 beers that were judged by a diverse panel consisting of Karl Strauss brewers and staff, San Diego beer media, and local industry folks. In years past, there’s been a clear, unanimous winner, but the competition this year was especially tough with many high quality submissions.

The coveted first place prize was eventually awarded to a Pale Ale called Devil’s Postpilebrewed by Kevin Stamer from Carlsbad. "Our judging panel went back and forth for a while there, but in the end the pale ale was flawless," says Segura.

The winning brew, whose name and recipe was inspired by summers of camping in Mammoth with family, will be brewed on a commercial scale next month at KARL’s downtown brewpub and entered into GABF’s Pro-Am competition.

"The fresh, crisp profile of the beer is perfect for a day of fishing on the lake or after many hikes to Devil’s Postpile & beyond. The amarillo and citra hops provide a clean citrus hop flavor followed by light malt undertones that demand attention," says Kevin Stamer about his winning brew.

Devil’s Postpile Pale Ale will be pouring at the Karl Strauss downtown brewpub as well as on tap at the brewery’s Tasting Room in late August.

For more information about KARL’s Pro-Am competition and recipes for the top three winning beers, visit www.karlstrauss.com.