Pelican Brewing Company’s Updrift IPA honored with Silver at the 2020 Great American Beer Festival

From Pelican:

Updrift IPA takes home Silver in the highly competitive American-style IPA category

Pacific City, OR  (October 19^th, 2020)—Pelican Brewing Company was honored last week during the first-ever virtual ceremony for the 34^th annual Great American Beer Festival. The Brewers Association awarded Updrift IPA with Silver in the second most popular category in the competition, American-style IPA. This year’s competition saw 8,806 beer submissions across 91 beer categories and 355 entries in the American-style IPA category.

The IPA styles continue to be the most-entered craft beer categories, with cult-like followings among craft beer lovers. In total, the IPA categories in this year’s Great American Beer Festival had 1,287 entries, the most of any style. Pelican has rare longevity in the American-style IPA category, with its first medal in this coveted category in 2001, another in 2004, and now sixteen years later with Updrift IPA.

“The Great American Beer Festival is truly the national championship of beer! Winning a medal here has always been huge, but today it is more competitive than ever. We are so thrilled to have Updrift IPA chosen by our peers in this incredibly challenging category,” said Darron Welch, Brewmaster at Pelican Brewing Company. “The GABF is the standard of excellence for beer competitions; the quality of judging and feedback helps us improve our processes and further our dedication to continuous improvement. Refining our craft and creating great flavors are what Pelican Brewing is all about!”

Welch continues to be one of the most decorated brewers in the Pacific Northwest, earning well over 450 awards, including 41 medals at the Great American Beer Festival since 1998. Pelican has now earned Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals in the American-style IPA category. Gold and Bronze were awarded for India Pelican Ale and now Silver for Updrift IPA.

Pelican took a hard U-turn from convention when they created Updrift IPA – a spirited and vibrant IPA that climbs to new heights of flavor. The brewers at Pelican composed the consummate expression of adventure-in-a-can when they crafted Updrift IPA. Long on unexpected tropical, stone fruit, and citrus punch, Updrift is the perfect companion to punctuate all your adventures. For more Updrift adventures, follow along on Pelican’s social media accounts and on Pelicanbrewing.com as they pay homage to their iconic home on the Oregon Coast and the local flock of adventures who do what stirs their souls and inspired the ideal companion for adventure – Updrift IPA.

About Pelican Brewing Company

Pelican Brewing Company was born at the beach in 1996. Here, in front of a rundown old building at the water’s edge, stood three enthusiastic young folks whose thirst for great beer overshadowed their understanding of what it would take to build a brewery. They did it anyway. Thanks to the vision of founding owners Jeff Schons, Mary Jones and Brewmaster Darron Welch, Oregon’s only beachfront brewpub became one of the state’s most popular destinations. And now, 24 years later, Pelican Brewing Company is an iconic beach brand and one of the most decorated craft breweries in Oregon. Pelican has been honored with more than 450 awards including the prestigious 2015, 2016, 2017 Australian International Beer Awards Champion Medium International Brewery; 2014 World Beer Cup Champion Small Brewery; 2013 Great American Beer Festival Large Brewpub of the Year. Why? Pelican brews are playful, but not frivolous. Brewed with purpose, passion and a deep respect for the craft. Pelican operates brewing and brewpub facilities in Pacific City, Cannon Beach, and its state-of-the-craft brewery in Tillamook, Oregon where it brews 40,000 barrels of award-winning beer annually and distributes to six states. Pelican’s vision, its beer and values were born at the beach where the team wakes up each day in a place that reminds them that amazing is possible. Cheers, Fellow Fanatics!