Pelican Brewing Scores at the 2017 Best of Craft Beer Awards in Bend, Oregon

SILVER          British-style Barleywine Ale         Stormwatcher’s Winterfest

SILVER          Golden/Blonde Ale                         Kiwanda Cream Ale

A Gold win for Five Fin brings an added bonus for Pelican: a portion of proceeds from every barrel of Pelican’s new west coast pilsner sold will be donated to the Salmon Superhighway—an unprecedented effort to restore access to almost 180 miles of blocked habitat throughout six major salmon and steelhead rivers of Oregon’s North Coast.

Inspired by the crystal clear waters of the six Tillamook County rivers and named for the five ocean-going species of fish benefitting from the salmon recovery effort, Five Fin is a uniquely ‘west coast’ take on the classic Pilsner beer style. Bright and zippy with a bold hoppy flavor and aroma, Five Fin is crafted with a unique blend of Centennial and Sterling hops from the Pacific Northwest and Mandarina Bavaria hops from Germany. The pilsner marries the hop-driven flavors of tangerine, pineapple, and lemon zest with classic spicy, floral notes, all balanced against a toasty malt character:  ABV: 5.3% | IBU: 45 | PLATO: 12º.

“Winning three medals at the Best of Craft Beer Awards is a great start to the year for Pelican—especially with one of our newest beers, Five Fin Pilsner, earning a Gold medal.  We believe in the beer and have worked very hard to perfect it, so earning this recognition from our peers is tremendously satisfying.  On top of that, to have Stormwatcher’s and our flagship Kiwanda Cream Ale win silver medals is equally gratifying.”

In its fourth year, Best of Craft Beer Awards saw a 50% increase in growth this year with 84 award categories, 1,755 entries from across the country and beyond, and 245 medals awarded to 145 breweries. A professional cadre of beer industry experts including Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) Certified Judges and industry-respected professionals participated in the judging.

“This awards event is an opportunity for brewers to make sure their beers are to style according to the Brewers’ Association guidelines and to get honest, objective feedback and notes from fellow brewers with expert sensory analysis training,” says event organizer Miles Wilhelm, Oregon Gravity Events. “We have been working with the Brewers’ Association to ensure the same judging categories and guidelines as other national competitions. Our incredible growth this year is testament to the valuable evaluations brewers are getting for their entries.”