STEVENS POINT, WIS. (May 6, 2015) – Stevens Point Brewery is going to need a new trophy case.
That’s because three well-respected international beer competitions bestowed more than a dozen awards and medals on the central Wisconsin craft brewer and cider maker since the first of the year, adding to the dozens already in the brewery’s collection.
The latest honors include Double Gold and Best of Show for Ciderboys First Press Traditional Hard Cider at the Denver International Beer Competition, a Gold Medal for Point Special Lager in the Los Angeles International Beer Competition, and Wisconsin Brewery of the Year and Wisconsin Cider Producers of the Year honors from the New York International Beer Competition.
“Awards recognizing the quality of Point’s handcrafted specialty beers and unique hard ciders are always welcome, and participating in prestigious beer competitions like the New York, Denver and Los Angeles events is a great way to support the craft brewing industry,” said Joe Martino, Point Brewery Operating Partner.
New York International Beer Competition
It all started in February at the New York International Beer Competition in Midtown Manhattan, unique among beer competitions because it’s judged by New York restaurant and liquor store owners, supermarket beer buyers and beer distributors.
Ciderboys First Press Traditional Hard Cider earned a Silver Award in the Common Cider category while Strawberry Magic, a year-round cider that blends fresh strawberries with apple cider, received a Silver in the Fruit Cider category.
Point Onyx Black Ale received a Bronze Award for American-style Brown Ales and Point Cascade Pale Ale received a Bronze Award for American-style Pale Ale. The New York judges also named Stevens Point Brewery the Wisconsin Brewery of the Year and selected Ciderboys as Wisconsin’s Cider Producer of the Year.
Los Angeles International Beer Competition
Point Special Lager, a full-bodied pilsner-style beer, added a Gold Medal to its medal collection by winning the American-style Lager, Light Lager and Premium Lager category at the Los Angeles International Beer Competition.
Ciderboys Peach County, a seasonal fruitful pairing of crisp apple cider with juicy peach, won the Silver Medal in the Standard Cider and Perry category. Smiley Blue Pils, Point’s new Czech-style pilsner, received the Bronze in the American and International-style Pilsner segment. Whole Hog Scotch Ale was recognized with an honorable mention in the Scottish-style Ale category.
Held April 18-19 at the Los Angeles County Fairplex in Pomona, Calif., the prestigious competition judged more than 1,000 beers competing in 89 categories.
Denver International Beer Competition
At the 6th Annual Denver International Beer Competition, also held April 18-19, Ciderboys First Press Traditional Hard Cider earned one of 12 Double Gold awards and the Silver Best of Show.
Whole Hog Scotch Ale grabbed the Gold Medal for the Export Irish Red Ale category while Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout got the Silver for Russian Imperial Stouts. Point Cascade Pale Ale won the Silver Medal for American-style Pale Ales and Point Beyond the Pale IPA earned the Bronze for American-style IPAs.
The 2015 Denver event attracted 300 entries from brewers in more than 22 states and six countries.
Stevens Point Brewery
Stevens Point Brewery, founded in 1857, uses only the highest-grade barley malts, specialty malts, grains and the choicest hops to brew its handcrafted beers.
Stevens Point Brewery’s year-round lineup features flagship Point Special Lager, a full-bodied pilsner-style beer; Smiley Blue Pils, a Czech-style pilsner just introduced; Point Onyx Black Ale, a robust dark ale; Point Belgian White, a Belgian-style wheat ale; Point Drop Dead Blonde Ale, a 110 calorie golden ale; Point Cascade Pale Ale, an American-style pale ale; Point Amber Classic, an American-style amber lager; and Point Beyond the Pale IPA, a robust, hoppy India Pale Ale. Point also brews four year-round IPAs available only in the IPA variety 12-pack: Point Spruce Tip IPA, Point Peach Mango IPA, Point White IPA and Point One Shot IPA.
Year-round products also include the Whole Hog Limited Edition “big beers:” Whole Hog Espresso Stout, Whole Hog Six-Hop India Pale Ale and Whole Hog Scotch Ale. Seasonal brews include Whole Hog Russian Imperial Stout, Whole Hog Barley Wine Ale and Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale.
The brewery’s seasonal lineup also features Apricadabra Apricot Wheat Ale, a spring seasonal; Point St. Benedict’s Winter Ale, a rich, dark beer available from November through February; summer favorites Point Coast Radler, a mix of beer and natural citrus flavors, and Point Nude Beach Summer Wheat, an award-winning unfiltered wheat ale; and Point Oktoberfest, a Bavarian-style Märzen beer for the fall.
Point also brews four unique James Page specialty beers sold only in convenient 12-ounce cans: A Cappella Gluten-free Pale Ale, Casper White Stout, Yhaba Dhaba Chai Tea Porter and Healani Pineapple Hefeweizen.
Point’s Ciderboys Cider Co. hard ciders blend unexpected fresh fruit flavors with apple cider. Ciderboys’ year-round products are First Press, a traditional hard cider and Strawberry Magic, a blend of fresh strawberries and apple cider. Ciderboys also produces seasonal ciders, Raspberry Smash, alive with the tartness of raspberries; Pineapple Hula, made with fresh Hawaiian pineapple; Peach County, which combines pure peach flavor with apple cider; fall seasonal Cranberry Road, a pairing of apple cider and cranberries; winter seasonal Mad Bark, made with natural cinnamon; and Grand Mimosa, a winter seasonal made with succulent California oranges.
Gourmet soft drinks from the Stevens Point Brewery include Point Premium Root Beer, Point Premium Diet Root Beer, Point Premium Orange Cream, Point Premium Vanilla Cream, Point Kitty Cocktail and Point Premium Black Cherry Cream Soda.
For more information about the Stevens Point Brewery, please visit www.pointbeer.com or call 1-800-369-4911. Tours of the brewery are available; schedules are listed on the website.
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