San Diego brewers fare well against a world of competition

Sixteen San Diego–based breweries (and one meadery) earned medals in April at the the 2016 Los Angeles International Beer Competition. Out of more than a thousand entries covering 97 categories, San Diego companies made a strong showing, picking up 13 golds and 47 medals over all, plus one honorable mention.

Kearny Mesa's Council Brewing Company won four medals on its way to the day's biggest prize: Best in Show for its Gaderian old ale, which also won gold in its category. Council took both silver and bronze in the American-Style Brett Ale category. But Miramar's Intergalactic Brewing Company dominated, taking ten medals over all. The Star Trek–loving company took gold in the American Style Wheat category for its Shut Up Wesley Wheat, and in Ordinary or Special Bitter style for Red Shirt #30 English Pale Ale.

San Marcos' Rip Current Brewing Company added to its collection of medals with five total, including two gold. Breakline Bock topped its category, as did Kona Storm in Coffee Beer. Karl Strauss only won two medals for its various brewpubs, but both were gold, including Mosaic Session IPA in Session Beer, and Red Trolley Ale in Irish-Style Red Ale.

North Park's Mike Hess Brewing brought in five awards overall, including gold for Umbrix imperial stout. Sorrento Valley's New English Brewing Company can count one gold out of its four medals, taking the English-Style Brown Ale category with its Brewers Special Brown.

East Village's Monkey Paw Brewing received the honorable mention for its smoke beer Ashes from the Grave, a collaboration with former AleSmith and now Mikkeller San Diego brewer Bill Batten. It also took home two medals, including gold for the Mighty Joe Young American-Style Stout.

Mira Mesa's Green Flash Brewing and East Village's Mission Brewery each collected a gold and bronze apiece. Green Flash's gold went to Passion Fruit Kicker in the Fruit Wheat Beer category, while Mission took top honors in German-Style Sour Ales with its Maiden Voyage. Logan Heights' Border X Brewing rounded out the list of golds with its lone medalist, Horchata Golden Stout, competing as an experimental beer.

BNS Brewing & Distilling Co. didn't come home with gold, but grabbed a couple medals to add to its recent successes. The other breweries placing in the competition were Legacy Brewing Company, Lightning Brewery, Mother Earth Brew Co., and Oggi's Pizza. Oceanside's Golden Coast Mead won both medals awarded in the mead category: silver and bronze. No gold was awarded. Neither was gold awarded in the Extra Special Bitter style, where Miramar's 2kids Brewing Company won silver.

Competitors mostly hailed from California but also included international entries like Japan's Coedo Brewery and Canada's Belgh Brasse. While San Diego's small breweries collected medals, larger breweries participating included the second largest craft brewer in the U.S., Boston Beer Co. Despite the Karl Strauss session beer prize, no local breweries won medals in an officially designated IPA category. One brewery that did? Anheuser-Busch, with Golden Road Wolf Pup Session IPA.

For a full list of winners visit: labeercomp.com.