Vancouver Craft Beer Week 2011: Final Event

Thanks to the Urban Diner ticket giveaway, I made it down to the final Vancouver Craft Beer Week event. This was the Brewery Creek Beer Festival featuring 24 BC breweries. There was a number of new products, hard to find brews and old favourites to provide a full afternoon of sampling pleasure.

The 2nd Annual BC Beer Awards were also handed out at this event. They had 170 entries, which is seriously impressive (the recent 8th annual Ontario Brewing Awards only had 135)! Congratulations to all the winners, there’s certainly some tough competition.

Lager/Pilsner
Gold: Conrad Gmoser of Steamworks – Pilsner
Silver: Iain Hill of Yaletown – Pilsner
Bronze: Paul Hoyne of Lighthouse – Fisgard 150

Special Lager
Gold: David Varga, Hamish MacRae & Cory Curtis of Red Truck Brewing – Big Black Bock
Silver: Ralf Pittroff of Vancouver Island Brewing – Hermann’s Dark Lager

Session
Gold: Brent Mills of R&B Brewing – Raven Cream Ale
Silver: Jason Meyer and Kevin Hearsum of Driftwood Brewing – Crooked Coast Amber Ale
Bronze: Ralf Pittroff of Vancouver Island Brewing – Seadog Amber Ale

Pale
Gold: Gary Lohin of Red Racer Brewing – Pale Ale
Silver: Brent Mills of R&B Brewing – East Side Bitter
Bronze: Gary Lohin of Red Racer Brewing – ESB

Stout
Gold: Jason Meyer and Kevin Hearsum of Driftwood Brewing – Singularity
Silver: Paul Hoyne of Lighthouse Brewing Company – Keepers Stout
Bronze: Paul Wilson and Franco Corno of Howe Sound Brewing – Diamond Head Stout

Porter/Brown
Gold: Jason Meyer and Kevin Hearsum of Driftwood Brewing – Blackstone Porter
Silver: Vern Lambourne of Granville Island Brewing – Nut Brown
Bronze: Murray Hunter of Saltspring Island Ales – Porter

Scottish/Irish
Gold: Brent Mills of R&B Brewing – Auld Nick Winter Ale
Silver: Terry Schoffer of Cannery Brewing – Squire Scotch Ale
Bronze: Jack Bensley of Russell Brewing – Wee Angry Scotch Ale

Wheat/Rye
Gold: Bart Larson of Mt. Begbie Brewing – Bob’s Your Dunkel
Silver: Jason Meyer and Kevin Hearsum of Driftwood Brewing – White Bark Wheat Ale
Bronze: Iain Hill of Yaletown Brewing Company – Hills’ Special Wheat

IPA
Gold: Stefan Buhl of Tree Brewing – Hophead Double India Pale Ale
Silver: Jason Meyer and Kevin Hearsum of Driftwood Brewing – Fat Tug IPA
Bronze: Gary Lohin of Red Racer Brewing – IPA

Sour/Fruit
Gold: Stefan Buhl of Tree Brewing – Raspberry Porter
Silver: James Walton of Storm Brewing – Black Currant Lambic
Bronze: Jack Bensley of Russell Brewing – Lemon Ale

Strong
Gold: Gary Lohin of Central City Brewing – Thor’s Hammer Barley Wine
Silver: Jason Meyer and Kevin Hearsum of Driftwood Brewing – Old Cellar Dweller Barley Wine
Bronze: Paul Wilson and Franco Corno of Howe Sound Brewing – Woolley Bugger Barley Wine

Speciality
Gold: Paul Wilson and Franco Corno of Howe Sound Brewing – MegaDestroyer
Silver: Paul Wilson and Franco Corno of Howe Sound Brewing – Father John’s Winter Ale
Bronze: Jack Bensley of Russell Brewing – Nectar of the Gods Wheat Wine

Best in Show
Conrad Gmoser of Steamworks Brewing Company – Pilsner

Best not in Show
Gary Lohin of Central City Brewing – Imperial IPA
(this one was apparently misplaced during the judging)