Winners of the San Diego Beer News Awards announced

Winners of the San Diego Beer News Awards announced

Winning breweries and beers in fan-voted competition from local outlet, San Diego Beer News, receive recognition from peers in a packed house at star-studded in-person awards show

SAN DIEGO, CA (March 31, 2022)—Members of the brewing industry, craft-beer community, local media and more came out for the second annual San Diego Beer News Awards on the evening of Tuesday, March 29. And they came out in big numbers, filling North Park Beer Co. to capacity, creating a line that spanned out the front door and around the building for much of the night as winners of the fan-voted competition were announced in an awards-show format allowing award recipients to get the recognition they so richly deserved.

Organized by Brandon Hernández, founder and Executive Editor of local outlet San Diego Beer News (www.sandiegobeer.news), the ceremony included local TV and radio personalities, brewery owners, brewers and staffers, plus sponsors, suppliers and well-known individuals from the local beer community, all serving as presenters tearing open envelopes to announce first-, second- and third-place winners in 26 different categories. Those categories covered different beer styles (e.g., West Coast IPA, Pilsner, Barrel-Aged Beer), as well as items such as customer service, interior and exterior design, best new brewery and best overall brewery by region.

“Tonight could not have been a greater success,” noted Hernández following the event. “Not only were San Diego’s brewers and breweries applauded by their fans and contemporaries, but for the first time in more than two years, the local craft-beer community was able to gather together, share smiles, laughs, hugs, and, of course, beer. Camaraderie is a cornerstone of this industry and a key to what’s made San Diego such a hotbed of ingenuity and quality where beer and brewing is concerned. This night was a long time coming and one that all of us will remember with great fondness for years to come.”

Tops in the Best Brewery categories were Burgeon Beer Co. (west), North Park Beer Co. (south), Pure Project Brewing (north), Societe Brewing (central) and Stone Brewing (east). Mcilhenney Brewing was named Best New Brewery, while Hopnonymous Brewing took Best Customer Service. Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido won for Best Interior/Exterior Design and Pure Project’s Vista headquarters was named the Best Expansion Project of the year. And the winner of the inaugural San Diego Vanguard Brewer Award—a new award honoring veteran brewers who’ve made significant, positive impacts on the local industry—went to Tomme Arthur, co-founder of Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey.

Gold-medal recipients in high-profile beer-style categories included: Treevana from Burgeon Beer Co. (West Coast IPA), Art is Hard from North Park Beer Co. (Hazy IPA), .394 Pale Ale from AleSmith Brewing (Hoppy Beer), Rain from Pure Project (Pilsner), Festbier from Eppig Brewing (German Beer), Red Trolley Ale from Karl Strauss Brewing (UK/Irish Ale), and Bacon & Eggs from Pizza Port Brewing (Coffee Beer). A full list of winners is included with this press release, along with event images from Jenn Mann Photography.

The SDBN ballot was filled with beers nominated by fans on social media during the month of January. Voting took place during February, with thousands of votes being cast, then audited and verified to produce the winners in each category.

The SDBN Awards were presented by banner sponsor Yakima Chief Hops, with additional support from Arryved, Bottlecraft, BSG CraftBrewing, CLTVT, GoTab, Hoppy Beer Gear and White Labs.

 

SAN DIEGO BEER NEWS AWARDS RESULTS

 

BREWERY / BREWER AWARDS

 

North Region

Gold: Pure Project Brewing

Silver: Eppig Brewing

Bronze: Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey

 

South Region

Gold: North Park Beer Co.

Silver: Modern Times Beer

Bronze: Fall Brewing

 

West Region

Gold: Burgeon Beer Co.

Silver: Pizza Port Brewing

Bronze: Belching Beaver Brewery

 

East Region

Gold: Stone Brewing

Silver: Mcilhenney Brewing

Bronze: Abnormal Beer Co.

 

Central Region

Gold: Societe Brewing

Silver: AleSmith Brewing

Bronze: Harland Brewing

 

Best New Brewery

Gold: Mcilhenney Brewing

Silver: Mujeres Brew House

Bronze: Blue Fire Brewing

 

Customer Service

Gold: Hopnonymous Brewing

Silver: Five Suits Brewing

Bronze: Burgeon Beer Co.

 

Interior/Exterior Design

Gold: Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido

Silver: Eppig Brewing Waterfront Biergarten

Bronze: The Lost Abbey “The Church”

 

Packaging Design

Gold: Dutchman’s Pipe, Burgeon Beer Co.

Silver: India Pale Whale, Harland Brewing

Bronze: Electric Dragon, Pure Project Brewing

 

San Diego Vanguard Brewer Award

Winner: Tomme Arthur, Port Brewing / The Lost Abbey

 

BEER AWARDS BY STYLE

 

West Coast IPA

Gold: Treevana, Burgeon Beer Co.

Silver: The Pupil, Societe Brewing

Bronze: 10:45 to Denver, Eppig Brewing

 

Hazy IPA

Gold: Art is Hard, North Park Beer Co.

Silver (tie): Planet Nectaron, Five Suits Brewing

Silver (tie): Harland Hazy IPA, Harland Brewing

 

Imperial IPA

Gold: Mongo, Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey

Silver: Stone Ruination 2.0, Stone Brewing

Bronze: Duckzilla, Duck Foot Brewing

 

Niche IPA

Gold: The Coachman, Societe Brewing

Silver: White Sage IPA, Blue Fire Brewing

Bronze: Nelson! Nelson! IPA, Harland Brewing

 

Hoppy Beer (Non-IPA)

Gold: .394 Pale Ale, AleSmith Brewing

Silver: Carlsbad Crush, Burgeon Beer Co.

Bronze: Party Cup, North Park Beer Co.

 

Pilsner

Gold: Rain, Pure Project Brewing

Silver: Special Lager, Eppig Brewing

Bronze: Plenty for All, Fall Brewing

 

Lager (Non-Pilsner)

Gold: Festbier, Eppig Brewing

Silver: Agua Baja, Craft Coast Beer & Tacos

Bronze: 5^th Anniversary Zwickelbier, Eppig Brewing

 

Belgian Ale

Gold: Devotion, The Lost Abbey

Silver: The Harlot, Societe Brewing

Bronze: The Dorsty Lion, Hopnonymous Brewing

 

U.K./Irish Ale

Gold: Red Trolley Ale, Karl Strauss Brewing

Silver: Tabula Rasa, Second Chance Beer Co.

Bronze (tie): Beeria, Craft Coast Beer & Tacos

Bronze (tie): Comfy Chair, Eppig Brewing

Bronze (tie): Leaving Without Saying Goodbye, Hopnonymous Brewing

 

Sour Ale

Gold: Jazz Hands, Fall Brewing

Silver: Hydra Fluff, Harland Brewing

Bronze: Fistfull of Gummies, Second Chance Beer Co.

 

Barrel-aged Sour/Wild Ale

Gold: Cable Car Kriek, Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey

Silver: Everything Gold May Stay, Pure Project Brewing

Bronze: Framboise de Amarosa, The Lost Abbey

 

Strong Ale

Gold: The Butcher, Societe Brewing

Silver: Natural Bridge: Baltic Porter, Eppig Brewing

Bronze: Midnight in London, Pure Project Brewing

 

Barrel-aged Beer

Gold: Modem Tones, Modern Times Beer

Silver: Rum Forest Rum, Pizza Port Brewing

Bronze (tie): Barrel-aged Molotov Special, Mcilhenney Brewing

Bronze (tie): Circular Paradigm, Pure Project Brewing

 

Coffee Beer

Gold: Bacon & Eggs, Pizza Port Brewing

Silver: Barrel-aged Vietnamese Coffee Speedway Stout, AleSmith Brewing

Bronze: 2AM Bike Ride, Fall Brewing

 

Collaboration Beer

Gold: Capital of Craft IPA, Societe Brewing, Ballast Point Brewing, Booze Brothers Brewing, Craft Coast Beer & Tacos, Eppig Brewing, Latchkey Brewing, Puesto Cerveceria & Rouleur Brewing

Silver: Home for the Hollihaze, Pure Project Brewing & Burgeon Beer Co.

Bronze: Ride Share IPA, Societe Brewing & Pizza Port Brewing