Great american beer festival

San Antonio Takes Home 16 Medals at the Great American Beer Festival

San Antonio Takes Home 16 Medals at the Great American Beer Festival

Another Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is in the books and with it another awards competition. In all, 322 judges from 18 countries took the measure of 9,497 entries from 2,295 breweries, making it the largest GABF competition in the festival’s 33-year history. This years’ competition saw 401 first-time entrants, 37 first-time winners, with 318 total medals awarded. 

 

Texas breweries once again did very well, taking home 16 medals overall: 8 Gold, 3 Silver, and 5 Bronze. 

Homebrewing Icon Charlie Papazian Retires From The Brewers Association

Homebrewing Icon Charlie Papazian Retires From The Brewers Association

1978. That was the year that Charlie Papazian published the first issue of Zymurgy Magazine ,along with Charlie Matzen and announced the formation of the American Homebrewers Association (AHA). That same year homebrewing became legal in the United States thanks to President Jimmy Carter. Charlie (he wouldn’t let me call him Mr. Papazian) had been teaching homebrewing classes for years prior to legalization. 

He’s authored several books focusing on homebrewing, including the now classic 'The Complete Joy of Homebrewing’, which has been updated many times over the years. His original wooden brewing spoon now resides at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. He’s taught thousands of students, many of whom went on to found commercial breweries including Colorado’s Governor John Hickenlooper, who founded the Wynkoop Brewing Company.