Short’s Brewing Company, Northern Michigan’s largest craft brewery, medaled at the Great American Beer Festival and competition in Denver, CO this past Saturday. Key Lime Pie took the gold medal in the Experimental Beer category. This is the second gold medal Key Lime Pie has been awarded at this premier event, the first being in 2010 in the same category.
Additional medals received in past years at this national competition include silver in Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter (Autumn Ale, 2006), and silver in Experimental Beer (Bloody Beer, 2009).
“At Short's, we celebrate new and unique ideas. We seek inspiration everywhere, and constantly challenge ourselves to capture new experiences in beer form. The creative freedom and endless possibilities that we entertain here makes brewing fun, and I think that shows in the finished beer,” says head brewer Tony Hansen.
“Our beers are intentionally unique and different than established styles, so the recognition for successfully experimenting keeps our creative motor running” Tony says of the honor of receiving the gold for the Experimental category in particular.
Short’s Brewing Company was the only Michigan brewery to take home a gold medal from the competition this year. Ryan Hale, the head pub brewer who brewed the specific batch of Key Lime Pie that was judged, was present in Denver to receive the award alongside other Short’s team members.
The Great American Beer Festival 2014 had more brewery entrants than any past year. It has grown immensely since its creation in 1982, and has the largest collection of U.S. beer ever served, in a public tasting event with a competition.
To find an event near you, featuring Short’s beers visit: https://www.shortsbrewing.com/
