San Diego, CA – June 26, 2012– Karl Strauss Brewing Company recently competed in the Los Angeles, San Diego, and California State Fair commercial beer competitions, winning a company record of 21 medals.  The company has won a total of 23 medals in 2012, surpassing its record of 16 wins in 2011.  “We know we’re always against terrific local and even international competition, so each win is validation for what we do,” says Paul Segura, Karl Strauss Brewmaster.  

The company took home triple golds for its most-decorated beer, Red Trolley Ale, making it a clean sweep for top honors in each competition the beer was entered in this year, including a gold medal at the prestigious World Beer Cup in May. Additionally, the company took triple silvers for its Karl Strauss Amber, showing that 23 years later, San Diego’s original microbrew is still turning heads. The awards were rounded out by a mix of hop-forward beers like Tower 10 IPA and Tower 20 IIPA, as well as newcomer Wreck Alley Imperial Stout.  

The company is currently gearing up for the nation’s largest beer competition, the Great American Beer Festival, in Denver this fall.  

California State Fair Commercial Beer Competition

Karl Strauss entered 12 beers into the competition and placed for each one.  The company competed against 475 entries in 30 categories from more than 60 breweries.

Gold: Red Trolley Ale, Irish Red Ale

Gold: Pintail Pale Ale, American Pale Ale

Gold: 23^rd Anniversary Old Ale, Wood Aged Beer

Gold: Two Tortugas Belgian Quad, Belgian Strong

Gold: Fullsuit Belgian Brown Ale, Belgian & French Ale

Gold: Boardwalk Black Rye IPA, Specialty Beer

Silver: Windansea Wheat, South German Style Hefeweizen

Silver: Off the Rails, Specialty Beer

Silver: Tower 20 IIPA, Imperial IPA

Silver: Tower 10 IPA, American IPA

Silver: Karl Strauss Amber, Euro Amber Lager

Bronze: Wreck Alley Imperial Stout, Russian Imperial Stout 

Los Angeles International Commercial Beer Competition

More than 500 beers were entered into the competition from 75 breweries, including international entries from as far away as Italy.  The judging took place over two days with more than 50 BJCP certified judges.

Gold: Red Trolley Ale, Irish Red Ale

Gold: Boardwalk Black Rye IPA, American Style Black Ale

Silver: Off the Rails, Other Strong Ale or Lager

Silver: Karl Strauss Amber, Vienna Lager

Silver: Wreck Alley Imperial Stout, Coffee-Flavored Beer 

San Diego International Beer Competition

The competition, now in its sixth year, received 300 entries from 140 breweries across 15 states and 15 countries.  Judging was conducted by more than 70 BJCP certified judges.

Gold: Red Trolley Ale, Irish Red Ale

Gold: 23rd Anniversary Old Ale, Wood and Barrel Aged Pale to Amber Beer

Silver: Karl Strauss Amber, Vienna Lager

Bronze: Fullsuit Belgian Brown Ale, Dark American Belgo Style Ale 

For more information about Karl Strauss’ award-winning beers, visit www.karlstrauss.com. Share it, cheers.

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About Karl Strauss Brewing Company

Since 1989, Karl Strauss Brewing Company has pioneered the local beer scene in San Diego.  23 years later, the company continues to brew an innovative line-up of award-winning beers ranging from longtime favorites like Red Trolley Ale to new releases like Wreck Alley Imperial Stout.  In 2011, the company brewed 40,000 barrels and ranked #44 on the list of the country’s top craft breweries.  To keep up with double-digit sales growth, the company is adding capacity to its brewery, expanding distribution throughout California, opening a new brewery restaurant, and breaking ground on an extensive brewery renovation. For more information visit www.karlstrauss.com or call the brewery at (858) 273-2739.  Follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.  Share it. Cheers.

(Seattle, WA) – Two Beers Brewing is proud to announce the addition of two exciting new offerings –Ascension Triple IPA and Backcountry Cascadian Brown Ale (CBA) – to its award-winning lineup of beers.

Available for only a limited time, craft beer enthusiasts can taste their first sip of Ascension Triple IPA – brewed as one of two flagship beers for the Seattle International Beerfest (SIB) and Portland International Beerfest (PIB) – beginning July 6, with Backcountry Cascadian Brown Ale (CBA) hitting taps around town beginning June 26.

“We’re excited to be offering something truly unique this summer for our Two Beers Brewing fans and Pacific Northwest craft beer lovers,” said Joel VandenBrink, Two Beers Brewing’s founder and head brewer. “Ascension was an exciting and rewarding labor of love that required constant attention for more than two weeks, while Backcountry – a hop-forward brown ale – is a refreshing option for the summer months.”

Two Beers Brewing’s Ascension Triple IPA is the expanding brewery’s most powerful beer yet, ringing in at 18.2 percent ABV and 100+ IBUs. Ascension is a true Triple IPA utilizing triple the amount of hops as needed for the brewery’s Evolutionary (Evo) IPA, the recipe for which acts as the base for this delicious beer. While high in alcohol, Ascension is deceptively well balanced and smooth, featuring a moderately sweet palate with strong notes of caramel and citrus, including grapefruit, passion fruit and tangerine.

“When we began planning for the 2012 Seattle and Portland International Beerfests, we really wanted to offer our attendees a huge, locally brewed Imperial IPA as the signature beer of the events – something around 12 percent or even higher,” stated Rick Carpenter, SIB/PIB festival organizer and owner of Uber Tavern in Seattle. “With Two Beers Brewing great track record for outstanding IPAs, we knew they’d make something great, and know our attendees will be both pleased and surprised by the results.”

Another new brew joining the tap list at Two Beers Brewing and select bars around town is the brewery’s Backcountry Cascadian Brown Ale (CBA). A bit hoppier than the standard malt forward Brown Ale, the Backcountry CBA features notes of toffee, roasted caramel and molasses, with a slight spice resulting from the Cascade, Centennial and Chinook hops used. Mild and flavorful, Backcountry CBA offers craft beer enthusiasts a 5.6 percent ABV and 61 IBUs.

Ascension Triple IPA will available to the public at the Seattle International Beerfest from July 6-8 and the Portland International Beerfest from July 20-22. Members of Two Beers Brewing’s Mug Club can taste a sneak peak of Ascension Triple IPA at The Woods tasting room July 2-5. Backcountry CBA will be available on tap at Two Beers Brewing’s The Woods tasting room, as well as select bars and restaurants in Seattle – including Park Pub, Coopers, Beveridge Place, Noble Fir and more – beginning June 20.

Two Beers Brewing will continue to distribute its five year-round offerings and summer seasonals, as well as a host of packaged products, including 22-ounce bottles and Two Beers Brewing’s popular line of 12-ounce cans available in Washington, Alaska, Oregon and Idaho. Two Beers Brewing’s tasting room – The Woods – also offers pints, growlers and kegs-to-go, in addition to being available on tap in more than 300 restaurants and bars in Washington. For more information, be sure to follow Two Beers Brewing on Facebook, Twitter (@twobeersbrewing) or visit www.twobeersbrewery.com.

About Two Beers Brewing Co.
Two Beers Brewing Co. – makers of Evolutionary IPA and a host of Northwest-inspired beers – began operations in a small Seattle basement in 2007. Today, Two Beers Brewing produces twelve unique beers including five year-round, seven seasonals and a host of intricate infusions in its 4,800-square-foot SoDo brewery. Two Beers Brewing can be found in Seattle-area bars and restaurants, with tastings kegs and growler fill-ups available at their tasting room located at 4700 Ohio Ave. S. (Unit A) in SoDo, open weekly Tuesday – Friday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 – 6 p.m. Select brews can also be found in 22-ounce bottles and 12-ounce cans through the tasting room, as well as local retailers in Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Idaho. With a strong belief in supporting the local economy, Two Beers Brewing takes pride in using Washington ingredients to create all of its handcrafted beers. For more information, visit www.twobeersbrewery.com.

Seattle International Beerfest (SIB)
SIB is a sophisticated, slightly extreme festival specializing in hard-to-find, rare and exotic styles of of beer from breweries near and far. Situated under the Space Needle amidst the grass and trees from Seattle Center, the feel and vibe are similar to the legendary outdoor beer gardens of Europe. Stoll the grounds with a gourmet cold one as you listen to great music all weekend. Taking place July 6-8 (Fri & Sat: 12-10pm, Sun 12-7pm) at Seattle Center’s Fisher Lawn & Pavilion, this year’s festival features twice the room, triple the seating and a new indoor/outdoor space. Tickets are $25 in advance/$30 at the gate. This event is 21+ only and pet-friendly. www.seattlebeerfest.com

Portland International Beerfest (PIB)
Taste the greatest beers you’ve never heard of! PIB is a sophisticated, slightly extreme festival specializing in hard-to-find, rare and exotic styles of beer from breweries near and far. Situated amidst the grass and trees of the Pearl District North Park Blocks in downtown Portland, it feels similar to the great beer gardens of Germany and Belgium. Stroll around the grounds with a gourmet cold one as you listen to great music all weekend, taking place on July 20-22 (Fri: 4-10pm, Sat: 12-10pm, Sun 12-7pm). Tickets are $25 in advance/$30 at the gate. This event is 21+ only. www.portland-beerfest.com

(Bend, OR) - Deschutes Brewery is happy to announce that it will begin selling Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale in Kansas, starting July 16th. The brewery, which grew its distribution network into Missouri earlier this year, recently expanded its brewing capacity by nearly 50% to enable this and future growth. Deschutes will be working with a number of distributors that are part of the Kansas Craft Alliance.  

“We always consider all of the variables when expanding to a new market, especially making sure that we have enough beer to meet the demand of our fans,” said Andy Tysler, sales director for the company. “We know that Kansas beer drinkers have been anxiously waiting since we launched in their neighboring state of Missouri. Now, we have the beer, we have a new market manager on board, and we’re working with some great distributors. Cheers to Kansas!” 

The five new 1300 barrel fermentation tanks that were installed last winter at the company’s Bend, Oregon brewing facility are now up and running. Karen King, a newly hired market manager for the region who is based in St. Louis, will be assisting in the launch and providing ongoing service to the Kansas marketplace. 

For the initial launch, Deschutes will be working with the 13 distributors that make up the Kansas Craft Alliance to provide beer to the entire state, including Pestinger Distributing, Western Beverage, City Beverage Company, The House of Schwan, Eagle Beverage Corporation, Crawford Sales Company, Mussatto Brothers, OMalley Beverage, Schatz Distributing, Strathman Sales Company, Seneca Wholesale and Flint Hills Beverage. 

At first, Kansans will be able to regularly enjoy the two most popular Deschutes Brewery beers: Black Butte Porter and Mirror Pond Pale Ale, available in both six-packs and on draft. Before 2012 is over, the brewery has plans to bring in additional brands for serious beer fanatics, including its Reserve Series and Bond Street Series specialty brews, plus other seasonal and year-round favorites like Jubelale and Chainbreaker White IPA, just to name a couple. 

For more information on where Deschutes Brewery beer will be available in Kansas, please contact market manager Karen King at kking@deschutesbrewery.com.

(Littleton, CO) – There may be just one thing that would make Paulaner Hefe-Weizen more popular among discerning lovers of imported beer: More of it. In more places. And in cans.

With Paulaner Hefe-Weizen now available in 11.2 oz cans, aficionados can enjoy this refreshing brew at all their favorite summer venues, just as it has been part of German outdoor biergartens for over a century. No longer do fans of quality import beers have to settle for mediocre brews at picnics, outdoor concerts and barbeques. The lightweight can makes it easy to travel with an authentic Bavarian-style wheat beer on the boat, at the golf course, on the trails or at the campsite – any place where glass bottles are not an option.

Paulaner has taken old traditions and new technology to make its much-loved traditional Hefe-Weizen easy to carry in cans that are light and unbreakable – and don’t change the flavor of the beer. Cans protect the beer from the negative effects of UV light and oxygen, preserving the fresh, effervescent flavor in the outdoors.

Serious beer drinkers can also feel good about environmentally friendly cans that are easier to recycle than glass, making it possible for 40 percent of all beer cans to be made from recycled aluminum.

The authentic, original Bavarian wheat beer, Paulaner Hefe-Weizen is 65 percent wheat, 35 percent two-row barley. With its delightful Hallertau Hop nose, naturally cloudy, deep tones of gold, lively effervescence, and big spike of banana, Paulaner Hefe-Weizen is always refreshing.

Paulaner Hefe-Weizen is now available in 11.2 oz cans, packed in a unique full-color shrink-wrapped 8-pack. Because of the lighter weight of the cans, the costs for shipping are lower – a savings of $1 per pack that is passed directly to the consumer. It’s priced about the same as the Paulaner 6-pack bottles, making this beer a savvy choice for discriminating cost-conscious beer drinkers all summer long.

CHICAGO, June 26, 2012 - For the first time in 13 years, the MillerCoors Urban Entrepreneur Series (MUES) is giving consumers the chance to vote for their favorite urban entrepreneur. The new Consumer's Choice Award is a unique addition to the national business plan competition that has awarded nearly two million dollars in grants since the program's inception in 1999. This new component will allow finalists the opportunity to engage their social networks, for a chance to win a business development grant of $10,000.

"At MillerCoors, we embrace the changing nature of business and social networking," said Larry Waters, senior director of community commerce and partnerships at MillerCoors. "The new Consumer's Choice Award will serve as a way for entrepreneurs to exercise their social media marketing savvy, and provides an avenue for consumers to participate in the MUES program by voting for their favorite entrepreneur."

In addition to the Consumer's Choice award, MillerCoors will continue to support entrepreneurship by awarding up to $150,000 in business grants to five promising entrepreneurs. The MUES program was designed to help urban entrepreneurs grow their business and offers a set of unique resources for business owners to craft successful business plans and gain insights from experts. This year, MUES is bringing resources directly to the consumer, via a new online and mobile platform, allowing entrepreneurs to access videos and other business resources while on the go.

This year's top winner will be awarded a $50,000 business grant. Up to four other top finalists will each receive $25,000 grants, and one consumer-voted entrepreneur from the selected finalists will be awarded a $10,000 business development grant. Qualified competitors also have the opportunity to potentially become a MillerCoors supplier. The MUES competition is open to participants who are age 21 and older. All entries must be submitted to www.MillerCoorsMUES.com by Friday, October 26, 2012, at 12:00 p.m. (CST).

The MUES program continues to grow its list of diverse partners, with the addition of the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP). Some of the long-standing MUES supporters include the Atlanta Business League, the Chicago Urban League, the Greater Harlem Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Dallas, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and additional local chambers and chapters of the Urban League.

For more information and helpful business resources, as well as the official rules and requirements of the MUES Business Plan Competition, visit www.MillerCoorsMUES.com.

Overview of MillerCoors 
Built on a foundation of great beer brands and nearly 300 years of brewing heritage, MillerCoors continues the commitment of its founders to brew the highest quality beers.  MillerCoors is the second-largest beer company in the United States, capturing nearly 30 percent of beer sales in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.  Led by two of the best-selling beers in the industry, MillerCoors has a broad portfolio of brands across every major industry segment.  The portfolio is led by the company's premium light brands: Coors Light, Miller Lite and Miller64.  Coors Light, the World's Most Refreshing Beer, offers consumers refreshment as cold as the Rockies.  Miller Lite established the American light beer category in 1975, offering beer drinkers a light beer that tastes like beer should.  Miller64 is 64 calories of crisp, light taste that complements a balanced lifestyle. MillerCoors brews premium beers Coors Banquet and Miller Genuine Draft, and economy brands Miller High Life and Keystone Light.  Tenth and Blake Beer Company, MillerCoors craft and import division, imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell and Grolsch and features craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company, Blue Moon Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company.  MillerCoors operates eight major breweries in the U.S., as well as the Leinenkugel's craft brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wisc. and two microbreweries, the  Tenth Street Brewery in Milwaukee and the Blue Moon Brewing Company at Coors Field in Denver.  MillerCoors vision is to create the best beer company in America through great people changing the way America enjoys beer. MillerCoors builds its brands the right way through brewing quality, responsible marketing and sustainable environmental and community impact.  MillerCoors is a joint venture of SABMiller plc and Molson Coors Brewing Company. Learn more at MillerCoors.com, at facebook.com/MillerCoors or on Twitter through @MillerCoors