Diamond Bear Brewing Company
Award Winning Brewery of Arkansas
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS
October 15, 2007 Russ Melton (501) 307-8473
Andy Applegate (501) 606-7018
Woooo Pigggg, Brewiiiiiiiii!
ARKANSAS’S AWARD WINNING BREWERY WINS GOLD AND BRONZE MEDALS AT GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL IN DENVER!
While many in the Natural State were getting ready to watch the big game in Fayetteville Saturday night, some were in Denver, Colorado getting ready for the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). It was at the GABF that Diamond Bear Brewing Company went head to head with approximately 1500 other breweries and brewpubs of America. And in this competition, Arkansas didn’t win once, but twice!
In the 2007 GABF, Diamond Bear brought home medals in two categories. Diamond Bear Honey Weiss won a Bronze Medal in the American Wheat category. This is the first medal for the Honey Weiss, which the brewery introduced in 2006.
Diamond Bear’s flagship “Pale Ale” won the 2007 Gold Medal in the Classic “English Style” Pale Ale. Diamond Bear is no stranger to success in national and world competitions. The Pale Ale has been rated the best Pale Ale in the world winning Gold Medals “back to back” in the last two World Beer Cup Competitions (2004 and 2006). Winning the 2007 GABF Gold Medal is just an incredible confirmation of just how good this beer really is.
The Great American Beer Festival is considered the “Nationals” by most breweries in the country and is regarded as the top national competition involving breweries and brewpubs in the United States. The blind judging competition is done behind the scenes, by over 120 certified judges from around the world.
This success comes on the seventh anniversary of the 7th year of brewing for Diamond Bear. It was October 14, 2000 that Diamond Bear sold its first keg to the Flying Saucer, a customer who has supported the brewery consistently since its inception. This also brings the total national and international medals won by Diamond Bear to “seven”.
Arkansas’s Award Winning Brewery had won several National and International awards over the past five years, with its Diamond Bear Irish Red winning a Gold Medal in the 2005 competition. The Irish Red also won a Bronze in the World Beer Cup in 2004. Diamond Bear’s Pale Ale has been it’s top achiever however, winning back to back Gold Medals at the last two World Beer Cup Competitions, in 2004 and 2006, as well as a silver medal at the 2003 GABF, and now a Gold in the 2007 GABF.
Diamond Bear is really developing a great reputation in the beer industry as one of the great small breweries that consistently makes great beer.
A group of Diamond Bear Owners and Employees were present in Denver to represent Arkansas and Diamond Bear at the event. The festival was open to the public drawing over 40,000 beer enthusiasts and was totally sold out prior to the event. Team Diamond Bear, led by President and Chief Beer Officer, Russ Melton worked the Diamond Bear booth along with other team members and spoke “great beer” and served samples to the many beer lovers at the festival.
Prior to the event, President, Russ Melton stated that, “All of our beers being entered are very competitive in their respective categories and any of them could medal. It is very hard to predict with so many great competitors. I think that most of our beers will make the final rounds of judging. After that, it’s hold your breath and wait for the results to be announced. If we bring another medal back home, I can assure you of this, “We will be calling the Hogs in Denver!”
As promised the team did call the hogs in their booth after the results were in, which was somewhat of a mystery to some of the festival attendees not familiar with this cheer. The group then went to a local pub to watch the game and to cheer on the Razorbacks.
Diamond Bear is a production brewery which has been in production since October of 2000, and is currently sold throughout Arkansas. The name Diamond Bear comes from the two earliest slogans for Arkansas; “Bear State” and “Diamond State”. Diamond Bear is a “Craft Beer” which by industry definition contains no adjuncts (rice or corn), chemicals or additives, which are common in most mass produced domestic beers. The brewery is located three blocks from the state capitol and offers public tours every Saturday at 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. For more information about the brewery or tours call us at (501) 708-BREW (2739) or visit us on our website: www.diamondbear.com.
For more Great American Beer Festival Competition Information, visit www.beertown.org. The Great American Beer Festival has been held every year since 1982 and is presented by the Brewers Association, a not-for-profit educational, trade association. The Association also hosts the bi-annual World Beer Cup and is based in Boulder, Colorado, USA.
Pictured in the attached photo are from left to right:
Founder and President Russ Melton, Brewer Jesse Melton, Master Brewer Bob Kort, Owner Dr. Mel Collazo, Owner Andy Applegate.