Brewer's Notebook
Leavenworth Biers Win Big at LA International Competition
Judges Also Honor Fish Tale Organic Blonde
When the Mighty Fish Brewers sent their entries to the Los Angeles 
International Commercial Beer Competition, their greatest hopes went with the underdogs.
Their Fish Tale Organic Ales had earned a respectable share of medals in recent years. Their Spire Mountain Ciders had each brought home the Gold. But the Mighty’s Leavenworth Biers were in a bit of a dry spell, medal-less since Friesian Pilsener’s Silver Medal win at the Great American Beer Festival. That was in 1994.
There was Mighty cause for celebration, then, when the LA International announced its 2010 winners. Among them, Leavenworth: Three biers entered, three medals won. And for good measure, a new medal for Fish Tale, too.
Leavenworth’s Boulder Bend Dunkelweizen, a dark hefeweizen, received the Gold Medal in the competitive American-style Wheat Beer category. Complimenting the honor, Leavenworth’s Whistling Pig Hefeweizen earned the Bronze Medal in the same category.
“Scrolling down the winners list, we first saw Boulder Bend,” said head brewer Tony Powell. “That was a fantastic surprise. To then see a Bronze in the same category, I was over the moon. It just got fun after that.”
Also winning big for Leavenworth was Eightmile Alt. In the competition’s German-style Brown Ale/Düsseldorf-style Altbier category, Eightmile brought home Leavenworth’s second Gold. “Eightmile is our newest Leavenworth style, and we couldn’t be happier,” said Powell.
However, brewer Calvin Fultz-Valenta was conflicted. “Should I be happier about two Leavenworth medals in one category, or happier about two Leavenworth Golds? I’ll decide once I can stopped this grinning.”
Rounding out the Mighty’s honors was a medal for Fish Tale Organic Ales. In the Golden/Blonde Ale category, LA judges bestowed the Silver on Fish Tale Organic Blonde. The fourth USDA-certified organic beer from Fish Brewing, Organic Blonde is a summer seasonal ale.
Now in its eighth year, the Los Angeles International has quickly become one of the more prestigious beer competitions in North America. Organized and operated by the Los Angeles County Fair, the competition is open to licensed breweries and brewpubs, and accepts only beers available for sale to the general public.
Panels of no fewer than three BJCP-certified judges review entries in blind tastings organized by style, as specified by the Brewers Association. This year, over 40 judges convened to review more the 430 beers. These entries represented the best work of 70+ breweries. All three Leavenworth winners and Fish Tale Organic Blonde are available in bottles and on draft.
A complete list of 2010 LA International Commercial Beer Competition winners is available at http://www.lacountyfair.com/2010/entertainment/documents/BeerCompetitionResults2010.pdf
