San Diego, CA – June 20, 2011 Awards season is in full swing and Karl Strauss Brewing Company is off to a great start.  The company was recently voted “Best Brewery” by the San Diego Chapter of the California Restaurant Association (SDCRA) in addition to taking home five medals and an honorable mention from the Los Angeles Commercial Beer Competition.  
 
Karl Strauss was bestowed the “Best Brewery” honor at the annual SDCRA Gold Medallion Banquet on Tuesday June 7, 2011. San Diego’s Mayor, local politicians and dignitaries, and more than 1,100 restaurant and hospitality industry members were in attendance at the sold-out banquet. Karl Strauss was named the winner in the “Best Brewery” category over the other two finalists, Ballast Point Brewing Company (2010 World Beer Cup “Small Brewing Company of the Year”) and Stone Brewing Company of Escondido. “This is the third year in a row that our peers have voted us the “Best Brewery” in San Diego and we’re really honored.  We were up against some great competition so we’re really proud of this award,” says Paul Segura, Karl Strauss Brewing Company Brewmaster.
 
On the heels of the CRA news, the company learned it won five medals, including two golds, at last weekend’s Los Angeles Commercial Beer Competition at the Pomona Fairgrounds.  “We only entered seven beers, so to hear that we took six prizes was huge! This validates all of our hard work,” say Segura.  The competition, in existence since 2002, is BJCP certified and widely regarded as one of California’s premiere beer competitions.  More than 400 entries from 70 participating breweries participated in the contest.  
 
A majority of the company’s winning beers, including Red Trolley Ale and Tower 10 IPA, are available year-round in bottles and on draft.  A selection of the medal-winning beers will also be available for the public to sample in the “Beer Tavern” during the L.A. Fair.  The L.A. County Fair runs from September 3 through October 2 at the Pomona Fairgrounds.  For more information on the award winning beers, visit www.karlstrauss.com.

Gold:
Blackball Belgian IPA (Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale)
Whistler Imperial Pils (Other Strong Ale or Lager)

Silver:
Red Trolley Ale (Irish-Style Red Ale)
Minden Maibock (Bock)
 
Bronze:
Conquistador Doppelbock (German-Style Strong Bock)

Honorable Mention:
Tower 10 IPA (American-Style India Pale Ale)

About Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Karl Strauss Brewing Company is celebrating 22 years of brewing in San Diego. From humble roots, a big vision, and the desire to share handcrafted beer with America’s Finest, Karl Strauss has grown from one brewery restaurant to a local institution—brewing 34,000 barrels in 2010 and operating six successful brewery restaurants across Southern California.  The company has not strayed from its pioneering roots with new releases like Big Barrel IIPA and Whistler Imperial Pils, while still capturing hearts and the 2010 WBC and GABF gold medals for long-time favorites like Red Trolley Ale.  With distribution solely in California, Karl Strauss is ranked #44 on the list of the country’s top craft breweries. For more information visit www.karlstrauss.com or call the brewery at (858) 273-2739.  
http://twitter.com/karl_strauss; http://facebook.com/KarlStraussBrewingCompany