Teton Brewing Receives National Recognition
 The festival season has barely just begun and Grand Teton Brewing is busting at the seams with awards. The popular, award-winning Bitch Creek Extra Special Brown has already won it's 7th and 8th Gold Medals this season.
This season started with the United States Beer Tasting Championships in Chester, New Hampshire. We really like these guys. They know good beer, hold multiple tastings each year, invite everyone and don't charge for entering. This year they awarded top honors to our Sheep Eater Scotch Ale. They also gave recognition to Bitch Creek ESB as “Best of the Northwest.”
In early June, the North American Brewers Awards (NABA) were held in Idaho Falls. The NABA is one of America’s top beer competitions and awarded Grand Teton Brewing Company an amazing four medals. Bitch Creek ESB won yet another gold medal in the American Brown Ale category. Our newest year round brew, Pursuit of Hoppiness American Red Ale, won its first gold medal in the Double/Imperial Irish Red category. Teton Ale was recognized with a bronze in the California Common category. Top selling Sweetgrass APA made the podium in the American Pale Ale category with a bronze medal.
The Los Angeles International Commercial Beer Competition gave Grand Teton Brewing three more top honors. Bitch Creek ESB won its 8th lifetime gold medal. Two medals were awarded to Grand Teton Brewing Company's renowned Cellar Reserve program. The program's newest release "The Grand Saison" won gold in the French-Belgian-Style Saison category. Persephone Imperial Pilsner (spring release) won top honors in the American-Style Specialty Lager category.
Distributor Resources
To provide a more timely flow of information to our distributors and customers, Grand Teton Brewing created a Distributor Resources page on our website. On this site you will find logo art, tap handle art, Point of Sale (POS) and information on all available beers. If you have questions or need additional information please contact our sales department at beermail@grandtetonbrewing.com
Brewery Upgrades and Expansions (almost) Complete (for now)
Grand Teton Brewing Company started this spring on an ambitious series of physical plant improvements and expansions. As the summer heats up we're happy to report that most of the projects have been completed and are contributing handsomely to our ability to meet our unprecedented growth in demand.
The most visible changes have taken place in our bottling hall. A "newer" bottle filler, reconditioned labeler and new conveyors, combined with improved electronic controls have doubled the output of our bottling line. In addition, new equipment now allows us to fill our 750 ml bottles on the filler, providing better shelf life and much-welcomed efficiency. Together, these improvements to our bottling line have allowed us to fill twice as many bottles with the same staff we had last year.
Similarly, a new keg cleaner-filler machine has doubled our keg output over last summer's. This has been much needed, as we've seen well over a 60% increase in our draft sales year over year.
None of that additional packaging capacity would be useful if we hadn't also increased our fermentation capacity. A new 90 barrel and two new 140 barrel fermentation vessels allow us to ferment 60% more beer than we did last year. The new tanks came on line in early June and remain full of our two best-selling beers, Sweetgrass APA and Bitch Creek ESB.
As the summer continues we'll be adding even more enhancements. New automation will allow our bottling line to speed up, to more than triple our previous speeds. New chillers will keep all of our beer cold, and recover some of the energy produced by our yeast during fermentation.
We know we won't be able to rest for long on these improvements. We've already started planning for additional fermentation and warehouse capacity for next year. As long as you keep drinking our beer, we'll make more.
Introducing New Head Brewer Kevin Bolen
Not only have we introduced new equipment to the brewery, but we have also recruited 43-year-old Kevin Bolen from Boise, Idaho to join our team as Head Brewer. Born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Bolen made his way to Boise, via Alaska, seeking the mountain lifestyle of the west. Starting as assistant brewer in 1996 at The Ram he eventually became head brewer of the brewpub where he spent the next 10 years.
What brought you to Victor, Idaho and GTBC?
I have always liked what Rob (Mullin) has been doing here (at GTBC). It was a great opportunity to grow in the industry. And it was a quality of life choice for me and my family. The outdoor lifestyle has always been a priority and Victor seems like a great small town to raise my kids.
What are the outdoor activities you most enjoy?
Skiing and fishing definitely, but I also really like biking and playing ice hockey.
What is your favorite GTBC brew?
I have really been enjoying Bitch Creek (ESB) lately. But they are all pretty damn tasty.
What can we expect in the future from your union with GTBC?
I am hoping to do some unfiltered and Munich Helles style beers. And I hope more experiments with barrel aging.
2011 Calendar of Events
July 1 - Whole Foods Luau, Capitola CA
July 2 - Kirkwood Volunteer Fire Department festival, Kirkwood CA
July 2 - Breastfest Fort Mason, San Fransisco CA
July 2 - Hops n Barley, Scotts Valley CA
July 5 - Hopyard, San Ramon CA
July 8 - Lunardi's Market, San Bruno CA
July 8-10 - Idaho Brewers Festival, Nampa ID
July 9 - Laramie Brewfest, Laramie WY
July 9-10 - Newark Chamber of Commerce Summer Festival, Newark CA
July 11 - Saison release at the Four Firkins, Minneapolis MN
July 15 - Lunardi's Market, Danville CA
July 15-17 - Targhee Music Festival, Targhee WY
July 16 - CA Beer Festival, Aptos CA
July 16 - Big Sky Brewfest, Big Sky MT
July 17 - San Diego Beer Festival, San Diego CA
July 23 - Whole Foods 2nd Anniversary, Capitola CA
July 23 - Evanston Brewfest, Evanston WY
July 30 - Paramount Studios, Los Angeles CA
July 30 - Wildflower Festival, Kirkwood CA
July 30 - ilwaukee Beerfest, Milwaukee WI
August 5-7 - Bluesapalooza, Mammoth CA
August 5-7 - Boise Beerfest, Boise ID
August 6-8 - Keystone beer festival, Keystone CO
August 12-14 - Targhee Bluegrass Festival, Targhee WY
August 18 - tasting at New Brighton liquor barrel, New Brighton MN
August 20 - Taste of Brews, Long Beach CA
August 20 - Stumptown Beer Revival, Guerneville CA
August 20 - Wyoming State Microbrew Competition, Saratoga WY
August 24 - Burger, Santa Cruz CA
August 27 - Hops in Humboldt, Arcata CA
August 27 - Sierra Brewfest, Grass Valley CA
August 28 - 3rd annual Trump National Wine & Beer Festival, Rancho Palos
Verdes CA
September 12 - 44 Stone Beer Dinner, Columbia MO
September 13 - Grinders beer night Kansas City, MO
September 14 - Flying Saucer beer night, Kansas City, MO
September 15 - Lucas Liquor beer tasting Kansas City, MO
2011 Beer Release Schedule
    
Persephone Imperial Pilsner (Cellar Reserve) - February 1st
Lost Continent Double IPA (Brewers' Series) - April 1st
The Grand Saison Farmhouse Ale (Cellar Reserve) - June 1st
Fest Bier Marzen Lager (Brewers' Series) - September 1st
Wake Up Call Imperial Coffee Porter (Cellar Reserve) - September 1st
Black Cauldron Imperial Stout (Brewers' Series) - October 1st
Coming Home Holiday Ale (Cellar Reserve) - November 1st
 The Patron Saint of Arnold of Metz
While moving the bones of Saint Arnoldus from the churchyard to the church workmen struggled with carrying the heavy casket up a steep hill on a very hot day. Someone muttered in the heat, "Jesus, I wish I had a cool beer." At that moment, streams of cold ale shot out of the casket drenching those below. All had lots to drink and a new saint was discovered.
 
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