USA: The awards continue to pour in for Wisconsin

Middleton's Capital Brewery and Glendale's Sprecher Brewing Co. were both named "Grand Champions" in final results released Friday from the 10th annual United States Beer Tasting Championship in Chicago, The Capital Times posted May 27.

Capital was honored for its Winter Skal, which was named best among 36 entries in the Vienna/Marzen lager category.

Sprecher's Black Bavarian was named best among 15 entries in the Dark Lager/Dunkel category.

Regional awards were also presented to the Lake Louie Brewing Co. of Arena for its Warped Speed Scotch Ale; the Tyranena Brewing Company of Lake Mills for its Rocky's Revenge brown ale; Lakefront Brewery of Milwaukee for its Snake Chaser Stout and Riverwest Stein Beer; and Sprecher for its Pipers Scotch-Style Ale.

A total of 339 beers from 126 breweries were examined across 11 different beer categories. Within each category, the USBTC determined both a Grand Champion and the best entry from each of six U.S. regions: 1) Northeast, 2) Mid-Atlantic/Southeast, 3) Midwest, 4) Rockies/Southwest, 5) California, and 6) Northwest/Pacific.

The USBTC takes a unique approach from other beer contests since the judging is held in multiple stages.

Field trials are conducted where judges evaluate beers and select the best to advance to subsequent rounds. This allows beers to be judged in relatively small groups while ensuring the best beers are still determined through head-to-head competition, the organizers said.

All beers were tasted in blind fashion.

The USBTC also attempts to recognize that American brewers are continually establishing new beer styles and reviving interest in classic styles. To acknowledge this, the USBTC devotes a single "pull-out" category in each competition to a style currently emerging or enjoying a rebirth. Belgian Trippel was selected to be included in the 2006 Winter Competition.