During my recent visit to New Mexico and Nebraska I had the opportunity to meet several talented brewers and distillers. Noya Gilmore, Head Distiller of Santa Fe Spirits, and Gabe Toth, Assistant Distiller recently won a gold medal from the American Distiller’s Institute for their single malt whisky, Colkegan, which is made with 100% Briess malt. Colkegan has been earning bragging rights over the last three years, winning 6 awards through out the country and industry.
- 2015 Gold Medal from American Distiller’s Institute
- 2015 Editors Choice from Whisky Magazine issue 125
- 2015 Ultimate Spirits Challenge
- 2014 Silver Medal in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition
- 2014 Gold Medal for the Telluride Colorado Distillery Tasting
- 2013 Breckenridge Craft Spirits Festival – Silver
While in Nebraska, I visited longtime Briess customers, Kim and Paul Kavulak, co-founders and owners of Nebraska Brewing Company. Their EOS Hefeweizen is made with 100% Briess malt and has also earned a number of awards over the years. It is a medium to full-bodied beer that is pale to golden in color and is most accurately described as a Bavarian wheat beer. The aroma and flavor of this unfiltered beer is decidedly fruity and spicy evoking tastes and aromas of cloves, nutmeg or sometimes vanilla with banana-like esters. Somewhat sweeter in style with a barely noticeable tartness.
The EOS Hefeweizen has won numerous awards over the last 5 years including:
- 2010 North American Beer Awards Silver Medal – Bavarian Style Hefeweizen
- 2010 United States Open Beer Championship Bronze Medal – German Hefeweizen
- 2010 World Beer Championships Silver Medal – German Hefeweizen
- 2011 United States Beer Tasting Championship – Regional Champion – Wheat Beer
- 2011 Great American Beer Festival – Bronze Medal South German-Style Hefeweizen Category
- 2012 North American Beer Awards Gold Medal – Bavarian Style Hefeweizen
- 2012 Los Angeles International Commercial Beer Competition Silver Medal – South German Hefeweizen
- 2012 United States Open Beer Championship – Gold Medal – German Hefeweizen
- 2013 United States Open Beer Championship – Gold Medal – German Hefeweizen
- 2013 Los Angeles International Commercial Beer Competition – Bronze Medal – South German Hefeweizen
- 2013 North American Brewers Association Beer Awards – Silver Medal – Bavarian-Style Hefeweizen
- 2014 North American Brewers Association Beer Awards – Bronze Medal – Bavarian-Style Hefeweizen
- 2014 San Diego International Beer – Gold Medal – South German-Style Hefeweizen
- 2014 AmeriCAN Canned Craft Beer Championship – Bronze Medal –Wheats/Hefeweizens/Wits
- 2014 Canfest – Bronze Medal – Wheat Beers
