Shiner Wins Euro Beer Awards

Another press release, this time from Spoetzl:

SHINER BEERS BRING HOME EUROPEAN BEER STAR MEDALS

Small-town Texas Craft Brewer Takes on the Best of the World

NUREMBERG, GERMANY (November 11, 2010) – The Spoetzl Brewery, brewers of the legendary Shiner family of beers, is celebrating its 101 years of excellence in brewing with gold and silver medals awarded today at the prestigious European Beer Star Awards in Nuremberg.

Shiner’s seasonal Oktoberfest won a gold medal in the German Märzen-style category and Shiner 101 Czech-style Pilsner was awarded silver. These categories are typically dominated by German and Czech breweries. For example, in the Bohemian-style Pilsner category, Czech breweries won the gold and bronze medals.

This year more than 950 beers from 33 countries vied for awards in 44 different categories. Judging is held at Doemens Brewing Academy by a panel of 88 beer and brewery experts from around the world.

German and Czech immigrants founded the Central Texas town of Shiner in the late 1800s. It’s not uncommon to hear those languages still spoken there. And the Spoetzl Brewery gets its name from longtime brewmaster Kosmos Spoetzl – born, raised and trained as a brewmaster in Bavaria. So it’s no surprise that the Spoetzl Brewery can turn out fine, handcrafted beers that are loved in America but can stand up to competition from these Old World, classic styles.

“Our small town of Shiner, Texas is big tonight in the world of beer,” said Jimmy Mauric, Shiner’s brewmaster. “Winning the gold medal for Shiner Oktoberfest and the silver for Shiner Czech Pilsner – two traditional styles of Germany and the Czech Republic would make Shiner’s founding fathers immensely proud.”

The European Beer Star Competition is organized by the Association of Private Breweries in Germany, the Association of Private Breweries in Bavaria and the Association of Small and Independent Breweries in Europe. It is considered one of the world’s foremost beer competitions.

Founded in Shiner, Texas (population 2,070), the Spoetzl Brewery is one of America’s oldest independent breweries. While Spoetzl has grown to be the country’s fourth largest craft brewery, every drop of Shiner’s award-winning beer is still handcrafted and bottled by only 66 employees, very near the spot where it all started in 1909.