Firestone Walker wins triple gold at global beer competition
Competition featured 2,360 beers from more than 50 countries
– Firestone Walker Brewing Company has claimed three gold medals at the prestigious 2024 European Beer Star competition in Nuremberg, Germany. The brewery, with locations in Paso Robles, Buellton, and Venice, earned gold for three beers across different categories.
The competition featured 2,360 beers from more than 50 countries, judged by 150 expert tasters, including brewmasters, beer sommeliers, and specialized journalists. The gold medal winners were determined by blind tasting in 75 beer categories, with only one gold, silver, and bronze medal awarded per category.
Firestone Walker won gold medals in the following categories: Firestone IPA in the New-Style Pale Ale category, Antwerp Calling in the Belgian-Style Tripel category, and Framboise in the Barrel Aged Sour Beer category. Additionally, the brewery’s DBA earned a bronze medal in the English-Style Bitter category.
“For a California brewery to take three gold medals at this elite European competition is truly an astonishing feat,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “Best of all, the three winning beers come from each of our three locations—the main brewery in Paso Robles, the Propagator R&D brewhouse in Venice, and the Barrelworks wild ale cellar in Buellton. It’s a testament to the collected talents of our brewing team and their ability to master a variety of styles.”
Stefan Stang of the organizing association, Private Brauereien, noted, “Winning an award at this competition shows that you are at the top of the world in terms of beer quality. Since the start of the European Beer Star in 2004, our competition has focused on beer styles of European origin. However, breweries from all over the world can take part, regardless of whether they are large international breweries or small brewpubs around the corner.”
Firestone Walker also earned gold medals at the 2024 Brussels Beer Challenge for Union Jack IPA and Oaktoberfest festbier. The Brussels Beer Challenge saw 1,705 beers judged by a panel of 72 beer experts. Additionally, at the 2024 Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer in Chicago, Firestone Walker won a silver medal for Primal Elements and a bronze for Paramburana.
“It’s a great honor to be recognized by the judges of these longstanding competitions,” Brynildson said. “The collective results of American brewers in these settings is further proof that the craft revolution has changed the world of beer.”
