DURANGO, Colo. - One week after earning a Bronze medal at the Australian International Beer Awards, Steamworks Brewing Co.’s Colorado Kölsch has taken a Silver Medal at the Brewers Association World Beer Cup. The Kölsch was also a Silver medal winner at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) held last fall.

“With a GABF award and two back-to-back international awards, the Colorado Kölsch is quickly becoming as well known as Steamworks’ flagship beer, the Steam Engine Lager,” said Brian McEachron, Steamworks co-founder and director of marketing and sales, noting that Steamworks’ Steam Engine Lager also received a Silver medal at the 1998 World Beer Cup. “The international praise means our Kölsch is among the finest in the world.”

Brewers from five continents earned awards presented by what the Brewers Association referenced as “an elite international panel of judges.” The seventh bi-annual competition awarded medals to brewers from 21 countries ranging from Australia and Italy to Bolivia and Japan. 

For the 2008 competition, 644 breweries from 58 countries and 45 U.S. states vied for awards, with 2,864 beers entered in 91 beer style categories. The Colorado Kölsch competed against 36 entries in the German-Style Kölsch/ Köln- Style Kölsch category.

Steamworks’ Colorado Kölsch is a derivative of the German Kölschs, which were created in response to the popular lager-based Pilsners being produced in the Czech Republic in the 1840s. According to McEachron, Steamworks’ variety is a light, refreshing and crisp ale with a hint of sweetness, and he credits Durango head brewer Ken Martin for perfecting the recipe and providing a consistently quality product.

“Another great thing about the Colorado Kölsch is that the label features the Colorado state flag,” said McEachron. “We’re reminding everyone in the world that Colorado is the home of great craft beer, and, beyond that, reinforcing that Durango above all is the Napa Valley of beer.”

The Brewers Association is a not-for-profit educational, trade association for small and craft brewers, based in Boulder, Colo.  Its mission is to make quality beer and brewing knowledge accessible to all. The complete list of the World Beer Cup medal winners is available at http://www.beertown.org/events/wbc/PDF/2008_winners_list.pdf. A detailed analysis of the entries is contained in the “2008 Brewers Association World Beer Cup Fact Sheet,” which accompanies the Association’s news release and at www.WorldBeerCup.org. 

Steamworks’ Colorado Kölsch is currently sold in 22 oz. bomber bottles, plus on tap, and will soon be available in 12-oz. bottles.

Steamworks Brewing Co. – Durango’s “2005 Business of the Year” – is located at 801 E. Second. Ave., Durango (970.259.9200), and 442 Wolverine Drive in Bayfield Center, Bayfield (970.884.7837). Both brewpubs are open from 11 a.m., serving lunch and dinner. 

For further information, visit www.steamworksbrewing.com.