(Press Release)
FREDERICKSBURG, Tex.-Pedernales Brewing Company, the Fredericksburg, Texas, brewing company that has only been producing beer for three years, was ranked among the Top Ten breweries in the world at the U.S. Open Beer Championships held July 4 in Ohio.
The competition judged nearly 4000 beers in 90 different styles from around the world, including both professional breweries and home brewers in 20 countries.
“We came in 8th, in the top ten in the world,” said Lee Hereford, Founder and President/CEO. “It was our first time to enter this competition. We entered six beers and medaled with three of them.”
The brewery won two golds and a silver. Lobo Negro won a silver medal, the sixth medal for that beer in eight competitions. Winning gold were Lobo Krystall Weizen and Lobo Oktoberfest, both special releases. Each year, the brewery releases four special seasonal beers. Lobo Oktoberfest had already won a bronze and two silvers at other competitions.
“We have had some serious beer tasters say this is the best,” said Hereford of the Lobo Oktoberfest entry, which will be released to the public August 1. “This year that was validated, as we got gold as the best Oktoberfest–or Märzen–beer in the world.”
Hereford noted this year out of 4000 entries, only about 270 earned medals.
“They don’t give Miss Congeniality,” he said. “This competition is second only to the Great American Beer Festival. This is a major win.”
The brewery has been on a medal-winning streak in the past year. In May, they brought home four medals from the Los Angeles International Beer Competition, and last fall won three top medals at Cerveza Mexico, the largest beer competition in Latin America. The total medal count in eight competitions so far is 11 Gold, 10 Silver, and 3 Bronze, spread among eight beers.
Hereford gives credit to his team, including brewmaster, Peter McFarlane.
“We have extraordinary brewing talent moving into Texas,” he said, noting that 10% of the medals came home to Texas, and two of the top ten breweries were Texan. “A number are trained brewmasters like ours, with degrees in fermentation science. And they are mentoring their brew crews.”
About Pedernales Brewing Company
Pedernales Brewing Company was formed in 2009 and began production in 2012. The beers are available at retail stores and special events in Texas and Mexico. Demand for their products is growing so quickly that the plant is continually expanding. This fall they are adding two 80-barrel fermentation tanks and another cooling unit.
In addition to the Lobo Negro, Lobo Krystall Weizen, and Lobo Oktoberfest, labels brewed at the Fredericksburg location are Lobo Texas Lager, Pedernales Classic Hefe-Weizen, Lobo Lito, Classic IPA, and seasonal beer Lobo Midnight Porter. Honey Pils, a recently introduced beer bearing the brand of Texas singer songwriter Robert Earl Keen, has become the brewery’s top selling beer.
Regular hours for the tasting room are Fridays from 3:00pm-5:00pm and on Saturdays from 1:00pm-5:00pm. Admission is $10 and includes a tour, an 8-oz souvenir glass, and four beer samples. Pedernales Brewing Company is located 2.4 miles south of Fredericksburg’s Main Street on US Hwy 87.