Three
members of the brewing community were recognized and awarded for their
dedication and service before a packed room at the Craft Brewers Conference
(CBC) opening session. This year, CBC was larger than ever, with 3,900
attendees and over 50 different seminars.
Jennifer Talley of Squatters Pub Brewery/Salt Lake Brewing Co. won the
Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing. As the first woman to ever
win this award, Talley was clearly honored and ecstatic to be recognized
alongside the 13 other accomplished brewers who previously won the Russel
Schehrer Award. She has been brewing for over 20 years, winning numerous
awards and accolades along the way.
"Jennifer has won countless awards at the Great American Beer Festival® and
World Beer Cup® against other beers that are of higher alcohol content in
styles where alcohol is a key thread to carry the flavor of the beer,"
explained John Harris of Full Sail Brewing Co. "She has all of the character
of previous winners of this award—a passion for beer, passion for our
industry and passion for expanding her and her fellow brewers' knowledge."
The Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in Brewing was first given in 1997
to honor Russell Schehrer's contributions to the brewing industry. Schehrer
died in 1996 at 38 years of age and was a founding partner and original head
brewer at Colorado's first brewpub, Wynkoop Brewing Co. He was also one of
the first brewers to produce mead, doppel alt, cream stout and chili beer.
BA brewery members submit nominations every year for the Russell Schehrer
Award for Innovation in Brewing. Previous award winners vote to choose the
honoree from the slate of nominees.
The Brewers Association Recognition Award went to John McDonald of Boulevard
Brewing Co. In 1989, McDonald founded the brewery and began hand-delivering
Boulevard beer to local restaurants in his own pick-up truck. A longtime
Brewers Association (BA) member—since the early 1990s—McDonald's brewery now
employs over 90 people and has a capacity of approximately 600,000 barrels
per year.
"John pioneered craft beer in a part of the country that did not have a lot
of other active small brewers," said Rich Doyle of Harpoon Brewery. "He was
a missionary of sorts and has built a great brewery, brand and business. He
is also a very good guy."
BA members nominate candidates each year for the Brewers Association
Recognition Award, and the BA Board of Directors votes to determine the
winner.
Lastly, the F.X. Matt Defense of the Industry Award went to Dan Kopman of
St. Louis Brewery/Schlafly Beer. It is difficult to speak of Kopman and his
brewery without noting that he has always worked in the shadow of
Anheuser-Busch, also based in St. Louis. Nevertheless, his recognition at
this year's CBC has much more to do with his leadership within the craft
brewing industry and his work to ensure that his fellow brewers, and his 20
year-old brewery, are treated fairly by federal regulations. Dan has devoted
countless hours and significant energy to promoting legislation that would
recalibrate federal excise taxes for small brewers.
"Dan deserves this award for his dedication and leadership on the excise tax
bill," remarked John Pinkerton of Moon River Brewing Co.
The F.X. Matt Award is given in honor of a champion of small brewers, F.X.
Matt (1933-2001), president of the F.X. Matt Brewing Co. in Utica, New York
from 1980-1989 and chairman from 1989-2001.
