[Lexington, KENTUCKY] – Alltech’s Lexington Brewing Company recently claimed two silver medals at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition, the largest in the nation recognizing the most outstanding beers produced in the United States today.  The top three winners in the competition’s 75 categories were announced October 13 at the 26th GABF Awards ceremony held in Denver, Colorado. 

Alltech’s Lexington Brewing Company was recognized in the "barrel-aged" category for its Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.  Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale is created by filling freshly decanted bourbon barrels with Kentucky Ale, and letting them rest for six weeks to draw the bourbon flavoring and coloring into the beer. 

Christopher Bird, master brewer said, "I’m proud of the product we have with Kentucky Ale and I’m honored by this award. It’s a reflection of the hard work of the brewery and the company’s willingness to try new things."

This is not the first award that the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale has received.  Since 2005, it has won the Taste of the Bluegrass Best Alcoholic Beverage distinction each year.

Kentucky home brewer, Bill Caldwell and his German Hefeweizen recipe, also won a silver medal at the GABF Pro-Am Competition.  The Pro-Am entries are brewed by professional craft brewers based on award-winning homebrew recipes from American Home brewers Association (AHA) members.

Caldwell said, "I still can’t believe it.  This is a nice feather in the cap of Alltech and Kentucky Ale."

"We’re pleased to be a part of the Pro-Am competition," said Bird. "It’s a chance for us to not only help a talented home brewer, but to try our hands at brewing a wheat beer, which is something new and exciting for us."

Alltech’s Lexington Brewing Company is located in downtown Lexington, Kentucky and produces Kentucky Ale, Kentucky Light and Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale. 

The 2007 Great American Beer Festival Competition winners were selected by an international panel of brewing experts from a field of 2,832 entries received from 474 U.S. breweries.  More than 1,500 breweries were invited to compete. 

Alltech is the proud sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010™ to be held in Kentucky, USA September 25-October 10, 2010.

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Photo Caption (l-r): Adam McCraith, brewer, Alltech’s Lexington Brewing Company; Bill Caldwell, home brewer; Jeremy Markle, brewery sales representative, Alltech’s Lexington Brewing Company