Cherry Street wins national beer competition
Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative took home the top prize of Grand National Champion at the U.S. Open Beer Championship earlier this month.
Forsyth County residents already know Cherry Street Brewing Cooperative has some of the best beer in the world, but now it’s official. The brewery took home the title of Grand National Champion earlier this month while competing in the 2017 U.S. Open Beer Championship in Ohio.
More than 6,000 beers in over 100 different categories were sent in for taste testing from breweries around the world. Each brewery was allowed to submit 10 beers.
The competition included professional breweries and home brewers, with judges from England, Canada and the United States.
Cherry Street took the top prize after winning three gold medals, one silver medal and two bronze medals.
The three gold medal beers were O.A.S.I.S Imperial Stout, Ta Ta Pilsner and Damebier Maple Strong Ale.
Owner Nick Tanner said this is the fourth year they’ve entered beers in this competition.
“It’s extremely tough,” Tanner said. “The best of the best are entering beers from all over the world in this competition. Some of the breweries entering are world-renowned and top notch. It’s an amazing honor and accomplishment. I’m extremely proud.”
The awards are satisfying, Tanner said, for him and his team.
“The brewers work so hard at it,” he said. “We hear a lot from our customers, but it’s a nice extra pat on the back. It’s encouraging and makes you feel good.”
In April, the brewery expanded its taproom, doubling its brewing capabilities and seating.
“Right now we are in a growth state,” Tanner said. “We’re now ramping up our production and it’s increasing as we speak. This is our final expansion out of this location, but we’re beginning to utilize our space, so we will have more beer in the market.”
Three of the award-winning beers are barrel-aged, Tanner said, so the expansion has helped expand that production as well. Since barrel aging takes time, two of those beers were aged for 14 months in barrels and the other for a year.
“This fall and winter or next year, we’ll have quite a bit more barrel-aged beer coming out,” Tanner said.
Cherry Street enters about three competitions annually, including the Great American Beer Festival in Denver in October and the World Beer Cup next year.
Read More at source: Forsythherald
