Michigan District

Michigan District News Bulletin

On February 6, 2003, The Royal Oak Brewery held its annual Polar Beer Festival. Over 15 representatives from Michigan's burgeoning craft brewer trade provided attendees with the opportunity to sample some of their most creative and, in some cases, outrageous examples of the brewing arts.

One of the most highly anticipated and exciting aspects of the Polar Beer Festival is the Single Recipe Tasting contest open to all brewers that want to participate. The beers are judged over the course of two sessions by the attendees. It is a blind judging, with numbers representing the various contestants. A separate judging takes place prior to the actual opening of the festival by the brewers themselves.

This year the Single Recipe Tasting style called for Double Brown Ale. Contestants had to adhere to using the same ingredients supplied by Briess Malting and Hopunion. However, they did have some leeway in how they "interpreted" the use of those ingredients in the brewing process.

The participants and their standing ("People's Choice") are as follows:

The single recipe for Double Brown Ale submitted by Eric Briggeman of Big Buck Brewery, located in Auburn Hills, Michigan, was also awarded a first place commendation in the judging by his own peers.

George Murphy (Murf), head brewer at Arcadia Brewing Company, Battle Creek, Michigan won the prestigious "Big Richard" award for his robust and wild Whiskey Barrel Scotch Ale. This annual award is given to that beer that the previous year's winner felt was the biggest, heartiest and best example of the brewers' craft.

Many thanks go to , brewer at The Royal Oak Brewery and his fine colleagues for doing such a superb job of hosting this fun event.