Idaho breweries win medals, enjoy ‘big boy’ awards at Great American Beer Festival
Idaho breweries are hoisting a toast after a trip to Denver.
Mother Earth Brew Co. of Nampa and Matchwood Brewing Co. of Sandpoint each won medals at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival (GABF), which was held Thursday through Saturday at the Colorado Convention Center.
Mother Earth took silver in the Imperial India Pale Ale category for Hop Diggity Double IPA. Matchwood earned bronze in the Herb and Spice Beer category for Spruce Tip Pale Ale.
During more than a week of judging, 235 beer experts from seven countries sampled 9,904 commercial entries from 2,154 breweries. The competition awarded 300 medals in 98 beer categories covering 177 beer styles, according to a press release from the Brewers Association, which presents GABF.
Held annually, GABF is the United States’ largest commercial beer competition. In 2019, four Idaho breweries took home awards, including three gold medals in Boise. But the entire Gem State was shut out in 2020 and 2021, making this year’s honors taste even sweeter.
Mother Earth has medaled twice before at GABF, founder Daniel Love said.
Still, being recognized for Hop Diggity?
“That’s one of my original recipes,” he explained, speaking by phone while driving home from Denver. “I was really stoked. And that’s a big-boy category. It’s been around since the beginning of GABF — Imperial IPA — so it’s typically a highly entered category.”
Sold in cans and on tap, Hop Diggity is “a hop head’s dream come true” yet “amazingly balanced,” according to Mother Earth’s website. At 8.2% alcohol by volume, it is “dry, drinkable and dangerous.”
Hop Diggity is widely available in the Treasure Valley and is distributed in other states. Mother Earth is Idaho’s largest brewery, with its main operation in Nampa, a smaller one in Vista, California, and a taproom in downtown Boise.
Finding Matchwood’s Spruce Tip Pale Ale? That’s more challenging. Matchwood is a neighborhood brewery in North Idaho.
“It’s a great brewery,” Love said. “Husband-wife. They’re really awesome people. They’re part of the brewers guild, Idaho Brewers United, and their brewery is very, very cool.”
Winning bronze at GABF resulted in a “Big Announcement” on Matchwood’s Facebook page, along with a video.
“The most exciting part of this particular beer being awarded,” Matchwood wrote, “is the community and team effort that goes into its creation each year. From partnering with local farmers and property owners and handpicking the fresh spruce tips to crafting, brewing, and canning the beer with our team, it’s one of our favorite beers to brew each year!”
A limited supply of Spruce Tip remains available at the brewery, at Winter Ridge Natural Foods Market and at Yoke’s Fresh Market in Ponderay, according to Matchwood’s post.
Want to peruse the full list of 2022 GABF winners? Visit greatamericanbeerfestival.com.
This story was originally published October 10, 2022 at 12:18 PM.