Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company in Buellton recently brought home two silver medals from the 2024 Great American Beer Festival competition in Denver, marking the Buellton-based brewery's cumulative 34th medal and their 14th consecutive year winning -- the longest winning streak in the festival's 42-year run.
"Winning this year was extra special," said company founder Jaime Dietenhofer. "This was one the one of the most competitive GABF awards ever. To have your beers judged in a blind tasting without the marketing hype or outside influence means so much. We are so grateful to have our beers recognized at this level and are excited about bringing recognition to beer and breweries on the Central Coast."
The independent craft brewery, founded in 2010 by Dietenhofer and his late father Jim Dietenhofer, won two silver medals in the 2024 competition, for their Agua Santa Imperial and Magpie Baltic Porter labels.
Presented by the Brewers Association, the event featured more than 1,200 cider producers, spanned 107 beer and cider categories and 175 different styles (including numerous subcategories).
According to festival organizers, an excess of 250 volunteers facilitated the multi-step judging process and 285 beer experts evaluated 8,836 commercial beer entries, 233 commercial cider entries, 95 Collaboration entries, and 52 Pro-Am entries. Judging occurred in three phases over seven days and included brewery entries from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.
The ceremony, which was livestreamed via The Brewing Network, where viewers from around the world witnessed the awarding of 326 medals to 273 breweries and cideries. Other Central Coast breweries who were recognized included Appogee of Arroyo Grande, Wild Fields Brewhouse of Atascadero, and Third Window Brewery of Santa Barbara.
"This never gets old, but it gets tougher every year," said Fig Mountain head brewer Kevin Ashford. "... great to see the Central Coast represent. Hopefully more attention is brought to the great breweries right here in our backyard."