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San Leandro, CA-microbrewery's Amber Ale and India Pale Ale (IPA) stands out among 1,500 entries in recent World Beer Cup 2004 SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (April 29, 2004) -- The small, family-owned Drake's Brewing Company ( www.drinkdrakes.com ) has brought home "Silver" and "Bronze" medals at the beer industry's "Olympics" – the Association of Brewers World Beer Cup 2004. Drake's - one of the San Leandro, CA-based Rogers Family Companies that include the San Francisco Bay Coffee Co. - has now won 11 medals in the last two years at the world's most prestigious beer festivals. Drake's was awarded a Silver medal in the English-Style Strong Bitter category for its Amber Ale and a Bronze medal in the American-Style India Pale Ale category for its India Pale Ale (IPA). Gold, silver and bronze medals in the competition's 81 beer-style categories were awarded April 17, 2004 during the recent World Beer Cup Gala Awards Ceremony and Dinner at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, Calif. World Beer Cup 2004 winners were selected by an international panel of 93 beer judges from an impressive field of 1,566 entries received from 393 breweries in 40 countries. More than 3,800 breweries in 100 countries were invited to compete. "Locals" are well acquainted with Drake's Friday afternoon open-air "tastings" -which typically draws hundreds of people ranging from teachers to blue-collar Oakland Raiders diehard fans. However, Drake's remains largely unknown despite capturing a "Best of the Bay" award last year by the East Bay Express newspaper and taking "Gold" in the 2003 "World Series of Beer" - the California State Fair Competition. Drake's - whose fine ales are available in kegs for bars and restaurants as well as for retail sale at outlets throughout the Bay Area such as Beverages & More - is one of the East Bay 's few remaining microbreweries. Drake's officials hope that winning a medal in the industry's "Olympics" will help increase its share of the market dominated by large beer companies. "We make some of the world's best beer that hardly anyone has heard of," joked Jon B. Rogers, president of Drake's, a division of the Rogers Family Companies. "We are honored and elated about taking medals at what is in effect the beer "Olympics" and that we've earned top honors in the most prestigious beer tasting competitions in California and the U.S. in the last several years. We're tired, however, of being a secret." Rogers added, "These latest awards validate our commitment to produce the highest-quality microbrews for our customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area." In the 1990s, the Rogers family bought Drake's and brought in new renowned brewmasters. With new techniques, the company began to win awards – 11 to date.
Compared to other brewers, Drake's is tiny – producing just 3,000 barrels of fine-drafts annually. But it is emerging as one of the country's best microbreweries, blending the finest ingredients from the United States , Canada , England , Germany and the Czech Republic with innovative brewing techniques. Drake's Brewing Co., at 1933 Davis Street #177 in San Leandro , offers brewery tours and tastings from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. every Friday. To arrange a tour, please call (510) 562-0866. Please visit Drake's online at www.drinkdrakes.com . Drake's Brewing Company is one of the Rogers Family Companies founded by Princeton University graduate and ex-Revlon executive Jon B. Rogers. In 1979 Rogers gambled and took a second mortgage on his home to purchase and eventually transform a small, bankrupt firm into what today collectively comprises one of the nation's leading wholesalers/roasters of branded gourmet coffee. The company also is the largest gourmet coffee roaster in the San Francisco Bay Area, and one of the nation's few remaining family-owned gourmet coffee roasters. The Rogers Family Coffee Companies today include San Francisco Bay Coffee, The Organic Coffee Co. (the nation's top seller of 100% organically grown coffee), Organic Tea Co., Fairwinds Coffee, Cunningham's Coffee, Pleasant Hill Farms Quality Coffee, East India Coffee and Tea. Together the companies supply millions of pounds of coffee (including Fair Trade Certified) and tea each year to discriminating customers worldwide including all Costco stores throughout the Western U.S. All companies are based in San Leandro , California except Fairwinds, which is headquartered in Manchester , New Hampshire . For more information on the company's "Source Aid" program - which aids thousands of coffee farm workers, protects the natural environment and pays farmers even MORE than Fair Trade certified coffee, any coffee industry issue, to purchase products or to help the Rogers family continue to “Brew the Right Thing,” please visit www.sfbaycoffee.com , www.organiccoffeecompany.com , www.naturefriendly.org , www.fairwindscoffee.com or www.auduboncoffeeclub.com . Or call 1-800-829-1300 or 1/510/638-1300. # # # _______________________________________________________________________________________________ With
its railroad tracks and the prevailing sound of rush hour on
nearby I-880, this industrial San Leandro neighborhood seemed
like somewhere a brewery would like to live, but where was
Drake's? Contacts:
San Leandro, CA-based microbrewery’s India Pale Ale and Blonde Ale win Gold in California's largest brewing competition SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (July 8, 2003) – Drake’s Brewing Company brings home THE GOLD – again. A small family-owned microbrewery based in San Leandro, Calif., Drake's won Gold for its India Pale Ale (IPA) and Blonde Ale at the prestigious 2003 California State Fair Commercial Craft Brewing Competition, earning top honors for the category that featured products from breweries across the state. The State Fair Gold certificates mark the second major industry award for Drake’s in less than a year. Last fall, Drake's IPA won the "World Series of Beer" – taking the Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Festival – which is the oldest and largest beer tasting competition in America. And the East Bay Express newspaper recently lauded Drake's – whose tastings every Friday afternoon/early evening typically draw hundreds of people throughout the East Bay – in the publication's annual "Best of the Bay" award. Drake's Expedition (American Red Ale), Drake's Hefeweizen (Bavarian Weizen), Drake's Amber (English Pale Ale), Drake’s Port Barrel Imperial Stout (Experimental) and Drake’s Wit Beer (Witbeer) were awarded Silver certificates, while Drake’s Belgian Ale (Dubbel) and Drake’s Imperial Stout (Russian Imperial Stout) were awarded Bronze from the panel of judges. "We are absolutely ecstatic about taking Gold at the California State Fair competition which comes on the heels of Drake's winning what is in effect the 'World Series' of beer last fall," said Drake's Vice President Pete Rogers. "We are honored and elated that Drake's continues to earn top honors in the most prestigious beer tasting competitions in California and the U.S. These honors validate our commitment to producing the highest quality microbrews for our customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.” In earning these awards at the State Fair competition – which included certified beer judges and craft brewers throughout the State – Drake’s competed against 353 entries by 53 breweries across California. Drake's IPA, Blonde Ale and the microbrewery's other products are available in kegs for bars and restaurants in Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties. A Rogers Family Company, Drake's has also begun bottling and distributing its fine ales for retail sale throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including at selected Costco stores such as Santa Clara, Livermore, Sunnyvale, and Danville. Founded in 1989, Drake's Brewing Company produces about 3000 barrels of fine draft ales annually. Drake’s original brews include Drake’s Amber Ale, Drake's Blonde Ale and Drake’s Hefe-Weizen, with seasonal and specialty beers including Sir Francis Stout, Drake’s Expedition Ale, Zatec Pilsner, Autumn Fest, Chocolate Milk Stout, Harvest Ale British ESP Blood Red, Imperial IPA Black Pilsner and Jolly Roger Holiday Ale. Located at 1933 Davis Street, #177, in San Leandro, Drake’s Brewing Company offers brewery tours and tastings from 4 -7 p.m. every Friday. Tastings typically draw hundreds of people from throughout the East Bay. To arrange a tour, call 510-562-0866. Please visit Drake’s Brewing Company online at: www.drinkdrakes.com. EDITOR'S NOTE: Drake's Brewing Company is a Rogers Family Company which include the Rogers Family Coffee Companies formed in 1979 by Princeton University graduate and ex-Revlon executive Jon B. Rogers. Mr. Rogers took a second mortgage on his home to purchase a small, bankrupt firm that could not afford to stock merchandise. Mr. Rogers transformed that company into what today collectively comprises one of the nation's leading wholesalers/roasters of branded gourmet coffee and the largest gourmet coffee roaster in the San Francisco Bay Area. Headquartered in San Leandro, Calif., The Rogers Family Coffee Companies are among the nation's few remaining family-owned gourmet coffee roasters and supply millions of pounds of coffee and tea each year to discriminating customers worldwide. The Companies include Fairwinds Gourmet Coffee Co., the Organic Coffee Co. (the nation's top seller of 100% organically grown coffee) San Francisco Bay Coffee Company and East India Coffee and Tea. The Rogers Family offers customers across the nation “absolutely the best cup of coffee available – anywhere" or your money back and is known for their commitment to "Brew The Right Thing" to help people and protect the environment. Long before global headlines about Fair Trade certified coffee and the current coffee crisis, the Rogers Family Coffee Companies on their own accord broke industry ground and established “fair price” and "social contract" programs with farms. Through its "Source Aid" program launched in the late 1980s to "improve the life of everyone who has contact with our coffee," the Companies help thousands of people and protect the environment at 18 coffee farms from Latin America to Africa. Once described in a media report as "a miniature Peace Corps," Source Aid continuously provides direct aid such as housing, medical care/facilities, educational materials/facilities, environmental protection (including protecting endangered species), college scholarships, food, water treatment and even athletic programs for farm workers and their families. For free coffee samples, more information on "Source Aid," any coffee industry issue, to purchase products or to help Rogers Family Coffee Companies continue to "Brew the Right Thing," please visit www.sfbaycoffee.com or www.naturefriendly.org or call 1-800/829-1300 or 510/638-1300 (Rogers Family Coffee Companies headquarters). # # # _______________________________________________________________________________________________FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contacts:
Local craft microbrewery’s India Pale Ale honored as best in category at the oldest, largest, most prestigious and most competitive beer tasting competition in America
Competing against 93 other IPAs submitted by breweries across the U.S. in the largest and most competitive beer category, Drake’s IPA earned the Gold Medal. Drake’s IPA and the microbrewery’s other products are currently available in kegs for bars and restaurants in Alameda, Contra Costa and San Francisco counties. Drake’s has also begun bottling and distributing its fine ales for retail sale throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, including at selected Costco stores. “Earning the Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Festival is the equivalent of winning the world series of beer,” said Drake’s Vice President Pete Rogers. “The Festival is the largest and most prestigious beer tasting and judging competition in the United States, and the IPA category is the premier event. We are honored and elated that Drake’s IPA was voted number one in this large and competitive category.” Founded in 1989, Drake's Brewing Company is a division of JBR Gourmet Foods, Inc., one of the nation’s leading roasters of branded gourmet coffee whose brands include San Francisco Bay Gourmet Coffee. Drake’s produces about 3,000 barrels of fine draft ales annually. In addition
to Drake’s IPA, Drake’s original brews include Drake’s
Amber Ale, Drake's Blonde Ale and Drake’s Hefe-Weizen,
with seasonal and specialty beers including Sir Francis Stout,
Drake’s Expedition Ale, Zatec Pilsner, Autumn Fest, Chocolate
Milk Stout, Harvest Ale British ESP Blood Red, Imperial IPA Black
Pilsner and Jolly Roger Holiday Ale.
For free coffee samples or for more information on the company’s Source Aid program—which provides direct aid in the form of housing, schools, clothing, food, educational programs and medical supplies to thousands of coffee farm workers on 18 farms in Latin America, Indonesia and Africa—please visit: www.gourmet-coffee.com or call 800/829-1300. Tours of the company’s roasting facility can also be arranged by calling 510-638-1300. #
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