Yolo County hops to the top of state fair beer competition

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JIM SMITH-DAILY DEMOCRAT FILE PHOTOGRAPH
Blue Note Brewery in Woodland received an award at the California State Fair for its Heidi, a German beer that won in the Pale Bitter European category.

COURTESY - THREE MILE BREWING CO.
Three Mile’s “MoMosaic” won a gold ribbon in the competitive American Pale Ale category. Yolo County earned 10 out of 130 total commercial beer awards doled out statewide.

In addition to tasty tomatoes and world-class wine, Yolo County has proven it can put up a good brew.

Ten local beers caught the judges’ attention at the Commercial Beer Competition hosted by the California State Fair. The competition comprised of three placements for several categories, and Yolo grabbed a nice slice of the 130 total awards doled out statewide.

Those 10 awards went to six different breweries, located in all four of the county’s incorporated cities. Last year the county only claimed six awards.

Davis-based brewers hauled in the most, winning four awards. Three Mile Brewing Company placed third in the Scottish Ale category with “Portland Dark” and also took home a gold ribbon for their “MoMosaic Pale Ale.” That beer topped the competitive American Pale Ale category.

Sudwerk Brewing Company, another Davis darling, won two gold medals in the German Wheat Beer and European Sour Ale groups, with “Hefeweizen” and “Uncle Fester” respectively.

Out of West Sacramento, Yolo Brewing Company earned a bronze ribbon for its “Cousins” chili beer, a brew infused with chili peppers. The competition set aside an entire category for such beers and Winters’s Berryessa Brewing Company took second place with “Torta Truck.”

Additionally, Berryessa earned a bronze in the British Brown category with “Whippersnapper.”

Also based in West Sacramento, Jackrabbit Brewing Company’s “Square Hare” took first in the Trappist Ale category, a group devoted to the brewing style of Belgian monasteries.

Woodland’s very own Blue Note Brewing company won gold for its popular “Heidi,” a German beer that won the Pale Bitter European category. That beer has remained fixed on an otherwise rotating tap list, and will likely stay in place.