Piney River Brewing wins five medals at U.S. Open Beer Championship

Piney River Brewing won five medals at the U.S. Open Beer Championship 2024 competition, announced this week from the U.S. Open Beer Championship Headquarters in Oxford, Ohio.

The 2024 competition included over 9,000 beers in 170 different beer style categories. The contest is open to professional brewers and award-winning beers from home brewers across the U.S. U.S. Open judges hail from England, Canada and the U.S., and judging is completed annually in Oxford.

Float Trip Ale and Andy’s Root Beer won gold medals this year. Float Trip, a light, wheat-based blonde beer, won in the “American-style Wheat Beer” category. This is the second gold and fourth overall medal for Float Trip. Andy’s Root Beer, a non-alcoholic root beer, won in the “Kids/Sweet Root Beer” category, and this is the second U.S. Open Beer Championship medal for Andy’s Root Beer. Andy’s Root Beer was developed “for the kids” by Andy Durham, the son of Piney River Brewing Company founders and owners, Joleen and Brian Durham.

Missouri Waltz and Raise A Ruckus won silver medals in this year’s competition. Missouri Waltz, a mixed fermentation beer from the Piney River Brewing foeder tanks, won in the “Sour Beer” category. This was the first time Missouri Waltz was entered into the competition. Raise A Ruckus, an imperial stout, won in the “Imperial Stout Specialty” category. This is a dark beer, 10 percent alcohol by volume, and after fermentation it is finished on vanilla beans and coffee beans.

Winning a bronze medal in the “Nut Beer” category was Black Walnut Wheat, Piney River’s flagship beer that is brewed with wild, hand harvested black walnuts from Hammons Black Walnuts in Stockton, Mo. This is the fifth U.S. Open Beer Championship medal for Black Walnut Wheat.

Andy’s Root Beer, Float Trip Ale and Black Walnut Wheat are produced year-round at Piney River Brewing and can be found at retail locations around Missouri and Arkansas where the brewery has distribution partners.

Raise A Ruckus is only produced once a year, and it is harder to find but still available on draft and in cans at the BARn, the brewery’s tasting room in Bucyrus. Missouri Waltz is also available only in Bucyrus.

“The winning beers and root beer represent different beer styles and ways of brewing,” Brian Durham said. “It’s extremely gratifying to receive honors for such a wide range of styles and flavors.”

Brandon Lee and Bryan Spence work with Durham to execute the beer recipes and packaging operations at the brewery. Durham noted that the daily work by Lee and Spence is crucial to making beers that bring honors in competition.

“Piney River would not be recognized at this level if our brewers were not doing the right things every day to brew and package great beers,” Durham said.

Piney River began entering the U.S. Open Beer Championship in 2015, and with the 2024 wins, Piney River has 24 U.S. Open Beer Championship medals in nine years.

“I can’t say enough how Joleen and I are very pleased to bring recognition to our farm brewery and to Texas county and our community,” Durham said. “Piney River is not a well-known brewery, but we are making world class beers on our farm in rural America. It’s something that we’re proud to do.”

Piney River Brewing is located on the Durham’s 160-acre farm in South Central Missouri, operating out of a restored barn built in the 1940’s and a larger production “barn.” The Durhams founded the brewery in 2010 with a 10-gallon brewing system. In 2023, Piney River Brewing produced 1,800 barrels of beer. Piney River Brewing operates a tasting room on the farm that is open to the public every weekend. The brewery has distribution in Missouri and Arkansas.

A complete list of U.S. Open Beer Championship winners can be found at www.usopenbeer.com. Additional information about Piney River Brewing can be found at www.pineyriverbrewing.com.

The post Piney River Brewing wins five medals at U.S. Open Beer Championship appeared first on Houston Herald .