Cheers! Popular Jacksonville craft brewery wins top honors for beer at national competition
Popular Jacksonville microbrewery Wicked Barley Brewing Company struck gold at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival.
Wicked Barley won a gold medal for its "Argument Starter," an American Amber/Red Ale, awarded Oct. 8 during the 40th-anniversary competition in Denver, Colo.
The brewery on social media lauded Head Brewer Mason Leasure for crafting the award-winning beer, which is an Amber Ale "with notes of roast and caramel."
Wicked Barley is the second Jacksonville craft brewery to win a gold medal at the nationwide competition. In 2020, Main & Six Brewing Company — which closed earlier this year — won for its "Weapon of Mash Destruction" chocolate beer, competition records show.
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Located at 4100 Baymeadows Road, Wicked Barley was among 268 breweries earning 300 medals during the nine-day competition held by the Brewer's Association, a nationwide, nonprofit trade organization composed of American craft brewers.
The event is "the nation’s largest professional beer competition and the premier symbol of brewing excellence," the association said in a news release announcing the winners.
The award-winning breweries received gold, silver, and bronze medals in 98 beer categories covering 177 different beer styles.
Other Florida craft breweries receiving gold medals included Deadwords Brewing Co in Orlando for "Bridge," an American-style Lager, "Chocolate Stout," a Chocolate Beer from Fort Myers Brewing Co. in Fort Myers and "Tropical Vibes," a Fruit Wheat Beer, from Swamp Head Brewery in Gainesville.
“Each year the Great American Beer Festival showcases the best that American brewers have to offer. With 9,904 [commercial] entries, this year’s competition was the most competitive to date," Chris Williams, Great American Beer Festival competition director, said in the news release.
About Wicked Ale
Brothers-in-law Tobin Turney and Philip Maple founded Wicked Barley in 2016.
The microbrewery's impish motto "Naughty Ales for Noble Souls," refers to its vision of crafting "creative, boundary-pushing beers served in a warm, entertaining environment," according to its website.
Wicked Barley opened in July 2016 on the east bank of Goodby's Creek. In 2017, it was voted "Best Brew Pub in Florida" by Florida Beer.
The gastropub's current tap list includes 16 beers plus ciders, mead, wine and cocktails, according to its menu.
The food menu features a variety of burgers, sandwiches, salads, wraps, chicken wings and specials. Its Sunday brunch and outdoor beer garden are popular with Jacksonville diners.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville craft brewer Wicked Barley wins gold for Amber Ale
