| By Full Sail
Lightning Strikes Twice: Full Sail Named Oregon Brewery of the Year—Again!
The wind isn’t the only thing blowing strong in Hood River—the momentum is, too! For the second year running, our team has sailed straight to the top, bringing home a massive haul of hardware from the prestigious New York International Beer Competition (NYIBC). Not only did we secure eight individual medals, but we also defended our title and were once again crowned the Oregon Brewery of the Year!
The NYIBC is no walk in the park. It’s a fierce, global showdown featuring more than 600 beer submissions from over 15 countries. What makes this win so rewarding is who does the judging: real-world trade buyers. We’re talking about the restaurant owners, sommeliers, retail buyers, and distributors who know exactly what makes a beer great. Out of hundreds of entries, our lineup truly stole the spotlight. Here is how the judges scored our brews:
GOLD
Session Classic Lager
Juicy Fruit IPA
SILVER
Session West Coast Lager
Bridge to Nowhere Hazy IPA
Hop Pursuit IPA
Barleywine Ale
BRONZE
Session Japanese Rice Lager
Off Trail Pale Ale
Celebrating the consecutive big wins, Garrett Meier, Full Sail Brewing’s VP of Operations, shared his excitement for the team and what’s next:
“We’re stoked to represent as winners of Oregon Brewery of the Year twice in a row. The two-peat is a direct reflection of the passion our brew team has in creating world-class quality and creative beer. This year we celebrated our Session Lager brand’s 21st anniversary, and next year marks our brewery’s 40th anniversary—a testament to the persistence of both our team and our loyal Pacific Northwest fan base over the decades.
We don’t do it for awards, but they’re a tremendous accolade that gives us an opportunity to step back and appreciate the industry leading beers coming out of Full Sail Brewing for the last 40 years—and the next 40 to come. As we celebrate this recognition, we invite beer fans to raise a glass with us by seeking out our newest additions to the Session family: Session Japanese Rice Lager, a crisp and refreshing lager brewed with rice and Sorachi Ace hops, and Session West Coast Hoppy Lager, a bright, hop-forward take on a Northwest classic. Look for them wherever Full Sail beers are sold and always fresh at the brewery in Hood River!”
While shiny medals are fantastic, the ultimate test happens when our beer hits your glass. We brew balanced, delicious beers with you in mind every single day. Want to taste what a back-to-back champion tastes like? Swing by our Brew Pub or grab a pack of our award-winning brews today and judge for yourself. Cheers to the team, and cheers to you for raising a glass with us!