PIVO Brewery beer wins medals

Posted: October 23, 2020

PIVO Brewery recognized for brewing excellence at world’s largest commercial beer competition.

CALMAR, IOWA, 10/16/2020. PIVO Brewery was awarded Gold and Silver medals at the 2020 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition, the world’s largest commercial beer competition. The GABF, presented by the Brewers Association, recognizes the most outstanding beers produced in the United States. The best beers in 91 beer categories covering 170 different beer styles (including all subcategories) were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals during a virtual ceremony Friday, October 16, hosted on The Brewing Network.

PIVO Brewery was awarded a Gold Medal in the Historic Beer category for its Decorah Nordic Gruit. This traditional Scandinavian style of beer is brewed with no bittering hops. Juniper berries, rosemary, bay leaf, black walnuts, bog myrtle and toasted caraway seed are the Nordic style beer flavorings that make this a truly unique Viking era beer.

PIVO Brewery was awarded a Silver Medal in the Chocolate Beer category for its Balltown Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Aged Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Brownie Milk Stout. This beer has deep and complex dark chocolate flavors blended with salted caramel. It is aged on bourbon barrels for several months to mellow the flavors and add some vanilla and bourbon accents from the oak barrel.

Judges for the 34^th edition of the celebrated GABF competition evaluated 8,806 entries from 1,720 breweries from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. Socially distanced judging took place in 35 sessions over 18 days with strict safety measures in place.

PIVO Brewery is a 15 barrel microbrewery located in Calmar, Iowa that strives to make a large variety of different beers and ciders. Their brewery taproom in Calmar has 40 taps that are typically serving over 36 different PIVO made beverages. They are the only brewery in Iowa co-located with a commercial art studio (Blepta Studios) that teaches classes and produces art for sale. PIVO Brewery also has an event center attached to the brewery that can seat 370 people. Craig and Sara Neuzil of Calmar are the owners of PIVO Brewery and Blepta Studios.

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