Sudwerk
{{short description|Craft brewery in California}}
Sudwerk is a brewery in Davis, California. It has been crafting German-style lagers since 1989.{{Cite web|url=http://sudwerkbrew.com|title=Sudwerk Brewery {{!}} Savor the session!|website=Sudwerk Brewery|language=en-US|access-date=2016-03-09}} It was a pioneer of lager in microbrewing,{{citation|title=California Breweries North|first=Jay R.|last=Brooks|publisher=Stackpole Books|year=2013|isbn=9780811711586|contribution-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2S_PAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA322|page=322|contribution=Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hübsch}}. following the strict requirements of the German Reinheitsgebot,{{citation|newspaper=The Sacramento Bee|title=Davis-brewery Sudwerk thirsty to redefine itself and its craft lagers|date=May 18, 2014|url=http://www.sacbee.com/food-drink/beer/beer-run/article2598933.html|first=Blair Anthony|last=Robertson}}. and it continues to specialize in craft lagers.{{citation|newspaper=Davis Enterprise|title=Sudwerk's next generation: So much brewing in Davis|first=Wendy|last=Weitzel|date=August 18, 2013|url=http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/sudwerks-next-generation-much-is-on-tap-for-davis-first-and-only-brewery/}}.
Beer
The beers made by Sudwerk include California Dry Hop Lager, which was created by replacing the German hops with Pacific Northwestern hops in the recipe of the Helles Lager; Northern Pilsner; Märzen Amber Lager; Hefeweizen Bavarian Wheat; Cascaderade India Pale Lager; and 3 Best Friends. Seasonal beers include Mai Bock Spring Lager in spring, Fest Harvest Lager in fall, and Doppel Bock Ulimator in winter.{{Cite web|url=http://sudwerkbrew.com/beer/|title=Our Beer - Sudwerk Brewery|website=Sudwerk Brewery|language=en-US|access-date=2016-03-09}} The Helles Lager, Northern Pilsner, Marzen Amber Lager, and Hefeweizen are brewed using the same family recipes originally brought to California by Sudwerk's first German Brewmeister.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}
History
Ron Broward and Dean Unger founded Sudwerk in 1989 as Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hubsch. It was the first brewpub in Davis, and the only one there until the 2015 opening of another brewpub, the Three Mile Brewing Company.{{citation|title=New brewery on tap for downtown|department=Comings and Goings|publisher=Davis Enterprise|date=January 11, 2015|first=Wendy|last=Weitzel|work=Davis Enterprise |url=http://www.davisenterprise.com/business/new-brewery-on-tap-for-downtown/}}. By 1993, when it went through a major expansion, Sudwerk had become the largest microbrewery in the US. Jay Prahl was hired as brewmaster in 2003, and Broward and Unger sold off the associated restaurant in 2006. After the two founders died in 2011 and 2013, the brewery was sold to Unger's grandson, Trent Yackzan, and his friend Ryan Fry, who quickly promoted long-time employee Mike Hutson to brewmaster. In 2015, they began distributing their beer to states outside California, beginning in Missouri.{{citation|url=http://www.davisenterprise.com/business/follow-the-lager-leader-sudwerk-launches-into-missouri/|newspaper=Davis Enterprise|title=Follow the lager leader: Sudwerk launches into Missouri|first=Tessa|last=Terrill|date=November 13, 2015}}. The restaurant which operated independently from the brewery closed at the end of June, 2016.{{Cite news|url=http://www.davisenterprise.com/business/restaurant-side-of-sudwerk-to-close/|title=Restaurant side of Sudwerk to close|date=2016-06-17|newspaper=Davis Enterprise|access-date=2016-10-12}}
As of 2018, Sudwerk has won a total of 13 medals at the Great American Beer Festival including three gold medals.{{cite web |url=https://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/the-competition/winners/ |title=GABF Winners |author= |date= |website= www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com |publisher=American Brewers Association |access-date=2019-07-12 |quote="Displaying search results for 'Sudwerk', including All Medal Winners from All Styles from All States represented during any year at the GABF. 13 Results found."}} In 2021, Sudwerk won the "Brewery of the Year" award at the Great American Beer Festivalhttps://cdn.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/GABF21-Winners-List.pdf
The brewery maintains close ties to the University of California, Davis, where Prahl and Hutson were educated, and its facilities include classrooms used by extension classes at UC Davis.
References
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External links
- {{Official website|https://sudwerkbrew.com/}}
Category:Beer brewing companies based in California
Category:Companies established in 1989
Category:1989 establishments in California
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