Hood River’s pFriem Family Brewing achieved significant recognition at the Brussels Beer Challenge, held from November 3 to 5, 2023. The brewery won a gold medal in the Helles category for its lager, a silver in the American Pale Ale category, and a bronze for its West Coast IPA in the Pacific IPA category. Additionally, pFriem’s Fruited Spontanee earned a silver medal in the old-style Lambic flavored beer category at the event, which featured approximately 1,800 beers from around the globe.
“There were a lot of German beers entered, and ours is a beer we are proud of, so it felt really good to win,” said Josh Pfriem, the founder of pFriem. The brewery’s Spontanee, an annual offering, is currently available at pFriem pubs. Meanwhile, the Helles, pale, and West Coast beers remain part of the brewery’s standard rotation.
Impressive Achievements Against Strong Competition
Pfriem emphasized the significance of winning medals in a competition dominated by Belgian breweries. “The fun part of the Brussels award is that our beer was sandwiched between two notable lambic producers; it’s always the Belgians that win that category,” he stated. He explained that while Spontanee is similar to a gueuze, it cannot be labeled as such out of respect for Belgian traditions. “We call it a Spontanee. It is blended and cellared in the same manner as a gueuze, using a blend of heavy raspberries and some cherries,” Pfriem noted.
In total, U.S. breweries secured 37 medals at the Brussels Beer Challenge, an increase from 19 medals the previous year. This recognition adds to a medal-filled year for pFriem, which also won the title of mid-sized brewery of the year at the Oregon Beer Awards, along with two golds and a silver at the World Beer Cup. Notably, the brewery earned a gold for its Cold IPA, which was in the largest category of the contest.
A Year of Accolades and Recognition
The brewery’s success continued at the Great American Beer Festival, where it received three medals, including golds for its Spontanee in the Belgian Ale category. Furthermore, pFriem won gold for its Mexican lager at the European Beer Star contest in Germany, making it the first non-German or non-Austrian brewery to achieve this feat. “It was pretty fun to win a gueuze category,” Pfriem added.
In addition to these prestigious awards, pFriem has garnered praise from industry publications. Vinepair magazine named pFriem one of “The 30 Best Breweries in the Country Right Now, According to Beer Pros.” The only other Oregon brewery featured on the list was deGarde Brewing from Tillamook. Writer Evan Rail highlighted pFriem’s standout beers, including its Belgian Strong Blond and Pils, and praised the brewery’s welcoming atmosphere and menu, which features ingredients sourced locally from the Columbia River Gorge.
As pFriem Family Brewing continues to thrive, its recent accolades reflect the brewery’s commitment to quality and innovation in the competitive craft beer landscape.
