Wise Man Brewing Gets Top Honors In U.S. Open Beer Championship

Winston-Salem-based Wise Man Brewing has been named a Top Ten brewery at the U.S. Open Beer Championship. The company's offerings stood out against a field of 7,000 beer submissions from hundreds of breweries worldwide. 

Wise Man is a microbrewery, producing less than 50 barrels a week, but since opening its doors in 2017, the small business has made a big splash. This year, four of the eight beers submitted won awards in the global competition. 

Ph.D. chemist, brewmaster, and one of three Wise Man co-owners Dr. Sam Victory says winning a medal this year was not completely unexpected, but multiple awards? Even the mild-mannered chemist by day couldn't help but crack a broad smile. 

“Yeah, it was pretty exciting,” says Victory. “We've entered three years now, doing a little bit better every year. So, I was just really surprised that we medaled on four out of the eight submissions. That was a really exciting day.” 

Taproom Manager Dan Rossow was in the room with Victory and the rest of the Wise Man team when the email announcing winners arrived from the 2019 U.S. Open Beer Championship office. He says they were all blown away.

“The thing that really jumped out this year was being named a Top Ten brewery,” he says. “We shared the tenth spot with Cigar City and Birds Fly South. Cigar City is an enormous kind of national brewery. So just to share an honor with someone that's doing such great work, that really put it in perspective.”

For the second straight year, Wise Man's Bourbon Barrel-Aged breakfast stout “Merry World” received a Gold Medal in the competition. It's made with locally roasted Krankies coffee, Black Mountain cocoa nibs, and then aged for six months in bourbon barrels before making its way to the taproom. 

Rossow says they set aside several barrels of the dark, aromatic brew and he's excited about re-releasing it. He adds they're also gearing up for distribution of a new line of sour beers due for release in the not-too-distant future.