‘Excited for the team’: Sunriver Brewing Company takes home Brewery of the Year Award for a second time

BEN, Ore. (KTVZ) --   Sunriver Brewing Company recently brought home a prestigious award for a second time. The family-owned brewery recently took home Brewery of the Year Award, at the Great American Beer Festival.

"Really excited!" Sunriver Brewing Founding Brewer and Director of Brewery Operations Brett Thomas said Tuesday. "Excited for the team. We're making some world-class beer right now."

Sunriver Brewing Company says it provides more than just beer. It brings people together. 

Customer Jan Bergum said, "I'm catching up with an old, old friend. It's been years that we've worked together, but we haven't seen each other for a couple of years, so this is just great."

Another customer, Berite Perone, said, "We don't go out a lot, so you don't get a personal touch when you have your own place. Bt this is a welcoming place to everyone."

The first time they won the award was back in 2017.

Thomas said, "It's typically judged by industry. So a lot of other professional brewers, really some of the best palates in the country get those beers across in front of them. Really it's being judged by our peers."

Along with winning the Brewery of the Year Award, Sunriver Brewing also brought home several other awards for their beers.

There are about 100 different categories in the festival, and the brewery entered 12 beers this year, medaling in three.

Customer Ron Angell said, "My wife and I live in Sunriver, and we've been frequenting Sunriver Brewing Company since they first opened there over10 years ago. It's been a great addition to the community."

This year has been a triumph for the team. 

Thomas added, "It's been a really great year for us. 2024 has brought us a number of achievements across the craft beer industry, and it's really the people that work in this brewery that generate those awards and those wins."

  The Great American Beer Festival returns to Denver October 9th-11th next year.