Submitted By: Emily Golden
Fort Myers Brewing Company’s signature Chocolate Stout earned national acclaim with a gold medal at the 2022 Great American Beer Festival competition. Presented by the Brewers Association, the Great American Beer Festival is the nation’s largest commercial beer competition and recognizes the most outstanding beers produced in the United States.
Fort Myers Brewing medaled in the chocolate beer category and was the only Southwest Florida brewery, and one of just 12 in Florida, to medal at the 2022 competition. Winners were announced Oct. 8 at the Great American Beer Festival awards ceremony in Denver, Colorado.
“Florida is home to a thriving craft beer market, so being one of just a handful of breweries in our state to be recognized is a proud accomplishment for our team,” said Rob Whyte, who co-founded Fort Myers Brewing Company in 2013 with his wife, Jen. “Our Chocolate Stout has been a longtime favorite among our guests, and it means a lot to know an international panel of expert judges feel the same way.”
The 2022 Great American Beer Festival competition winners were selected by an international panel of 235 expert judges from 9,904 entries, plus 94 Collaboration and 35 Pro-Am entries, received from 2,154 U.S. breweries.
“Each year the Great American Beer Festival showcases the best that American brewers have to offer,” said Chris Williams, competition director, Great American Beer Festival. “With more than 9,900 entries, this year’s competition was the most competitive to date. Congratulations to all the winners who truly demonstrated why the U.S. is the best brewing nation in the world.”
The award-winning brew will be on tap at Fort Myers Brewing beginning Friday, Oct. 28 to celebrate the honor as well as for National Chocolate Day. The brewery is located at 12811 Commerce Lakes Drive, Suite 28, in Fort Myers.
ABOUT FORT MYERS BREWING COMPANY
Established in 2013, Fort Myers Brewing Company was the first microbrewery to open in Lee County and continues to lead Southwest Florida’s surging craft beer movement. Founded by Rob and Jen Whyte, Fort Myers Brewing carries a signature line of flagship beers in addition to seasonal brews and small batch specialties. Its ales, pilsners, stouts, IPAs and hard seltzers are winners of multiple prestigious awards, including golds at the Best Florida Beer Competition, a silver at the 2018 World Beer Cup, a bronze at the 2019 Great American Beer Festival and Grand National Champion at the 2022 and 2021 U.S. Open Hard Seltzer Championship. Fort Myers Brewing was named “Best Large Brewery in Florida” in 2016 and received the Business Resiliency and Innovation of the Year Award at the Lee County Economic Development Office, Horizon Council and Horizon Foundation’s 2021 Industry Appreciation Awards. Its beers are poured at 1,041 locations, including 620 bars and restaurants, and are available for purchase in 421 retail outlets, including grocery, package and convenience stores. The brewery is located at 12811 Commerce Lakes Drive, Suite 28, in Fort Myers. For more information, visit FMbrew.com or call 239-313-6576.
