Oh, hoppy day

Texas snags 9 medals at 2012 Great American Beer Festival, including gold forReal Ale, Uncle Billy's and Spoetzl

A toast to the Texas brewers who took home awards at the 2012 Great AmericanBeer Festival.
Michael Peticolas of Peticolas Brewing Company with his gold medal from the 2012GABF.
Dennis Zaskoda/Facebook

Texas showed itself as a comer at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Boulder, Colorado. Six Texas breweries took home nine awards for best beers.

Austin-area breweries were big winners, taking home six of the Lone Star State's awards. Three gold medals went to Spoetzl Brewery, maker of Shiner; one gold medal was awarded to Uncle Billy's, and two silver medals went to Real Ale.

Dallas-Fort Worth also fared well at the awards. Peticolas Brewing Co., launched in January 2012 , took the gold in the "classic English-style pale ale" category for its Royal Scandal, an English pale ale known for its slightly bitter, European flavor profile. Fort Worth's Rahr & Sons Brewing Company took home a silver medal for its Iron Thistle, a dark Scotch ale.

GABF is the largest commercial beer competition in the world. Brewers received gold, silver and bronze medals in 84 categories covering 134 different beer styles, establishing the best examples of each style in the United States. A total of 254 awards were presented.

Winners were chosen from 4,338 entries from 666 breweries, hailing from 48 states, Washington, D.C., and Guam — its largest field of entries ever and a 10 percent increase over 2011.

Below is the full list of winners from Texas:

Gold, Shiner Bock, Spoetzl Brewery, winner in the American-style dark lager category, from a field of 12 entries
Gold, Royal Scandal, Peticolas Brewing Co., winner in the classic English-style pale ale category, from a field of 29 entries
Gold, Shiner Oktoberfest, Spoetzl Brewery, winner in the German-style Märzen category, from a field of 32 entries
Gold, Shiner Bohemian Black Lager, Spoetzl Brewery, winner in the German-style Schwarzbier category, from a field of 32 entries
Gold, Bottle Rocket, Uncle Billy's Brew & Que - Lake Travis, winner in the Kellerbier or Zwickelbier category, from a field of 23 entries
Silver, Firemans #4, Real Ale Brewing Co., winner in the golden or blonde ale category, from a field of 67 entries
Silver, Hans' Pils, Real Ale Brewing Co., winner in the German-style pilsener category, from a field of 52 entries
Silver, Iron Thistle, Rahr & Sons Brewing Company, winner in the Scotch ale category, from a field of 44 entries
Bronze, Uberbrau, Humperdinks Restaurant and Brewery, winner in the American-style amber lager category, from a field of 45 entries

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Elegy for Irene

Bubbly Austin brunch spot Irene's closing after 8 years

Irene's/Instagram

One of Austin's most popular brunch spots is throwing in the towel when its lease ends.

Despite the ever -increasing number of Austin brunches, the scene is losing a classic. Irene's on West 6th Street announced November 12 that it will be closing at the end of its lease this month.

“We are incredibly grateful for the loyal support of our guests, friends, and family over the last 8 years,” said operating partner Scott Hentschel in a press release. “We’ve had the privilege of celebrating countless occasions, fostering friendships, and creating unforgettable memories with you."

It does seem to be the end of Irene's, but the team behind it is looking to take its talents elsewhere.

"While this chapter may be ending, our passion for hospitality burns brighter than ever," Hentschel continued. "We are actively exploring new opportunities and locations where we can welcome you in the future.”

Irene's didn't just offer brunch, but it was a local favorite for the midday weekend meal for several years, offering a hybrid diner and Tex-Mex menu that included everything from biscuits and gravy, to tacos, to all-day breakfast sandwiches, to soft-serve ice cream. Many group photos were taken after a few mimosas in front of the neon sign and fake greenery.

The restaurant and bar also had a very full events calendar, with multiple recurring events every week. Drag brunches, game days, movie screenings, yoga, and more characterized the daily flow of Irene's.

Fans of Irene's have the rest of the lease to say goodbye — presumably, that's the rest of the month, but the release does not give a hard closing date. Some special events will be scheduled to see it off.

“We are immensely grateful to every person who has walked through our doors, enjoyed a drink, shared a meal, and contributed to the spirit of our restaurant. Your support has kept us going through the highs and lows," says the release, which also thanks the team, neighbors, and vendors. "And to you, our cherished guests, thank you for choosing to be a part of our story. We love you, Austin, and we will miss you dearly!”

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