The United States Beer Tasting Championship announced today that Upland Brewing Company's Wheat Ale was awared "Best of the Midwest" at their 12th annual Competition held this summer in Buffalo New York.

In addition to Wheat topping the Midwest, Upland Maibock won Honorable Mention in the Maibock Category. As USBTC organizer Scott Ingersoll states, "Considering the great German brewers in the midwest, this was very impressive! Outstanding beer."

According to Ingersoll, the competition included a total of 358 beers from 129 breweries across 12 different beer categories. Within each category, the USBTC determined the best entry from each of six U.S. regions: 1) Northeast, 2) Mid-Atlantic/Southeast, 3) Midwest, 4) Rockies/Southwest, 5) California, and 6) Northwest/Pacific. All beers were tasted in blinded fashion and judged on a hedonic scale ["like very much" to "dislike very much"].

Winning in the Belgian/French Specialty Ale category, Upland Wheat is described as citrusy, and refreshilingly light and tart. Upland Wheat is brewed using 50% malted wheat, 50% malted barley, with a spice profile that includes coriander, chamomile, and dried organic curaçao orange peel.

One of the most popular craft-brewed beers in Indiana, Upland Wheat has also won a 2002 Gold Medal at the Great American Beer Festival in the Herb and Spice category. As USBTC's Ingersoll so emphatically puts it: "Great Beer!!"

Who are we to argue?