No-Li big in Belgium again

Another even-numbered year, another No-Li win at the Brussels Beer Challenge .

Rise & Grind coffee milk stout won a silver medal in the coffee beer category at the fifth annual competition in Belgium last week, which attracted a record 1,250 entries from 36 countries around the world.

That’s a repeat of its showing in 2014, when No-Li also took gold for Blackfill barrel-aged imperial stout and an honorable mention for Spin Cycle red.

And at the first Brussels event in 2012, the brewery won silver medals for Spin Cycle’s predecessor, Crystal Bitter, and for the former Silent Treatment pale.

The new award brings No-Li’s medal total in national and international competitions to 21 over the past five years.

It’s also the third in the past month, and the fifth this year. Earlier in November , No-Li took home silvers for Spin Cycle from Germany’s European Beer Star awards, and for Red, White & No-Li pale from the Great International Beer & Cider Competition in Providence, Rhode Island. And in May, it won gold for Spin Cycle and bronze for Born & Raised IPA at the Australian International Beer Awards .

No-Li also has medaled at Japan’s International Beer Competition. Overseas entries are coordinated through the Denver-based Brewers Association trade group.

Deschutes led the way among Northwest breweries in Brussels this year with gold medals for Chainbreaker White IPA, Down ‘N Dirty IPA and Obsidian Stout, plus certificates of excellence for Flanders Black, Sagefight IPA and Swivelhead India red ale. Fellow Oregon brewer pFriem received the special American Revelation – Fermentis Trophy for its Super Saison.

Other gold medals went to Fremont for its bourbon barrel-aged Dark Star stout, Reuben’s for Robust Porter and Alaskan for Kicker Session IPA. Taking bronze were Pelican for its Tsunami and Udder Tugger stouts and Caldera for Mogli Imperial Chocolate Porter, while Gigantic earned a certificate of excellence for Massive! Barleywine.