Gordon Biersch Brewery is an American brewery founded by Dan Gordon and Dean Biersch. Gordon, a graduate from the five-year brewing engineering program at Weihenstephan, Germany, and Biersch opened their first brewery restaurant in Palo Alto, California, in July 1988. In 1999, the restaurants were sold to what ultimately became CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries.
In November 1995, the two founders and their original investors, wanting to expand their then $20 million business, accepted a $11.2 million investment from the Fertitta family of Las Vegas."Gordon Biersch: New Challenges and Opportunities", Harvard Business Review, May 2002. Lorenzo Fertitta became the controlling owner. , Gordon Biersch brews beer for Costco and Trader Joe's under contract."Golden Road brews new house-brand beers for Trader Joe's", Los Angeles Times, June 2014. The Gordon Biersch brewery and bottling plant is located in Japantown in San Jose, California.Gordon Biersch. "Brewery" (retrieved on April 14, 2009).Janice Bitters, "Gordon Biersch Brewing building in San Jose's Japantown sells for $10.5 million", Silicon Valley Business Journal, February 24, 2017. In 2016, Gordon Biersch released a dry-hopped red ale called "Chum" in honor of the San Jose Sharks.Sal Pizarro, "Gordon Biersch’s new San Jose Sharks beer is called 'Chum'", San Jose Mercury News, September 8, 2016.
On May 8, 2019, it was announced that an investor group, assembled by original co-founder Dan Gordon, had regained majority control of Gordon Biersch Brewing Company."Gordon Biersch Co-Founder Reclaims Majority Stake in Decades-Old Brewery", May 8, 2019 (retrieved on August 1, 2024)
Awards Gordon Biersch Brewing Company has won several American awards. At the Great American Beer Festival, they won gold in the category of Bohemian-style pilsner in 2004,"Great American Beer Festival Winners List, 2004 (retrieved on August 15, 2017). and in the category of German Style Schwarzbier in 2007,"Great American Beer Festival Winners List" 2007 (retrieved on August 15, 2017). and the Rauchbier brewed at the Gordon Biersch Restaurant in Annapolis, Maryland, won gold in 2014.Wesley Case, "Gordon Biersch in Annapolis wins gold at Great American Beer Festival" , Baltimore Sun, October 6, 2014. In 2018, Gordon Biersch at Tysons Corner, by brewer Justin Damadio, won a gold medal in the Bohemian Pilsner category at Great American Beer Festival.GABF 2018 Winner List At the World Beer Cup 2002, they won gold in the category of sweet stout and bronze in the category of Vienna style lager,"World Beer Cup 2002 Winners List" Retrieved August 15, 2017 and at the World Beer Cup 2006, they won gold in the German style schwarzbier category."World Beer Cup 2006 Winners List" Retrieved August 15, 2017.
See also List of breweries in California
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