Spotlight Brewery
Mad River Brewing
Mad River Brewing Company is a microbrewery in the town of Blue Lake in Humboldt County Northern California. The brewery was established 1989 by brewmaster Bob Smith and a small group of investors. Beers include: Steelhead Extra Pale Ale, Steelhead Scotch Porter, Steelhead Extra Stout, Steelhead Double IPA, Jamaica Brand Red Ale, Jamaica Brand Sunset IPA, and their seasonals John Barleycorn, Barleywine.
The brewery has won many local, national and international awards including in the World Beer Championships and the United States Beer Tasting Championship. On October 13, 2007 Mad River was awarded their first Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal for the 2006 vintage of their John Barleycorn seasonal Barley Wine. On October 11, 2008 The Brewery won their second consecutive Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal in the "Golden or Blonde Ale" category with their flagship "Steelhead Extra Pale Ale."
The company also attempts to reuse all of its equipment and materials, and has reported a waste reduction rate of 98%. Much of the organic waste, ten tons of spent barley malt and yeast a year, are fed to local livestock or used as composting material. For their efforts in waste reduction the company won 7 WRAP awards presented by the California Integrated Waste Management Board.
