“The Great American Beer Festival, billed as the country’s oldest and largest celebration of American brewing, recently awarded The Harmon Pub and Brewery of Tacoma the Gold Medal for brewing excellence in the Brown Porter category for their Puget Sound Porter.During the three-day festival, the Professional Panel Blind Tasting, comprised of 94 internationally renowned judges, evaluated 1,960 entries submitted by 491 domestic breweries from 49 states, including Alaska and Hawaii.Medals were awarded in 54 different beer-style categories. The number of entries in each category ranged from two in the Chocolate/Cocoa-Flavored Beers, to 120 in the India Pale Ale category.Of the 43 breweries nationwide entering the Brown Porter category, the Puget Sound Porter was judged the best. The medals awarded at the Great American Beer Festival are recognized worldwide as symbols of brewing excellence.Besides the Puget Sound Porter, the Harmon Pub & Brewery also produces Browns Point Bitter, Wollochet Bay Wheat, Pinnacle Peak Pale Ale and two seasonal ales that rotate monthly.The brewery is located in the historic Harmon Building on Pacific Avenue near the University of Washington Tacoma.Other Washington breweries taking home medals, were:- American Lager/Ale or Cream Ale: Silver Medal to Brew 22, Mill Creek Brewpub, Walla Walla;- American-Style Premium Lager: Bronze Medal to Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve, Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company, Tumwater;- Scottish-Style Ales: Silver Medal to Tilted Kilt, Pyramid Breweries, Seattle;- Belgian-Style Ales: Bronze Medal to Saison, Brasserie Monx Ltd., Seattle;- Belgian and French-Style Specialty Ales: Bronze Medal to La Conner Red, La Conner Brewing Company, La Conner;- Robust Porter: Gold Medal to Perseus Porter, Elysian Brewing Company and Public House, Seattle;- English Old Ale/English Strong Ale: Silver Medal to Cabin Fever Winter Ale, Boundary Bay Brewing Company, Bellingham- Other Strong Ales or Lagers: Gold Medal to Dragontooth Stout, Elysian Brewing Company and Public House, Seattle.Elysian Brewing Company and Public House was also named Large Brewpub of the year.”