The finalists will travel from Texas, Oregon and Virginia to Denver in a couple of weeks to determine who become the 2008 Wynkoop Beerdrinker of the Year.
The finals begin at 2 p.m. Feb. 23 at Wynkoop Brewing and are open to the public.
The three finalists are:
– Richard Pedretti-Allen, a McKinney, Texas, recording producer. An avid homebrewer and certified beer judge, Pedretti-Allen has visited over 100 North American brewpubs, won numerous homebrewing awards, and owns over 7,000 beer coasters.
– J Mark Angelus, a Nehalem, Ore., semi-retired prosecutor. Last year Angelus sampled 916 beers, visited 68 breweries and attended nine beer festivals.
– Matt Venzke, a Yorktown, Va., aircraft maintenance manager. Venzke has visited 454 breweries in 16 countries and 39 states, and logged 3,000 miles in 2007 visiting breweries.
The event is open to the public and admission is free. Wynkoop beer will be served at the event, including a special lavender-infused, saison-style beer based on a recipe by 2007 Beerdrinker of the Year, Diane Catanzaro of Norfolk, VA.
The 2008 Beerdrinker of the Year will win free beer for life at Wynkoop, $250 worth of beer at their local brewpub or beer bar,
and clothing proclaiming him the 2008 Beerdrinker of the Year.
He will also have their name engraved on Wynkoop’s Beerdrinker of the Year trophy.