Oddly, winning awards and gaining brewing recognition rarely seem to correlate with growth and success in the beer industry. But for Mike Hunsaker at Grains of Wrath, 2020 has seen just that scenario unfold. In only two years, Hunsaker has firmly planted Grains of Wrath on the scene in a very developed Portland, Oregon market.
Starting just over the river in Camas, Washington, in 2018, Grains of Wrath expanded into Portland proper in 2020, taking over the old Lompoc Brewing location. The best part is that Hunsaker has made this growth happen with what some would call good old-fashioned, high-quality beer—and hard work. The last couple of years have seen the brewery win plenty of regional medals—2018 Washington Very Small Brewery of the Year, to name just one—but Hunsaker’s 2020 highlights include his third GABF medal in as many years, a Gold in the competitive American-Style Strong Pale Ale category, and a spot on Craft Beer and Brewing’s Best of 2020 list.
Winning accolades for hop-forward beers and Lagers is pretty rare these days, particularly with so many breweries in the country. But Mike Hunsaker has shown that when you make beer that good and that well, you don’t need gimmicks to get people to pay attention.
Words,Blake Tyers