By LYNETTE HAALAND, Four Points News

Oasis Texas Brewing Company participated in the  Great American Beer Festival this month in Boulder, Colo. winning the gold medal for their English-style Best Bitter, London Homesick Ale.

The gold medal is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a beer. The medal comes a mere five months after Oasis Texas Brewing began production.

“We won gold at the Great American Beer Fest. It’s the superbowl of American beer competitions! This is huge,” said Max Schleder, president of the brewery and managing partner of the Mansfield event space, which the brewery is housed in.

Brew Master, Spencer Tielkemeier has been brewing beer for over five years having competed many times before on winning teams. However, this is Tielkemeier’s first win as the head brewer.

The local Oasis Texas Brewing Company team L-R: Head brewer Spencer Tielkemeier, Hailey Tielkemeier, Max Schleder, Lesa Kirkconnell, Andrew Rice, Kirby Kirkconnell, Hamilton Stewart, Bob Schultz and Charlie Papazian, Brewer’s Association president.

“We’re over the moon. We’d have been happy with any medal, but it makes it so much sweeter that it’s gold. Of all our beers, this is the one we’ve worked the hardest to perfect. I’m so proud of our team and our state,” said Tielkemeier.

The Great American Beer Festival is the premier U.S. beer festival and competition and represents the largest collection of U.S. beer ever served in a public tasting event and private competition.

This year over 5,500 beers (16 percent more than in 2013) were entered from over 1,300 U.S. breweries in 90 categories. The category with the highest number of entries: American-Style India Pale Ale with 279 entries.

To accommodate growth, this year’s competition saw its biggest panel of judges ever, with 222 beer experts from 10 countries. Award-winning brewers received gold, silver and bronze medals.