FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 2006

CONTACT: Constance Cooper

Public Relations and Marketing Specialist

Goose Island Beer Co.

Phone: 773-252-7985

Email: ccooper@gooseisland.com

Goose Island Beer Co. Wins

Great American Beer Festival® Medal for 10th Year in a Row

(Chicago) On September 30, Goose Island Beer Co.’s 312 Urban Wheat won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival – the largest beer competition in the United States. In a blind tasting by brewers and beer experts, 312 was judged to be the top beer in its category, English-style Summer Ales. The 2006 Great American Beer Festival Competition winners were selected from an impressive field of 2,443 entries from 450 breweries. Goose Island Beer Co. can now boast a solid decade of Great American Beer Festival awards.

“I think I speak for the entire team of Goose Island brewers,” says Goose Island brewmaster Greg Hall, “when I say I couldn’t be happier that 312 has won our 11th Brewers Association gold medal and has joined the ranks of Honker’s Ale, India Pale Ale, Nut Brown Ale, and Matilda.” The Brewers Association, which sponsors the Great American Beer Festival, also hosts the World Beer Cup® – a competition which includes breweries from around the world.

312, the newest addition to the Goose Island family of beers, is an unfiltered wheat ale with a crisp, fruity flavor and smooth, creamy body. Market response to 312 has been enthusiastic. With a 60 percent growth rate in Illinois this year, 312 has been Goose Island’s most successful launch to date.

Founded in 1988, Goose Island is committed to creating innovative, high-quality craft beers that both cater to and challenge the evolving tastes of its growing market. While all Goose Island beers are bottled and brewed in Chicago, more than half of the company’s sales come from outside Illinois. Goose Island beers are currently available in 13 states and the United Kingdom. The company bottles 14 different craft beers at present, eight of which are available year-round. As of 2006, Goose Island’s beers have earned 21 national and international awards. In addition to the company’s Fulton Street brewery, the Goose Island family includes two Chicago brewpubs – one in Lincoln Park and another in Wrigleyville. These brewpubs serve all of Goose Island’s bottled craft beers in addition to specialty “pub beers” brewed on premise.

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Media Contact: Constance Cooper

Public Relations and Marketing Specialist

Goose Island Beer Co.

773-252-7985

ccooper@gooseisland.com