Atwood Ales Farm Brewery wins Good Food Award

By Stefanie Donahue

Atwood Ales Farm Brewery took home a Good Food Award on January 19 for its rhubarb sour ale, “Rhuty.” The small-batch brewery was one of the 15 chosen from around the US for its quality product and effort to support sustainability and social good through its business.

Good Food Awards were given to 199 companies chosen from more than 2,000 entries for categories including beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, cider, coffee, confections, elixirs, fish, honey, oils, pantry, pickles, preserves and spirits. For a full list of winners, visit bit.ly/2nmuHRK.

From l.: Monica Smith, Josh Smith, Xavier Felmley, Leslee Smith, Stephen Smith and dog, Keera. Photo courtesy of Atwood Ales Farm Brewery

The Good Foods Awards foundation is a San Francisco-based non-profit organization made up of a community of food processors, chefs and food writers that have banded together to promote a sustainable food movement.

“With awards given in 15 different categories, for diverse products ranging from beer to cheese to coffee, the Good Food Awards celebrate the movement toward a tasty, authentic and responsible food system and represent over $200 billion of America’s annual gross domestic product,” said Atwood Ales Farm Brewery co-owner and director of sales and marketing Monica Smith in an email. “This is our most prestigious award yet, and we are thankful to share the spotlight with other small businesses around the country who, like us, are actively working towards a more sustainable food system by creating innovative, well-crafted products that are as responsible as they are delicious.”

Located in a 100-year-old farmhouse on Sweet Road, Atwood Ales Farm Brewery is operated by husband and wife team Josh and Monica Smith with help from their son Xavier Felmley; parents Steve and Leslee Smith and Steve and Nancy Felmley also lend a hand. Most of the ingredients used at the brewery are grown on the estate while the rest is sourced from local vendors.

“Rhuty” is sold once a year, usually in the late summer. The brew is made with estate-grown rhubarb and hops and is combined with their house Saison yeast and 100 percent Skagit Valley malt. Smith said they’re planning another release in mid-to-late summer.

To learn more about “Rhuty” or other beers brewed by Atwood Ales Farm Brewery, visit atwoodales.com.