While Capital Brewery out of Middleton, Wisconsin, was named Grand National Champion at the 2013 United States Beer Open Championships, Texas breweries acquitted themselves admirably.

As ardent lovers of old people, old places and old things, we were chuffed to learn that the oldest brewery in the world: Weihenstephaner, founded in 1050, won Gold and Silver Medals in the German Wheat category.

Now, onto the Texas killers that brought home the bacon: ESB

SILVER – Public Ale – Community Beer Company – Texas

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English Brown Ale

BRONZE – Alfred Brown – Peticolas Brewing – Texas (as an aside,if you haven’t tried Gentleman’s Relish from Lone Pint in Magnolia you are missing out on one of the world’s great brown beers)

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Scottish Ale

BRONZE – Scotch Ale – Guadalupe Brewing – Texas (remember when you were a kid and you’d leave the bread in the toaster for an extra few seconds to get that deep, lovely burnt flavor? That is what this beer tastes like, but dipped in whisky)

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Strong Scottish Ale

GOLD – Iron Thistle – Rahr and Sons – Texas

BRONZE – Great Scot! – Peticolas Brewing – Texas

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American Amber/Red

GOLD – Velvet Hammer – Peticolas Brewing – Texas

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Belgian Abbey Ale – Dubbel

BRONZE – Inspiration – Community Beer Company – Texas

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Belgian Witbier

SILVER – Witbier – Community Beer Company – Texas

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Dopple / Strong Bock

BRONZE – The Regulator – Rahr and Son – Texas

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Aged Beer

BRONZE – 2012 Great Scott – Peticolas Brewing – Texas

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This exemplary showing just confirms what we already know. Texas is right at the top of the USA craft beer scene. In spite of being hamstrung by antiquated laws and ordinances, Texas craft breweries are shouldering their way onto the highest planes of the US beer scene.

Now get out there and get falling down drunk on some Texas craft beer.