A Silver Valley brewery is celebrating another national honor. Wallace Brewing Company’s Redlight Irish Red Ale took home a gold medal at the North American Brewers Association’s 31st Annual Mountain Brewers Beer Fest, held annually in Idaho Falls — a recognition that caps more than a decade of award-winning history for one of the brewery’s flagship beers.
The competition drew entries from 125 breweries across 22 states, making the gold medal a meaningful distinction in a crowded field of regional craft producers.
“We’re thrilled that our Redlight won another gold medal,” said brewery co-founder Chase Sanborn. “It’s always nice to have our hard work and craftsmanship recognized.”
A Recipe Born in the Silver Valley
Redlight is an Irish-style amber ale with a deep ruby-red color and a flavor profile built around biscuit, toffee, nuts, and a hint of cherry-plum. It clocks in at 5% alcohol by volume and 20 International Bitterness Units — a moderate, approachable bitterness that has made it a consistent favorite among patrons.
The recipe dates back to 2011, when Sanborn and then-partner Jack Johnson brewed the first batch. Johnson has since retired from the brewery, but the recipe has never changed. Sanborn said the beer remains exactly what it was the day it was created. “We’re still making it and it’s still spot on,” he noted.
That consistency has paid off at competitions over the years. Redlight earned a bronze medal at the North American Beer Awards in 2012, then silver medals at the Best of Craft Beer Competition in both 2019 and 2020. In 2024, it claimed gold at the North American Beer Awards. The latest Mountain Brewers gold adds another chapter to that track record — fifteen years of the same recipe, and the medals keep coming.
A Brewery Rooted in Wallace Since 2007
Wallace Brewing Company has been a fixture of downtown Wallace since its founding in 2007. Chase Sanborn and Dean Cooper launched the operation that year, with the Zanetti family and Rick Magnuson joining as partners shortly after. Now a 19-year-old institution in the Silver Valley, the brewery operates out of 610 Bank St. and opens its tasting room at noon seven days a week.
For a small city like Wallace, a brewery that regularly competes — and wins — against craft producers from across the country is a point of local pride. The Silver Valley has built a modest but growing reputation as a destination, with outdoor recreation along the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes, mountain biking, and community events drawing visitors to the historic mining district. A nationally recognized brewery adds one more reason for travelers to stop in and stay awhile.
Wallace itself has seen a surge of community activity heading into the summer season. The city is preparing to host the Wallace Music Fest on July 10-11, a free two-stage event that draws crowds from across North Idaho and beyond. Events like that, paired with attractions like Wallace Brewing, help sustain the local economy that residents and business owners have worked to rebuild since the region’s mining-era heyday.
What Comes Next
For Wallace Brewing, the immediate focus is on serving the summer crowd that flows through the Silver Valley each year. The tasting room at 610 Bank St. is open daily from noon, and Redlight will remain on tap alongside the brewery’s other offerings. With another gold medal now on the shelf, Sanborn and the Wallace Brewing team have fresh evidence that a 15-year-old recipe crafted in a small Idaho mountain town can hold its own against the best craft brewers in the Rocky Mountain region. Whether Redlight returns to competition next year remains to be seen, but its record speaks for itself.
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