On Wednesday, April 22, 2009, Eric Wallace, president of Colorado Brewers Guild member Left Hand Brewing Company of Longmont, was awarded the Brewers Association’s annual “FX Matt Defense of the Industry Award.”

The award, given to the person who made an exemplary stand in defense of small and independent craft brewers over the previous year, was presented to Wallace by Dick Cantwell of Elysian Brewing, a member of the Brewers Association Board of Directors. Wallace led the charge to successfully preserve beer drinker choice and selection in helping defeat damaging legislation in Colorado. "Eric's recent efforts with the Colorado grocery bill were instrumental in keeping the historic relationship between the independent retailer and the craft brewer intact," says Cantwell.

“Our efforts…were not just in defense of the craft brewing industry, but in defense of fairness in the guise of a consistent regulatory structure upon which thousands of locally owned businesses relied upon when borrowing and taking out mortgages to build their businesses,” said Wallace upon receiving the award. “Our efforts were in defense of our communities and our local economy and the idiosyncrasies that make Colorado a great market for craft beer and a great place to live in general.”

The award was presented to Eric in front of some 2500 industry colleagues on the first morning of the Craft Brewers Conference and Trade Show in Boston, Mass. In addition to his duties at the brewery, Eric also is an active member of the Colorado Brewers Guild Board of Directors.

The F.X. Matt Award is given in honor of a champion of small brewers, F.X. Matt (1933-2001), president of the F.X. Matt Brewing Co. in Utica, New York from 1980-1989 and Chairman from 1989-2001.

F.X. Matt Defense of the Small Brewing Industry Award Winners
2009 – Eric Wallace, Left Hand Brewing Company
2008 - John Carlson, Colorado Brewers Guild
2007 - George Hancock, Pyramid Brewing Co.
2006 - Daniel Bradford
2005 - Marc Sorini, McDermott Will & Emery
2004 - Marc Sorini, BAA Counsel
2003 - Jim Parker, Oregon Brewers Guild
2002 - Mike McKinney, Texas Wholesalers Association
2001 - David Edgar, Past Institute for Brewing Studies Director
2000 - Fred Bowman, Portland Brewing Co.