For Immediate Release:

Nielsen-Massey announces winners of second annual Homebrew Challenge

Waukegan, Ill. (January 29, 2015) – Nielsen-Massey Vanillas is pleased to announce the winners of the second annual Nielsen-Massey Homebrew Challenge, a contest designed to bring together Chicago-area amateur brewers in the quest for the best original beer recipes with creative flavor profiles.

“We enjoy seeing at-home brew masters think outside the average flavor profile to create outstanding recipes,” said Craig Nielsen, CEO of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas. “This year’s participants did not disappoint in their creative use of Nielsen-Massey fine vanillas and flavors.”

For the challenge, which was organized by CHAOS Brew Club in Chicago (www.chaosbrewclub.net), contestants created an original beer recipe in any style using Nielsen-Massey vanillas, flavor extracts, or a combination of both.

CHAOS board member and secretary Nancy Rockwood always tells homebrewing enthusiasts: “Nielsen-Massey's extracts present a great opportunity to experiment with the flavor in your homebrews. They offer a wide variety of unique and exotic flavor extracts that are available for you to express your creativity in a controlled manner while enhancing your beer's complexity. You can also rely on the quality and reputation of their extracts to allow you to reproduce your recipe with ease."

On December 6, 2014, a panel of 15 judges analyzed 38 submissions, choosing three winners and two honorable mentions:

• First Place: Patrick Elder of Naperville, IL – "Rosewater Blonde Ale" using Nielsen-Massey Rose Water
• Second Place: Kyle Nordquist of La Grange Park, IL - "Invisibility Cloak" using Nielsen-Massey Pure Chocolate and Pure Coffee Extracts
• Third Place: Dan Reinhold of Oak Park, IL - "XXXmas Ale" using Nielsen-Massey Pure Peppermint Extract
• Honorable Mentions: Ted Perez and Laurel Childress ( "Two Dropz Chocolate Porter") and Mark Westmeyer ("Hops of Darkness")

The winning brew, “Rosewater Blonde Ale”, took first prize for its use of Rose Water, which accentuated the subtle malt flavors of the base style.

For more information about the Nielsen-Massey Homebrew Challenge, visit: www.NielsenMasseyChallenge.com. For a video recap of the 2014 competition, visit: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma3yJv-GMxY.

About Nielsen-Massey Vanillas
Throughout its more than 100 year history, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas has earned its reputation as a manufacturer of the finest extracts in the world. The full line of Nielsen-Massey’s Pure Vanilla products include: Vanilla Beans and Extracts from Madagascar, Tahiti and Mexico; sugar and alcohol-free Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Powder; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste; Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Sugar, Organic Fairtrade Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract and Organic Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Beans.

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas also offers a full line of Pure Flavors: Pure Chocolate Extract, Pure Almond Extract, Pure Orange Extract, Pure Lemon Extract, Pure Coffee Extract, Pure Peppermint Extract, Orange Blossom Water and Rose Water. All Nielsen-Massey products are All-Natural, Allergen-Free, and certified Kosher and Gluten-Free. The company is headquartered in Waukegan, Illinois, with production facilities in Waukegan and Leeuwarden, The Netherlands. www.nielsenmassey.com

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Photos are available upon request. For more information about Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, contact:
Gardi Wilks, gwilks@savoragency.com
Savor – the food agency, 847.556.7511