WALLACE — There may be nothing more American than enjoying a cold beer on the Fourth of July, and Wallace Brewing Company's Redlight Irish Red Ale is among the best around.

When it comes to highly decorated, locally brewed craft beer, the Redlight has built a reputation as one of the region's standout offerings.

Last month, Wallace Brewing announced that Redlight earned a gold medal at the North American Brewers Association's 31st Annual Mountain Brewers Beer Fest.

The competition gives breweries, cideries, meaderies and soda makers an opportunity to have their products evaluated by certified judges alongside some of the best craft beverages in the nation. Over the past three decades, it has grown into the country's second-largest beer competition. Held annually in Idaho Falls, the event attracts thousands of entries. This year's competition recognized 125 breweries from 22 states.

The Irish-style amber ale is one of the 19-year-old brewery's longest-running and most beloved beers. With its ruby-red hue, Redlight balances caramel sweetness and roasted malt character, offering notes of biscuit, toffee, nuts and cherry-plum before a smooth finish accented by chocolate malt. The beer contains 5% alcohol by volume and carries a modest bitterness rating of 20 International Bitterness Units.

Wallace Brewing Co. General Manager Chase Sanborn said Redlight was the brewery's answer to the growing popularity of amber-style beers. Rather than following the trend, the brewing team decided to develop an Irish-style amber.

Sanborn and brewmaster Jack Johnson brewed the first batch in 2011, and 15 years later the beer continues to grow in popularity while adding to its list of awards. Johnson has since retired, but the recipe remains unchanged.

"We're still making it and it's still spot on," Sanborn said.

Redlight has earned multiple honors over the years, including a bronze medal at the North American Beer Awards in 2012, silver medals at the Best of Craft Beer Competition in 2019 and 2020, and most recently a gold medal at the 2024 North American Beer Awards, underscoring the consistency of the brewery's flagship Irish-style red ale.

"We're thrilled that our Redlight won another gold medal," Sanborn said. "It's always nice to have our hard work and craftsmanship recognized by the leaders in the industry. There were a lot of really good beers in this category, it's a big honor for us."

Wallace Brewing Co. was founded in 2007 by Sanborn and Dean Cooper. Later that summer, the Zanetti family joined the venture, and the company secured a location for the brewery. The ownership group purchased brewing equipment from Jergensen Brewery, a Southern California operation that had recently closed. Later that year, Rick Magnuson joined the ownership team, bringing marketing and business expertise to the growing brewery.

For Sanborn, there is no better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than with friends, food and a cold beer.

"There's just nothing better than sharing beers and having barbeques," he said. "The Redlight, I really like it with a brat (bratwurst). You pair a brat up with those malty flavors, to me, it's just perfect."

Wallace Brewing Co., located at 610 Bank St. in downtown Wallace, operates a tasting room that opens at noon seven days a week. Many local grocery stores and restaurants also carry the brewery's products.