Earlier today, the 25th annual, silver anniversary, Double IPA Festival was held at the Bistro in Hayward, California. I got there early for judging again this year, and spent the morning holed up in the basement, where we judged Double IPAs for most of the morning, before choosing our top three favorites.

After it being pretty wet and rainy rhis past week, we were treated to a sunny day in beautiful downtown Hayward, if a little chilly, for the festival.

At 2:00 pm., owner Vic Kralj announced the winners:

Double IPAs

• 1st Place: Onslaught, by Ghosttown Brewing, from Oakland, California.
• 2nd Place: Terrace Hill, by Central Coast Brewing, from San Luis Obispo, California
• 3rd Place: Greener Grass, by Narrative Fermentations, in San Jose, California

People’s Choice Awards

Double IPA: Looking for Gophers, by Faction Brewing, from Alameda, California, although in a close race this year, second place by a nose was Triple Cuff, by Wondrous Brewing, in Emeryville, California.