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Bistro IPA Festival Winners 2021

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Today was the 23rd annual IPA Festival and the 3rd annual Hazy IPA Festival at the Bistro, but that’s only because there wasn’t a festival last year. It was a lovely sunny day in Hayward, making it was perfect beer-judging weather now that we’re no longer in the basement. This year we judged in pairs, split into two groups of regular clear IPAs and hazy IPAs. The full list of winners is below.

Judging today at the Bistro IPA Festival.

Traditional IPAs

Hazy IPAs

Melissa Myers and me after we finished judging.

Brussels Beer Challenge Winners 2020

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Yesterday, the winners of the 9th annual Brussels Beer Challenge were announced. Exactly 1,546 beers from 36 countries were judged in 8 broad styles (Pale Ale, Dark Ale, Red Ale, Pils, Stout/Porter, White, Flavoured Beers, and Specialty Beers) and then further subdivided into 80 smaller categories (lambic, abbey, chocolate beers, etc.). In a normal year, I would have been there for the judging, but with Covid restrictions, the EU was not permitting Americans to fly to Europe. I had hoped to post this yesterday, but it took me this long to go through and reformat the winners into a list. Congratulations to all the winners!

Belgium won the most medals, with the United States coming in second. Here are the top medal winners, by country.

Medals Won by Country:

  1. Belgium = 79
  2. United States = 31
  3. Italy = 30
  4. Netherlands = 23
  5. Brazil = 16
  6. France = 13
  7. Canada = 10
  8. TIE: China = 9 / Germany = 9
  9. Ireland = 6
  10. TIE: South Korea = 3 / Taiwan = 3

The 2019 Brussels Beer Challenge Winners

Category 1 — Dark Ale: Abbey / Trappist Style Dubbel

  • Gold: Viven Classic Bruin (Belgium) Owned by Brouwerij Viven
  • Silver: Ter Dolen Donker (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Ter Dolen
  • Bronze: Deduction (United States) Brewed by Taxman Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Duits & Lauret Biere de Garde Brune (Netherlands) Brewed by Brouwerij Duits & Lauret

Category 2 — Dark Ale: Brown Ale

  • Gold: Dark Coffee Break (Brazil) Brewed by Wäls Ambev
  • Silver: Joup (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Grain d’Orge
  • Bronze: Rur’ale Brune (France) Brewed by Brasserie Robiche

Category 3 — Dark Ale: Dark/Black IPA

  • Gold: Black Bucket (Ireland) Brewed by Kinnegar Brewing
  • Silver: Colorado Black Indica (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Colorado
  • Bronze: Obaa Three (Belgium) Owned by Obaa Sprl

Category 4 — Dark Ale: Oud Bruin (Flanders Brown Ale)

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Queue de Charrue vieille brune (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Vanuxeem
  • Bronze: Liefmans Goudenband (Belgium) Brewed by Duvel Moortgat

Category 5 — Dark Ale: Strong Dark Ale

  • Gold: Qualified (United States) Brewed by Taxman Brewing Company
  • Silver: De Poes Bruin (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij De Poes BVBA
  • Silver: St.Bernardus Abt 12 (Belgium) Brewed by St.Bernardus Brouwerij
  • Bronze: Gladium Symphony (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Artigianale della Presila di Verrino Anselmo & C. Sas

Category 6 — Flavoured Beer: Chocolate

  • Gold: Endless Love (South Korea) Brewed by Artmonster Brewery
  • Silver: Peanut Butter Hazelnut Caramel Chocolate Cake Stout (United States) Brewed by Hoppin’ Frog Brewing Co
  • Bronze: Bodebrown – Iron Maiden Trooper Brasil IPA (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Bodebrown Ltda

Category 7 — Flavoured Beer: Coffee

  • Gold: Dadgum Coffee IPA (United States) Brewed by Rahr & Sons Brewing Co.
  • Silver: Goodieson Coffee Stout (Australia) Brewed by Goodieson Brewery
  • Bronze: Kaffee (Canada) Brewed by Microbrasserie La Souche
  • Bronze: Panda Nero (Ireland) Brewed by Brú Brewery

Category 8 — Flavoured Beer: Field Beer

  • Gold: No Award
  • Silver: Colorado Double Brown Coconut (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Colorado
  • Bronze: La Diablesse (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie du Renard

Category 9 — Flavoured Beer: Fruit Beer

  • Gold: Daobrew Free-fall Litchi Gose (China) Brewed by Chengdu Fengshou Craft Beer Company, Ltd
  • Silver: Cranbic (United States) Brewed by New Glarus Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Markens Grøde – Farmer´s Reserve (Norway) Brewed by Lindheim Ølkompani

Category 10 — Flavoured Beer: Herb & Spice

  • Gold: Rumpy (United States) Brewed by Rahr & Sons Brewing Co.
  • Silver: SpontanBasil (Belgium) Brewed by Lindemans Brewery
  • Bronze: GingerGueuze (Belgium) Brewed by Lindemans Brewery
  • Bronze: Straf Gouden Boelsbier (Belgium) Owned by Bieren Boels

Category 11 — Flavoured Beer: Honey Beer

  • Gold: Bee Bock (Italy) Brewed by Ibeer
  • Silver: Piersech Honey Saison (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Gardena SRL
  • Bronze: Bière de Miel (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Dupont
  • Bronze: Wallabierke (Belgium) Owned by Wallabieke

Category 12 — Flavoured Beer: Old Style Fruit-Lambic

  • Gold: Kriek Mariage Parfait (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Boon
  • Silver: Oude Kriek Oud Beersel (Belgium) Brewed by Oud Beersel BVBA
  • Silver: Oude Riesling Tilquin à l’ancienne (Belgium) Brewed by Gueuzerie Tilquin S.A.
  • Bronze: Kriek (Belgium) Brewed by Hof ten Dormaal
  • Bronze: Schaarbeekse Oude Kriek Oud Beersel (Belgium) Brewed by Oud Beersel BVBA

Category 13 — Flavoured Beer: Russian Imperial Stout Barrel Or Oaked Aged

  • Gold: Huge Arker (United States) Brewed by Anderson Valley Brewing
  • Silver: Tiki Tiki (United States) Brewed by Veza Sur Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Parabola (United States) Brewed by Firestone

Category 14 — Flavoured Beer: Smoked Beer

  • Gold: Friend or Foe? (Poland) Owned by Browar Rockmill Sp. Z O.O.
  • Silver: Buckskin Rauchbier (Taiwan) Brewed by Buckskin, King Car Group
  • Bronze: Duits & Lauret Houtgerijpte Rook Dubbelbock (Netherlands) Brewed by Brouwerij Duits & Lauret
  • Bronze: Rauch Marzen (South Korea) Brewed by Goose Island Brewhouse Seoul

Category 15 — Flavoured Beer: Sweet/Milk Stout

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: Film G Milk Stout (China) Brewed by 18 Brewery

Category 16 — Flavoured Beer: Wood/Barrel Aged (Less Than 10% ABV)

  • Gold: Dama Wood Selection Imperial Brown Porter (Brazil) Brewed by Renato Bazzo
  • Silver: Rust – Farmer’s Reseve (Norway) Brewed by Lindheim Ølkompani
  • Bronze: Podere La Berta – Vècc Barrel Aged (Italy) Brewed by Felsina S.p.a.

Category 17 — Flavoured Beer: Wood/Barrel Aged Higher Than 10% ABV)

  • Gold: Bush de Nuits (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Dubuisson
  • Gold: Peak Triple Rum Barrel Aged (Belgium) Brewed by Belgium Peak Beer S.A
  • Silver: La Curita Imperial (United States) Brewed by Veza Sur Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Grande Réserve Fermentée en Barriques – Edition Armagnac (Belgium) Brewed by Bières de Chimay

Category 18 — Lager: American-Style Pilsner

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Dama Pilsen (Brazil) Brewed by Renato Bazzo
    Bronze: Firestone Lager (United States) Brewed by Firestone Walker

Category 19 — Lager: Bohemian-Style Pilsner

Gold: Pils (Italy) Brewed by Qubeer
Silver: Mama’s Little Yella Pils (United States) Brewed by Oskar Blues Brewery
Bronze: Kingpin Pils (Poland) Owned by Browar Kingpin Sp. z.o.o.

Category 20 — Lager: Dark/Dunkel (Including Schwarzbier)

  • Gold: Marilune Moonroe (France) Brewed by Brasserie de la Pleine Lune
  • Silver: Eastside Dark (United States) Brewed by Lakefront Brewery
  • Bronze: Slow Chill Dunkel Lager (United States) Brewed by Oskar Blues Brewery

Category 21 — Lager: German-Style Dunkel Bock/Doppelbock

  • Gold: Brand Dubbelbock (Netherlands) Brewed by Heineken
  • Silver: Weyermann® Bamberger Hofbräu® Exquisator (Germany) Brewed by Constantin Förtner
  • Bronze: Dubec (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Via Priula di San Pellegrino

Category 22 — Lager: German-Style Helles- / MaiBock / Doppelbock

  • Gold: Maestra Doble Lúpulo (Spain) Brewed by Mahou San Miguel
  • Silver: Alfa Krachtig Dort (Netherlands) Brewed by Meens Bierbrouwerij B.V. NL
  • Bronze: Buckskin Heller Bock (Taiwan) Brewed by Buckskin, King Car Group

Category 23 — Lager: German-Style Märzen

  • Gold: Pietra (France) Brewed by Brasserie Pietra
    Silver: Ketterer Edel (Germany) Brewed by Familienbrauerei M. Ketterer GmbH & Co. KG
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 24 — Lager: German-Style Pilsner

  • Gold: Pagoda Hill Pilsner (China) Owned by Blue Marlin Brewing Co.
  • Silver: Pils2 (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Otus Srl
  • Bronze: AntiKorpo Brewing – Grommet (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Cittavecchia Soc. Agr. a r.l.
  • Bronze: Ketterer Zwickel-pils (Germany) Brewed by Familienbrauerei M. Ketterer GmbH & Co. KG

Category 25 — Lager: Helles

  • Gold: Waldhaus Hell (Germany) Brewed by Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid GmbH
  • Silver: B5 (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Otus Srl
  • Bronze: Bayreuther Hell (Germany) Brewed by Bayreuther Bierbrauerei AG

Category 26 — Lager: Hoppy Lager

  • Gold: Dama American Lager (Brazil) Brewed by Renato Bazzo
  • Silver: American Jasper (Italy) Brewed by Soc.Coop. La Piazza
  • Bronze: American Magut (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Lambrate
  • Bronze: Pils 13 – White label (Belgium) Owned by The Ministry of Belgian Beer

Category 27 — Lager: International Style Pilsner

  • Gold: Colorado Ribeirão Lager (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Colorado
  • Silver: Alfa Edel Pils (Netherlands) Brewed by Meens Bierbrouwerij B.V. NL
  • Bronze: Estrella Damm (Spain) Brewed by S.A.Damm
  • Bronze: Primus (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Haacht

Category 28 — Lager: Light Lager

  • Gold: DL (Ireland) Brewed by Kinnegar Brewing
  • Silver: Brahma Duplo Malte (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Ambev
  • Bronze: Bohemia Puro Malte (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Ambev
  • Bronze: Brahma Chopp (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Ambev

Category 29 — Lager: Vienna Lager

  • Gold: Vienna Festbier (United States) Brewed by Quarter Celtic Brewpub
    Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: Gangnam Style (South Korea) Brewed by Artmonster Brewery

Category 30 — Pale&Amber Ale: (Belgian Style) Tripel

  • Gold: Paix Dieu (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Caulier SPRL
    Gold: Tripel LeFort (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste
    Silver: Kompel L’or Noir (Belgium) Owned by Brouwerij Kompel
    Silver: Tongerlo Tripel (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Haacht
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 31 — Pale&Amber Ale: Abbey / Trappist Style Blond

  • Gold: Ter Dolen Blond (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Ter Dolen
  • Silver: Lamme Goedzak (Belgium) Brewed by Scheldebrouwerij BVBA
  • Bronze: Herkenrode Cister (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Cornelissen
  • Bronze: Malheur 8 (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Malheur

Category 32 — Pale&Amber Ale: Amber

  • Gold: La Bonne Aventure (Canada) Brewed by Microbrasserie Pit Caribou
  • Silver: La Rousse du Mont Blanc (France) Brewed by Brasserie du Mont Blanc
  • Bronze: Donna di Cuori (Italy) Brewed by Ibeer

Category 33 — Pale&Amber Ale: American IPA (Higher Than 6.5 ABV)

  • Gold: Born and Raised (United States) Brewed by No-Li Brewhouse
  • Gold: California West Coast IPA (Italy) Brewed by Mastri Birrai Umbri Società Agricola
  • Silver: Revision IPA (United States) Brewed by Revision Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Missile (United States) Brewed by Champion Brewing Company

Category 34 — Pale&Amber Ale: American IPA (Less Than 6.5 ABV)

  • Gold: Bird of Prey (Netherlands) Brewed by Uiltje Brewing Company
  • Silver: So Hoppy! (Belgium) Brewed by Dum’s Brew
  • Bronze: Jopen Hop Zij Met Ons (Netherlands) Brewed by Jopen BV
  • Bronze: La Conquereor (Canada) Brewed by Microbrasserie Pit Caribou

Category 35 — Pale&Amber Ale: American Pale Ale

  • Gold: Dikke Lul 3 Bier (Netherlands) Brewed by Uiltje Brewing
  • Silver: Aero (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio della Granda
  • Silver: Day Job Pale Ale (United States) Brewed by Three Weavers Brewing, Co.
  • Bronze: Tiny Gangsta (China) Owned by Crafters Brewing Co.

Category 36 — Pale&Amber Ale: Belgian Style IPA

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Lumunus (Netherlands) Brewed by Stadsbrouwerij 013
    Bronze: Jack’s Precious IPA (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij The Musketeers
    Bronze: Viven Master IPA (Belgium) Owned by Brouwerij Viven

Category 37 — Pale&Amber Ale: Best Bitter

  • Gold: Roger Bitter (Italy) Brewed by Birra 100Venti
  • Silver: La Galipette (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Le Fou du Roi – E.L.T sprl
  • Bronze: Aubel Pure (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Grain d’Orge

Category 38 — Pale&Amber Ale: Bières De Garde Ambrée

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Gare de Roubaix (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Mezzavia
    Bronze: PAPITOU (Belgium) Owned by MV²O – LPDLT BV.
    Bronze: St Idesbald Rousse (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij L. Huyghe

Category 39 — Pale&Amber Ale: Bitter

  • Gold: Doom Bar (United Kingdom) Owned by Sharps Brewery
  • Silver: Bertinchamps Légère (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie de Bertinchamps
  • Bronze: Santé Maris Otter (Belgium) Owned by Sante Beer

Category 40 — Pale&Amber Ale: Double Saison

  • Gold: Moinette Blonde (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Dupont
  • Silver: Tank 7 (United States) Brewed by Boulevard Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Saison Dupont Dry Hop (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Dupont
(Photo by Bart Van der Perre)

Category 41 — Pale&Amber Ale: English IPA

  • Gold: SUPER 8 IPA (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Haacht
  • Silver: NONNE IPA (France) Brewed by Les Brasseurs Savoyards
  • Bronze: Ninkasi French IPA (France) Brewed by Ninkasi Fabriques

Category 42 — Pale&Amber Ale: Golden Ale

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Wilderen Goud (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij & Distilleerderij Wilderen
    Bronze: St-Feuillien Five (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie St-Feuillien
    Bronze: Troubadour Blond (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij The Musketeers

Category 43 — Pale&Amber Ale: Imperial IPA

  • Gold: Thumper (Ireland) Brewed by Kinnegar Brewing
  • Silver: Azz (Italy) Brewed by Birra Gaia SrL
  • Bronze: Jopen Heavy Cross (Netherlands) Brewed by Jopen BV

Category 44 — Pale&Amber Ale: Kölsch

  • Gold: La Blonde du Pêcheur (Canada) Brewed by Microbrasserie Pit Caribou
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 45 — Pale&Amber Ale: Light Bitter Blond/Golden Ale

  • Gold: Ename Pater (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Roman
  • Silver: Fientje (Belgium) Owned by Huisbrouwerij Fienneke- Ellen Winters
  • Bronze: 8 File (Italy) Brewed by La Collina Trattoria & Birrificio Artigianale
  • Bronze: Super Sanglier (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Minne

Category 46 — Pale&Amber Ale: Modern Saison

  • Gold: Funky Brett (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Lefebvre
  • Silver: Blue Butterfly (United States) Brewed by Deschutes Brewery
  • Bronze: 28 Saison (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie 28

Category 47 — Pale&Amber Ale: New England IPA

  • Gold: Loup des Saules (Canada) Brewed by Microbrasserie La Souche
  • Silver: Disco Ninja (United States) Brewed by Revision Brewing
  • Bronze: Juice Punch V10 (Netherlands) Brewed by Brouwerij Frontaal
  • Bronze: Master Gao Birdland (China) Brewed by Master Gao Brewing Co. of Nanjing

Category 48 — Pale&Amber Ale: Pacific IPA

  • Gold: Crikey IPA (United States) Brewed by Reuben’s Brews
  • Silver: The Pupil (United States) Brewed by Societe Brewing Company
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 49 — Pale&Amber Ale: Session IPA

  • Gold: Jackie Dunn (Canada) Brewed by Microbrasserie La Souche
  • Silver: La Cristal IPA (France) Brewed by Brasserie du Mont Blanc
  • Bronze: Canaia (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Bradipongo S.r.l.
  • Bronze: Perroquet IPA (Canada) Brewed by Microbrasserie Le Trou du diable

Category 50 — Pale&Amber Ale: Strong Amber

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Pauwel Kwak (Belgium) Brewed by n.v. Brouwerij Bosteels Brasserie s.a.
    Bronze: Millican Extra (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Mezzopasso

Category 51 — Pale&Amber Ale: Strong Blonde

  • Gold: Hapkin (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Alken-Maes
  • Silver: Duvel Tripel Hop Citra (Belgium) Brewed by Duvel Moortgat
  • Bronze: Bon Secours Blonde (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Caulier

Category 52 — Pale&Amber Ale: Strong/Extra Special Bitter

  • Gold: Gatsby (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio La Villana – Centoundici srl
  • Silver: Royal Bitter (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Legnone
  • Bronze: El Dorado (Italy) Brewed by Ibeer

Category 53 — Pale&Amber Ale: Traditional Saison

  • Gold: Saison Dupont Bio (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Dupont
  • Silver: Saison Dupont (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Dupont
  • Bronze: Biolégère (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Dupont

Category 54 — Red Ale: American Red Ale

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: Apache (Italy) Brewed by Birra 100Venti
    Bronze: Scarlet Pimpernel (Ireland) Brewed by Killarney Brewing Company

Category 55 — Red Ale: Irish Red Ale

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Brú Red Ale (Ireland) Brewed by Brú Brewery
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 56 — Red Ale: Oud Rood (Flanders Red Ale)

  • Gold: No award.
    Silver: Tsai’s Flanders Red Ale (Taiwan) Brewed by Tsai’s Actual Brewing Co., Ltd.
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 57 — Speciality Beer: Alcohol-Free

  • Gold: Ramon (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Roman
  • Silver: Amstel 0.0 (Netherlands) Brewed by Heineken
  • Bronze: Affligem 0.0% (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Alken-Maes

Category 58 — Speciality Beer: Barley Wine

  • Gold: Barley Wine Brune 2017 (France) Brewed by Cap d’Ona
  • Silver: Base Bohemia Reserva (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Bohemia
  • Bronze: Troost Barleywine (Netherlands) Brewed by Brouwerij Troost

Category 59 — Speciality Beer: Brut Beer

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Kessbier Belgian Mango Brut (Brazil) Brewed by Kessbier Cervejaria
    Bronze: Asparagus (Netherlands) Owned by Brouwerij Hommeles

Category 60 — Speciality Beer: Gluten Free

  • Gold: Brunehaut Triple (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie de Brunehaut
  • Silver: Biosfera (Italy) Brewed by Il Mastio ssa
  • Bronze: Blonde Bio Sans Gluten (France) Brewed by Cap d’Ona
  • Bronze: Grisette Blonde Bio gluten free (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie St-Feuillien

Category 61 — Speciality Beer: Low-Alcohol

  • Gold: BIIR – Lots off cry(o)hops almost no alcohol (Belgium) Owned by Biir Noble Brew Trading
  • Silver: Bakalár nealko za studena Chmelený (Czech Republic) Brewed by Tradicní Pivovar v Rakovníku, a.s.
  • Bronze: Maisel & Friends Alkoholfrei (Germany) Brewed by Brauerei Gebr. Maisel

Category 62 — Speciality Beer: Old Style Gueuze-Lambic

  • Gold: Oude Geuze Oud Beersel (Belgium) Brewed by Oud Beersel BVBA
  • Silver: Oude Geuze Vandervelden (Belgium) Brewed by Oud Beersel BVBA
  • Silver: Oude Gueuze Cuvée René (Belgium) Brewed by Lindemans Brewery
  • Bronze: Feral One (United States) Brewed by Firestone Walker

Category 63 — Speciality Beer: Other Sour Ale

  • Gold: Kriek Whiskey BA (Belgium) Brewed by Hof ten Dormaal
  • Silver: Praia do Meio (Brazil) Owned by Cervejaria Cozalinda
  • Bronze: Flower Power (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Angerik
  • Bronze: Summer Sour (United States) Brewed by New Glarus Brewing

Category 64 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer (Higher Than 7 ABV)

  • Gold: Apfelstrudel Doppelbock (Netherlands) Brewed by Uiltje Brewing Company
  • Silver: Tiramisù Imperial Stout (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Lambrate
  • Bronze: Beer Van Brugge Single Malt Whiskey Infused (Belgium) Brewed by Beer Van Brugge
  • Bronze: Dama Oatmeal Golden Coffee Ale (Brazil) Brewed by Renato Bazzo

Category 65 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer (Less Than 7 ABV)

  • Gold: Gelders Graan Geluk (Netherlands) Owned by GraanGeluk
  • Silver: La Trappe Puur (Netherlands) Brewed by Bierbrouwerij de Koningshoeven B.V.
  • Silver: Timmermans Lambicus Faro (Belgium) Brewed by Timmermans NV
  • Bronze: The Harlot (United States) Brewed by Societe Brewing Company

Category 66 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer: Italian Style Grape Ale

  • Gold: L’Equilibrista (Italy) Brewed by Birra del Borgo Srl
  • Silver: Bienne (Belgium) Owned by Aligenti BV
  • Bronze: Fèlsina Birrificio – White IGA (Italy) Brewed by Felsina S.p.a.

Category 67 — Speciality Beer: Winter Ales

  • Gold: Pietra Brassin d’Hiver (France) Brewed by Brasserie Pietra
  • Silver: Gouden Carolus Christmas (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Het Anker
  • Bronze: Evil Santa (United States) Brewed by The Virginia Beer Co.

Category 68 — Stout/ Porter: American Stout

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: All Black (Netherlands) Owned by Stanislaus Brewskovitch BV

Category 69 — Stout/ Porter: Baltic Porter

  • Gold: Teodorico (Italy) Brewed by Birra Mastino
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 70 — Stout/ Porter: Dry Stout

  • Gold: Le Sang d’Encre (Canada) Brewed by Microbrasserie Le Trou du diable
  • Silver: Cheerday Stout (China) Brewed by Hangzhou Cheerday Brewery Co., Ltd.
  • Bronze: Mac Lomas Stout (United States) Brewed by Quarter Celtic Brewpub

Category 71 — Stout/ Porter: Oatmeal Stout

  • Gold: Panty (Netherlands) Brewed by Oedipus Brewing
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 72 — Stout/ Porter: Porter

  • Gold: La Gaspésienne #13 (Canada) Brewed by Microbrasserie Pit Caribou
    Silver: La Machurée (France) Brewed by SAS Brasserie Stéphanoise
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 73 — Stout/ Porter: Russian Imperial Stout

  • Gold: Dangerous (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio della Granda
  • Gold: Wrecking Ball (United States) Brewed by No-Li Brewhouse
  • Silver: B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher Oatmeal Imperial Stout (United States) Brewed by Hoppin’ Frog Brewing Co
  • Silver: Kollusion (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Maenhout
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 74 — Stout/ Porter: Stout Export

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: van Vollenhoven Extra Stout (Netherlands) Brewed by Brouwerij Poesiat & Kater
    Bronze: Dama Stout (Brazil) Brewed by Renato Bazzo

Category 75 — Wheat: Dubbel Wit/Imperial White

  • Gold: Bogaerden Dubbel Tarwe Tripel (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Sako
  • Gold: Jopen Witte Kerst (Netherlands)Brewed by Jopen BV
  • Bronze: Grosse Bertha (Belgium) Owned by Brussels Beer Project

Category 76 — Wheat: Dunkel Weizen(Doppel)Bock

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: TAP6 Aventinus (Germany) Brewed by Schneider Weisse G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH
    Bronze: Weizenbock (Netherlands) Brewed by Davo Bieren Bv

Category 77 — Wheat: Gose

  • Gold: La Gose IPA du Barachois (Canada) Brewed by Microbrasserie Pit Caribou
    Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 78 — Wheat: Weizen

  • Gold: TAP7 Original (Germany) Brewed by Schneider Weisse G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH
  • Silver: Primátor Weizen (Czech Republic) Brewed by Primátor A.s.
  • Bronze: Beluga Beer (China) Brewed by Hunan Beluga Beer Co. , Ltd
  • Bronze: Ketterer Ur-Weisse hell (Germany) Brewed by Familienbrauerei M. Ketterer GmbH & Co. KG

Category 79 — Wheat: White IPA/Hoppy Weizen

  • Gold: Blitz (Netherlands) Owned by Brouwerij Bliksem
  • Silver: No award.
    Bronze: Daobrew CDC Chengmsterdam White IPA (China) Brewed by Chengdu Fengshou Craft Beer Company, Ltd
    Bronze: Pearl of the Orient (China) Brewed by 18 Brewery

Category 80 — Wheat: Witbier

  • Gold: Hoegaarden White (Belgium) Brewed by Hoegaarden AB-Inbev
  • Silver: Blanche de Namur (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie du Bocq
  • Bronze: Affligem Belgisch Wit (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Alken-Maes
  • Bronze: La Blanche du Mont Blanc (France) Brewed by Brasserie du Mont Blanc
Tasting Director Luc De Raedemaeker (photo by Bart Van der Perre)

GABF Winners 2020

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Earlier today, the winners of the 39th Great American Beer Festival were announced (and the 34th with judging). Given the world in 2020, an impressive 8,806 entries in 91 categories (or 170 different beer styles if you include the subcategories) were tasted by 115 judges, of which I was again privileged to be one. Here are some more factoids on the results:

  • Category with the most entries: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale: 348 entries (This is the third year in a row that it’s been #1.
  • Top 5 Categories: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale (377 entries); American-Style India Pale Ale (355 entries); German-Style Pilsener (200 entries); Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout (199 entries); and Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale (192 entries)
  • Average number of competition beers entered in each category: 97
  • 1,720 breweries in the competition from all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C.
  • 337 first-time breweries entered the competition
  • 19 first-time breweries won medals
  • Only one brewery won 4 medals, Sun King Brewery of Indianapolis, Indiana. Three won 3 medals apiece: Cannonball Creek Brewing of Golden, Colorado; Chuckanut Brewery of Bellingham, Washington; and Riip Beer Co., from Huntington Beach, California. In addition, 23 breweries won 2 medals.

Medals Won by State:

  1. California = 62
  2. Colorado = 26
  3. Oregon = 22
  4. Washington = 16
  5. Virginia = 15
  6. North Carolina = 11
  7. TIE: Indiana = 10 / Texas = 10
  8. Ohio = 9
  9. TIE: Illinois = 6 / Michigan = 6
  10. TIE: IOWA = 5 / Missouri = 5 / Nevada = 5 / New York = 5
Print

The 2018 Great American
Beer Festival Winners

Category 1: American-Style Wheat Beer – 59 Entries
Gold: Whoopty Whoop Wheat, Wild Ride Brewing, Redmond, OR
Silver: Emmer, Lost Worlds Brewing, Cornelius, NC
Bronze: 10 Barrel TWheat, 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub, Bend, OR

Category 2: American-Style Fruit Beer – 125 Entries
Gold: Strawberry Zwickelbier, Twin Sisters Brewing Co., Bellingham, WA
Silver: Everything But The Seeds, 1623 Brewing Co., Eldersburg, MD
Bronze: Berry, Berry, Quite Contrary, Territorial Brewing Co., Springfield, MI

Category 3: Fruit Wheat Beer – 107 Entries
Gold: Liliko’i Kepolo, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Silver: Grandma’s Favorite Recipe, Silver Harbor Brewing Co., Saint Joseph, MI
Bronze: Afternoon Delight, Storm Peak Brewing Co., Steamboat Springs, CO

Category 4: Field Beer – 107 Entries
Gold: Lime Cucumber Gose, Urban South Brewery – New Orleans, New Orleans, LA
Silver: Coconut Bligh’s Barleywine, Dry Dock Brewing Co.- North Dock, Aurora, CO
Bronze: No Rules, Perrin Brewing Co., Comstock Park, MI

Category 5: Pumpkin Beer – 51 Entries
Gold: Gordgeous, NoDa Brewing Co. – NE, Charlotte, NC
Silver: 5 Phantoms 2018, Philipsburg Brewing Co., Philipsburg, MT
Bronze: Pumpkin Patch Ale, Rogue Ales & Spirits, Newport, OR

Category 6: Chili Beer – 76 Entries
Gold: 325 Pineapple Chili, Hoops Brewing, Duluth, MN
Silver: Poblano Pils, Cervecería Colorado, Denver, CO
Bronze: Hatch Chile Gatos, Fate Brewing Co., Scottsdale, AZ

Category 7: Herb and Spice Beer – 99 Entries
Gold: Allergeez, Panther Island Brewing, Fort Worth, TX
Silver: Yerba Buena, Del Cielo Brewing Co., Martinez, CA
Bronze: Powder Run, Living the Dream Brewing Co., Littleton, CO

Category 8: Chocolate Beer – 53 Entries
Gold: Weapon of Mash Destruction, Main & Six Brewing Co., Jacksonville, FL
Silver: Old Balltown Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Aged Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Brownie Milk Stout, PIVO Brewery, Calmar, IA
Bronze: Von Schrag, Mother’s Brewing Co., Springfield, MO

Category 9: Coffee Beer – 72 Entries
Gold: Daybreak, Wolf’s Ridge Brewing – Columbus, OH
Silver: Golden Stout, Karl Strauss Brewing Co. – Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
Bronze: BJ’s Coffee Blonde, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Reno, Reno, NV

Category 10: Coffee Stout or Porter – 75 Entries
Gold: Super Tonic, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Silver: The Riizzo, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Bronze: Venti is Large, Hop Dogma Brewing Co., Half Moon Bay, CA

Category 11: Specialty Beer – 35 Entries
Gold: Coco Burrito Porter, Shoe Tree Brewing Co., Carson City, NV
Silver: Cookies & Cream Milk Stout, Waconia Brewing Co., Waconia, MN
Bronze: Cactus Warrior, Toltec Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM

Category 12: Rye Beer – 52 Entries
Gold: Crazy Jackass Ale, Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern, Centreville, VA
Silver: Hugzilla, Gezellig Brewing Co., Newton, IA
Bronze: Chuckanut Rye, Chuckanut Brewery – North Nut, Bellingham, WA

Category 13: Honey Beer – 72 Entries
Gold: Honey Please, Armadillo Ale Works, Denton, TX
Silver: Tra La La, Grimm Artisanal Ales, Brooklyn, NY
Bronze: Grid City Honey Cream Ale, Grid City Beer Works, Salt Lake City, UT

Category 14: Session Beer or Non-Alcohol Beer – 89 Entries
Gold: Tip the Calf, SingleSpeed Brewing, Waterloo, IA
Silver: Guillaume, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Straight Drank N/A IPA, Two Roots Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category 15: Session India Pale Ale – 94 Entries
Gold: Hefty Fee, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Silver: Pedal Pounder, LazyG Brewhouse, Prescott, AZ
Bronze: On Pins & Needles, Institution Ale Co., Camarillo, CA

Category 16: Other Strong Beer – 82 Entries
Gold: Rico, Chihuahua Cerveza, Costa Mesa, CA
Silver: Krimson King, Accomplice Beer Co., Cheyenne, WY
Bronze: Hello, Sabro!, Danville Brewing Co., Danville, CA

Category 17: Experimental Beer – 115 Entries
Gold: Barrel Aged Coco Piña, Coastal Empire Beer Co., Savannah, GA
Silver: Choco Tuesday, Lone Pine Brewing Co. – Gorham Tasting Room, Gorham, ME
Bronze: Get Artistic, Creature Comforts Brewing Co., Athens, GA

Category 18: Experimental India Pale Ale – 103 Entries
Gold: Pepper & Peaches, Claremont Craft Ales, Claremont, CA
Silver: Lazy Tiger, Lamplighter Brewing Co., Cambridge, MA
Bronze: Vladimir Brutin, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 19: Historical Beer – 28 Entries
Gold: Decorah Nordic Gruit, PIVO Brewery, Calmar, IA
Silver: Seedstock Gratzer, Seedstock Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Fr. Bernard’s Grodziskie, New Magnolia Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category 20: Gluten-Free Beer – 45 Entries
Gold: Aurochs Hazy IPA, Aurochs Brewing Co., Emsworth, PA
Silver: 1808, ALT Brew, Madison, WI

Category 21: American-Belgo-Style Ale – 34 Entries
Gold: Tank 7, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO
Silver: Dear You, Ratio Beerworks, Denver, CO
Bronze: Still Single, Light the Lamp Brewery, Grayslake, IL

Category 22: American-Style Sour Ale – 36 Entries
Gold: Vice Sans Fruit, Wild Barrel Brewing Co., San Marcos, CA
Silver: Mirage, New Terrain Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: Sour IPA, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO

Category 23: Fruited American-Style Sour Ale – 180 Entries
Gold: Guava Dreams, Del Cielo Brewing Co., Martinez, CA
Silver: Peach Afternoon, Port Brewing Co. / The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA
Bronze: Summer Sun, Stereo Brewing Co., Placentia, CA

Category 24: Brett Beer – 48 Entries
Gold: Bottle Conditioned Day Drinker, Lost Forty Brewing, Little Rock, AR
Silver: Touch of Brett, Alesong Brewing & Blending, Eugene, OR
Bronze: Saison de Walt, Flix Brewhouse, Carmel, IN

Category 25: Mixed-Culture Brett Beer – 74 Entries
Gold: Wild James, Coldfire Brewing, Eugene, OR
Silver: Déluge, Sanitas Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Bronze: Gathering Red Currants & Peaches, Grimm Artisanal Ales, Brooklyn, NY

Category 26: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer – 65 Entries
Gold: Afternoon Delight, Sun King Brewery – Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Amburana Graham Cracker Porter, Denver Beer Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: B.A.DUNKEL, TAPS Brewery & Barrel Room, Tustin, CA

Category 27: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer – 154 Entries
Gold: Amburana Dream, Denver Beer Co. – Olde Town Arvada, Arvada, CO
Silver: Bourbon B.A. Big Game, Bravery Brewing, Lancaster, CA
Bronze: Barrel-Aged Full Malted Jacket, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA

Category 28: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout – 199 Entries
Gold: A Night to End All Dawns, Kane Brewing Co., Ocean, NJ
Silver: Ruckus, Melvin Brewing – Thai Me Up, Jackson, WY
Bronze: Grasp of Oak, Moksa Brewing Co., Rocklin, CA

Category 29: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 54 Entries
Gold: Cuvee De Funk, Lone Pine Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Silver: Triad Blanc, IMBIB Custom Brews, Reno, NV
Bronze: Freedom 7, True Anomaly Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category 30: Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 111 Entries
Gold: The Many Lives of Our Lives, Big aLICe Brewing Co., Long Island City, NY
Silver: Cleft, Little Fish Brewing Co., Athens, OH
Bronze: Cherry Busey, Sun King Brewery – Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

Category 31: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier – 71 Entries
Gold: Safety Dance, Smartmouth Brewing Co., Norfolk, VA
Silver: Royal Bohemian Pilsner, Earth Rider Brewery, Superior, WI
Bronze: TF Brewing Granary Keller Bier, Templin Family Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT

Category 32: Smoke Beer – 60 Entries
Gold: O’Fallon Smoked Porter, O’Fallon Brewery, Maryland Heights, MO
Silver: Holy Smokes!, Santa Maria Brewing Co., Atascadero, CA
Bronze: Buchenrauch, Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, Columbus, OH

Category 33: American Lager – 137 Entries
Gold: Lager at World’s End, Epidemic Ales, Concord, CA
Silver: Seismic Tremor, Seismic Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Bronze: Lite Thinking, Pollyanna Brewing Co., Lemont, IL

Category 34: Light Lager – 85 Entries
Gold: Wander Litely, Wander Brewing, Bellingham, WA
Silver: Chuckanut Chuck Lite, Chuckanut Brewery – North Nut, Bellingham, WA
Bronze: Pachanga, Sun King Brewery – Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

Category 35: American Pilsener – 120 Entries
Gold: Beachscape, Ventura Coast Brewing Co., Ventura, CA
Silver: Imagine a World with Beer Cellars Instead of 401ks, Freetail Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX
Bronze: Pilsner, Old Town Brewing, Portland, OR

Category 36: International Pilsener – 114 Entries
Gold: Japanese Lager, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR
Silver: Rioveza, Kern River Brewing Co. – The Backyard, Kernville, CA
Bronze: Little Wing, Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Co., Chicago, IL

Category 37: American-Style Cream Ale – 135 Entries
Gold: Moonlite, Moontown Brewing Co., Whitestown, IN
Silver: Cerveza, True North Ale Co., Ipswich, MA
Bronze: Let’s Talk About Mex, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 38: American Amber Lager – 111 Entries
Gold: Volksbier Vienna, Wibby Brewing, Longmont, CO
Silver: Oktoberfest, Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, MI
Bronze: Amber Lager, Skipping Rock Beer Co., Staunton, VA

Category 39: German-Style Pilsener – 200 Entries
Gold: Sprockets, Gravely Brewing Co., Louisville, KY
Silver: Prost Pils, Prost Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Pils, Kansas City Bier Co., Kansas City, MO

Category 40: Bohemian-Style Pilsener – 137 Entries
Gold: Perle Haggard, Ex Novo Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Silver: Fortune & Glory, Precarious Beer Project – Precarious Beer Hall, Williamsburg, VA
Bronze: Tres Tres, Ocean Beach Brewery, San Diego, CA

Category 41: Munich-Style Helles – 131 Entries
Gold: Augenblick Light Lager, Masthead Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH
Silver: Nashville Lager, Nashville Brewing Co., Nashville, TN
Bronze: Helles, Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2, Bellingham, WA

Category 42: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest – 90 Entries
Gold: CounterWeight Fest Bier, Counter Weight Brewing Co., Hamden, CT
Silver: The Prince of DORTness, Quarter Celtic Brewpub, Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Funfest, Bootlegger’s Brewery, Fullerton, CA

Category 43: Vienna-Style Lager – 109 Entries
Gold: RhinO’fest, Lost Rhino Brewing Co., Ashburn, VA
Silver: Vienna Lager, East Rock Brewing Co., New Haven, CT
Bronze: Oktoberfest, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA

Category 44: German-Style Maerzen – 142 Entries
Gold: Amber’s Lager-Amber Lager, Irwin Brewing Co., Crested Butte, CO
Silver: White Rocktoberfest, White Rock Alehouse & Brewery, Dallas, TX
Bronze: Big Grove Oktoberfest, Big Grove Brewery, Iowa City, IA

Category 45: German Dark Lager – 98 Entries
Gold: Maximilian, La Reforma, Albuquerque, NM
Silver: Dozer Line, Topa Topa Brewing Co., Ventura, CA
Bronze: Umbeereon, GameCraft Brewing, Laguna Hills, CA

Category 46: International Dark Lager – 89 Entries
Gold: Baltic Porter, Skipping Rock Beer Co., Staunton, VA
Silver: Murder Ballads, Noble Beast Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH
Bronze: Public Enemy Baltic Porter, Dust Bowl Brewing Co., Turlock, CA

Category 47: Bock – 50 Entries
Gold: Chuckanut Maibock, Chuckanut Brewery – North Nut, Bellingham, WA
Silver: Maibock, NoDa Brewing Co. – NE, Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Skool House Bock, Moontown Brewing Co., Whitestown, IN

Category 48: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock – 40 Entries
Gold: Agent Provocator, Clandestine Brewing, San Jose, CA
Silver: Duck-Rabbit Duck-Rabbator, Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Farmville, NC
Bronze: Doppelbock, Lupulin Brewing, Big Lake, MN

Category 49: Golden or Blonde Ale – 137 Entries
Gold: Carolinian, Columbia Craft Brewing Co., Columbia, SC
Silver: Salty Crew, Coronado Brewing Co., Coronado, CA
Bronze: Sunlight Cream Ale, Sun King Brewery – Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN

Category 50: German-Style Koelsch – 162 Entries
Gold: Kolsch, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR
Silver: Kodiak Kolsch, Bear Chase Brewing Co., Bluemont, VA
Bronze: Kolsch Money, Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers, Framingham, MA

Category 51: English Ale – 93 Entries
Gold: Proper Beer, Proper Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT
Silver: Summer Lovin’, Blue Mountain Brewery, Afton, VA
Bronze: Uncle Dave’s, Discretion Brewing, Soquel, CA

Category 52: International Pale Ale – 87 Entries
Gold: Locals Only, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Silver: Carlsbad Crush, Burgeon Beer Co., Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Inner Light, Our Mutual Friend Brewing, Denver, CO

Category 53: American-Style Pale Ale – 156 Entries
Gold: Featherweight Pale Ale, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Somewhere Golden, Institution Ale Co., Camarillo, CA
Bronze: Pantsless, Alarmist Brewing, Chicago, IL

Category 54: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale – 137 Entries
Gold: Moon Haze, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Hazy L IPA, Bale Breaker Brewing Co., Yakima, WA
Bronze: Mosaic Pale Ale, Random Row Brewing Co., Charlottesville, VA

Category 55: American-Style Strong Pale Ale – 149 Entries
Gold: Built For Speed, Grains of Wrath Brewing, Camas, WA
Silver: Superpower IPA, Comrade Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Mai Tai P.A., Alvarado Street Brewery & Tasting Room, Salinas, CA

Category 56: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale – 145 Entries
Gold: Goofy Boots, Penrose Brewing Co., Geneva, IL
Silver: Reuben’s Crush, Reuben’s Brews – The Taproom, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Tight Quarters, Slice Beer Co., Lincoln, CA

Category 57: American-Style India Pale Ale – 355 Entries
Gold: IPA, Perry Street Brewing, Spokane, WA
Silver: Updrift India Pale Ale, Pelican Brewing Co. – Tillamook, Tillamook, OR
Bronze: Nothing Noble, Von Ebert Brewing – Pearl, Portland, OR

Category 58: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale – 377 Entries
Gold: Spellbinder, Wren House Brewing Co., Phoenix, AZ
Silver: Yojo, Moonraker Brewing Co., Auburn, CA
Bronze: Wicked Pawesome, Metazoa Brewing Co. – Stringtown Production Facility, Indianapolis, IN

Category 59: Imperial India Pale Ale – 166 Entries
Gold: Hammerland DIPA, El Segundo Brewing Co., El Segundo, CA
Silver: Double Cone, Alvarado Street Brewery & Tasting Room, Salinas, CA
Bronze: Freak of Nature Double IPA, Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, NC

Category 60: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale – 192 Entries
Gold: The Hopsplainer, Burke-Gilman Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: Not A Scientist, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Sugar on My Tongue, Highland Park Brewery, Los Angeles, CA

Category 61: American-Style Amber/Red Ale – 110 Entries
Gold: Avalon Amber Ale, Bowigens Beer Co., Casselberry, FL
Silver: Justin’s Easy Going Amber, Zuni Street Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Paulie’s Not Irish, Old Town Brewing, Portland, OR

Category 62: Strong Red Ale – 75 Entries
Gold: Happy Days, Claremont Craft Ales, Claremont, CA
Silver: Side Hike, Kern River Brewing Co., Kernville, CA
Bronze: Devil’s Path, El Segundo Brewing Co., El Segundo, CA

Category 63: English Mild or Bitter – 57 Entries
Gold: Deep Roots, Three Weavers Brewing Co., Inglewood, CA
Silver: English Pale Mild Ale, Wallenpaupack Brewing Co., Hawley, PA
Bronze: MSB (McFleshman’s Special Bitter), McFleshman’s Brewing Co., Appleton, WI

Category 64: Extra Special Bitter – 56 Entries
Gold: Wicket Awesome, Eureka Heights Brew Co., Houston, TX
Silver: Extra Special StormBreaker, StormBreaker Brewing, Portland, OR
Bronze: English Sporting Beer, Midwest Coast Brewing Co., Chicago, IL

Category 65: Scottish-Style Ale – 43 Entries
Gold: Back Country, Lewis & Clark Brewing Co., Helena, MT
Silver: It Takes a Tribe Red Ale, Goat Patch Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO
Bronze: Taildragger Clan-Destine, Saddle Mountain Brewing Co., Goodyear, AZ

Category 66: Irish-Style Red Ale – 78 Entries
Gold: Balefire Irish Red, Mirror Image Brewing Co., Frederick, CO
Silver: Crimson Lass, Quarter Celtic Brewpub, Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Vixen, Old Bust Head Brewing Co., Vint Hill, VA

Category 67: English-Style Brown Ale – 55 Entries
Gold: Get Up Offa That Brown, Golden Road Brewing, Anaheim, CA
Silver: Bloodhound Brown Ale, Attic Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA
Bronze: Brown Ale, Lowercase Brewing – Production Facility, Seattle, WA

Category 68: American-Style Brown Ale – 60 Entries
Gold: Brown Ale, Second Street Brewery, Santa Fe, NM
Silver: Wallops Island, Rocket Frog Brewing Co., Sterling, VA
Bronze: All-American Brown, Auburn Alehouse, Auburn, CA

Category 69: American-Style Black Ale or American-Style Stout – 69 Entries
Gold: Wookey Jack, Firestone Walker Brewing Co. – The Propagator, Marina del Rey, CA
Silver: Black the Riipper, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Bronze: 1979 Stout, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Mills River, Mills River, NC

Category 70: German-Style Sour Ale – 54 Entries
Gold: Breakside Gose, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: Slightly Sour, Second Chance Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: First Steps on a Sour Planet, Aeronaut Brewing Co., Somerville, MA

Category 71: Specialty Berliner-Style Weisse – 74 Entries
Gold: Razzle Fo Shazzle, Great Basin Brewing Co. – Reno, Reno, NV
Silver: Glitz & Glam, Eppig Brewing, Vista, CA
Bronze: Plumpricot, Beale’s, Bedford, VA

Category 72: Contemporary Gose – 81 Entries
Gold: Cruise to Nowhere, Town Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Silver: Haole Punch, Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill, Monterey, CA
Bronze: Steady As She Gose – P.O.G., Big Ugly Brewing, Chesapeake, VA

Category 73: German-Style Altbier – 44 Entries
Gold: Howitzer Amber, Red Leg Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO
Silver: Control ALT, Devil’s Logic Brewing, Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Altitude Alt, Altitude Chophouse & Brewery, Laramie, WY

Category 74: German-Style Wheat Ale – 145 Entries
Gold: Goggle Fogger Hefeweizen, Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon, North Olmsted, OH
Silver: Hefeweizen, Kansas City Bier Co., Kansas City, MO
Bronze: Doc’s Dunkel, Gravely Brewing Co., Louisville, KY

Category 75: Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale – 74 Entries
Gold: First To Fall, The Good Society, Seattle, WA
Silver: Crazy Train, Fretboard Brewing Co., Blue Ash, OH
Bronze: III Belgian Blond, Third Window Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA

Category 76: Belgian-Style Witbier – 72 Entries
Gold: White, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Silver: Boeman Belgian White, Ogopogo Brewing, San Gabriel, CA
Bronze: Wolk, Lock 27 Brewing, Centerville, OH

Category 77: Classic Saison – 80 Entries
Gold: Beyond the Gnome World, Silver Branch Brewing Co., Silver Spring, MD
Silver: Tomorrow’s Verse, Urban Roots Brewing & Smokehouse, Sacramento, CA
Bronze: Meadowlark, Metazoa Brewing Co. – Taproom, Indianapolis, IN

Category 78: Specialty Saison – 74 Entries
Gold: Farmhouse Cuvée, Alesong Brewing & Tasting Room, Eugene, OR
Silver: Seeds of Infinity, Coldfire Brewing, Eugene, OR
Bronze: Obeisance, Von Ebert Brewing – Glendoveer, Portland, OR

Category 79: Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale – 108 Entries
Gold: Funk Yeah, Beachwood Blendery, Long Beach, CA
Silver: Peche, Block 15 Brewing Co., Corvallis, OR
Bronze: Cerise Morte, Wicked Weed – Funk House, Arden, NC

Category 80: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale – 103 Entries
Gold: Cosmic Sloth, Pinthouse Pizza – South Lamar, Austin, TX
Silver: Qualified, Taxman Brewing Co., Bargersville, IN
Bronze: Hell Camino Belgian Quad, Dos Desperados Brewery, San Diego, CA

Category 81: Belgian-Style Abbey Ale – 106 Entries
Gold: Dubbel or Nothing, Monkless Belgian Ales, Bend, OR
Silver: 228 Tripel, Stormcloud Brewing Co., Frankfort, MI
Bronze: Lux Mundi, Save The World Brewing Co., Marble Falls, TX

Category 82: Belgian-Style Specialty Ale – 47 Entries
Gold: Tangible Passion, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Silver: Goin’ Stag, Cabin Boys Brewery, Tulsa, OK
Bronze: Orange Diva, StillFire Brewing, Suwanee, GA

Category 83: Brown Porter – 54 Entries
Gold: Brown Claw, Kern River Brewing Co., Kernville, CA
Silver: FivePine Porter, Three Creeks Brewing Co., Sisters, OR
Bronze: Old Normal, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Category 84: Robust Porter – 60 Entries
Gold: Tabula Rasa, Second Chance Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Porter, Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, MI
Bronze: Thriller Pillar Porter, Bron Yr Aur Brewing Co., Naches, WA

Category 85: Stout – 72 Entries
Gold: ODIS, O’Connor Brewing Co., Norfolk, VA
Silver: Void of Light, Gun Hill Brewing Co., Bronx, NY
Bronze: Dry Stout, The Post Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO

Category 86: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout – 39 Entries
Gold: Moozie Milk Stout, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Korova Milk Porter, Gnarly Barley Brewing Co., Hammond, LA
Bronze: Irish Prenup, Barley Naked Brewing Co., Stafford, VA

Category 87: Oatmeal Stout – 52 Entries
Gold: Settlers’ Oatmeal Stout, Vallensons’ Brewing Co., Pearland, TX
Silver: North Tower Stout, Earth Rider Brewery, Superior, WI
Bronze: Stagecoach Stout, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Buellton, CA

Category 88: Imperial Stout – 88 Entries
Gold: The Snow, Community Beer Works, Buffalo, NY
Silver: Doggin Wrench, Five Branches Brewing, Tarpon Springs, FL
Bronze: Stoutacus, Shoe Tree Brewing Co., Carson City, NV

Category 89: Scotch Ale – 58 Entries
Gold: No. 17 Scotch Ale, The Freehouse, Minneapolis, MN
Silver: The Bruce, Überbrew, Billings, MT
Bronze: Wee Heavy HINDER, H.H. Hinder Brewing Co., Waupaca, WI

Category 90: Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine-Style Ale – 91 Entries
Gold: Miss Cleo’s Barkleywine, Sanford Brewing Co., Sanford, FL
Silver: Baby Maker, Triple C Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Waterline Wee Heavy, Waterline Brewing Co., Wilmington, NC

Category 91: Fresh Hop Beer – 58 Entries
Gold: Conelick’r, Three Creeks Brewing Co., Sisters, OR
Silver: Fresh Hop Ride the Pine, Belching Beaver Brewery – Tavern & Grill, Vista, CA
Bronze: Fresh Hop Hazealicious, Reuben’s Brews – Production Brewery, Seattle, WA

2020 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year
The Good Society, Seattle, WA
Phil Cammarano & Nick Berger

Mid-Size Brewpub and Mid-Size Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Monkless Belgian Ales, Bend, OR
Todd Clement & Chris Dinsdale

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year
The Freehouse, Minneapolis, MN
The Freehouse Team

Very Small Brewing Company and Very Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Five Branches Brewing, Tarpon Springs, FL
Jerry Brown

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Big aLICe Brewing Co., Long Island City, NY
Big aLICe Production Team

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Lost Forty Brewing, Little Rock, AR
Lost Forty Brewing Team

Brewery Group and Brewery Group Brewer of the Year
Three Creeks Brewing Co., Sisters, OR
Team Three Creeks

Bistro Double IPA Winners 2020

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bistro

Earlier today, the 20th annual Double IPA Festival was held at the Bistro in Hayward, California. I got there early for judging again this year, and was sequestered in the dark, dank basement out of the view of the beautiful Bay Area sun for most of the morning. We judged over 100 Double and Triple IPAs for most of the morning.

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First rounds of Double IPAs being judged (Triples were on the other table).

Double IPAs

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The DIPA Fest judges.

Triple IPAs

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Beautiful downtown Hayward.

Peoples Choice Awards

Congratulations to all the winners.

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And a special shout out to industry veteran Matt Sallie, who was surprised by an impromptu celebration of his 50th birthday at the Bistro today.

Brewhog Determines An Early Spring Bock For 2020

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Over in Gobbler’s Knob, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, Phil the Groundhog — a.k.a. the Brewhog — raised up his head this morning and looked around, and this year did not see his shadow. You know what that means? It means an early spring, and earlier spring bock for us. You can see a video of Punxsutawney Phil here. And there’s more information about Groundhog Day from the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

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Here’s a new report of this year’s prediction in Punxsutawney.

And here’s a report on it from Time:

Pennsylvania’s most famous groundhog on Sunday declared: “Spring will be early, it’s a certainty.”

At sunrise on Groundhog Day, members of Punxsutawney Phil’s top hat-wearing inner circle revealed the cuddly oracle’s prediction — his 134th, according to the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

Awoken by the crowd’s chants of “Phil!” the groundhog was hoisted in the air for the assembly to hail before making his decision. He then grasped the glove of a handler as a member of his inner circle announced that spring would come early this year.

The annual event has its origin in a German legend that says if a furry rodent casts a shadow on Feb. 2, winter continues. If not, spring comes early.

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And if you don’t have time to watch all of the deliciously wonderful Groundhog Day film today, here it is in a slightly shorter version just over three minutes.

Brussels Beer Challenge Winners 2019

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Last Monday, the winners of the 8th annual Brussels Beer Challenge were announced. A little over 1,650 beers were judged in 8 broad styles (Pale Ale, Dark Ale, Red Ale, Pils, Stout/Porter, White, Flavoured Beers, Specialty Beers) and then further subdivided into 83 smaller categories (lambic, abbey, chocolate beers, etc.) by 90 judges, of which I was again privileged to be one. This year the competition was held in Mons, with entries from 35 countries. After three days of judging, the awards were announced last Monday, but it took me this long to go through and reformat the winners into a list. Congratulations to all the winners!

Brussels-Beer-Challenge_cmyk

Belgium won the most medals, with the United States coming in second. Here are the top medal winners, by country.

Medals Won by Country:

  1. Belgium = 76
  2. United States = 46
  3. Italy = 24
  4. Netherlands = 21
  5. China = 18
  6. France = 16
  7. Germany = 15
  8. Brazil = 12
  9. Canada = 8
  10. Taiwan = 5
bbc2019-all-medals

The 2019 Brussels Beer Challenge Winners

Category 1 — Dark Ale: Abbey / Trappist Style Dubbel
Gold: AFFLIGEM DUBBEL (Brouwerij Alken-Maes; Belgium)
Silver: LA TRAPPE DUBBEL (Bierbrouwerij de Koningshoeven B.V.; Netherlands)
Bronze: STEENBRUGGE DUBBEL BRUIN (Brouwerij Palm – Swinkels Family Brewers Belgium; Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: DELIRIUM NOCTURNUM (Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV; Belgium)

Category 2 — Dark Ale: Brown Ale
Gold: BRUGSE ZOT DUBBEL Brouwerij De Halve Maan (Belgium)
Silver: LA BRUNETTE Brasserie du Renard (Belgium)
Bronze: LA GERVOISE BRUNE SAS Brasserie Etienne (France)
Certificate of Excellence: TRIPLE SECRET DES MOINES BRUNE Brasserie Goudale (France)

Category 3 — Dark Ale: Dark/Black IPA
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: BLACK BUCKET Kinnegar Brewing (Ireland)
Certificate of Excellence: SABRO LASER Brasserie de la Pleine Lune (France)

Category 4 — Dark Ale: Oud Bruin (Flanders Brown Ale)
Gold: QUEUE DE CHARRUE VIEILLE BRUNE Brasserie Vanuxeem (Belgium)
Silver: LIEFMANS GOUDENBAND Duvel Moortgat (Belgium)
Bronze: WEST ODNAR Firestone Walker Brewing Company (United States)

Category 5 — Dark Ale: Strong Dark Ale
Gold: CHIMAY GRANDE RÉSERVE Bières de Chimay (Belgium)
Silver: DE POES BRUIN Brouwerij De Poes BVBA (Belgium)
Bronze: TÜBINATOR Cerveceria Principal (Chile)
Certificate of Excellence: BARLEY WINE BRUNE MILLÉSIME 2017 Cap d’Ona (France)
Certificate of Excellence: LEFORT Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste (Belgium)

Category 6 — Flavoured Beer: Chocolate
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: NOI CIOCCOLATO Noi Cervejaria (Brazil)

Category 7 — Flavoured Beer: Coffee
Gold: MACONDO COFFEE STOUT Cervecería BBC (Colombia)
Silver: BRIGADEIRO Jack’s Abby Brewing (United States)
Bronze: FOXTAIL DOUBLE STOUT Hourglass Brewing (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: PURPLE SAISON 18 Brewery (China)

Category 8 — Flavoured Beer: Field Beer
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: No Award
Certificate of Excellence: TOMATO GOSE NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)

Category 9 — Flavoured Beer: Fruit Beer
Gold: AMBAR IMPERIAL CITRUS La Zaragozana S.A. (Spain)
Silver: MANGO GOSE NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)
Bronze: LILLE RØDE Lindheim Ølkompani (Norway)
Certificate of Excellence: NIUBIC SOUR NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)
Certificate of Excellence: RODENBACH ALEXANDER Brouwerij Rodenbach – Swinkels Family Brewers Belgium (Belgium)

Category 10 — Flavoured Beer: Herb & Spice
Gold: SUPER 8 SAISON Brouwerij Haacht (Belgium)
Silver: IJZERHARD IPA Oproer (Netherlands)
Bronze: LOHN BIER CARVOEIRA Lohn Bier (Brazil)
Bronze: BAMBERG HABANERO RAUCHBIER Cervejaria Bamberg (Brazil)

Category 11 — Flavoured Beer: Honey Beer
Gold: BIÈRE DE MIEL Brasserie Dupont (Belgium)
Silver: MAJA HONEY ALE Jeb sas di Bau’ Chiara & C (Italy)
Bronze: MEXICAN HONEY Indeed Brewing Company (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: MAJA WINTER EDITION HONEY ALE Jeb sas di Bau’ Chiara & C (Italy)

Category 12 — Flavoured Beer: Old Style Fruit-Lambic
Gold: OLD KRIEK CUVÉE RENÉ Lindemans Brewery (Belgium)
Silver: OUDE KRIEK OUD BEERSEL Oud Beersel BVBA (Belgium)
Bronze: OUDE QUETSCHE TILQUIN À L’ANCIENNE Gueuzerie Tilquin S.A. (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: OUDE KRIEK BOON Brouwerij Boon (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: SELVA SOUR Birra dell’Eremo (Italy)

Category 13 — Flavoured Beer: Pumpkin Ale
Gold: BRANDY BARREL-AGED IMPERIAL PUMPKIN ALE Lakefront Brewery (United States)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: PUMPKIN ALE Low land Brewery di Elettromeccanica di Nicola Soldani (Italy)

Category 14 — Flavoured Beer: Russian Imperial Stout Barrel Or Oaked Aged
Gold: BOURBON BARREL AGED DARK STAR Fremont Brewing (United States)
Silver: FATHER OF ALL TSUNAMIS Pelican Brewing Company (United States)
Bronze: BLACK BUTTE XXXI Deschutes Brewery (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: BLACK CURRANT BARREL AGED IMPARIAL STOUT Suzhou City Guangtu Brewing Co. (China)

Category 15 — Flavoured Beer: Smoked Beer
Gold: OTHMAR RAUCH Ootmarsummer Bierbrouwerij Heupink & Co (Netherlands)
Silver: BUCKSKIN RAUCHBIER Buckskin, King Car Group (Taiwan)
Bronze: THE WALL KAMALEON RAUCH Evo Srl (Italy)

Category 16 — Flavoured Beer: Sweet/Milk Stout
Gold: No Award
Silver: STEEL TOE STOUT Ska Brewing Company (United States)
Bronze: LOCAL LEGEND Deep Ellum Brewing Company (United States)
Bronze: SAMUEL ADAMS CREAM STOUT Boston Beer Company (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: KOFI Brasserie Atrium S.A. (Belgium)

Category 17 — Flavoured Beer: Wood/Barrel Aged (Less Than 10% ABV)
Gold: MOLE MERKIN Firestone Walker Brewing Company (United States)
Silver: RODENBACH VINTAGE Brouwerij Rodenbach – Swinkels Family Brewers Belgium (Belgium)
Bronze: BRAVO Cervejaria Backer (Brazil)
Certificate of Excellence: RESERVA SOUR WOOD Cervejaria Backer (Brazil)

Category 18 — Flavoured Beer: Wood/Barrel Aged Higher Than 10% ABV)
Gold: DUVEL BARREL AGED Duvel Moortgat (Belgium)
Silver: BAKERY: COCONUT MACAROON The Bruery (United States)
Silver: SILLY SCOTCH PINOT BARREL AGED Brasserie de Silly (Belgium)
Bronze: No Award
Certificate of Excellence: BARLEY WINE MYSTÈRE MILLÉSIME 2017 Cap d’Ona (France)

Category 19 — Lager: American-Style Pilsner
Gold: No Award
Silver: LAGER Firestone Walker Brewing Company (United States)
Bronze: TRUE LOVE Champion Brewing Company (United States)

Category 20 — Lager: Bohemian-Style Pilsner
Gold: BERNARD CELEBRATION LAGER Rodinný Pivovar Bernard a.s. (Czech Republic)
Silver: PRIMÁTOR ANTONÍN Primátor A.s. (Czech Republic)
Bronze: BITTA VON TRESEN Muttermilch – Vienna Brewery (Austria)

Category 21 — Lager: Dark/Dunkel (Including Schwarzbier)
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: CERNOVAR CERNÉ Tradicní Pivovar v Rakovníku, a.s. (Czech Republic)
Certificate of Excellence: SCHWARZBIER 4 Pines Brewing Company (Australia)

Mons-1
The City Hall in Mons, Belgium.

Category 22 — Lager: German-Style Dunkel Bock/Doppelbock
Gold: MAESTRA DUNKEL Mahou San Miguel (Spain)
Silver: BROTAS BEER BOCK Brotas Beer Industria de Bebidas LTDA (Brazil)
Bronze: WEYERMANN BAMBERGER HOFBRÄU EXQUISATOR Mich. Weyermann GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: LINDEBOOM HERFSTBOCK Lindeboom Bierbrouwerij B.V. (Netherlands)

Category 23 — Lager: German-Style Eisbock
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: IJSBOK SNAB Bierbrouwers (Netherlands)

Category 24 — Lager: German-Style Helles-/MaiBock/Doppelbock
Gold: BUCKSKIN HELLER BOCK Buckskin, King Car Group (Taiwan)
Silver: WOW Soralama’ SRL (Italy)
Bronze: BOCK Birrificio Bradipongo S.r.l. (Italy)
Bronze: MAESTRA DOBLE LÚPULO Mahou San Miguel (Spain)

Category 25 — Lager: German-Style Märzen
Gold: SAMUEL ADAMS OCTOBERFEST Boston Beer Company (United States)
Silver: OKTOBERFEST Ninkasi Fabriques (France)
Bronze: OKTOBERFEST STYLE pFriem Family Brewers (United States)

Category 26 — Lager: German-Style Pilsner
Gold: KIRISHIMA BEER PILSNER Kirishima Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Silver: BUCKSKIN GERMAN PILSNER Buckskin, King Car Group (Taiwan)
Bronze: KETTERER PILS Familienbrauerei M. Ketterer GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: PILS2 Birrificio Otus Srl (Italy)

Category 27 — Lager: Helles
Gold: BAYREUTHER HELL Bayreuther Bierbrauerei AG (Germany)
Gold: WALDHAUS SPEZIAL GOLD Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid GmbH (Germany)
Silver: BUCKSKIN MUNICH HELLES Buckskin, King Car Group (Taiwan)

Category 28 — Lager: Hoppy Lager
Gold: AMERICAN MAGUT Birrificio Lambrate (Italy)
Gold: JOPEN CRAFT PILSENER Jopen BV (Netherlands)
Silver: SUPER CADIX Antwerpse Brouw Compagnie (Belgium)
Bronze: NORTH ARCTIC LAGER Tornion Panimo Oy (Finland)
Certificate of Excellence: LAGER DES ÉTOILES Brasserie de la Pleine Lune (France)

Category 29 — Lager: International Style Pilsner
Gold: ALFA EDEL PILS Meens Brouwerij BV (Netherlands)
Silver: LISA Birra del Borgo (Italy)
Bronze: CORNELISSEN LUXURY LAGER Brouwerij Cornelissen (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: CASTEL Brasimba (Congo, The Democratic Republic Of The)

Category 30 — Lager: Light Lager
Gold: UTICA CLUB PILSENER Saranac Brewery / FX Matt Brewing Co. (United States)
Silver: YANJING U8 Beijing Yanjing Brewery Co.,Ltd. (China)
Bronze: PEARL RIVER DRAFT BEER Guangzhou Zhujiang Browery CO., LTD. (China)

Category 31 — Lager: Vienna Lager
Gold: KIRISHIMA BEER AMBER Kirishima Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Silver: LAGUNA BAJA North Coast Brewing Co Inc (United States)
Bronze: No Award

Category 32 — Pale&Amber Ale: (Belgian Style) Tripel
Gold: ST. BERNARDUS TRIPEL St. Bernardus Brouwerij (Belgium)
Silver: DELIRIUM TREMENS Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV (Belgium)
Bronze: GOUDEN CAROLUS TRIPEL Brouwerij Het Anker (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: BROEDER JACOB TRIPEL Brouwerij Broeder Jacob (Belgium)

Category 33 — Pale&Amber Ale: Abbey / Trappist Style Blond
Gold: TER DOLEN BLOND Brouwerij Ter Dolen (Belgium)
Silver: ST-FEUILLIEN BLONDE Brasserie St-Feuillien (Belgium)
Bronze: AFFLIGEM BLOND Brouwerij Alken-Maes (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: LA TRAPPE BLOND Bierbrouwerij de Koningshoeven B.V. (Netherlands)

Category 34 — Pale&Amber Ale: Altbier
Gold: BAMBERG ALTBIER Cervejaria Bamberg (Brazil)
Silver: VENLOOSCH ALT Lindeboom Bierbrouwerij B.V. (Netherlands)
Bronze: SAMUEL ADAMS BOSTON ALE Boston Beer Company (United States)

Category 35 — Pale&Amber Ale: Amber
Gold: 1410 SNAB Bierbrouwers (Netherlands)
Silver: OBAA TWO Obaa Sprl (Belgium)
Bronze: CHIPIE Archibald Microbrasserie (Canada)
Bronze: LA BONNE AVENTURE Microbrasserie Pit Caribou (Canada)

Category 36 — Pale&Amber Ale: American IPA (Higher Than 6.5 ABV)
Gold: LUSH Fremont Brewing (United States)
Silver: WEEKEND VIBES Coronado Brewing (United States)
Bronze: IPA pFriem Family Brewers (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: MELVIN IPA Melvin Brewing (United States)

Category 37 — Pale&Amber Ale: American IPA (Less Than 6.5 ABV)
Gold: STAY WEST IPA Breakside Brewery & Taproom (United States)
Gold: WANDERLUST IPA Breakside Brewery & Taproom (United States)
Bronze: BIRD OF PREY Uiltje Brewing Company (Netherlands)
Certificate of Excellence: FUMO IPA Chengdu Fengshou Craft Beer Company, Ltd (China)

Category 38 — Pale&Amber Ale: American Pale Ale
Gold: VOLCELEST OATMEAL PALE ALE Brasserie de la Vallee de Chevreuse (France)
Silver: HOP.E Birra Mastino (Italy)
Bronze: RUDE Birrificio Artigianale La Villana (Italy)
Certificate of Excellence: LEISURE LAGOON Coronado Brewing (United States)

Category 39 — Pale&Amber Ale: Belgian Style IPA
Gold: DELIRIUM ARGENTUM Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV (Belgium)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: BAPTIST IPA Brouwerij Van Steenberge (Belgium)
Bronze: JACK’S PRECIOUS IPA Brouwerij The Musketeers (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: BSL006 Brasserie Saint-Lazare SA (Belgium)

Category 40 — Pale&Amber Ale: Best Bitter
Gold: BAMBERG SEPULTURA ALE Cervejaria Bamberg (Brazil)
Silver: SEA FURY Sharps Brewery (United Kingdom)
Bronze: AMBROSIA Ambrosia e.U. (Austria)

Category 41 — Pale&Amber Ale: Bières De Garde Ambrée
Gold: SILLY SAISON Brasserie de Silly (Belgium)
Silver: BRASSEURS SAVOYARDS AMBRÉE Les Brasseurs Savoyards (France)
Bronze: SINT IDESBALD ROUSSE Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: LA TRAPPE ISID’OR Bierbrouwerij de Koningshoeven B.V. (Netherlands)

Category 42 — Pale&Amber Ale: Bitter
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: No Award
Certificate of Excellence: KIRKE Corsaire Microbrasserie (Canada)

Mons-3
My awesome table for judging in Mons. A great group of tasters.

Category 43 — Pale&Amber Ale: Bitter Blond/Golden Ale
Gold: TER DOLEN ARMAND Brouwerij Ter Dolen (Belgium)
Silver: MALHEUR 6 Brouwerij Malheur (Belgium)
Bronze: REMI Brouwerij De Bock (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: HOUPPE Brasserie Artisanale de Namur (Belgium)

Category 44 — Pale&Amber Ale: Double Saison
Gold: SAISON DUPONT DRY HOP Brasserie Dupont (Belgium)
Silver: SAISON DU SABLIER Hourglass Brewing (United States)
Bronze: LA GUILLOTINE Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: AUBEOLE D’ESTINNES Marie-Jeanne Nolf (Belgium)

Category 45 — Pale&Amber Ale: English IPA
Gold: MARTIN’S DOUBLE IPA 55 John Martin ‘s (Belgium)
Silver: CIBOIRE Archibald Microbrasserie (Canada)
Bronze: BURTON ENGLISH IPA Juguetes Perdidos Cerveza Artesanal (Argentina)
Bronze: SAN BLAS Lord Chambray LTD (Malta)

Category 46 — Pale&Amber Ale: Imperial IPA
Gold: L’!! (DOUBLE EXCLAMATION) Noire et Blanche Inc. (Canada)
Silver: KNOTTY DOUBLE IPA Three Weavers Brewing, Co. (United States)
Bronze: 2×4 DOUBLE IPA Melvin Brewing (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: BURIED IN HOPS Anarchy Brew Co. (United Kingdom)
Certificate of Excellence: RETREAT (THIS IS A HAZY DOUBLE IPA) The Bruery (United States)

Category 47 — Pale&Amber Ale: Kölsch
Gold: BUCKSKIN KÖLSCH Buckskin, King Car Group (Taiwan)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: DRAUGHT 4 Pines Brewing Company (Australia)

Category 48 — Pale&Amber Ale: Light Bitter Blond/Golden Ale
Gold: STRANDGAPER Scheldebrouwerij BVBA (Belgium)
Silver: KOMPEL BOVENGRONDS Brouwerij Kompel (Belgium)
Bronze: KIWANDA CREAM ALE Pelican Brewing Company (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: HERKENRODE CISTER Brouwerij Cornelissen (Belgium)

Category 49 — Pale&Amber Ale: Modern Saison
Gold: LA SAISON DU TRACTEUR Microbrasserie Le Trou du diable (Canada)
Silver: PACIFICA Birrificio Artigianale La Villana (Italy)
Bronze: NOBLESSE OBLIGE Brasserie au Baron (France)
Certificate of Excellence: CLASSIC Blackberry Farm Brewery (United States)

Category 50 — Pale&Amber Ale: New England IPA
Gold: HAZEALICIOUS Reuben’s Brews (United States)
Silver: HAZY LITTLE THING Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (United States)
Bronze: LIUXI HAZY IPA Witchcraft Brewery (China)
Bronze: WHAT ROUGH BEAST Breakside Brewery & Taproom (United States)

Category 51 — Pale&Amber Ale: Pacific IPA
Gold: No Award
Silver: No Award
Bronze: BEAK BENDER HOPPINATED INDIA PALE ALE Pelican Brewing Company (United States)
Certificate of Excellence: TKO IPA Boxing Cat Brewery (China)

Category 52 — Pale&Amber Ale: Session IPA
Gold: PALM SESSION IPA Brouwerij Palm – Swinkels Family Brewers Belgium (Belgium)
Silver: BE ADORABLE Mister B Brewery (Italy)
Bronze: 24-JUIL Oproer (Netherlands)
Certificate of Excellence: SUMMER SESSION TROPICAL IPA Brouwerij Hoop (Netherlands)

Category 53 — Pale&Amber Ale: Strong Blonde/Golden Ale
Gold: OMER. TRADITIONAL BLOND Brouwerij Omer Vander Ghinste (Belgium)
Silver: OMMEGANG Brouwerij Haacht (Belgium)
Bronze: HAPKIN Brouwerij Alken-Maes (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: ST-FEUILLIEN GRAND CRU Brasserie St-Feuillien (Belgium)

Category 54 — Pale&Amber Ale: Strong/Extra Special Bitter
Gold: SAWTOOTH ALE Left Hand Brewing Company (United States)
Silver: GATSBY Birrificio Artigianale La Villana (Italy)
Bronze: BRAUFACTUM PALOR Die Internationale Brau-Manufacturen GmbH (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: MONSERRATE ROJA Cervecería BBC (Colombia)

Category 55 — Pale&Amber Ale: Traditional Saison
Gold: SAISON AVENA Brasserie Deseveaux (Belgium)
Silver: SAISON D’EPEAUTRE Scrl Brasserie De Blaugies (Belgium)
Bronze: SAISON 1900 Brasserie Lefebvre (Belgium)

Category 56 — Red Ale: American Red Ale
Gold: POTALA TIBETAN RED ALE NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)
Silver: KABREW GYEONGBOKGUNG Kabrew (South Korea)
Bronze: RED EYES Pravda Beer Theatre (Ukraine)

Category 57 — Red Ale: Irish Red Ale
Gold: No Award
Silver: RED & GO Birrificio Otus Srl (Italy)
Bronze: BROTAS BEER RED ALE Brotas Beer Industria de Bebidas LTDA (Brazil)

Category 58— Red Ale: Oud Rood (Flanders Red Ale)
Gold: RODENBACH GRAND CRU Brouwerij Rodenbach – Swinkels Family Brewers Belgium (Belgium)
Silver: VARVAR BREW CARMINE Varvar Brew (Ukraine)
Bronze: DUCHESSE DE BOURGOGNE Brouwerij Verhaeghe Vichte (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: OUD BRUNELLO Birrificio del Ducato (Italy)

Category 59 — Speciality Beer: Alcohol-Free And Low-Alcohol Beers
Gold: WANDERLUST Van Moll Craft Beer (Netherlands)
Silver: MAISEL & FRIENDS ALKOHOLFREI Brauerei Gebr. Maisel (Germany)
Bronze: BROWN ALE Big Drop (United Kingdom)
Bronze: STOUT Big Drop (United Kingdom)
Certificate of Excellence: FREAK KRIEK ZERO POINT THREE FEEL FREE MERRY CHERRY BEER The Flying Dutchman Nomad Brewing Company (Belgium)

Category 60 — Speciality Beer: Barley Wine
Gold: WEYERMANN NR. 10 BARLEY WINE Mich. Weyermann GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)
Silver: BARLEY WHAT? Brasserie Historique de l’Abbaye du Cateau (France)
Bronze: SCHWARZBRÄU AGED BOCK Schwarzbräu GmbH (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: BREW 3000 Fremont Brewing (United States)

Category 61 — Speciality Beer: Brut Beer
Gold: MALHEUR BIÈRE BRUT Brouwerij Malheur (Belgium)
Silver: BRUT IPA Ninkasi Fabriques (France)
Bronze: DAME JEANNE “BRUT SUR LIE” Dame Jeanne (Belgium)

Category 62 — Speciality Beer: Gluten Free
Gold: No Award
Silver: GRISETTE TRIPLE BIO GLUTEN FREE Brasserie St-Feuillien (Belgium)
Bronze: CAULIER BLONDE GLUTEN FREE Brasserie 28 (Belgium)

Category 63 — Speciality Beer: Hybrid
Gold: No Award
Silver: NOORDTSINGLE Brouwerij Noordt (Netherlands)
Bronze: No Award

Mons-2
The famous Belfry of Mons.

Category 64 — Speciality Beer: Old Style Gueuze-Lambic
Gold: OLD GUEUZE CUVÉE RENÉ Lindemans Brewery (Belgium)
Silver: OUDE GEUZE VANDERVELDEN 137 Oud Beersel BVBA (Belgium)
Bronze: OUDE GEUZE BOON BLACK LABEL EDITION N°4 Brouwerij Boon (Belgium)
Bronze: OUDE GEUZE BRETT ELLE Lambiek Fabriek VOF (Belgium)

Category 65 — Speciality Beer: Other Sour Ale
Gold: LIMOILOU BEACH Microbrasserie La Souche (Canada)
Silver: VARVAR BREW D’RYE Varvar Brew (Ukraine)
Bronze: TIMMERMANS LAMBICUS BLANCHE John Martin’s (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: BODEBROWN BRUT SOUR BLANC Cervejaria Bodebrown (Brazil)

Category 66 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer (Higher Than 7 ABV)
Gold: DRUIF BLANC pFriem Family Brewers (United States)
Silver: DANDAO Chengdu Fengshou Craft Beer Company, Ltd (China)
Silver: GOUDALE Brasserie Goudale (France)
Bronze: ROTTEN SKULL PRUNE IMPERIAL STOUT Brasserie de la Vallee de Chevreuse (France)
Certificate of Excellence: BODEBROWN – CAVE COLINAS DE PEDRAS BLACK BRUT METODO ORIGINALE Cervejaria Bodebrown (Brazil)

Category 67 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer (Less Than 7 ABV)
Gold: PRUIM pFriem Family Brewers (United States)
Silver: VIVEN CHAMPAGNER WEISSE Brouwerij Viven (Belgium)
Bronze: BARREN SHOWER CHAMPAGNE IPA NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)
Certificate of Excellence: ENTRE NOUS BLONDE Brasserie de Hosdent (Belgium)

Category 68 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer: Italian Style Grape Ale
Gold: LIMES Brùton (Italy)
Silver: L’EQUILIBRISTA Birra del Borgo (Italy)
Bronze: ROÈ Birrificio Sagrin (Italy)
Certificate of Excellence: BODEBROWN LA GRISETTE SUPÉRIOR Cervejaria Bodebrown (Brazil)

Category 69 — Speciality Beer: Winter Ales
Gold: PIETRA BRASSIN D’HIVER Brasserie Pietra (France)
Silver: CUVÉE DE NOËL Juguetes Perdidos Cerveza Artesanal (Argentina)
Silver: DELIRIUM NOËL Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV (Belgium)
Bronze: No Award
Certificate of Excellence: ROUSSE DE NOËL Cap d’Ona (France)

Category 70 — Stout/ Porter: American Stout
Gold: OBSIDIAN STOUT Deschutes Brewery (United States)
Silver: ALL BLACK Stanislaus Brewskovitch BV (Netherlands)
Silver: MORE COMPLICATED THAN YOUR GIRLFRIEND STOUT The Flying Dutchman Nomad Brewing Company (Belgium)
Bronze: No Award

Category 71 — Stout/ Porter: Baltic Porter
Gold: NISSOS 7 BEAUFORT Cyclades Microbrewery at Tinos island (Greece)
Silver: PORTER Brouwerij Noordt (Netherlands)
Bronze: SPECIAL ONE IBEER (Italy)

Category 72 — Stout/ Porter: Dry Stout
Gold: KABREW DARK ALE Kabrew (South Korea)
Silver: NITRO STOUT 4 Pines Brewing Company (Australia)
Bronze: KIRISHIMA BEER STOUT Kirishima Shuzo Co., Ltd. (Japan)

Category 73 — Stout/ Porter: Oatmeal Stout
Gold: AMBRANERA Birrificio Otus Srl (Italy)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: THE POET New Holland Brewing (United States)

Category 74 — Stout/ Porter: Porter
Gold: YANNARODDY Kinnegar Brewing (Ireland)
Silver: GASPÉSIENNE #13 Microbrasserie Pit Caribou (Canada)
Bronze: UNCINO Birrificio Artigianale La Villana (Italy)

Category 75 — Stout/ Porter: Russian Imperial Stout
Gold: RUSSIAN IMPERIAL STOUT Crooked Spider (Netherlands)
Silver: FROM SIAN TO DON Pravda Beer Theatre (Ukraine)
Bronze: RASKOLNIKOV IMPERIAL STOUT Craft Brew Riots (Russian Federation)
Certificate of Excellence: SINGULARITY Northern Light Brewery (Sweden)

Category 76 — Stout/ Porter: Stout Export
Gold: DUITS & LAURET WINTERSTOUT Brouwerij Duits & Lauret (Netherlands)
Silver: TSUNAMI STOUT Pelican Brewing Company (United States)
Bronze: ELBOW PATCHES The Virginia Beer Company (United States)

Category 77 — Wheat: Dubbel Wit/Imperial White
Gold: WITWIT 1975 sas di Nicola Grande e C (Italy)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: No Award

Category 78 — Wheat: Dunkel Weizen
Gold: TUMMA HEILI Panimo Honkavuori (Finland)
Silver: SCHWARZBRÄU WEISSBIER DUNKEL Schwarzbräu GmbH (Germany)
Bronze: WALDHAUS SCHWARZWALD WEISSE DUNKEL Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid GmbH (Germany)

Category 79 — Wheat: Dunkel Weizen(Doppel)Bock
Gold: TAP6 AVENTINUS Schneider Weisse G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH (Germany)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: No Award

Category 80 — Wheat: Gose
Gold: SALT SHAKER GOSE Suzhou City Guangtu Brewing Co., Ltd (China)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: BEIJING GOSE MODERN NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)

Category 81 — Wheat: Weizen
Gold: 撕BEER WEIZEN Urbrew (China) Craft Beer Co., Ltd. (China)
Silver: TAP7 ORIGINAL Schneider Weisse G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH (Germany)
Bronze: MAISEL’S WEISSE ORIGINAL Brauerei Gebr. Maisel (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: SCHWARZBRÄU WEISSBIER HELL Schwarzbräu GmbH (Germany)
Certificate of Excellence: WEISSBIER HELL Brauerei M.C. Wieninger (Germany)

Category 82 — Wheat: White IPA/Hoppy Weizen
Gold: NIUBI WHEAT NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)
Silver: No Award
Bronze: BROMEO HOPPY WHEAT Boxing Cat Brewery (China)
Certificate of Excellence: LAGUNITAS LITTLE SUMPIN’ SUMPIN’ Heineken Spain (United States)

Category 83 — Wheat: Witbier
Gold: BLANCHE DE NAMUR Brasserie du Bocq (Belgium)
Silver: HOEGAARDEN WHITE AB Inbev Hoegaarden (Belgium)
Bronze: VEDETT EXTRA WHITE Duvel Moortgat (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: BLANCHE DE THINES Belgo Sapiens Brewers / Brasserie Ceres Belgique SPRL (Belgium)
Certificate of Excellence: LOWLANDER WHITE ALE Lowlander Beer Co. (Netherlands)

The Comac Trophy: Best in Show

bbc2019-international-revelation-comac-trophy

International Revelation
CHIMAY GRANDE RÉSERVE Bières de Chimay (Belgium)

Best American Beer

bbc2019-both-american-revelation

American Revelation — Fermentis Trophy
BOURBON BARREL AGED DARK STAR Fremont Brewing (United States)

Best Belgian Beer

bbc2019-belgian-revelation

Belgian Revelation
TER DOLEN BLOND Brouwerij Ter Dolen (Belgium)

Best Chinese Beer

bbc2019-chinese-revelation

Chinese Revelation
POTALA TIBETAN RED ALE NBeer Craft Brewing Co. (China)

Best Dutch Beer

bbc2019-dutch-revelation

Dutch Revelation
WANDERLUST Van Moll Craft Beer (The Netherlands)

Best French Beer

bbc2019-french-revelation

French Revelation
VOLCELEST OATMEAL PALE ALE Brasserie de la Vallee de Chevreuse (France)

Best Italian Beer

bbc2019-italian-revelation

Italian Revelation
AMERICAN MAGUT Birrificio Lambrate (Italy)

GABF Winners 2019

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gabf-2014

On Saturday, the winners of the 38th Great American Beer Festival were announced. A record 9,497 entries (plus 113 Pro-Am and 70 Collaboration entries were judged) in 107 (or 174 different beer styles if you include the subcategories), categories by 322 judges, of which I was again privileged to be one. Here are some more factoids on the results and the festival:

  • Category with the most entries: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale: 348 entries (This is the second year in a row that it’s been #1, unseating American-style IPA, which had been number #1 since 2002)
  • Top 5 Categories: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale (348 entries); American-Style India Pale Ale (342 entries); Fruited American-Style Sour Ale (215 entries); German-Style Pilsener (183 entries); and Imperial India Pale Ale (173 entries)
  • Average number of competition beers entered in each category: 88
  • 2,295 breweries in the competition from all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
  • 401 first-time breweries entered the competition
  • 37 first-time breweries won medals
  • Over 800 breweries in the festival hall
  • Over 4,000 beers served at the festival
  • 60,000 attendees
gabf-2019-glasses

Medals Won by State:

  1. California = 68
  2. Colorado = 40
  3. Texas = 16
  4. TIE: Ohio = 15 / Oregon = 15
  5. Washington = 14
  6. Virginia = 13
  7. North Carolina = 12
  8. Illinois = 10
  9. TIE: Florida = 9 / Indiana = 9
  10. Arizona = 8
Print

The 2018 Great American
Beer Festival Winners

GABF19-awards-02
Charlie Papazian ready to hand out the awards.

Category 1: American-Style Wheat Beer – 80 Entries
Gold: No medal awarded
Silver: Cumberland Punch, East Nashville Beer Works, Nashville, TN
Bronze: Termes Beer, Spearfish Brewing Co., Spearfish, SD

Category 2: American-Style Fruit Beer – 144 Entries
Gold: Salt River, Historic Brewing Co., Flagstaff, AZ
Silver: Quat, Tampa Bay Brewing Co. – Ybor City, Tampa, FL
Bronze: Boom Dynamite, O.H.S.O. Brewery + Distillery, Phoenix, AZ

Category 3: Fruit Wheat Beer – 109 Entries
Gold: Bitchin’ Berry, Great Basin Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Reno, NV
Silver: Cherry Wheat, Sierra Blanca Brewing Co., Moriarty, NM
Bronze: Smash, 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Category 4: Belgian-Style Fruit Beer – 52 Entries
Gold: Foxy Lady, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Silver: All the Goodness, Gezellig Brewing Co., Newton, IA
Bronze: Cherry Valley Farmhouse, Heritage Hill Brewhouse & Kitchen, Pompey, NY

Category 5: Pumpkin/Squash Beer or Pumpkin Spice Beer – 51 Entries
Gold: Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale, Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, WI
Silver: Pumpkin Rumble, Mistress Brewing Co., Ankeny, IA
Bronze: Pumpkinator, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category 6: Field Beer – 104 Entries
Gold: Scoring Discrepancies, Listermann Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Dessert Station: Cherry Almond Cookie, Corporate Ladder Brewing Co., Palmetto, FL
Bronze: Grandma’s Pecan, The Dudes’ Brewing Co., Somis, CA

Category 7: Chili Beer – 96 Entries
Gold: Jalapeno Pineapple Pils, Brickway Brewery & Distillery, Omaha, NE
Silver: Bringin’ Da Heat, Devil’s Creek Brewery, Collingswood, NJ
Bronze: Oyster Jalapeno Porter, Bull Island Brewing Co., Hampton, VA

Category 8: Herb and Spice Beer – 119 Entries
Gold: Kveik Thai Tom Kha, Shades Brewing, Park City, UT
Silver: One Night in Bangkok Smoothie IPA, Midland Brewing, Midland, MI
Bronze: Deck Daze, Vail Brewing Co. – Vail Village Pilot, Vail, CO

Category 9: Chocolate Beer – 68 Entries
Gold: Old Balltown Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Aged Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Brownie Milk Stout, PIVO Brewery, Calmar, IA
Silver: Contains Chocolate, Corporate Ladder Brewing Co., Palmetto, FL
Bronze: Somebody Else’s Dream, Fort Myers Brewing Co., Fort Myers, FL

Category 10: Coffee Beer – 97 Entries
Gold: Duluth Coffee Pale Ale, Earth Rider Brewery, Superior, WI
Silver: Clear Sky Daybreak, Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, Columbus, OH
Bronze: Central Perk, Ambitious Ales, Long Beach, CA

Category 11: Coffee Stout or Porter – 100 Entries
Gold: There is No Cow Level, GameCraft Brewing, Laguna Hills, CA
Silver: Portola Breakfast Stout, Tustin Brewing Co., Tustin, CA
Bronze: White Russian, SunUp Brewing Co., Phoenix, AZ

Category 12: Specialty Beer – 67 Entries
Gold: Rye Hipster Brunch Stout, Odd Side Ales, Grand Haven, MI
Silver: Agavemente, SouthNorte Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: I Did It All For The Cookie, FiftyFifty Brewing Co., Truckee, CA

Category 13: Rye Beer – 53 Entries
Gold: Rye Dawn, Breakwater Brewing Co., Oceanside, CA
Silver: Unite the Clans, Third Space Brewing, Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Suss it Out, Level Crossing Brewing Co., South Salt Lake, UT

Category 14: Honey Beer – 66 Entries
Gold: A&M Honey Bock, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Boulder, Boulder, CO
Silver: Honey Hole, SpindleTap Brewery, Houston, TX
Bronze: Jetty, Great South Bay Brewery, Bay Shore, NY

Category 15: Non-Alcohol Beer or Alcohol-Free Beer – 17 Entries
Gold: Enough Said N/A, Two Roots Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Bravus Oatmeal Stout, Bravus Brewing Co., Newport Beach, CA
Bronze: Bravus Barrel-Aged Bourbon Stout, Bravus Brewing Co., Newport Beach, CA

Category 16: Session Beer – 50 Entries
Gold: Texas Lager, Community Beer Co., Dallas, TX
Silver: Lite It!, Light the Lamp Brewery, Grayslake, IL
Bronze: Peacekeeper, Launch Pad Brewery, Aurora, CO

Category 17: Session India Pale Ale – 94 Entries
Gold: Gravity Check, Kern River Brewing Co. – The Backyard, Kernville, CA
Silver: Trump Hands, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: That IPA, Community Beer Works, Buffalo, NY

Category 18: Other Strong Beer – 29 Entries
Gold: Northstar Imperial Porter, Twisted Pine Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Silver: False Hope, Spilled Grain Brewhouse, Annandale, MN
Bronze: Double Brown Ale, Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery, Santa Fe, NM

Category 19: Experimental Beer – 124 Entries
Gold: Fungus Shui, Meadowlark Brewing, Sidney, MT
Silver: Shibbleshabble, Primitive Beer, Longmont, CO
Bronze: Fluffernutter, Kings Brewing Co., Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Category 20: Fresh Hop Beer – 40 Entries
Gold: Fresh Hop Green Battles, Pinthouse Pizza North, Austin, TX
Silver: Hop Stalker, Fat Head’s Brewery – Canton, Canton, OH
Bronze: Aqua Seafoam Shame, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA

GABF19-awards-Cloudburst
Cloudburst Brewing.

Category 21: Historical Beer – 47 Entries
Gold: No medal awarded
Silver: Afterburner Smoked Lager, Four Day Ray Brewing, Fishers, IN
Bronze: Decorah Nordic Gruit, PIVO Brewery, Calmar, IA

Category 22: Gluten-Free Beer – 59 Entries
Gold: Boombastic Hazy IPA, Holidaily Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Co-Conspirator Apricot Sour, Revelation Craft Brewing Co., Rehoboth Beach, DE
Bronze: Grandpa’s Nap, Evasion Brewing – Production Facility, McMinnville, OR

Category 23: American-Belgo-Style Ale – 41 Entries
Gold: Wit-Tington, Central District Brewing, Austin, TX
Silver: Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO
Bronze: White Rainbow, Red Rock Brewery – Production, Salt Lake City, UT

Category 24: American-Style Sour Ale – 42 Entries
Gold: Low pHunk, MobCraft Beer, Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Alegria, Millersburg Brewing, Millersburg, OH
Bronze: Citra Acid Test, Triple C Brewing, Charlotte, NC

Category 25: Fruited American-Style Sour Ale – 215 Entries
Gold: Roxanne, St. Elmo Brewing Co., Austin, TX
Silver: Hoochie Mama, Storm Peak Brewing Co., Steamboat Springs, CO
Bronze: Sour Blackberry Raspberry, Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co., Charleston, SC

Category 26: Brett Beer – 58 Entries
Gold: Who’s Brett?, The Hold By Revelry Brewing, Charleston, SC
Silver: St. Eldritch, Cellar Works Brewing Co., Sarver, PA
Bronze: C’Mon Sunshine, Birds Fly South Ale Project, Greenville, SC

Category 27: Mixed-Culture Brett Beer – 94 Entries
Gold: Standard Issue, Central Standard Brewing, Wichita, KS
Silver: Farmer’s Reserve No. 5, Almanac Beer Co., Alameda, CA
Bronze: Côte d’Or – Double Cerise, Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Santa Fe, NM

Category 28: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer – 66 Entries
Gold: Amburana Dream, Denver Beer Co. – Olde Town Arvada, Arvada, CO
Silver: Gran Muckle, Sun King Brewing, Indianapolis, IN
Bronze: Bourbon Barrel Aged Lady In Red, Bombshell Beer Co., Holly Springs, NC

Category 29: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer – 155 Entries
Gold: Knotty Dog, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Silver: Double Barrel Louie, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho Springs, CO
Bronze: Bourbon Legend, Great Heights Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category 30: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout – 172 Entries
Gold: Barrel Aged Imperial Pajamas, Begyle Brewing, Chicago, IL
Silver: Ales from the Crypt: Te Quiero, O.H.S.O. Brewery – Gilbert, AZ
Bronze: Señor Rhino, Alesong Brewing & Blending, Eugene, OR

Category 31: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 82 Entries
Gold: Sour Brown Aged on Palo Santo, Hi-Wire Brewing – South Slope, Asheville, NC
Silver: Agent Orange – Apple Brandy Barrel, Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Santa Fe, NM
Bronze: Reserve Doree, The Chamber By Wooden Robot Brewery, Charlotte, NC

Category 32: Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 128 Entries
Gold: Midnight Choir, Sun King Brewing, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Crimson Cherry Variant, Upland Brewing Co. – Bloomington Brewpub, Bloomington, IN
Bronze: Rossano, Kings Brewing Co., Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Category 33: Aged Beer – 38 Entries
Gold: A Creator’s Calling, The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA
Silver: Belgian Quad, Green Mountain Beer Co., Lakewood, CO
Bronze: Mob Barley, Meadowlark Brewing, Sidney, MT

GABF19-awards-Lost-Abbey
The Lost Abbey.

Category 34: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier – 96 Entries
Gold: German Pilsner, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA
Silver: Loral Zwickelbier, Haas Innovations Brewing, Yakima, WA
Bronze: Stand By, Rockwell Beer Co., St. Louis, MO

Category 35: Smoke Beer – 60 Entries
Gold: Red-Fish Rauchbock, Sockeye Brewing, Boise, ID
Silver: TF Brewing Rauch Bier, Templin Family Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Up In Smoke, Fat Head’s Brewery – Canton, Canton, OH

Category 36: American-Style Lager or American-Style Pilsener – 153 Entries
Gold: Lite Reading, Pollyanna Brewing Co., Lemont, IL
Silver: Valley Beer, Wren House Brewing Co., Phoenix, AZ
Bronze: Schaben’s, Thunderhead Brewing Co., Kearney, NE

Category 37: Contemporary American-Style Pilsener – 61 Entries
Gold: Lazy River Pils, New Trail Brewing Co., Williamsport, PA
Silver: Citra Pils, Saint Archer Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Citraveza, Alvarado Street Brewery, Salinas, CA

Category 38: International-Style Pilsener – 108 Entries
Gold: Torcido, Barebottle Brewing Co., San Francisco, CA
Silver: Upslope Craft Lager, Upslope Brewing Co. Boulder, CO
Bronze: Party, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman, MT

GABF19-awards-Barebottle
Barebottle Brewing Co.

Category 39: Light Lager – 90 Entries
Gold: Altitude Banquet, Altitude Chophouse and Brewery, Laramie, WY
Silver: Sif’s Light Lager, Odin Brewing Co., Tukwila, WA
Bronze: Lightner Creek Lager, Carver Brewing Co., Durango, CO

Category 40: India Pale Lager or Malt Liquor – 55 Entries
Gold: Timbo Pils, Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Silver: Go Kart Mozart, MotoSonora Brewing Co., Tucson, AZ
Bronze: Yeah Buoy IPL, Logboat Brewing Co., Columbia, MO

Category 41: American-Style Cream Ale – 87 Entries
Gold: Sea Señor! Mex Lager, SouthNorte Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Los Dudes’ Cerveza Lager Mexicana, Dudes’ Brewing Co., Somis, CA
Bronze: Gold Style, Ballast Point Brewing Co. – Chicago, Chicago, IL

Category 42: American-Style Amber Lager – 101 Entries
Gold: Märzen, Sudwerk Brewing Co., Davis, CA
Silver: Oktoberfest, Huss Brewing Co., Tempe, AZ
Bronze: Grist Maerzen, Grist Brewing Co., Highlands Ranch, CO

Category 43: German-Style Pilsener – 183 Entries
Gold: Parliament Drive, Blind Owl Brewery, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Golden Age Pilsner, Family Business Beer Co., Dripping Springs, TX
Bronze: Pils, Hardywood West Creek, Richmond, VA

Category 44: Bohemian-Style Pilsener – 123 Entries
Gold: Bohemian Shine, Castle Island Brewing Co., Norwood, MA
Silver: Bo Pils, East Brother Beer Co., Richmond, CA
Bronze: The People’s Pilsner, Sudwerk Brewing Co., Davis, CA

GABF19-awards-East-Bros
East Brother Beer Co.

Category 45: Munich-Style Helles – 138 Entries
Gold: Altstadt Lager, Altstadt Brewery, Fredericksburg, TX
Silver: Florida Sunshine, Crooked Can Brewing Co., Winter Garden, FL
Bronze: Wayfinder Hell, Wayfinder Beer, Portland, OR

Category 46: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest – 96 Entries
Gold: Schnitzengiggles, New England Brewing Co., Woodbridge, CT
Silver: Lindauer Lager, Wit’s End Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Chuckanut Fest Bier, Chuckanut Brewery, Burlington, WA

GABF19-awards-Chuckanut
Chuckanut Brewery.

Category 47: Vienna-Style Lager – 93 Entries
Gold: Jomo, Starr Hill Brewery, Crozet, VA
Silver: Vienna Lager, Grains of Wrath Brewing, Camas, WA
Bronze: Moonlight Sonata, Chilly Water Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN

Category 48: German-Style Maerzen – 165 Entries
Gold: Oktoberfest, Bear Chase Brewing Co., Bluemont, VA
Silver: Rocktoberfest, Hutton & Smith Brewing Co., Chattanooga, TN
Bronze: Festie, Starr Hill Pilot Brewery & Side Stage, Roanoke, VA

Category 49: German-Style Dark Lager – 127 Entries
Gold: Pious Monk Dunkel, Church Brew Works, Lawrenceville, PA
Silver: Black Lager, Bingo Beer Co., Richmond, VA
Bronze: Don’t Drop That Dun Dun Dunkel, TAPS Brewery, Tustin, CA

Category 50: International-Style Dark Lager – 31 Entries
Gold: Dark Horse, Snake River Brewing Co., Jackson, WY
Silver: El Corn, The Post Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO
Bronze: Schwarzbier, Hofbräuhaus Cleveland, Cleveland, OH

Category 51: Bock – 45 Entries
Gold: Tackle Bock, Bobbing Bobber Brewing Co., Hutchinson, MN
Silver: Maibock, Dry Dock Brewing Co. – South Dock, Aurora, CO
Bronze: Dunkel Bock, Pilot Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC

Category 52: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock – 57 Entries
Gold: Eis Nine, Sun King Brewing – Fishers Small Batch, Fishers, IN
Silver: Doppelbock, Scorched Earth Brewing Co., Algonquin, IL
Bronze: Eis Vienne, Devils Backbone Brewing Co. – Basecamp, Roseland, VA

GABF19-awards-DAB
Sun King Brewing.

Category 53: Baltic-Style Porter – 51 Entries
Gold: Snap Yo’ Baltics, Freetail Brewing Co. – Brewpub, San Antonio, TX
Silver: Dark Reckoning, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Bronze: Murder Ballads, Noble Beast Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH

Category 54: Golden or Blonde Ale – 150 Entries
Gold: 1956 Golden Ale, Bootstrap Brewing, Longmont, CO
Silver: MadeWest Standard, MadeWest Brewing Co., Ventura, CA
Bronze: Luke’s Original, Lucky Luke Brewing Co., Palmdale, CA

Category 55: German-Style Koelsch – 167 Entries
Gold: Altstadt Kolsch, Altstadt Brewery, Fredericksburg, TX
Silver: Ice Cutter Kölsch, Joyride Brewing Co., Edgewater, CO
Bronze: Dry Creek Blonde Ale, Santa Clara Valley Brewing, San Jose, CA

GABF19-awards-Santa-Clara-Valley
Santa Clara Valley Brewing.

Category 56: English-Style Summer Ale – 39 Entries
Gold: Organic California Blonde Ale, Eel River Brewing Co., Scotia, CA
Silver: Quid, Rhinegeist – Innovation Brewery, Cincinnati, OH
Bronze: Breakside Wentworth by the Sea, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR

Category 57: English-Style or International-Style Pale Ale – 104 Entries
Gold: Ferment Pale Ale, Ferment Brewing Co., Hood River, OR
Silver: Annadel Pale Ale, Third Street AleWorks, Santa Rosa, CA
Bronze: Endless Summer Nights, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA

Category 58: Australian-Style Pale Ale – 61 Entries
Gold: Australian For Pale, Green Cheek Beer Co., Orange, CA
Silver: Mountain Standard IPA, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Bronze: Pete’s Stash, Vail Brewing Co. – Vail Village Pilot, Vail, CO

Category 59: American-Style Pale Ale – 169 Entries
Gold: Johnny Utah, Georgetown Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: Acclimated APA, La Cumbre Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Breakside Woodlawn Pale Ale, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR

GABF19-awards-Breakside
Breakside Brewery.

Category 60: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale – 114 Entries
Gold: Gulp, Tribus Beer Co., Milford, CT
Silver: Itsy Bits, WeldWerks Brewing Co., Greeley, CO
Bronze: Mo-Haze-Ic, Migration Brewing Co. – Wilkes, Portland, OR

Category 61: American-Style Strong Pale Ale – 131 Entries
Gold: Superpower IPA, Comrade Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: NoPac IPA, Crossbuck Brewing, Walla Walla, WA
Bronze: JAF IPA, JAFB Wooster Brewery, Wooster, OH

Category 62: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale – 106 Entries
Gold: Breakside What Rough Beast, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: Kaaterskill, West Kill Brewing, West Kill, NY
Bronze: Goofy Boots, Penrose Brewing Co., Geneva, IL

Category 63: American-Style India Pale Ale – 342 Entries
Gold: More Dodge Less RAM, Comrade Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Radiant Beauty, Green Cheek Beer Co., Orange, CA
Bronze: Weekend Vibes IPA, Coronado Brewing Co. – Production Facility, San Diego, CA

GABF19-awards-Coronado
Coronado Brewing.

Category 64: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale – 348 Entries
Gold: Beezer, Old Irving Brewing Co., Chicago, IL
Silver: Hazy IPA, City Lights Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Devil’s Gulch, Pond Farm Brewing Co., San Rafael, CA

Category 65: Emerging India Pale Ale – 124 Entries
Gold: Pure Tropics, Parish Brewing Co., Broussard, LA
Silver: Vladimir Brutin, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: No medal awarded

Category 66: Imperial India Pale Ale – 173 Entries
Gold: Double Cone, Alvarado Street Brewery, Salinas, CA
Silver: Westbound Double IPA, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho Springs, CO
Bronze: Sharrow, Brew Hub, Lakeland, FL

GABF19-awards-Alvarado-St
Alvarado Street Brewing.

Category 67: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale – 165 Entries
Gold: Extra Extra Juicy Bits, WeldWerks Brewing Co., Greeley, CO
Silver: Juice Jockey, Phantom Ales, Anaheim, CA
Bronze: Chaos Emeralds, Lone Pine Brewing Co. – Gorham, Gorham, ME

Category 68: American-Style Amber/Red Ale – 127 Entries
Gold: Diablo Rojo, Boneyard Beer, Bend, OR
Silver: 1890 Founder’s Ale, Grayton Beer Co., Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Bronze: Red Alert, Aftershock Brewing Co., Temecula, CA

Category 69: Double Hoppy Red Ale – 49 Entries
Gold: Station 101, Claremont Craft Ales, Claremont, CA
Silver: Side Hike, Kern River Brewing Co., Kernville, CA
Bronze: Cannon Ball, Migration Brewing Co. – Glisan, Portland, OR

Category 70: Imperial Red Ale – 38 Entries
Gold: Bone Head Imperial Red, Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon, North Olmsted, OH
Silver: Frogs Like Possum, King’s Court Brewing Co., Poughkeepsie, NY
Bronze: Gifted Gunslinger, Big Sexy Brewing Co., Sacramento, CA

Category 71: English-Style Mild Ale – 40 Entries
Gold: Hold The Reins, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Sliding Rock, BearWaters Brewing Co., Canton, NC
Bronze: Saddle Bronc Brown, Black Tooth Brewing Co., Sheridan, WY

Category 72: Ordinary or Special Bitter – 41 Entries
Gold: Chronic Amber Ale, Pizza Port – Bressi Ranch, Carlsbad, CA
Silver: Cousin Jack, Dostal Alley Brewpub & Casino, Central City, CO
Bronze: Milford Pub Ale, River’s Edge Brewing Co., Milford, MI

Category 73: Extra Special Bitter – 63 Entries
Gold: ESB, Hillman Beer, Asheville, NC
Silver: Bridgeview, Henderson Brewing Co., Henderson, KY
Bronze: Red Ale, The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery, Hampton, VA

Category 74: English-Style India Pale Ale – 39 Entries
Gold: Hop’lin IPA, Southbound Brewing Co., Savannah, GA
Silver: Shanghai’d IPA, Old Town Brewing, Portland, OR
Bronze: Hoppy Poppy, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Category 75: Scottish-Style Ale – 56 Entries
Gold: Taildragger Clan-Destine, Saddle Mountain Brewing Co., Goodyear, AZ
Silver: Yarmouth, Arkane Aleworks, Largo, FL
Bronze: Thistle Dew, Ursa Minor Brewing, Duluth, MN

Category 76: Irish-Style Red Ale – 82 Entries
Gold: Outraged Daughters, Wise Man Brewing, Winston-Salem, NC
Silver: Balefire Irish Red, Mirror Image Brewing Co., Frederick, CO
Bronze: Red Molly Irish Red Ale, Pale Fire Brewing Co., Harrisonburg, VA

Category 77: English-Style Brown Ale – 67 Entries
Gold: Bobcat Brown Ale, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman, MT
Silver: Eclipse Brown Ale, Equinox Brewing, Fort Collins, CO
Bronze: Mischievous Brown, Helltown Brewing, Export, PA

Category 78: American-Style Brown Ale – 99 Entries
Gold: Naked Sunbather, Mad Swede Brewing Co., Boise, ID
Silver: Bull Creek Brown Ale, Springfield Brewing Co., Springfield, MO
Bronze: Browner Than Ivan, Chula Vista Brewery, Chula Vista, CA

Category 79: American-Style Black Ale – 35 Entries
Gold: Alpha Force Double Tap, Überbrew, Billings, MT
Silver: Bowie Knife, Thunderhawk Alements, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Turmoil, Barley Brown’s Beer, Baker City, OR

Category 80: German-Style Sour Ale – 63 Entries
Gold: Meier, Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Santa Fe, NM
Silver: Meersalz, Narrow Gauge Brewing Co., Florissant, MO
Bronze: And the Award Gose to…, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV

Category 81: Specialty Berliner Weisse – 82 Entries
Gold: Midwestern Exotic, Barrel Theory Beer Co., St. Paul, MN
Silver: Jungalow Juice, Arrow Lodge Brewing, Covina, CA
Bronze: Raspberry Vermonter Weiss, 14th Star Brewing, Saint Albans, VT

Category 82: Contemporary Gose – 102 Entries
Gold: Cruise to Nowhere, Town Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Silver: Mimosa Gose, Pilot Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Galactic Minotaurt, True Vine Brewing Co., Tyler, TX

Category 83: German-Style Altbier – 64 Entries
Gold: Rhine Heights ALT, Vintage Brewing Co. – Madison, Madison, WI
Silver: Howitzer Amber, Red Leg Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO
Bronze: Jeremy Altbier, The Royal Oak Brewery, Royal Oak, MI

Category 84: South German-Style Hefeweizen – 150 Entries
Gold: Prosperity Wheat, Market Garden Brewery, Cleveland, OH
Silver: Hug Deal Gone Sideweiss, Gezellig Brewing Co., Newton, IA
Bronze: Leisel Weapon, Noon Whistle Brewing Co., Lombard, IL

Category 85: German-Style Wheat Ale – 37 Entries
Gold: Krystal Clear, TAPS Brewery & Barrel Room, Tustin, CA
Silver: Dunkelweisse, Swashbuckler Brewing Co., Manheim, PA
Bronze: HefeWeizen, Live Oak Brewing Co., Austin, TX

Category 86: Belgian-Style Blonde Ale or Pale Ale – 51 Entries
Gold: Nènette, Kern River Brewing Co. – The Backyard, Kernville, CA
Silver: Hell’s Keep, Squatters Craft Beers, Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Suddenly a Saint, Moonraker Brewing Co., Auburn, CA

Category 87: Belgian-Style Witbier – 94 Entries
Gold: Way West Wit, Zuni Street Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Boeman Belgian White, Ogopogo Brewing, San Gabriel, CA
Bronze: Under a Blood Orange Sky, Temblor Brewing Co., Bakersfield, CA

Category 88: Classic Saison – 106 Entries
Gold: Meadowlark, Metazoa Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Summer Opal, Firestone Walker Propagator, Marina Del Rey, CA
Bronze: Gray Matter, Aspetuck Brew Lab, Bridgeport, CT

Category 89: Specialty Saison – 91 Entries
Gold: Obeisance, Von Ebert Brewing – Glendoveer, Portland, OR
Silver: Westfield, Cellar West Artisan Ales, Lafayette, CO
Bronze: Palisade #2, Fortside Brewing Co., Vancouver, WA

Category 90: Belgian- and French-Style Ale – 47 Entries
Gold: Junebug, Echo Brewing Co., Erie, CO
Silver: Swingin’ Single, Piece Brewery, Chicago, IL
Bronze: Industrial Gris, Resident Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

GABF19-awards-Revolution
Piece Brewery.

Category 91: Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale – 95 Entries
Gold: Get The Funk Out, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, Denver, CO
Silver: Olly, Free Will Brewing Co., Perkasie, PA
Bronze: Saison Apothēca, Yeast of Eden, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA

Category 92: Belgian-Style Dubbel – 26 Entries
Gold: Dedication, Vintage Brewing Co. – Madison, Madison, WI
Silver: Belgian Dubbel, Sugar Creek Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Bronze: OB Bubble Dubbel, Kilowatt Brewing, San Diego, CA

Category 93: Belgian-Style Tripel – 83 Entries
Gold: Princeps Pacis, Save The World Brewing Co., Marble Falls, TX
Silver: Marvella, Red Rock Brewery – Production, Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Triple-Whirl, 217 Brew Works, Wilson, NC

Category 94: Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale – 44 Entries
Gold: Fu Fighter, Good River Beer, Denver, CO
Silver: Sandy Dunes Saison, River Bluff Brewing, St. Joseph, MO
Bronze: Stay Gold, Bluebird Brasserie, Sherman Oaks, CA

Category 95: Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale or Belgian-Style Quadrupel – 62 Entries
Gold: Quad Damn It, Chicago Brewing Co. – Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
Silver: Séréneté Grand Cru, Bruz Beers, Denver, CO
Bronze: Sisters Quad, Bitter Sisters Brewing Co., Addison, TX

Category 96: Other Belgian-Style Ale – 30 Entries
Gold: Very, Very Far, Off Color Brewing, Chicago, IL
Silver: Conquer Then Divide, Barrage Brewing Co., Farmingdale, NY
Bronze: Pentuple, Hoppin’ Frog Brewing, Akron, OH

Category 97: Brown Porter – 61 Entries
Gold: Maduro Brown Ale, Cigar City Brewing, Tampa, FL
Silver: Brown Claw, Kern River Brewing Co. – The Backyard, Kernville, CA
Bronze: Honey Porter, Cape May Brewing Co. – Rio Grande, Cape May, NJ

Category 98: Robust Porter – 87 Entries
Gold: Tabula Rasa, Second Chance Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Powell Street Porter, Bartlett Hall, San Francisco, CA
Bronze: Shadowcaster Porter, Folklore Brewing & Meadery, Dothan, AL

Category 99: Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout – 43 Entries
Gold: SeaSide Stout, Pizza Port – Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA
Silver: Shooter McMunn’s, Lost Rhino Brewing Co., Ashburn, VA
Bronze: O’Dark Thirty, 6 Bears & A Goat Brewing Co., Fredericksburg, VA

Category 100: Export Stout – 42 Entries
Gold: Correspondent, Wander Brewing, Bellingham, WA
Silver: Thor’s Shadow Imperial Stout, Odin Brewing Co., Tukwila, WA
Bronze: Void of Light, Gun Hill Brewing Co., Bronx, NY

GABF19-awards-Stone
Stone Brewing.

Category 101: American-Style Stout – 55 Entries
Gold: Black Cliffs, Boise Brewing, Boise, ID
Silver: Liberty Station Cimmerian Portal, Stone Brewing, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Kilgore, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA

GABF19-awards-Beachwood
Beachwood BBQ & Brewing.

Category 102: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout – 67 Entries
Gold: Moozie, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Emperor Norton’s Sweet Stout, 21st Amendment Brewery, San Leandro, CA
Bronze: Volcano Mudslide Sweet Stout, Feather Falls Brewing, Oroville, CA

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21st Amendment Brewery.

Category 103: Oatmeal Stout – 69 Entries
Gold: 80 Chain Stout, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman, MT
Silver: Yonder Mountain Stout, Vine Street Pub & Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Shaman Stout, Toltec Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM

Category 104: Imperial Stout – 93 Entries
Gold: The Russian, 2SP Brewing Co., Aston, PA
Silver: Black Cauldron Imperial Stout, Grand Teton Brewing, Victor, ID
Bronze: Rescue Buoy Imperial Stout, Rip Current Brewing, San Marcos, CA

GABF19-awards-Rip-Current
Rip Current Brewing.

Category 105: Scotch Ale – 52 Entries
Gold: Knuckle Dragger, Dueces Wild Brewery, Colorado Springs, CO
Silver: Real Heavy, Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX
Bronze: Wee Heavy Metal, Hutton & Smith Brewing Co., Chattanooga, TN

Category 106: Old Ale or Strong Ale – 36 Entries
Gold: Private Stock Ale, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Old Scrooge, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Bronze: Last Will & Testament, Monday Night Brewing, Atlanta, GA

GABF19-awards-AleSmith
AleSmith Brewing.

Category 107: Barley Wine-Style Ale – 59 Entries
Gold: Old Diablo, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Silver: Freebooter Barleywine, Coronado Brewing Co., Coronado, CA
Bronze: Three Ryes Men, Reuben’s Brews – The Taproom, Seattle, WA

GABF19-awards-Morgan-Territory
Morgan Territory Brewing.

Pro-Am Competition – 113 Entries
Gold: Distemper, IMBĪB Custom Brews, Reno, NV
Brewmaster: IMBĪB Brew Crew
AHA Member: Lance Newlin
Silver: Leicht, Precarious Beer Project – Beer Hall, Williamsburg, VA
Brewmaster: Greg Fleehart
AHA Member: Joel Miller
Bronze: Chess with Checkers, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Brewmaster: The Employee Owners of New Belgium
AHA Member: Erich Purcell

Collaboration Competition – 70 Entries
Gold: Getting By on Central Time, Sun King Brewing, Indianapolis, IN
Indiana Brewers Guild Beer Brigadiers
Silver: Are You Pricklish?, Taft’s Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Against the Grain Brewing, Louisville, KY
Bronze: Willie Big Dog, Public Coast Brewing Co., Cannon Beach, OR
Big Dog’s Brewing CO., Las Vegas, NV

2019 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Santa Fe, NM
Rowley Farmhouse Ales

Mid-Size Brewpub and Mid-Size Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho Springs, CO
Westbound & Down Brewery Team

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Vintage Brewing Co. – Madison, Madison, WI
Drinking Fresh Thinking

Very Small Brewing Company and Very Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Brink Brew Crew

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Comrade Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Marks Lanham & David Lin

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Silver City Brew Team

Brewery Group and Brewery Group Brewer of the Year
Kern River Brewing Co., Kernville, CA

GABF19-awards-Kern-River-BOtY
Kern River Brewing.

Lucky Lager Returns

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Pabst announced today that they’re re-introducing Lucky Lager in the Bay Area. The iconic local beer has been absent from store shelves for four decades, but I’m pretty sure it was still around when I moved here in 1985. By then, according to Wikipedia, beginning in “July 1985, the Olympia Brewing Company in Tumwater, WA began to produce Lucky Lager in the US. In July 2003, this brewery was also closed. Lucky Lager continued to be sold in its original Northern California range at Lucky Stores supermarkets, which although not affiliated, sold Lucky Lager as an unofficial value store brand, until Lucky Stores supermarkets were bought out by Albertson’s and the name of the supermarkets was changed around 2000.”

But as long as I’ve been here, people have been waxing nostalgic about the brand. Apparently, it saw a lot of Bay Area folks through college and their lean years, as an affordable beer brand. And now, they’re bringing it back, albeit without the iconic label and a reimagined modern take on the packaging. I feel like appealing to the nostalgia for the brand — something Pabst knows a thing or two about — would have been a better idea, although only time will tell. On the plus side, it’s being brewed under contract by the 21st Amendment Brewery in San Leandro. When I spoke to co-owner Shaun O’Sullivan, he told me it was under arrangement with Pabst to brew and can the beer for them. At 4.2% it could be a good session lager, something that could definitely be useful. I’m actually looking forward to tasting it, and part of that has to do with 21st Amendment’s involvement.

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Here’s the press release from Pabst:

The Gold Rush and Tech Boom are iconic examples of the good fortune emanating from the Bay Area. San Francisco attracts visionaries and entrepreneurs willing to put in the sweat equity to make their dreams a reality. For most of the last century, Lucky Lager was the Bay Area’s beer of choice after a long day. Now, this Bay Area classic has been reimagined as a premium lager to inspire a new generation working tirelessly to turn dreams into reality.

Founded on the heels of prohibition, Lucky Lager became synonymous with the city of San Francisco and a favorite of the diverse cultures that call it home. In an effort to revive Lucky and restore its local roots, Pabst tapped San Leandro-based 21 st Amendment for help with brewing and canning, and San Francisco-based design agency Hatch to helm the redesign. “San Francisco is a town where anyone with a persevering mindset and dedicated spirit can get ‘lucky’ and strike it big,” said Matt Bruhn, General Manger at Pabst. “We want Lucky Lager to be your reward for a hard day’s work.”

San Francisco-based design agency Hatch created the new Lucky Lager can, a modern interpretation of the iconic original. Six packs present “Lucky” in one of five local languages heard every day on the streets of San Francisco, including English, Chinese, Spanish, Korean and Vietnamese. This new design concept is an initial nod to the area’s rich cultural diversity and a subtle reminder that luck is a universal phenomenon. “Lucky represents sketch dreams and napkin schemes; it’s a beer meant to celebrate both the wins and failures that pave the road to success,” said Nicole Flores, Creative Director at Hatch.

“Born in San Francisco, Lucky Lager is infused with the same drive, where “X” marks the spot for determination, imagination and desire that make the Bay Area so alluring. Such qualities are inherent to the beer and to those in the Bay who drink it.”

A unique, unfiltered lager that pours with a pale straw color and a clean white head, Lucky Lager introduces itself with the aroma of sweet corn, toasted bread and light notes of citrus fruits from delicate hops. At 4.2% ABV, Lucky welcomes you with notes of light malt, floral earthy hops, and slight honey, with a creamy and satisfying carbonation. It finishes crisp with a pleasant linger, proving that being Lucky is refreshing.

Lucky Lager is exclusively available throughout the Bay Area and Northern California. For more information on distribution and our story, please visit luckylagersf.com.

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The five different Lucky cans being prodiced.

Fastest Growing Breweries in 2018

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ba

Yesterday, the Brewers Association released its list of “50 Fastest Growing U.S. Craft Breweries of 2018.” This is the second year for the list, and I’m glad they started creating it last year, because the annual Top 50 list has grown increasingly static over the years, and isn’t a good way to see who’s shaking things up anymore. Most of the movement tends to now be confined to the bottom half or even the bottom quarter of the list, with minimal changes above that. This list, on the other hand, sees new breweries on it each year (at least so far) and gives a better picture of which breweries are moving product at a faster pace than the previous year. And while it’s probably on a small base, it still shows who’s worth watching.

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From the press release:

Representing 27 states across the U.S., these small and independent breweries experienced a median growth of 163 percent with the median size being 1,350 barrels of in-house production in 2018. Breweries on the list range from 50 barrels to more than 40,000, and grew from less than 70,000 barrels collectively in 2017 to more than 170,000 barrels in 2018. As a group, these brewing companies represent approximately 10 percent of total craft growth by volume for the year, and include 13 brewpubs, 35 microbreweries, and two regional craft breweries.

“Even as market competition continues to increase, these small and independent breweries and brewpubs demonstrate there are still growth opportunities across a diverse set of regions and business models,” said Bart Watson, chief economist, Brewers Association.

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In my neck of the woods — California — six breweries made the list. That represents 12% of the total. Half of the California breweries are in the Bay Area and Northern California, and they’re all in the top half of the list with one, Sacramento’s New Glory, in the Top 10. They opened in 2012. Of the other two, Woods Beer Co. has several locations now, and has been around for several years (16 brewing, 7 with their own brewery). The other one is Humble Sea Brewing, located in Santa Cruz, which just opened in early 2016. Congratulations to all the breweries who made the list.

This is a shortened version of the methodology they used, for the full write-up, see the BA’s press release.

Growth is measured based on production at their own facilities. Breweries must have opened by December 31, 2016 or earlier to be considered. It only includes breweries that reported 2018 production to the Brewers Association’s annual Beer Industry Production Survey; breweries with staff estimates or data from state excise tax reports were not considered. Breweries also needed a validated production figure for 2017, either via the production survey, or state excise tax data.

Beers Of Joy

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beersofjoy

So this looks like it should be fun. There’s a new beer film being released on March 1, which is called Beers of Joy. It apparently follows the journey of four individuals in beer, but two of them are good friends of mine, Tonya Cornett and Sean Paxton.

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Below is the press release from yesterday, announcing the film’s release:

Beer. It’s what you reach for after a long day and how you celebrate with friends – and now, it’s the focus of a new feature-length documentary – “Beers of Joy” – debuting worldwide on March 1, 2019. Written and Directed by David Swift and Scott Owen of One-Eleven Entertainment, the film examines the rich history, detailed science and unique personalities of the beer world, and encourages viewers to consider the stories behind their favorite pints. Beer lovers everywhere are invited to celebrate the film when it makes its theatrical debut at select theater locations across the country, as well as on-demand on iTunes, Comcast, Spectrum and more.

From medieval monasteries to historic German villages and all the breweries in between, “Beers of Joy” follows the fascinating journey of four distinctly different characters and how they ultimately converge over a shared enjoyment of the beloved brew, including:

  • Tonya Cornett, Gold-medal-winning Innovation Brewmaster at 10 Barrel Brewing Co., embarks on a quest across Germany and Italy to discover the ancient, cutting edge traditions and secrets to brewing a true Berliner Weisse, while finding masters of their craft along the way.
  • Beer educator Ryan Daley and Joe Vogelbacher, CEO and Co-founder of Sugar Creek Brewing Co., attempt to pass the prestigious Master Cicerone® exam, beer’s equivalent to wine’s Master Sommelier, known as one of the most difficult tests ever created.
  • Sean Z. Paxton, a self-taught chef and accomplished home brewer goes back centuries in time to discover the roots of culinary and brewing techniques and how they inspire modern day appreciation and pairings, culminating in his undertaking of an actual, 16th-century feast that may prove to be the most difficult thing he’s ever attempted.

“It’s incredible just how vast the world of beer is. Through all of my studying and experiences, I still feel as though I’ve barely scratched the surface,” said Ryan Daley. “To me, the magic of beer is how it brings people together regardless of how much you know. If you’re sitting with a pint of beer in front of you and enjoying the flavor and the company, then you’re usually in a good spot.”

The concept of what became “Beers of Joy” was first born out of Anheuser-Busch’s desire to create an entertaining film that not only celebrated the beer industry, but told the inspiring stories of the people behind it in a way that would resonate far beyond the world of beer. Producer Jonathan Hack partnered with Popular Mechanics and the award-winning filmmakers at One-Eleven Entertainment, who both shared a passion to create a true love letter to the world’s most popular and oldest fermented beverage. “Beers of Joy” is being distributed worldwide by Gravitas Ventures.

“As Directors and beer enthusiasts, it was an incredible experience for us to discover and document the amazing and compelling stories of the characters in ‘Beers of Joy,'” said David Swift, Writer-Director with Scott Owen, and CEO of One-Eleven Entertainment. “In the film, we are fortunate to have some of the biggest luminaries in the world of beer and brewing from across the globe share their passion, their knowledge and their perspective on this special beverage. We hope ‘Beers of Joy’ and its characters make you love more, laugh more, and learn more than you ever thought you might about humanity’s connection to beer… which you should always ‘Pour with Vigor!‘”

If you read through the press release, you’ll no doubt notice that Anheuser-Busch InBev provided some of the financing for the film, as did Popular Mechanics, too. But even in their own press release, their involvement seems to be downplayed, and they’re the last of the five company’s listed that were part of the making of the documentary. I’m sure there will be some hand-wringing over that, but I’m still keen to see Tonya and Sean and want to give is a fair shake. Neither of them is going to be involved in anything if they’re not comfortable with how it’s being done.

The film will make its theatrical debut during an exclusive showing at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Brooklyn, N.Y. on March 1st featuring a Q&A with the cast and filmmakers.

So at least Sean has a good excuse for missing my birthday party the next day, since he’ll be in New York for the premiere. Here is the trailer for the film, which gives a good flavor as to what we can expect from it:

Beers of Joy – Trailer from One-Eleven Entertainment on Vimeo.