On Saturday, September 26, the winners of the 34th Great American Beer Festival were announced. A record 6,647 beers were judged in 92 categories by 242 judges, of which I was again privileged to be one. I was on hand at the awards ceremony and thought I’d share the results again, this time along with some of the photographs I took during the awards.
Inside the back of the theater, about an hour before the award ceremony began.
Justin Crossley, from The Brewing Network, on stage getting ready to simulcast the awards.
After the theater filled up.
A partial panorama view of the theater.
First GABF Director Nancy Johnson welcomed everyone, followed by GABF Competition Director Chris Swersey, who revealed each of the medal winners.
The 2015 Great American Beer Festival Winners
Category 1: American-Style Wheat Beer, 58 Entries
Gold: Super 77 Wheat, Wiley Roots Brewing Co., Greeley, CO
Silver: Whacked Out Wheat, Telluride Brewing Co., Telluride, CO
Bronze: Mogabi, Elevator Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Columbus, OH
Category 2: American-Style Wheat Beer With Yeast, 41 Entries
Gold: The Big O, O’so Brewing, Plover, WI
Silver: WeldWerks Hefeweizen, WeldWerks Brewing Co., Greeley, CO
Bronze: Boulder Bend Dunkelweizen, Fish Brewing Co., Olympia, WA
Category 3: American-Style Fruit Beer, 87 Entries
Gold: Chchchch-Cherry Bomb, Melvin Brewing, Jackson, WY
Silver: Rasplendent, Mazama Brewing Co., Corvallis, OR
Bronze: Apricot Blonde, Dry Dock Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Aurora, CO
Category 4: Fruit Wheat Beer, 69 Entries
Gold: Magnolia’s Peach, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Chandler, Chandler, AZ
Silver: You’re My Boy, Blue!, Brew Bus Brewing, Tampa, FL
Bronze: Purple Line, Smylie Brothers Brewing Co., Evanston, IL
Michael Ferguson and the crew from BJ’s.
Category 5: Belgian-Style Fruit Beer, 63 Entries
Gold: X-Reserve Ale 05-15 Peach and Ginger Saison, Saucony Creek Brewing, Kutztown, PA
Silver: Kumquat Saison, Smog City Brewing, Torrance, CA
Bronze: Cherry Busey, Sun King Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
The Sun King crew.
Category 6: Pumpkin Beer, 56 Entries
Gold: No Medal
Silver: Pumpkin Grinder, Mankato Brewery, Mankato, MN
Bronze: The Great Pumpkin Ale, Great Basin Brewing Co. – Sparks, Sparks, NV
Category 7: Field Beer, 52 Entries
Gold: Beets, Rhymes and Life, Fonta Flora Brewery, Morganton, NC
Silver: Window Seat Coconut Almond Porter, Baxter Brewing Co., Auburn, ME
Bronze: Coconut Porter, Broken Compass Brewing, Breckenridge, CO
Category 8: Chili Beer, 79 Entries
Gold: Fire Tiger, Lander Brewing Co., Lander, WY
Silver: Heir Apparent, Lickinghole Creek Craft Brewery, Goochland, VA
Bronze: Ballast Point Pale Ale with Serrano, Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits – Scripps Ranch,
San Diego, CA
Category 9: Herb and Spice Beer, 142 Entries
Gold: Garden Party, Free State Brewing Co., Lawrence, KS
Silver: Allergeez, Panther Island Brewing Co., Fort Worth, TX
Bronze: Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Ale, Aftershock Brewing Co., Temecula, CA
Category 10: Chocolate Beer, 65 Entries
Gold: The Velvet Hog, TAPS Fish House & Brewery – Corona, Corona, CA
Silver: El Toro Coco Chocolate Stout, El Toro Brewing Co., Morgan Hill, CA
Bronze: Wonka Bar, Mispillion River Brewing, Milford, DE
Geno and Cindy from El Toro Brewing.
Category 11: Coffee Beer, 149 Entries
Gold: Zumbar Chocolate Coffee Imperial Stout, New English Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Mocha Machine, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA
Bronze: Bacon and Eggs, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA
Beachwood Brewing crew, with Julian Shrago on the right, next to Charlie Papazian.
Category 12: Specialty Beer, 59 Entries
Gold: Hog Cabin, Great South Bay Brewery, Bay Shore, NY
Silver: Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Rogue Ales, Newport, OR
Bronze: Pack Dog Peanut Butter Ale, Marley’s Brewery & Grille, Bloomsburg, PA
Jim Cline and crew, from Rogue.
Category 13: Rye Beer, 84 Entries
Gold: Blitzkrieg Bock, Fat Head’s Brewery – Portland, Portland, OR
Silver: Concrete Dinosaur, Right Brain Brewery, Traverse City, MI
Bronze: Pt. Bonita Rustic Lager, Headlands Brewing Co., Mill Valley, CA
Category 14: Honey Beer, 52 Entries
Gold: Electric Stinger, The Tap Beer Co., Bloomington, IN
Silver: Honey Chamomile Wheat, Nexus Brewery, Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Spring Fever, FiftyFifty Brewing Co., Truckee, CA
Category 15: Session Beer, 44 Entries
Gold: BJ’s LightSwitch Lager, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Temple, Temple, TX
Silver: MCA, 21st Amendment Brewery Cafe, San Francisco, CA
Bronze: Guillaume, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA
Sean and Nico with the gang from 21st Amendment.
Category 16: Session India Pale Ale, 161 Entries
Gold: The Coachman, Societe Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Size 4, Steel Toe Brewing, St. Louis Park, MN
Bronze: Nose Candy, Noble Ale Works, Anaheim, CA
Travis Smith and the crew from Societe Brewing.
Category 17: Other Strong Beer, 43 Entries
Gold: Ursa Minor, McCoy’s Public House, Kansas City, MO
Silver: Humboldt Brownie, Mad River Brewing Co., Blue Lake, CA
Bronze: Take Back the Streets, Piece Brewery, Chicago, IL
Jonathan Cutler from Piece Brewing.
Category 18: Experimental Beer, 85 Entries
Gold: Mystery Airship Imperial Chocolate Porter, New Helvetia Brewing Co., Sacramento, CA
Silver: Melt My Brain, Short’s Brewing Co., Elk Rapids, MI
Bronze: Ramjet, Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales, Denver, CO
Dave Gull and Brian Cofresi from New Helvetia Brewing.
The shorts-wearing crew from Short’s Brewing, although it’s the argyle socks that really make the outfits.
Category 19: Fresh or Wet Hop Ale, 34 Entries
Gold: Acequia IPA, Bosque Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
Silver: Fresh Hop Superpower IPA, Comrade Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Melvin IPA, Melvin Brewing, Jackson, WY
The Melvins suited up and ready to play.
Category 20: Historical Beer, 40 Entries
Gold: Black Eagle Gratzer, Platform Beer Co., Cleveland, OH
Silver: Dortmunder Adambier, Blue Pants Brewery, Madison, AL
Bronze: Snow Drop, Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, Loveland, CO
Category 21: Gluten-Free Beer, 24 Entries
Gold: Watchstander Stout, Ghostfish Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: IPA No. 5, Ground Breaker Brewing, Portland, OR
Bronze: Ghostfish Grapefruit IPA, Ghostfish Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Category 22: American-Belgo-Style Ale, 71 Entries
Gold: Le Freak, Green Flash Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Summer Saison, Blackberry Farm Brewery, Walland, TN
Bronze: Salad Days American Saison, Pale Fire Brewing Co., Harrisonburg, VA
Chuck Silva and the gang from Green Flash Brewing.
Category 23: American-Style Sour Ale, 86 Entries
Gold: Savant Blanc, Perennial Artisan Ales, Saint Louis, MO
Silver: Ensorcelled, The Rare Barrel, Berkeley, CA
Bronze: Apropos of Nothing, The Rare Barrel, Berkeley, CA
Jay, Alex, Brad and the crew from The Rare Barrel.
Category 24: American-Style Brett Beer, 85 Entries
Gold: (512) Wild Bear, (512) Brewing Co., Austin, TX
Silver: Red Swingline IPA Primitif, Trinity Brewing, Colorado Springs, CO
Bronze: 2015 Golden Ale, New Glarus Brewing Co. – Hilltop, New Glarus, WI
Category 25: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer, 69 Entries
Gold: Wild Warehouse, Wander Brewing, Bellingham, WA
Silver: Palo Santo Aged Porter, Spellbound Brewing, Mount Holly, NJ
Bronze: Barrel Aged Brown Ale, Twin Peaks Brewery, Irving, TX
Category 26: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer, 179 Entries
Gold: Melange A Trois, Nebraska Brewing Co., La Vista, NE
Silver: Batch 666: Sympathy For The Devil, Sun King Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
Bronze: Ska Face, SKA Brewing, Durango, CO
Paul Kavulak and the Nebraska Brewing crew.
Category 27: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer, 128 Entries
Gold: Ctayt, AC Golden Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Sherry Ink, Rhinegeist Brewing, Cincinnati, OH
Bronze: Dosvidanya, DESTIHL – Champaign, Champaign, IL
Bryant Goulding (the tall one — who used live in the Bay Area) and the team from Rhinegeist.
The gang from DESTIHL.
Category 28: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer, 137 Entries
Gold: Veritas 015, The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA
Silver: 24 Frames Per Second, Our Mutual Friend Malt & Brew, Denver, CO
Bronze: Sour Opal, Firestone Walker Barrelworks, Buellton, CA
Tomme Arthur and the rest of the monks from the Lost Abbey.
Firestone Walker’s first medal of the day.
Category 29: Aged Beer, 38 Entries
Gold: Big Deluxe, Ritual Brewing Co., Redlands, CA
Silver: Sasquatch 2014, 903 Brewers, Sherman, TX
Bronze: Old Diablo, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Craig Cauwels winning for the first time with his new renamed brewery.
Category 30: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier, 45 Entries
Gold: STS Pils, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: TAPS Kellerbier, TAPS Fish House & Brewery – Brea, Brea, CA
Bronze: Fargo Original, Fargo Brewing Co., Fargo, ND
Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo from Russian River Brewing.
Category 31: Smoke Beer, 57 Entries
Gold: Smoked Märzen, 49th State Brewing Co., Denali National Park, AK
Silver: S.S.A., Titletown Brewing Co., Green Bay, WI
Bronze: Smokie Robbins, Lager Heads Brewing Co., Medina, OH
David Oldenberg and a teammate from Titletown Brewing.
Category 32: American-Style or International-Style Pilsener, 51 Entries
Gold: Rocket 100, The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co., Austin, TX
Silver: Mexican Logger, SKA Brewing, Durango, CO
Bronze: Amend This!, TAPS Fish House & Brewery – Brea, Brea, CA
Category 33: German-Style Pilsener, 100 Entries
Gold: Pivo, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Pilsner, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR
Bronze: Pilsner, Dry Dock Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
Firestone Walker’s second medal.
Category 34: Bohemian-Style Pilsener, 62 Entries
Gold: Shower Beer, Champion Brewing Co., Charlottesville, VA
Silver: Bohemian Pilsner, von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, VT
Bronze: Peacemaker Pilsner, Pug Ryan’s Brewing Co., Dillon, CO
Category 35: Munich-Style Helles, 55 Entries
Gold: Bucket Seat Blonde, Garage Brewing Co. & Pizzeria, Temecula, CA
Silver: Long Goodbye, Ahnapee Brewery, Algoma, WI
Bronze: Goldencold Lager, Susquehanna Brewing Co., Pittston, PA
Category 36: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest, 48 Entries
Gold: Oktoberfest, Fort Collins Brewery & Tavern, Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Longboard Island Lager, Craft Brew Alliance – Kona Brewery, Kailua Kona, HI
Bronze: Helles Lager, Lucky Envelope Brewing, Seattle, WA
Category 37: American-Style Lager or Light Lager, 55 Entries
Gold: Coors Banquet, Coors Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Lone Tree Mexican Lager, Lone Tree Brewing Co., Lone Tree, CO
Bronze: Southern Girl Lager, Sycamore Brewing, Charlotte, NC
Sue Thompson from MillerCoors.
The Lone Tree brew crew.
Category 38: American-Style Cream Ale, 56 Entries
Gold: Rainier Lager, Pabst Brewing Co., Los Angeles, CA
Silver: Olympia, Pabst Brewing Co., Los Angeles, CA
Bronze: Nuff, Dale Bros Brewery, Upland, CA
Dale Bros Brewery crew.
Category 39: Vienna-Style Lager, 46 Entries
Gold: Vienna Lager, Devils Backbone Brewing Co. – Outpost, Lexington, VA
Silver: Oktoberfest, Stoudts Brewing Co., Adamstown, PA
Bronze: Firebrick, August Schell Brewing Co., New Ulm, MN
The Devil’s Backbone team, including my good friend Jennie Hatton, who just joined the staff.
Category 40: German-Style Märzen, 65 Entries
Gold: Oktoberfest, Rahr & Sons Brewing Co., Fort Worth, TX
Silver: Antonius 1742 Oktoberfest, Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
Bronze: Duck-Rabbit Märzen, Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Farmville, NC
Category 41: American-Style Amber Lager, 48 Entries
Gold: Auburn Lager, Mad Anthony Brewing Co., Fort Wayne, IN
Silver: Karbachtoberfest, Karbach Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: St. Florian’s Brewery California Common, St. Florian’s Brewery, Windsor, CA
Category 42: European-Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel, 34 Entries
Gold: Gigi, Exile Brewing, Des Moines, IA
Silver: Fearless Youth, Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, Loveland, CO
Bronze: Chuckanut Dunkel, Chuckanut Brewery, Bellingham, WA
Will Kemper and crew from Chuckanut.
Category 43: American-Style Dark Lager, 21 Entries
Gold: Lagerithm, Bottle Logic Brewing, Anaheim, CA
Silver: Lighter Than I Look, Figueroa Mountain Brewing – Arroyo Grande, Arroyo Grande, CA
Bronze: Black Diamond, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR
The brew crew down off of Figueroa Mountain.
Category 44: German-Style Schwarzbier, 37 Entries
Gold: Lobo Negro, Pedernales Brewing Co., Fredericksburg, TX
Silver: Black Knight, Fat Head’s Brewery – N. Olmstead, North Olmsted, OH
Bronze: Eastside, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI
Category 45: Bock, 38 Entries
Gold: Break Line Bock, Rip Current Brewery, San Marcos, CA
Silver: Rock Out with Maibock Out, Hailstorm Brewing Co., Tinley Park, IL
Bronze: A Cart Ride to Mexico, Red Eye Brewing Co., Wausau, WI
Paul Sangster, Guy Shobe and crew from Rip Current.
Category 46: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock, 25 Entries
Gold: The Regulator, Rahr & Sons Brewing Co., Fort Worth, TX
Silver: Procrastinator Doppelbock, Fitger’s Brewhouse, Duluth, MN
Bronze: Hot for Teacher Ms. Doppelbock, Thr3e Wise Men Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
Category 47: Baltic-Style Porter, 35 Entries
Gold: Cobaltic Porter, Bottle Logic Brewing, Anaheim, CA
Silver: Double Porter, Bemidji Brewing Co., Bemidji, MN
Bronze: Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter, Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery, Farmville, NC
Category 48: Golden or Blonde Ale, 107 Entries
Gold: Sunlight Cream Ale, Sun King Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Boxcar Blonde Ale, Heroes Restaurant and Brewery, Riverside, CA
Bronze: Alpine Gold, Tied House Cafe & Brewery – Mt. View, Mountain View, CA
Sun King shines again.
Category 49: German-Style Kölsch, 111 Entries
Gold: Chuckanut Kolsch Style, Chuckanut Brewery, Bellingham, WA
Silver: Colorado Kölsch, Steamworks Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Bronze: Friar Chuck, Black Bottle Brewery, Fort Collins, CO
A happy Will Kemper wins a second medal for Chuckanut.
Category 50: English-Style Summer Ale, 38 Entries
Gold: Beaverton Blonde, Golden Valley Brewery and Pub, McMinnville, OR
Silver: Cream Ale, Newburgh Brewing Co., Newburgh, NY
Bronze: Lonely Blonde, Fulton Beer, Minneapolis, MN
Category 51: Classic English-Style Pale Ale, 46 Entries
Gold: Mr. Kite’s Pale Ale, Social Kitchen & Brewery, San Francisco, CA
Silver: India Pale Ale, Arcadia Brewing Co., Kalamazoo, MI
Bronze: PBW Pale Ale, Paducah Beer Werks, Paducah, KY
Kim Sturdavant from Social Kitchen.
Category 52: English-Style India Pale Ale, 42 Entries
Gold: Shanghai’d IPA, Old Town Brewing, Portland, OR
Silver: Monumental IPA, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA
Bronze: Hammersmith IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
The Port City team.
Firestone Walker’s third.
Category 53: International-Style Pale Ale, 75 Entries
Gold: Mai Tai P.A., Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill, Monterey, CA
Silver: Rain Delay IPA, JAFB Wooster Brewery, Wooster, OH
Bronze: San Diego-Style IPA, Karl Strauss Brewing Co. – La Jolla, La Jolla, CA
Alvarado Street brewers stepping out.
Chris Cramer and the La Jolla brew crew from Karl Strauss.
Category 54: American-Style Pale Ale, 160 Entries
Gold: Monterey St. Pale Ale, Central Coast Brewing Co., San Luis Obispo, CA
Silver: Hoppy Palm, Track 7 Brewing Co. – Natomas, Sacramento, CA
Bronze: Featherweight Pale Ale, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
The brewing engineers from Track 7.
Category 55: American-Style Strong Pale Ale, 134 Entries
Gold: Ratchet Strap IPA, Barley Brown’s Beer, Baker City, OR
Silver: Via Chicago, CODA Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
Bronze: 3C India Pale Ale, Triple C Brewing, Charlotte, NC
A pumped up Barley Brown crew.
Category 56: American-Style India Pale Ale, 336 Entries
Gold: Revolver IPA, BNS Brewing & Distilling Co., Santee, CA
Silver: Pernicious IPA, Wicked Weed Brewing – Candler, Candler, NC
Bronze: White Rajah, The Brew Kettle Taproom and Smokehouse, Strongsville, OH
A Wicked Weed win.
Category 57: Imperial India Pale Ale, 208 Entries
Gold: Hop JuJu Imperial IPA, Fat Head’s Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Silver: Eazy Duz It IIPA, Laurelwood Public House and Brewery, Portland, OR
Bronze: Teahupo’o, Breakwater Brewing Co., Oceanside, CA
The Fat Heads channeling good juju.
Category 58: American-Style Amber/Red Ale, 94 Entries
Gold: Immersion Amber Ale, Two Beers Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: Proletariat Red, Lompoc Brewing – The 5th Quadrant, Portland, OR
Bronze: Sharkbite Red, Pizza Port Bressi Ranch, Carlsbad, CA
The Pizza Porters.
Category 59: Double Red Ale, 71 Entries
Gold: Bone Head Imperial Red, Fat Head’s Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Silver: Toaster Pastry, 21st Amendment Brewery, San Leandro, CA
Bronze: GRAMBO, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA
21st Amendment’s second win.
Category 60: Imperial Red Ale, 35 Entries
Gold: reDANKulous, Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, MI
Silver: Wreak Havoc, Bootstrap Brewing Co., Niwot, CO
Bronze: Imperial Red Ale, Marble Brewery, Albuquerque, NM
The Marble Brewery team.
Category 61: English-Style Mild Ale, 40 Entries
Gold: Mild, Brothers Craft Brewing, Harrisonburg, VA
Silver: Summer Porter, Fort Point Beer Co., San Francisco, CA
Bronze: Mamoot, Logboat Brewing Co., Columbia, MO
Category 62: Ordinary or Special Bitter, 43 Entries
Gold: DBA (Double Barrel Ale), Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Spitfire Best Bitter, Flyers Restaurant and Brewery, Oak Harbor, WA
Bronze: Sawtooth Ale, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
Category 63: Extra Special Bitter, 67 Entries
Gold: The Guilty Party, Gibb’s Hundred Brewing Co., Greensboro, NC
Silver: 14° ESB, Bent Paddle Brewing Co., Duluth, MN
Bronze: Red Fish, Flying Fish Brewing Co., Somerdale, NJ
Flying Fish scores New Jersey’s second medal.
Category 64: Scottish-Style Ale, 52 Entries
Gold: Copper John Scotch Ale, Madison River Brewing Co., Belgrade, MT
Silver: Cold Smoke, KettleHouse Brewing Co., Missoula, MT
Bronze: Barrio Rojo, Barrio Brewing Co., Tucson, AZ
Category 65: Irish-Style Red Ale, 70 Entries
Gold: TAPS Irish Red, TAPS Fish House & Brewery – Corona, Corona, CA
Silver: Johnny Blood Red, Titletown Brewing Co., Green Bay, WI
Bronze: Hooligan’s Irish Red Ale, Montana Brewing Co., Billings, MT
TAPS taps another win.
Category 66: English-Style Brown Ale, 72 Entries
Gold: Red Hydrant Ale, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Silver: No Name, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co., Glenwood Springs, CO
Bronze: Rogue River Brown, Rockford Brewing Co. – Rockford, Michigan, Rockford, MI
Category 67: American-Style Brown Ale, 85 Entries
Gold: 1623 Brown Ale, 7th Settlement Brewery, Dover, NH
Silver: Rapture Fusion Brown Ale, Rabbit Hole Brewing, Justin, TX
Bronze: Restraint, Institution Ale Co., Camarillo, CA
Category 68: American-Style Black Ale, 54 Entries
Gold: Midnight Moonlight, Fat Head’s Brewery – N. Olmstead, North Olmsted, OH
Silver: Singularity, Karl Strauss Brewing Co. – Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa, CA
Bronze: King Ink, Denver Beer Co. – Canworks, Denver, CO
Another Fat Head victory.
Category 69: German-Style Sour Ale, 111 Entries
Gold: Gose, Reuben’s Brews Taproom, Seattle, WA
Silver: Volkssekt, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR
Bronze: Cucumber Crush, 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Bend, OR
The gang from 10 Barrel.
Category 70: German-Style Altbier, 49 Entries
Gold: Copper Alt, Zipline Brewing Co., Lincoln, NE
Silver: Generation Alt, Flix Brewhouse – Indy, Carmel, IN
Bronze: Altbier, Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO
Category 71: South German-Style Hefeweizen, 95 Entries
Gold: Weißbier, Prost Brewing, Denver, CO
Silver: Wild Wapiti Wheat, Elk Mountain Brewing Co., Parker, CO
Bronze: Windansea Wheat, Karl Strauss Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Category 72: German-Style Wheat Ale, 35 Entries
Gold: Saint Arnold Weedwacker, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Silver: Weizenbock, Kansas City Bier Co., Kansas City, MO
Bronze: Monkey Business, New Bohemia Brewing Co., Santa Cruz, CA
Brock Wagner and the Saint Arnold squad.
Daniel Satterthwaite and the tribe from New Bohemia.
Category 73: Belgian-Style Blonde Ale or Pale Ale, 47 Entries
Gold: Bear Hair, Logboat Brewing Co., Columbia, MO
Silver: Bleek Worden, Prison City Brewing, Auburn, NY
Bronze: Belgian Style Pale Ale, Aardwolf Brewing Co., Jacksonville, FL
Category 74: Belgian-Style Witbier, 82 Entries
Gold: Allagash White, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Silver: White Rascal, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Bronze: Optimal Wit, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA
Rob Tod and his Allagash allies.
Adam Avery and Averys.
Category 75: French- and Belgian-Style Saison, 132 Entries
Gold: Siren’s Lure, Fair Winds Brewing Co., Lorton, VA
Silver: Daily Wages, Brasserie Saint James, Reno, NV
Bronze: Saison, URBN St. Brewing Co., El Cajon, CA
Category 76: Belgian- and French-Style Ale, 47 Entries
Gold: Vintage Monks, Adelbert’s Brewery, Austin, TX
Silver: Grisette, Sly Fox Brewing Co., Pottstown, PA
Bronze: Petite Classique, The Commons Brewery, Portland, OR
The ucommon crew from Commons.
Category 77: Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale, 78 Entries
Gold: Turbulent Consequence, Peche, Block 15, Corvallis, OR
Silver: Feral One, Firestone Walker Barrelworks, Buellton, CA
Bronze: Viejo Rojo, Tahoe Mountain Brewing Co. – Truckee, Truckee, CA
Category 78: Belgian-Style Dubbel or Quadruple, 60 Entries
Gold: Sanitarium, Bier Brewery and Taproom, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Dubbel Entendre, River’s Edge Brewing Co., Milford, MI
Bronze: Qualified, Taxman Brewing Co., Bargersville, IN
Category 79: Belgian-Style Tripel, 52 Entries
Gold: Wild West Tripel, Chicago Brewing Co. – NV, Las Vegas, NV
Silver: Allagash Tripel, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Bronze: Millennium Trippel, Church Brew Works – Lawrenceville Brewery, Pittsburgh, PA
Rob Tod and Allagash win their second medal.
Category 80: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale, 65 Entries
Gold: Van Dammit, Jailbreak Brewing Co., Laurel, MD
Silver: The Cannibal, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant – Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA
Bronze: Quad Damn It, Chicago Brewing Co. – NV, Las Vegas, NV
Mark Edelson and the Iron Hill team.
Category 81: Other Belgian-Style Ale, 45 Entries
Gold: Spangalang Table Beer, Spangalang Brewery, Denver, CO
Silver: Summer Rye Ale, Mayflower Brewing Co., Plymouth, MA
Bronze: Witty Moron, Stone Brewing World Bistro, Liberty Station, San Diego, CA
Team Stone.
Category 82: Brown Porter, 57 Entries
Gold: Disaster at Meux, Lion Bridge Brewing Co., Cedar Rapids, IA
Silver: Peter Brown Tribute Ale, Bear Republic Brewing Co. – Factory 5, Cloverdale, CA
Bronze: Black Jack Porter, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
Category 83: Robust Porter, 102 Entries
Gold: Recalcitrant Dockhand, Black Star Co-op, Austin, TX
Silver: Porter, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA
Bronze: Night Watchman, City Star Brewing, Berthoud, CO
Category 84: Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout, 36 Entries
Gold: Stearns Stout, Figueroa Mountain Brewing – Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Silver: Dragoon’s Dry Irish Stout, Moylan’s Brewery & Restaurant, Novato, CA
Bronze: Dry Stout, Reuben’s Brews, Seattle, WA
Brendan Moylan and Derek Smith from Moylan’s.
Category 85: Export Stout, 39 Entries
Gold: Fade to Black, Volume 1, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
Silver: Black Rock Stout, Crossroads Brewing Co., Athens, NY
Bronze: Z-man Stout, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Category 86: American-Style Stout, 39 Entries
Gold: Disorder Stout, Barley Brown’s Brewpub, Baker City, OR
Silver: Black Cliffs, Boise Brewing, Boise, ID
Bronze: P2P, 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Bend, OR
A second medal for Barley Brown’s.
Another win for 10 Barrel.
Category 87: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout, 75 Entries
Gold: West O CocO, West O Beer, West Okoboji, IA
Silver: Chocolate Milk Stout, Boxing Bear Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: The Husstler, Huss Brewing, Tempe, AZ
Category 88: Oatmeal Stout, 73 Entries
Gold: R & R Oatmeal Stout, Beaver Street Brewery, Flagstaff, AZ
Silver: Scripps Pier Stout, South Park Brewing – CA, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Scaredy Cat, Vintage Brewing Co., Madison, WI
Category 89: Imperial Stout, 80 Entries
Gold: Double Negative, Grimm Artisanal Ales, Brooklyn, NY
Silver: Russian Imperial Stout, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant – Lancaster, Lancaster, PA
Bronze: The Miller’s Toll, Raleigh Brewing Co., Raleigh, NC
Category 90: Scotch Ale, 55 Entries
Gold: MacPelican’s Wee Heavy Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Silver: Black Lagoon Scottish Strong, Rip Current Brewery, San Marcos, CA
Bronze: Real Heavy, Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX
Darron Welch and the Pelican Brewery flock.
Rip Current rips another medal.
Category 91: Old Ale or Strong Ale, 39 Entries
Gold: Old Scrooge, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Silver: Innsmouth Olde Ale, Narragansett Brewing Co., Providence, RI
Bronze: MASSIVE! 2013, Gigantic Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Ben Love is gigantic.
Category 92: Barley Wine-Style Ale, 56 Entries
Gold: Fat Hog, Ritual Brewing Co., Redlands, CA
Silver: Statik, Brewery Rickoli, Wheat Ridge, CO
Bronze: Old Skook, Three Magnets Brewing, Olympia, WA
Vinnie and Natalie Cilurzo waiting in line to go up on stage to get their gold medal for STS Pilsner.
2015 Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am Competition, 91 Entries
Gold: Muscat Love, Great South Bay Brewery; Bay Shore, NY
Brewmaster: Great South Bay Brewery Team, AHA Member: Brian Giebel
Silver: Atahsaisa, Odd13 Brewing; Lafayette, CO
Brewmaster: Ryan Scott and Brandon Boldt, AHA Member: Mike Froehlich
Bronze: Citra IPA, FATE Brewing; Boulder, CO
Brewmaster: FATE Brewing Company Team, AHA Member: Ryan Lotter
The entire event was …
The 2015 Great American Beer Festival Brewery & Brewer of the Year Awards
Very Small Brewing Company of the Year
Rip Current Brewery; San Marcos, CA
Brewer: Paul Sangster and Guy Shobe
Paul Sangster and Guy Shobe win the big enchilada.
Small Brewing Company of the Year
Port City Brewing; Alexandria, VA
Brewer: Port City Brewing Team
Port City wins big for small.
Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year
Firestone Walker Brewing; Paso Robles, CA
Brewer: Matt Brynildson & the Firestone Walker Brewing Team
Firestone Walker’s umpteenth win for brewery of the year.
Large Brewing Company of the Year
Pabst Brewing; Los Angeles, CA
Brewer: Gregory Deuhs
Greg Deuhs and the Pabst crew.
Small Brewpub of the Year
Melvin Brewing; Jackson, WY
Brewer: Kirk McHale and Jeremy Tofte
The Melvins flying the Wyoming flag.
Mid-Size Brewpub of the Year
TAPS Fish House & Brewery; Corona, CA
Brewer: TAPS Fish House & Brewery Team
The TAPS team.
Large Brewpub of the Year
Titletown Brewing; Green Bay, WI
Brewer: David Oldenburg
David Oldenburg wins the title.
