Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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GABF Winners 2024

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Last weekend, the winners of the Great American Beer Festival were announced. While the number of entries did not go up significantly from previous years, there was still an impressive 8,836 entries in 102 categories (or 176 different beer styles if you include the subcategories), plus — for the first time — 233 ciders in five broad categories. In addition, there was the Pro-Am Competition (where a homebrewer makes his own beer at a commercial brewery) and the Collaboration Competition (which is a beer created by a collaboration between two or more breweries). These were tasted by 285 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: 349 entries (This category has been #1 for a at least 7 years)
  • Top 5 Categories: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale (349 entries); West Coast IPA (292 entries); American-Style India Pale Ale (217 entries); Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest (210 entries); and German-Style Maerzen (195 entries). The most-entered cider category was Fruited and Botanical Cider (74 entries)
  • Average number of competition beers entered in each category: 85
  • 1,869 breweries & cideries in the competition from all 50 states, plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico
  • 280 first-time breweries entered the competition
  • 25 first-time breweries won medals
  • Two breweries won 4 medals, and both were from California; they were Apogee Brewing, in Grover Beach, and Highland Park Brewery, in Los Angeles.

Medals Won by State:

  1. California = 71
  2. Colorado = 40
  3. Oregon = 38
  4. Washington = 26
  5. Virginia = 13
  6. TIE: Illinois / Texas = 9
  7. TIE: Georgia / North Carolina = 8
  8. TIE: Nevada / Ohio = 7
  9. TIE: New York / Tennessee = 6
  10. TIE: Connecticut / Pennsylvania / South Carolina / Utah / Wisconsin = 5
Print

The 2024 Great American
Beer Festival Winners

Category 1: American Wheat Beer – 50 Entries
Gold: Fuzztail, Sunriver Brewing Co., Sunriver, OR
Silver: Mercy Cloud, Hobcaw Brewing Co., Mount Pleasant, SC
Bronze: Hoppla, NewSylum Brewing Co., Newtown, CT
Category 2: American Fruit Beer – 108 Entries
Gold: Hey Girl, Hey!, Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop – Richmond, VA
Silver: A La Playa, Trademark Brewing, Long Beach, CA
Bronze: Bird Light Yuzu, Strangebird, Rochester, NY
Category 3: Fruit Wheat Beer – 89 Entries
Gold: Yankee Doodle Shandy, River Bluff Brewing, Saint Joseph, MO
Silver: Enduro, Cheluna Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
Bronze: Bear Bait, Schussboom Brewing Co., Reno, NV
Category 4: Field Beer – 57 Entries
Gold: Fennel Rye Ale, Denver Beer Co. – Canworks, Denver, CO
Silver: Cucumber Lime Blonde, Third Space Brewing, Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: That Coconut Porter, Cherry Street Brewing, Cumming, GA
Category 5: Pumpkin Beer – 100 Entries
Gold: Great Pumpkin, Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: Pumpkin Spice J. Marie, River North Brewery – RiNo, Denver, CO
Bronze: Boo Ya!, Ocean View Brewing Co., Ocean View, DE
Category 6: Chili Beer – 76 Entries
Gold: El Poblano Borracho, Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO
Silver: Jalapeño Saison, On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen, Dallas, TX
Bronze: Palisade Peak, Station 26 Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Category 7: Herb and Spice Beer – 83 Entries
Gold: Two Wheeler, Far Field Beer Co., Hawthorne, CA
Silver: HellFire Club, Armored Cow Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Dill Pickle, Field Artisan Brewing, Westfield, IN
Category 8: Chocolate Beer – 34 Entries
Gold: Fudge Sickles, Fort George Brewery, Astoria, OR
Silver: Chocolate Stout, Fort Myers Brewing Co., Fort Myers, FL
Bronze: Triple Chocolate Viator Obscura, Wandering Monsters Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Category 9: Coffee Beer – 66 Entries
Gold: Squirrels Just Want to Have Fun, River North Brewery – RiNo, Denver, CO
Silver: Bucky, Terranaut Beer, Bend, OR
Bronze: Gusto Crema Coffee Ale, Georgetown Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Category 10: Coffee Stout or Porter – 50 Entries
Gold: Dusk Til Dawn, Pizza Port San Clemente, San Clemente, CA
Silver: Venti is Large, Hop Dogma Brewing Co., Half Moon Bay, CA
Bronze: Shock Treatment, New Ridge Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA
Category 11: Dessert Stout or Pastry Stout – 55 Entries
Gold: Pure Nonsense, Dade City Brew House, Dade City, FL
Silver: Coconut Cluster, Heritage Hill Brewhouse, Pompey, NY
Bronze: Peanut Butter & Jelly Tiempo, Kilowatt Brewing, San Diego, CA
Category 12: Rye Beers – 45 Entries
Gold: Crazy Jackass Ale, Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater
Tavern, Centreville, VA
Silver: Roggenschnizzle, Bier Brewery and Taproom, Indianapolis, IN
Bronze: Beauty is in the Rye of the Beholder, RockSolid Brewing Co., Ball Ground, GA
Category 13: Honey Beer – 50 Entries
Gold: Hachimitsu Mai, Deschutes Brewery & Public House – PDX, Portland, OR
Silver: BeeLoved, 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Bend, OR
Bronze: Animals Strike Curious Poses, The Empourium Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Category 14: Pale Non-Alcohol Beer – 55 Entries
Gold: NARC IPA, Resident Culture, Charlotte, NC
Silver: Free Wave Hazy IPA, Athletic Brewing Co., Milford, CT
Bronze: Kolsch, Best Day Brewing, Sausalito, CA
Category 15: Amber to Dark Non-Alcohol Beer – 9 Entries
Gold: NA Dark, Fremont Brewing, Seattle, WA
Silver: Non-Alcoholic Oktoberfest, Octopi Brewing / Untitled Art, Waunakee, WI
Category 16: Specialty Non-Alcohol Beer – 37 Entries
Gold: Patagonia Provisions Non-Alcoholic Kernza Golden Brew, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
Silver: Tropical Sour, Athletic Brewing Co., Milford, CT
Bronze: Special Effects Grapefruit IPA, Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, NY
Category 17: Session Beer or Belgian-Style Table Beer – 32 Entries
Gold: Saison Lily, ColdFire Brewing Co. – Barrel House, Eugene, OR
Silver: Frequency of Expansion, The Big Friendly, Oklahoma City, OK
Bronze: Guillaume, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA
Category 18: Session India Pale Ale – 64 Entries
Gold: Divi, Offset Bier Co., Park City, UT
Silver: Josh’s New Tiny Shoes, Green Cheek Beer Co., Orange, CA
Bronze: Mini Ramp Session IPA, June Lake Brewing, June Lake, CA

Green Cheek Brewing with Jeff Bagby, the “Jeff” in gold-medal winner Jeff’s Baltic Porter.


Category 19: Strong Porter – 43 Entries
Gold: Jeff’s Baltic Porter, Green Cheek Beer Co. – Oceanside, Oceanside, CA
Silver: Magpie, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Bronze: Baltic Porter, Bear Chase Brewing Co., Bluemont, VA
Category 20: Other Strong Beer – 27 Entries
Gold: Soul of a Star, HUDL Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Silver: Agua Santa Imperial, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Buellton, CA
Bronze: Stone LifeBlurred, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, San Diego, CA
Category 21: Experimental India Pale Ale – 86 Entries
Gold: Hazy Crush, New York Beer Project – Beer Lodge, Orchard Park, NY
Silver: Lavender Haze, SingleSpeed Brewing, Waterloo, IA
Bronze: East Gruesome, Lost Cabin Beer Co., Rapid City, SD
Category 22: Experimental Beer – 75 Entries
Gold: Great Wave Sake Lager, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman, MT
Silver: Bourbon Maple Wishes and Pecan Dreams, Odd Side Ales, Grand Haven, MI
Bronze: Agrio Morado, 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub, Bend, OR
Category 23: Historical Beer – 54 Entries
Gold: BierKraft Grodziskie, BierKraft, McAlester, OK
Silver: Decorah Nordic Gruit, PIVO Brewery, Calmar, IA
Bronze: Kentucky Common, Blackhorse Pub & Brewery, Alcoa, TN
Category 24: Gluten-Free Beer – 48 Entries
Gold: Fat Randy, Holidaily Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Oktoberfest, Orange Bike Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Bronze: Pilsner, Orange Bike Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Category 25: American-Belgo-Style Ale – 35 Entries
Gold: Silver Medal Worthy, Launch Pad Brewery, Aurora, CO
Silver: Capitulation, Monkless Belgian Ales, Bend, OR
Bronze: Golden Strong Ale with Pink, Fowler Ranch Farm Brewery, Lincoln, CA
Category 26: American Sour Ale – 19 Entries
Gold: Bes, Little Beast Brewing, Clackamas, OR
Silver: Wicked Shifty, Shoe Tree Brewing Co., Carson City, NV
Bronze: Mirage, New Terrain Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 27: Fruited American Sour Ale – 165 Entries
Gold: Peach Silhouette, Hudson Valley Brewery, Beacon, NY
Silver: Funkberry Pie, Girdwood Brewing Co., Girdwood, AK
Bronze: Cactus Juice, 12Degree Brewing, Louisville, CO
Category 28: Brett Beer – 36 Entries
Gold: First Release Part 2, Peaceful Side Brewery, Maryville, TN
Silver: Belle Saison, Third Window Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA
Bronze: Touch of Brett, Alesong Brewing & Blending, Eugene, OR
Category 29: Mixed-Culture Brett Beer – 49 Entries
Gold: Proverbial Fork, Olfactory Brewing, San Francisco, CA
Silver: Knitting Circle S5 Batch C, Fair Isle Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Elisabeth, ColdFire Brewing Co. – Barrel House, Eugene, OR
Category 30: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer – 41 Entries
Gold: Ghoul Fuel- Rum Diaries Edition, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO
Silver: Temporary Paradise- Rum Diaries Edition, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Barrel Aged Dopplebock, MORE Brewing Co., Huntley, IL
Category 31: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer – 109 Entries
Gold: Bass Clef, Audio Graph Beer Co., Los Angeles, CA
Silver: Barrel-Aged Imperial Satan’s Pony, South Street Brewery, Charlottesville, VA
Bronze: 10th Anniversary Barleywine, Creature Comforts Brewing Co., Athens, GA
Category 32: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout – 131 Entries
Gold: Western Justice, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho Springs, CO
Silver: Humongous Sleepy Chungus Bear, Werk Force Brewing Co., Plainfield, IL
Bronze: Breakside La Maison du Bang!, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR
Category 33: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 29 Entries
Gold: French 75, Alesong Brewing & Blending, Eugene, OR
Silver: Madrigal, Monday Night Brewing – Garage, Atlanta, GA
Bronze: 5 On It, Long Table Brewhouse, Denver, CO
Category 34: Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 66 Entries
Gold: Raspberries on Acid, Blue Mountain Brewery, Afton, VA
Silver: White Dwarf, True Anomaly Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: Cassis, Moody Tongue Brewing Co., Chicago, IL
Category 35: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier – 58 Entries
Gold: Czech Plz, CraftHaus Brewery, Henderson, NV
Silver: Pilsners are Lagers, Benchtop Brewing Co., Norfolk, VA
Bronze: Tankbeer, Hopewell Brewing Co., Chicago, IL
Category 36: Smoke Beer – 62 Entries
Gold: Smoke and Embers, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Smoke Control, Burghers Brewing, Pittsburgh, PA
Bronze: Rauchbier, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA
Category 37: American-Style Light Lager – 157 Entries
Gold: Sky Dog, Wiseacre Brewing Co. – Downtown, Memphis, TN
Silver: Family Vacation, Roadhouse Brewing Co., Jackson Hole, WY
Bronze: Transmission Light, Transmission Brewing, Ventura, CA
Category 38: International Light Lager – 130 Entries
Gold: Light Lager, Seapine Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: Wakumi, Mother Earth Brew Co., Nampa, ID
Bronze: Wondrous Hell, Wondrous Brewing Co., Emeryville, CA
Category 39: American-Style Lager – 148 Entries
Gold: Down South, Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Boone, NC
Silver: Modern Classic, Counter Weight Brewing Co., Cheshire, CT
Bronze: Pat’s River Beer, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman, MT
Category 40: Contemporary American-Style Lager – 95 Entries
Gold: Baseball, Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Silver: College Dropout, StillFire Brewing, Suwanee, GA
Bronze: Richmond Lager, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Richmond, VA

Steve Luke (center) from Cloudburt Brewing Seattle, Washington.

Category 41: American Pilsener – 114 Entries
Gold: Classic City Lager, Creature Comforts – Production Facility At Southern Mill, Athens, GA
Silver: Buccaneer’s Gold, Project 9 Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Bronze: Happy Little Clouds, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA
Category 42: International-Style Pilsener – 119 Entries
Gold: Chillzner, Craft Coast – San Marcos, San Marcos, CA
Silver: 500 Pesos, ODD Muse Brewing Co., Dallas, TX
Bronze: Munk Lager, Munkle Brewing Co., Charleston, SC
Category 43: American Cream Ale – 118 Entries
Gold: Was Angeles Craft Beer, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT
Silver: El Sully, 21st Amendment Brewery, San Leandro, CA
Bronze: Atascadero Beach, Wild Fields Brewhouse, Atascadero, CA

The man, the myth, the legend: Sully of silver-medal winning “El Sully” from 21st Amendment Brewing.


Category 44: Hoppy Lager – 157 Entries
Gold: Infinity Pils, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill, Lafayette, CO
Silver: Branching Out, Everywhere Beer Co., Orange, CA
Bronze: Rancho Cowabunga, Grains of Wrath – Washougal, Washougal, WA
Category 45: American Amber Lager – 165 Entries
Gold: Bateman Bier, Greenstar Brewing, Chicago, IL
Silver: Las Cruces, Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co., Castle Rock, CO
Bronze: Big Rock Amber Lager, Malibu Brewing Co., Westlake Village, CA
Category 46: German-Style Pilsener – 175 Entries
Gold: Haha Pils, Arbeiter Brewing Co., Minneapolis, MN
Silver: Door Code, Piece Brewery, Chicago, IL
Bronze: Trumer Pils, Trumer Brewery, Berkeley, CA
Category 47: Bohemian-Style Pilsener – 135 Entries
Gold: Reality Czeck-style Pilsner, Moonlight Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: River Delta Czech Pils, Silver Bluff Brewing Co., Brunswick, GA
Bronze: Parachute Pivo, Victor-23 Craft Brewery, Vancouver, WA
Category 48: Italian-Style Pilsener – 83 Entries
Gold: Zombi Shark Fight, Green Cheek Beer Co. – Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa, CA
Silver: Che Figata, Sunriver Brewing Co., Sunriver, OR
Bronze: Wolf of the Woods, Second Dawn Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
Category 49: Munich-Style Helles – 135 Entries
Gold: Helles, von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, VT
Silver: Crystal River, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co., Glenwood Springs, CO
Bronze: Old Gold, Structures Brewing, Bellingham, WA
Category 50: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest – 210 Entries
Gold: Festbier, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co., Glenwood Springs, CO
Silver: Festbier, Northwoods Brewing Co., Northwood, NH
Bronze: The Cushman, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA

Craig Cauwels showing off two of three medals from Morgan Territory Brewing of Tracy, California.


Category 51: Vienna-Style Lager – 123 Entries
Gold: Vienna Fest Bier, Quarter Celtic Brewpub, Albuquerque, NM
Silver: Metalmark Marzen, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Bronze: Red Dawn, Bonesaw Brewing Co., Glassboro, NJ
Category 52: German-Style Maerzen – 195 Entries
Gold: Pleasantbräu Oktoberfest, Soul Brewing Co., Pleasantville, NY
Silver: Marchtoberfest, Galveston Island Brewing, Galveston, TX
Bronze: Oktoberfest, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
Category 53: German Dark Lager – 140 Entries
Gold: Schwarz Wulf, Greywolf Brewing, Norco, CA
Silver: Flex Fiesta Munich-Style Dark Lager, Red Horn Brewery and Roastery, Leander, TX
Bronze: Chehalis After Dark, Talking Cedar Brewing, Rochester, WA

Category 54: International Dark Lager – 96 Entries
Gold: Puesto Negra, Puesto Cerveceria, San Diego, CA
Silver: Czech-6, Eagle River Brewing Co., Gypsum, CO
Bronze: Czech Dark Lager, Structures Brewing, Bellingham, WA
Category 55: Bock – 42 Entries
Gold: Pan is Alive, IMBIB Custom Brews, Reno, NV
Silver: Lawyers, Hogs & Money, Bentonville Brewing Co., Bentonville, AR
Bronze: Hootenanny, Bankhead Brewing Co., Rowlett, TX
Category 56: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock – 36 Entries
Gold: Eisbock, Northbound Smokehouse Brewpub, Minneapolis, MN
Silver: Co-Conspirator, Victor-23 Craft Brewery, Vancouver, WA
Bronze: Execrator, Resolute Brewing Co., Centennial, CO
Category 57: German-Style Koelsch – 167 Entries
Gold: Modern Gothic, Columbia Craft Brewing Co., Columbia, SC
Silver: Kolsch, Standard Deviant Brewing, San Francisco, CA
Bronze: Brick West Kolsch, Brick West Brewing Co., Spokane, WA
Category 58: German Sour Ale – 37 Entries
Gold: Baywindow, 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub, Bend, OR
Silver: Disco Lemonade, Aslan Brewing Co., Bellingham, WA
Bronze: Gose, Kulshan Brewing Co – K2, Bellingham, WA
Category 59: Specialty Berliner-Style Weisse – 54 Entries
Gold: Commander Salamander, Spring House Brewing Co., Lancaster, PA
Silver: Razzle fo’ Shazzle, Great Basin Brewing Co., Reno, NV
Bronze: Gindulgence, 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub, Bend, OR
Category 60: Contemporary Gose – 47 Entries
Gold: 3 Citrus Gose, Culture Brewing Co., Solana Beach, CA
Silver: It’s a G Thang Ginger Gose, Red Rock Brewing – Production, Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Wild Pear, Blue Mountain Barrel House and Organic Brewery, Arrington, VA
Category 61: German-Style Altbier – 45 Entries
Gold: Rhine Divide, 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Portland, Portland, OR
Silver: Altbier, Double Clutch Brewing Co., Evanston, IL
Bronze: Altruism, Rock Cut Brewing Co., Estes Park, CO
Category 62: German Wheat Ale – 55 Entries
Gold: Weizenbock, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Mills River, Mills River, NC
Silver: Kristal Moon, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Sixpoint Brewery Mimic Weisse, Brewers At 4001 Yancey, Charlotte, NC
Category 63: South German-Style Hefeweizen – 129 Entries
Gold: Washout Wheat, Holy City Brewing, North Charleston, SC
Silver: Don’t Hassle the Hef, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill, Lafayette, CO
Bronze: Polterweiss Hefeweizen, Green Mountain Beer Co., Lakewood, CO
Category 64: English Mild or Bitter – 50 Entries
Gold: Distinguished Fellow, Project 9 Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: The Proprietor, BierKraft, McAlester, OK
Bronze: Toasty, The Brew Brothers – Scioto Downs Racino, Columbus, OH
Category 65: Extra Special Bitter – 62 Entries
Gold: Pub Ale, Pilot Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Silver: Brighton ESB, Bravery Brewing Co., Lancaster, CA
Bronze: Velvet Organic ESB, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR
Category 66: Golden or Blonde Ale – 129 Entries
Gold: Kiitos Blonde Ale, Kiitos Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT
Silver: Easy Mode, Logan Brewing Co., Burien, WA
Bronze: Bench Seat, Transmission Brewing, Ventura, CA
Category 67: English Ale – 52 Entries
Gold: Kiitos Pale Ale, Kiitos Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT
Silver: Elevated Summer Ale, Goose And The Monkey Brewhouse, Lexington, NC
Bronze: Oregon Summer Ale, Bend Brewing – High Desert, Bend, OR

Category 68: Scottish-Style Ale – 48 Entries
Gold: Doc McLoughlin Scottish Ale, Oregon City Brewing Co., Oregon City, OR
Silver: Scottish Ale, Stodgy Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Bronze: Oasis Amber, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Reno, Reno, NV
Category 69: Irish-Style Red Ale – 75 Entries
Gold: Coppermind, Denver Beer Co. – Lowry Field, Denver, CO
Silver: Engine 402, Orange Hat Brewing Co., Knoxville, TN
Bronze: Equanimity, Ursa Minor Brewing, Duluth, MN
Category 70: English-Style Brown Ale – 42 Entries
Gold: Black Cats, Streetside Brewery, Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Back Country, Lewis & Clark Brewing Co., Helena, MT
Bronze: Brown Ale, Oliphant Brewing, Somerset, WI
Category 71: American-Style Brown Ale – 65 Entries
Gold: Who’s That Brown, Tarantula Hill Brewing Co., Thousand Oaks, CA
Silver: Heart of Glass, Three Wide Brewing Co., Fort Worth, TX
Bronze: Beckley Furnace Brown Ale, Norbrook Farm Brewery, Colebrook, CT
Category 72: American Black Ale or American Stout – 66 Entries
Gold: Blackside Snap, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Silver: Stoup American Stout, Stoup Brewing – Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA
Bronze: A Dark in the Light, Radiant Beer Co., Anaheim, CA
Category 73: Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale – 64 Entries
Gold: Le Petit Demon, Bonesaw Brewing Co. – Pilot House, Deptford, NJ
Silver: DOMESTIQUE Blonde Ale, Rouleur Brewing Co., Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Aurora, Apogee Brewing Co., Grover Beach, CA

Ben Edmonds (next to Bob) and the Breakside Brewing crew.


Category 74: Belgian-Style Witbier – 57 Entries
Gold: Allagash White, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Silver: Breakside White, Breakside Brewery & Taproom, Milwaukie, OR
Bronze: Gully Washer Wit, Munkle Brewing Co., Charleston, SC
Category 75: Classic Saison – 60 Entries
Gold: Dogwood Saison, Devils Backbone Brewing Co. – Basecamp, Roseland, VA
Silver: Farm Out, Worthy Brewing Co., Bend, OR
Bronze: Plough & Harrow, ISM Brewing, Long Beach, CA
Category 76: Specialty Saison – 46 Entries
Gold: Lucy Loves Rye, Apogee Brewing Co., Grover Beach, CA
Silver: Mount Eden, Pure Project, Vista, CA
Bronze: Wild Honey, Cruz Blanca Brewery, Chicago, IL
Category 77: Belgian-Style Sour Ale – 36 Entries
Gold: Eau Rouge, Noble Beast Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH
Silver: Apple Pomace Puncheon, Angel City Brewery, Los Angeles, CA
Bronze: Intinction – Petite Sirah, Russian River Brewing Co. – Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa, CA

The Cilurzo’s, Natalie and Vinnie, from Russian River Brewing.


Category 78: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale – 77 Entries
Gold: Kroon, Wallenpaupack Brewing Co., Hawley, PA
Silver: Pitouchi, Attic Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA
Bronze: Monks on the Moon, Apogee Brewing Co., Grover Beach, CA
Category 79: Belgian-Style Abbey Ale – 71 Entries
Gold: LMM Dubbel II, Lone Man Mountain Brewing Co., Driftwood, TX
Silver: Allagash Tripel, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Bronze: Monks In Space, Apogee Brewing Co., Grover Beach, CA
Category 80: Belgian Fruit Beer – 45 Entries
Gold: My Cerise Amour, Oregon City Brewing Co., Oregon City, OR
Silver: East of Line Kriek, Awkward Brewing, Fayetteville, GA
Bronze: Vordrassil, Webb’s City Cellar by Green Bench, St. Petersburg, FL
Category 81: Brown Porter – 46 Entries
Gold: Don’t Feed the Bears, Gatlinburg Brewing Co., Sevierville, TN
Silver: Slumber Car, Accomplice Beer Co., Cheyenne, WY
Bronze: Old Tom Porter, Piney River Brewing Co., Bucyrus, MO

Category 82: Robust Porter – 58 Entries
Gold: Port City Porter, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA
Silver: Peaklet, Mountain Rambler Brewery, Bishop, CA
Bronze: Dark Chocolate Love, Salish Sea Brewing Co. – Boathouse Taproom, Edmonds, WA
Category 83: Stout – 52 Entries
Gold: Correspondent, Wander Brewing, Bellingham, WA
Silver: Nebula Stout, Block 15 Brewery & Tap Room, Corvallis, OR
Bronze: Diatomaceous Dry Stout, Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Chattanooga, TN
Category 84: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout – 37 Entries
Gold: Mustachio Milk Stout, Tractor Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
Silver: Chocolate Milk Stout, Boxing Bear Brewing Co. – Firestone, Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Moozie, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Category 85: Oatmeal Stout – 56 Entries
Gold: Scaredy Cat, Vintage Brewing Co., Madison, WI
Silver: Buttons the Bear, Bear Chase Brewing Co., Bluemont, VA
Bronze: Brother Sam, Three Tigers Brewing Co., Granville, OH
Category 86: Imperial Stout – 58 Entries
Gold: Indie Roo, Pizza Port – Imperial Beach, Imperial Beach, CA
Silver: Kill the Lights, The Tap Brewery, Bloomington, IN
Bronze: ReVive, 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Portland, Portland, OR
Category 87: Scotch Ale – 38 Entries
Gold: Wobbly Traveler, Silver Harbor Brewing Co., Saint Joseph, MI
Silver: Full Malted Jacket, Beachwood Brewing – Huntington Beach, Huntington Beach, CA
Bronze: Old Chub, Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont, CO

Julian Shrago from Beachwood Brewing of Huntington Beach, California.


Category 88: Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine – 62 Entries
Gold: Orange Giant, Ecliptic Brewing, Eugene, OR
Silver: Grow Old With You, Verboten Brewing, Loveland, CO
Bronze: Artemesia, Burns Family Artisan Ales Taphouse, Denver, CO

Jamie Floyd, from Ninkasi Brewing, and John Harris, from Ecliptic Brewing.


Category 89: International-Style Pale Ale – 107 Entries
Gold: Smells Like Purple Rain, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Silver: Ponga, Grand Fir Brewing, Portland, OR
Bronze: Breakside Hello My Alien, Breakside Brewery – NW Slabtown, Portland, OR
Category 90: New Zealand India Pale Ale – 105 Entries
Gold: More Than A Zealand, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Wannabe Wallaby, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Bronze: Wastelandia, Grains of Wrath, Camas, WA
Category 91: American-Style Pale Ale – 128 Entries
Gold: Timbo, Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Silver: Featherweight Pale Ale, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: Bare Bones Disco, Bird Creek Brewing, Temple, TX
Category 92: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale – 94 Entries
Gold: Easy Eddy, Big Grove Brewery & Taproom, Iowa City, IA
Silver: Foggy Pines, Evans Brewing Co., Corona, CA
Bronze: Wisp, Lumen Beer Co., Omaha, NE
Category 93: American-Style Strong Pale Ale – 109 Entries
Gold: Something Dank This Way Comes, Sunriver Brewing Co., Sunriver, OR
Silver: Zero Degrees, Shred Beer Co., Rocklin, CA
Bronze: Independence Pass Ale IPA, Aspen Brewing Co., Aspen, CO
Category 94: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale – 151 Entries
Gold: Joyful Intuition, Everywhere Beer Co., Orange, CA
Silver: Lupulin Lab, Wicked Weed Brewing Pub, Asheville, NC
Bronze: Windows Up, Alpine Beer Co., Ft Collins, CO

Category 95: American Amber/Red Ale – 124 Entries
Gold: Pretty Good, Third Space Brewing, Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Buttface Amber, RAM Restaurant and Brewery – Production, Tacoma, WA
Bronze: Object K, Site-1 Brewing, Omaha, NE
Category 96: Strong Red Ale – 56 Entries
Gold: Wreak Havoc, Bootstrap Brewing, Longmont, CO
Silver: Rolling Rust, Grand Fir Brewing, Portland, OR
Bronze: Trash Pandamonium, Benchtop Brewing Co., Norfolk, VA
Category 97: Imperial India Pale Ale – 117 Entries
Gold: Hoptomic, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Silver: Gastropod, Grand Fir Brewing, Portland, OR
Bronze: Nose Goblin, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA

Ben Edmunds from Brakside (left) with Tonya Cornett (formerly with 10 Barrel) in between Grand Fir brewmaster Whitney Burnside, who won this yar’s “501–1,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year”


Category 98: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale – 150 Entries
Gold: DDH Pillow, Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Silver: Mosaic Double Crush, Moonraker Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Cameron Park, CA
Bronze: Juice Master, Shred Beer Co., Rocklin, CA
Category 99: Fresh Hop Beer – 85 Entries
Gold: Fresher Than Fresh, Trap Door Brewing, Vancouver, WA
Silver: House of 1000 Cones, Moonraker Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Cameron Park, CA
Bronze: Fresh Hop King Crispy, Deschutes Brewery & Public House – PDX, Portland, OR
Category 100: West Coast IPA – 292 Entries
Gold: Codebreaker, Trademark Brewing, Long Beach, CA
Silver: Pacific Portal, Alma Mader Brewing, Kansas City, MO
Bronze: IPA for Aliens, Masthead Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH
Category 101: American-Style India Pale Ale – 217 Entries
Gold: Competition, Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Silver: One Way, Old Caz Beer, Rohnert Park, CA
Bronze: Lexical Gap, Pollyanna Brewing Co., Lemont, IL
Category 102: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale – 349 Entries
Gold: Professional Human Being, Ambitious Ales, Long Beach, CA
Silver: Groundswell, Single Hill Brewing Co., Yakima, WA
Bronze: Crash of Rhinos, Movement Brewing Co., Rancho Cordova, CA

Cider Categories

Category 201: Tannic Cider – 29 Entries
Gold: Classic Dry, Gowan’s Heirloom Cider, Philo, CA
Silver: Cedar Valley Blend, Paha Cider Co., Waverly, IA
Bronze: 2022 Cidre Bouché, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
Category 202: No/Low-Tannin Cider – 55 Entries
Gold: The Russets, Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO
Silver: Graventein, Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO
Bronze: 10th Anniversary, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
Category 203: Fruited or Botanical Cider – 74 Entries
Gold: Blackberry Cider, McMenamins Breweries, Portland, OR
Silver: Ozark Strawberry Rhubarb Cider, Ozark Beer Co., Rogers, AR
Bronze: Pacific Pineapple, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
Category 204: Experimental or Barrel-Aged Cider – 46 Entries
Gold: Rosé Cider, Gowan’s Heirloom Cider, Philo, CA
Silver: 2019 Pommeau, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
Bronze: 802 Barrel Aged, Vermont Cider Co., Middlebury, VT
Category 205: Single Varietal Cider – 29 Entries
Gold: Mountain Rose, Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO
Silver: Macintosh, Gowan’s Heirloom Cider, Philo, CA
Bronze: Glow – Airlie Redflesh SV, Alpenfire Cider, Port Townsend, WA

Other Categories

Category 500: Pro-Am Comp – 52 Entries
Gold: Piwo Grodziskie, Kansas City Bier Co. with Mike & Stephanie Butler, Kansas City, MO
Silver: Rising Sun, Crooked Lane Brewing Co. with Matt Hall, Auburn, CA
Bronze: South of Helles, Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop – Richmond with Joel Miller, Richmond, VA
Category 501: Collab Comp – 95 Entries
Gold: Twenty-Fold Sword, No Boat Brewing Co., Obelisk Beer Co., Snoqualmie, WA
Silver: Stupid Sticky Fingers, Werk Force Brewing Co, Rocky Reef Brewing Co., Plainfield, IL
Bronze: Spudweiser, Live Oak Brewing Co., Hold Out Brewing, Del Valle, TX

2024 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards

0-250 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Apogee Brewing Co., Grover Beach, CA
Jeff, Mike and Linz
251–500 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Alesong Brewing & Blending, Eugene, OR
Alesong Blending Team
501–1,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Grand Fir Brewing, Portland, OR
Whitney Burnside
1,001–2,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Everywhere Beer Co., Orange, CA
Stefan Weber & Production Team
2,001–5,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Riip Brew Team
5,001–15,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sunriver Brewing Co., Sunriver, OR
Sunriver Brewing Team
15,001–100,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
von Trapp Brewing, Stowe, VT
von Trapp Brewing Team
Brewery Group Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Highland Park Brewery, Los Angeles, CA
Highland Park Brewery Team
Cidermaker of the Year
2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
2 Towns Ciderhouse

The Riip Beer Co. team from Huntington Beach, California.

Bistro Double IPA Winners 2024

By

Earlier today, the 24th annual Double IPA Festival was held at the Bistro in Hayward, California. I got there early for judging again this year, and spent the morning holed up in the basement, where we judged Double IPAs for most of the morning, before choosing our top three favorites.

Starting our judging bright and early.

After emerging from the dark into the light, it was nice to see a bright, sunny day in beautiful downtown Hayward.

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

Double IPAs

Matt Sager from Danville Brewing picking up his bronze medal.
Silver medal winner Craig Cauwels, from Morgan Territory, missed the awards ceremony by just a few minutes
Sunriver made it down from Oregon to accept their gold medal.

People’s Choice Awards

Double IPA: Cone Goblin, by Ghost Town Brewing, from Oakland, California, in collaboration with Alvarado Street Brewing, headquartered in Monterey, California

Ghost Town won the People’s Choice this year.
Cheers from the 2024 Double IPA Festival!

Brussels Beer Challenge Winners 2023

By

Yesterday, the winners of the 12th annual Brussels Beer Challenge were announced in Ghent, Belgium. Exactly 1,811 beers from 37 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 91 smaller categories (lambic, abbey, chocolate beers, etc.). This year, we were judging in Turnhout, a small town around 55 miles northeast of Brussels with an amazing Playing Card Museum. We judged the beers over three days in Congratulations to all the winners!

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

Medals Won by Country:

  1. Belgium = 81
  2. Italy = 37
  3. Netherlands = 34
  4. United States = 32
  5. China = 21
  6. Germany = 17
  7. Brazil = 16
  8. France = 11
  9. TIE: Japan = 5 / Spain = 5
  10. Czech Republic = 4
  11. TIE: Malta = 3 / Sweden = 3
  12. TIE: Norway = 2 / Poland = 2 / Ukraine = 2

The 2023 Brussels Beer Challenge Winners

Category 1 — Dark Ale: Abbey / Trappist Style Dubbel

  • Gold: Steenbrugge Dubbel Bruin (Belgium) Brewed by Swinkels Family Brewers
  • Silver Bière de Garde Brune (Netherlands) Brewed by Brouwerij Duits & Lauret
  • Bronze: Gouverneur Dubbel (Netherlands) Brewed by Lindeboom Bierbrouwerij

Category 2 — Dark Ale: Brown Ale

  • Gold: Kompel Ondergronds (Belgium) Owned by Brouwerij Kompel
  • Gold: La Gervoise Brune (France) Brewed by Brasserie Etienne

Category 3 — Dark Ale: Dark/Black IPA

  • Gold: Zwarte Magie (Netherlands) Brewed by Bierbrouwerij Wentersch
  • Silver: Blauwst’rig (Netherlands) Owned by IV:uur Bierbrouwerij
  • Bronze: Regeneration (Italy) Brewed by Astesana SRL Società Agricola

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

  • Gold: Enigma 23 (United States) Brewed by New Glarus Brewing Company

Category 5 — Dark Ale: Strong Dark Ale

  • Gold: Haeseveld Belgian Strong Dark (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Haeseveld
  • Silver: Leplan Quad Bbi (Belgium) Owned by LePlan-Vermeersch
  • Silver: Martha Brown Eyes (Belgium) Brewed by Belgian Brew Factory
  • Bronze: 30th Anniversary (United States) Brewed by New Glarus Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij De Halve Maan

Category 6 — Flavoured Beer: Chocolate

  • Gold: Midnight Hike (United States) Brewed by River North Brewery
  • Silver: Chocolate Rain Milk Imperial Stout (China) Brewed by Trueman Brewing Co.

Category 7 — Flavoured Beer: Coffee

  • Gold: Nightmare Fuel (United States) Brewed by River North Brewery
  • Silver: Cappuccino Sweet Stout (Ecuador) Brewed by Sinners Microcerveceria
  • Bronze: Great Granny’s Cosy Coffee Cocktail (Netherlands) Brewed by Uiltje Brewing Company

Category 8 — Flavoured Beer: Field Beer

  • Gold: Coconut Pie Face (United States) Brewed by Revision Brewing Company
  • Silver: Colorado Coconut Brown Ale (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Colorado
  • Bronze: Peanut Butter Milk Stout (United States) Brewed by Belching Beaver Brewery

Category 9 — Flavoured Beer: Fruit Beer

  • Gold: Avalon – Farmer’s Reserve (Norway) Brewed by Lindheim Ølkompani
  • Gold: Lille Lapins (Norway) Brewed by Lindheim Ølkompani
  • Silver: Lorre (Netherlands) Brewed by Brouwerij Homeland
  • Silver: Rusticana (Italy) Brewed by Claterna
  • Bronze: Volfas Engelman > Beer Mail > Mango Milkshake Pale Ale (Lithuania) Brewed by Volfas Engelman

Category 10 — Flavoured Beer: Herb & Spice

  • Gold: Le Chasseur (China) Brewed by Arber Brewing Co.
  • Silver: Veluwe Zoomer GraanGeluk (Netherlands) Owned by GraanGeluk
  • Bronze: Blonde Gingembre (France) Brewed by Brasserie-Distillerie Cap d’Ona
  • Bronze: Tale 7 Ginger Triple (Ghana) Brewed by Specialty Beers (Ghana) Ltd.

Category 11 — Flavoured Beer: Honey Beer

  • Gold: Icaro (Italy) Brewed by Diciottozerouno srl
  • Silver: Colorado Appia (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Colorado
  • Bronze: Urbrew Honey Lager (China) Brewed by Urbrew (China) Craft Beer Co., Ltd

Category 12 — Flavoured Beer: Old Style Fruit-Lambic

  • Gold: BOON Millésime (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Boon
  • Silver: Kestemont Abrikozen (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Kestemont
  • Bronze: Oude Kriek Boon (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Boon

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

  • Gold: Are You Afraid of the Dark? (United States) Brewed by Breakside Brewery & Taproom
  • Silver: Rum Barrel Aged Coconut Porter (United States) Brewed by pFriem Family Brewers
  • Bronze: BA Collab 2023: Imperial Rye Stout x La Pirata (Netherlands) Brewed by vandeStreek Bier
  • Bronze: Gula (Ecuador) Brewed by Sinners Microcerveceria

Category 14 — Flavoured Beer: Smoked Beer

  • Gold: Klosterbräu Bamberger Rauchbier (Germany) Brewed by Klosterbräu Bamberg GmbH
  • Gold: Ryeziskie (France) Brewed by Brasserie de la Pleine Lune
  • Silver: Pravda Brewery. Chornobaivka (Ukraine) Brewed by Restoracija “Na Rynku” Ltd
  • Silver: Templin Family Rauch Bier (United States) Brewed by Templin Family Brewing
  • Bronze: Kamaleon (Italy) Brewed by The Wall SRL

Category 15 — Flavoured Beer: Sweet/Milk Stout

  • Gold: Chocolate Milk Stout (China) Brewed by Shandong Beerjoy Brewing Co., Ltd
  • Silver: Flipped Milk Stout (China) Brewed by Trueman Brewing Co.
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 16 — Flavoured Beer: Strong Red Fruit Beer

  • Gold: Red by Petrus (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij De Brabandere
  • Silver: Nachtraaf Wild Cherry (Belgium) Owned by De Nachtraafbrouwers
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 17 — Flavoured Beer: Wood/Barrel Aged

  • Gold: Balcones Edition 2023 Barley Wine (Netherlands) Brewed by Brouwerij de Molen
  • Gold: BA Collab 2023: Red Quadrupel x Brouwerij Eleven (Netherlands) Brewed by vandeStreek Bier
  • Silver: Rusty Nail 2022 (United States) Brewed by Fremont Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Fourchette Grand Cru (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge

Category 18 — Lager: American-Style Pilsner

  • Gold: Pizzapils (Italy) Brewed by IPC srl
  • Silver: No award.
    Bronze: No award.

Category 19 — Lager: Bohemian-Style Pilsner

Gold: Bernard Bohemian Lager 4.5 (Czech Republic) Brewed by Rodinný Pivovar Bernard A.S.
Silver: Primátor Antonín (Czech Republic) Brewed by Primátor A.S.
Bronze: Bakalar Premium Lager (Czech Republic) Brewed by Tradicní Pivovar v Rakovníku, A.S.

Category 20 — Lager: Cold IPA

  • Gold: Cold Shower (Italy) Brewed by Bizantina SRL
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: No award.
Judging took place in a beautiful space, a former church.

Category 21 — Lager: Dark/Dunkel (Including Schwarzbier)

  • Gold: Gooisch Zwart (Netherlands) Brewed by Gooische Bierbrouwerij
  • Silver: Munich B.E. (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Estense
  • Silver: Waldhaus Ohne Filter Dunkel (Germany) Brewed by Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid GmbH
  • Bronze: Jing A – Black Velvet (China) Brewed by Carlsberg Brewery (Anhui) Company Limited
  • Bronze: Onyx (Portugal) Brewed by Praxis – Cervejas de Coimbra, Lda

Category 22 — Lager: German-Style Dunkel Bock/Doppelbock

  • Gold: 1906 Black Coupage (Spain) Brewed by Luís Romero
  • Silver: Mahou Maestra Dunkel (Spain) Brewed by MAHOU
  • Silver: Texels Juttersbock (Netherlands) Brewed by Texelse Bierbrouwerij B.V.
  • Bronze: Lindeboom Bock (Netherlands) Brewed by Lindeboom Bierbrouwerij

Category 23 — Lager: Eisbock

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Kulmbacher Eisbock (Germany) Brewed by Kulmbacher Brauerei AG
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 24 — Lager: German-Style Helles- / MaiBock / Doppelbock

  • Gold: Alfa Krachtig Dort (Netherlands) Brewed by Meens Bierbrouwerij BV
  • Silver: Cisk Strong (Malta) Brewed by Simonds Farsons Cisk PLC
  • Bronze: Mahou Maestra Doble Lúpulo (Spain) Brewed by MAHOU

Category 25 — Lager: German-Style Märzen

  • Gold: Bohemia Märzen (Brazil) Brewed by Bohemia
    Silver: Spring Valley Hojun 496 (Japan) Brewed by Spring Valley Brewery
  • Bronze: Samuel Adams OctoberFest (United States) Brewed by Boston Beer Company

Category 26 — Lager: German-Style Pilsner

  • Gold: Golden (United States) Brewed by Fremont Brewing Company
  • Silver: Caraibi (Italy) Brewed by Diciottozerouno SRL
  • Bronze: Gooisch Goud (Netherlands) Brewed by Gooische Bierbrouwerij

Category 27 — Lager: Helles

  • Gold: Bayreuther Hell (Germany) Brewed by Bayreuther Bierbrauerei AG
  • Silver: Waldhaus Hell (Germany) Brewed by Privatbrauerei Waldhaus Joh. Schmid GmbH
  • Bronze: Theresianer Premium Lager (Italy) Brewed by Theresianer Birra Italiana 1766

Category 28 — Lager: Hoppy Lager

  • Gold: Colorado Aipi Lager (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Colorado
  • Silver: Maisel & Friends Hell (Germany) Brewed by Brauerei Gebr. Maisel GmbH & Co. KG
  • Bronze: Dama Hop Lager (Brazil) Brewed by Dama Bier

Category 29 — Lager: ICE

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Kremer Golden (Brazil) Brewed by INDÚSTRIA E COMÉRCIO DE BEBIDAS Kremer E CONEXOS LTDA
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 30 — Lager: International Style Pilsner

  • Gold: Asahi Super Dry (Japan) Brewed by Asahi Breweries
  • Silver: Bavaria Pilsener (Netherlands) Brewed by Swinkels Family Brewers
  • Bronze: Mahou Clásica (Spain) Brewed by MAHOU
  • Bronze: Schweden Pils (Germany) Brewed by Schwarzbräu GmbH

Category 31 — Lager: Light Lager

  • Gold: Original (Brazil) Brewed by Ambev
  • Silver: Leichtes Helles (Germany) Brewed by Schwarzbräu GmbH
  • Bronze: Zhujiang Draft Beer 1997 (China) Brewed by Guangzhou Zhujiang Brewery Co., LTD.

Category 32 — Lager: Vienna Lager

  • Gold: Theresianer Vienna (Italy) Brewed by Theresianer Birra Italiana 1766
    Silver: Vienna Festbier (United States) Brewed by Quarter Celtic Brewpub
  • Bronze: Chellerina (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio La Piazza

Category 33 — Pale&Amber Ale: (Belgian Style) Tripel

  • Gold: Zeezuiper (Belgium) Brewed by Scheldebrouwerij
    Silver: Tripel Kanunnik (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij & Distilleerderij Wilderen
    Silver: Tripel LeFort (Belgium) Brewed by Omer Vander Ghinste
  • Bronze: Paix Dieu (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Caulier SRL
  • Bronze: St. Bernardus Tripel (Belgium) Brewed by St. Bernardus Brouwerij

Category 34 — Pale&Amber Ale: Abbey / Trappist Style Blond

  • Gold: Affligem Blond (Belgium) Brewed by Alken-Maes
  • Silver: Sint Idesbald Blond (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV
  • Silver: Ter Dolen Blond (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Ter Dolen
  • Bronze: Corsendonk Agnus Tripel (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Corsendonk
  • Bronze: La Trappe Blond (Netherlands) Brewed by Bierbrouwerij de Koningshoeven B.V.

Category 35 — Pale&Amber Ale: Amber

  • Gold: Queue de Charrue Ambrée (Belgium) Owned by Brasserie Vanuxeem
  • Silver: CH’TI Originale Ambrée (France) Brewed by Brasserie Castelain
  • Silver: La Birra Irish Red Ale (Brazil) Brewed by La Birra Cervejaria Ltda ME
  • Bronze: De Maltezer (Netherlands) Owned by Stadsbrouwerij Maastricht

Category 36 — Pale&Amber Ale: American IPA (Higher Than 6.5 ABV)

  • Gold: Weekend Vibes IPA (United States) Brewed by Coronado Brewing Company
  • Silver: Craft Beer Cookout (Netherlands) Brewed by Uiltje Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Lush (United States) Brewed by Fremont Brewing Company

Category 37 — Pale&Amber Ale: American IPA (Less Than 6.5 ABV)

  • Gold: In to East Lake (China) Brewed by No. 18 Brewery
  • Silver: Reveille (Italy) Brewed by Astesana SRL Società Agricola
  • Bronze: Alaryk India Pale Ale Bio (France) Brewed by Brasserie Alaryk

Category 38 — Pale&Amber Ale: American Pale Ale

  • Gold: Guerrilla (Italy) Brewed by IPC srl
  • Gold: Ruggine (Italy) Brewed by Diciottozerouno srl
  • Silver: Merklinska Radost (Czech Republic) Brewed by Pivovar Petr Petružálek
  • Bronze: Cruiser Pale Ale (United States) Brewed by Mother Earth Brew Co.

Category 39 — Pale&Amber Ale: Belgian Style IPA

  • Gold: Lupulus Hopera (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Lupulus SPRL
  • Silver: Dikkenek Citra Hop (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Lefebvre
  • Bronze: Delta IPA (Belgium) Brewed by Brussels Beer Project
  • Bronze: Jack’s Precious IPA (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij The Musketeers

Category 40 — Pale&Amber Ale: Belgian-Style – Spéciale Belge

  • Gold: Bolleke De Koninck (Belgium) Brewed by Duvel Moortgat
  • Silver: Rainmaker Ale (United States) Brewed by Stormcloud Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Patience for Eylenbosch Belgian Pale Ale (Belgium) Owned by Brouwerij Eylenbosch
My table for this year’s judging.

Category 41 — Pale&Amber Ale: Best Bitter

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: HertenHeer (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Het Nest

Category 42 — Pale&Amber Ale: Bières De Garde

  • Gold: Sint Idesbald Rousse (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV
  • Silver: GrandMir Ambrée (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie du Grand Mir
  • Bronze: Ambrée Triple (France) Brewed by Brasserie-Distillerie Cap d’Ona

Category 43 — Pale&Amber Ale: Bitter

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: Bertinchamps Légère (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie de Bertinchamps
  • Bronze: Ciapa Fiá (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Dulac

Category 44 — Pale&Amber Ale: Double Saison

  • Gold: Bellerose (France) Brewed by Brasserie des Sources
  • Silver: Bons Voeux (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Dupont
  • Bronze: Nunnans Skördeöl (Sweden) Brewed by Vreta Kloster Bryggeri

Category 45 — Pale&Amber Ale: Double IPA

  • Gold: Blue Tornado (Italy) Brewed by DC SRL
  • Silver: Page 24 Double IPA (France) Brewed by Brasserie St Germain / Page 24
  • Bronze: Crazy Rabbit (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Sabino
  • Bronze: Drunk Lake (China) Brewed by No. 18 Brewery

Category 46 — Pale&Amber Ale: English IPA

  • Gold: Tsingtao India Pale Ale (China) Brewed by Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd.
  • Silver: Drunken Sailor IPA (Germany) Brewed by CREW Republic Brewery GmbH
  • Bronze: Red Stone IPA (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Mezzopasso

Category 47 — Pale&Amber Ale: Golden Ale

  • Gold: Brugse Zot Blond (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij De Halve Maan
  • Silver: Blonden Os (Belgium) Brewed by John Martin SA
  • Silver: Demi de Mêlée (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij De Brabandere
  • Bronze: Abbaye Saint-Ghislain Blonde (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Deseveaux

Category 48 — Pale&Amber Ale: IPA Alcohol-Free/Low

  • Gold: 7 Hop 7 Grain DDH IPA (Belgium) Owned by BRULO
  • Silver: Samuel Adams Gold Rush (United States) Brewed by Boston Beer Company
  • Silver: Wanderlust (Netherlands) Owned by Van Moll Craft Beer
  • Bronze: Brand IPA 0.0 (Netherlands) Brewed by Brand Bierbrouwerij B.V.

Category 49 — Pale&Amber Ale: Kölsch

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: Seafarer (United States) Brewed by Three Weavers Brewing Co.

Category 50 — Pale&Amber Ale: Light Bitter Blond/Golden Ale

  • Gold: Ter Dolen Armand (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Ter Dolen
  • Silver: Artevelde Leute (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij L. Huyghe NV
  • Bronze: Chimay Dorée (Belgium) Brewed by Bières de Chimay
  • Bronze: St-Feuillien Five (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie St-Feuillien
Our stewards beginning to distribute the beers for us to taste.

Category 51 — Pale&Amber Ale: Modern Saison

  • Gold: Mannenliefde (Netherlands) Owned by Oedipus Brewing
  • Silver: Saison Biolithics (Belgium) Brewed by Belgo Sapiens Brewers – Brasserie Ceres Belgique SPRL
  • Bronze: Beau Monde (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar BV
  • Bronze: Tokyo White (Japan) Brewed by Far Yeast Brewing Company

Category 52 — Pale&Amber Ale: New England IPA

  • Gold: Hazers Gonna Haze Hazy IPA (United States) Brewed by Belching Beaver Brewery
  • Silver: Destihl DeadHead Tourbus Hazy IPA (United States) Brewed by Destihl Brewery
  • Silver: Over-the-Top (South Korea) Brewed by Artmonster Brewery, Inc.
  • Bronze: Have You Ever Been Yellow (Netherlands) Brewed by Uiltje Brewing Company

Category 53 — Pale&Amber Ale: Pacific IPA

  • Gold: West Coast IPA (United States) Brewed by pFriem Family Brewers
  • Silver: Scraggy Bay (Ireland) Brewed by Kinnegar Brewing
  • Bronze: Big Swell IPA (United States) Brewed by Maui Brewing Co.

Category 54 — Pale&Amber Ale: Session IPA

  • Gold: Dance Rave Dance (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Surréaliste
  • Silver: Session IPA #3 Chinook (Italy) Brewed by Brewpub Trulla
  • Bronze: Rifle (Italy) Brewed by Il Mastio SSA

Category 55 — Pale&Amber Ale: Strong Amber

  • Gold: Millican Extra (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Mezzopasso
  • Silver: Beer de Garde Ambrée Impériale (Netherlands) Brewed by Gooische Bierbrouwerij
    Bronze: Farsons Double Red (Malta) Brewed by Simonds Farsons Cisk plc

Category 56 — Pale&Amber Ale: Strong Blonde

  • Gold: Bon Secours Tradition (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Caulier SRL
  • Silver: OMER. Traditional Blond (Belgium) Brewed by Omer Vander Ghinste
  • Bronze: Martha Sexy Blond (Belgium) Brewed by Belgian Brew Factory

Category 57 — Pale&Amber Ale: Strong/Extra Special Bitter

  • Gold: Farsons Blue Label (Malta) Brewed by Simonds Farsons Cisk plc
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: Backdoor Bitter (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio L’Orso Verde SRL

Category 58 — Pale&Amber Ale: Traditional Saison

  • Gold: Weizen Saison (Belgium) Brewed by L’Annexe
  • Silver: Double Tree Saison (China) Brewed by NEWME Brewery
  • Bronze: Saison Dupont (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Dupont

Category 59 — Red Ale: American Red Ale

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Ignifer (Italy) Owned by Alchimie SRL
  • Bronze: Babylone (Belgium) Brewed by Brussels Beer Project

Category 60 — Red Ale: Irish Red Ale

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Brotas Beer Red Ale (Brazil) Brewed by Brotas Beer Industria de Bebidas LTDA
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 61 — Red Ale: Oud Rood (Flanders Red Ale)

  • Gold: Rodenbach Grand Cru (Belgium) Brewed by Swinkels Family Brewers
    Silver: Rodenbach Classic (Belgium) Brewed by Swinkels Family Brewers
  • Bronze: Rodenbach Alexander (Belgium) Brewed by Swinkels Family Brewers

Category 62 — Speciality Beer: Alcohol-Free

  • Gold: Bird of Prey 0.2% (Netherlands) Owned by Uiltje Brewing Company
  • Silver: Affligem Blond 0.0% (Belgium) Brewed by Alken-Maes
  • Bronze: Force Majeure Bruin (Belgium) Owned by Force Majeure
  • Bronze: Vicaris NANO° (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Dilewyns

Category 63 — Speciality Beer: Barley Wine

  • Gold: Aged Bock (Germany) Brewed by Schwarzbräu GmbH
  • Silver: Father Time (United States) Brewed by River North Brewery
  • Bronze: Mansueto 2021 (Italy) Brewed by IPC SRL
  • Bronze: Rest in Peace (Germany) Brewed by CREW Republic Brewery GmbHBrewed by IPC SRL

Category 64 — Speciality Beer: Brett Beer

  • Gold: Eylenbosch Wild Blond (Belgium) Owned by Brouwerij Eylenbosch
  • Silver: Pravda Brewery. Berliner Weisse Merlot BA (Ukraine) Brewed by Restoracija “Na Rynku” Ltd
  • Bronze: Templin Family Fouder Brett Bier (United States) Brewed by Templin Family Brewing

Category 65 — Speciality Beer: Brut Beer

  • Gold: Bière Brut Methode Originale Gôde (France) Owned by Brasserie Gode
  • Silver: Metodo Classico 60 Mesi (Italy) Brewed by Selezione Baladin SRL
    Bronze: Leopoldina Italian Grape Ale (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Leopoldina

Category 66 — Speciality Beer: Gluten Free

  • Gold: Bavaria Pilsener Glutenfree (Netherlands) Brewed by Swinkels Family Brewers
  • Gold: Nun Gluten Blonde (Sweden) Brewed by Vreta Kloster Bryggeri
  • Silver: Mahou Cinco Estrellas Sin Gluten (Spain) Brewed by MAHOU
  • Bronze: Theresianer Senza Glutine (Italy) Brewed by Theresianer Birra Italiana 1766

Category 67 — Speciality Beer: Low-Alcohol

  • Gold: Hazy NONnetje (Netherlands) Brewed by Jopen Bier
  • Silver: VrIJwit (Netherlands) Owned by Brouwerij ‘t IJ
  • Bronze: Ana Hop (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Lefebvre

Category 68 — Speciality Beer: Home Brewers

  • Gold: Sonnig Swert (Netherlands) Owned by Brouwland BV
  • Silver: Saison Baron (Belgium) Owned by Brouwland BV
  • Bronze: Prizekant (Belgium) Owned by Brouwland BV

Category 69 — Speciality Beer: Hybrid Beer

  • Gold: Mele Bebè (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Sabino
  • Silver: Timmermans Lambicus Blanche (Belgium) Brewed by John Martin SA
  • Bronze: Rena Bianca (Italy) Owned by Harvest Srls

Category 70 — Speciality Beer: Low Carb Beer

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: Black Rice Ale (United States) Brewed by Anderson Valley Brewing Co.
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 71 — Speciality Beer: Old Style Gueuze-Lambic

  • Gold: Organic Geuze Natur-Elle (Belgium) Brewed by BV Lambiek Fabriek
  • Silver: Lindemans Oude Gueuze Cuvée René (Belgium) Brewed by Lindemans NV
  • Silver: Young & Wild Fontan-Elle (Belgium) Brewed by BV Lambiek Fabriek
  • Bronze: Oude Geuze Brett Elle (Belgium) Brewed by BV Lambiek Fabriek
  • Bronze: Oude Gueuze Tilquin à l’ancienne – Cuvée Marie-Catherine (Belgium) Brewed by Gueuzerie Tilquin S.A.

Category 72 — Speciality Beer: Other Sour Ale

  • Gold: Goyck (Belgium) Brewed by Lindemans NV
  • Silver: Wäls Berliner (Brazil) Brewed by Wäls
  • Bronze: Everest (Brazil) Brewed by Hop Bros Cervejaria Artesanal
  • Bronze: Masterpiece Van Gogh (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Masterpiece

Category 73 — Speciality Beer: Sake Yeast Beer

  • Gold: NBeer Kanpai Saki-Inspired Ale (China) Brewed by NBeer Craft Brewing Co.
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 74 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer (Higher Than 7 ABV)

  • Gold: Daobrew Dandao Vanilla imperial Sour Stout (China) Brewed by Chengdu Fengshou Craft Beer Company, Ltd
  • Silver: Offtrail Trick Or Treat Yourself (Japan) Brewed by Far Yeast Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Chococonut – Imperial Dessert Stout (China) Owned by SUPERMALT (Beijing) Trade Co., Ltd.
  • Bronze: Gouden Carolus Whisky Infused (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Het Anker

Category 75 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer (Less Than 7 ABV)

  • Gold: Gooisch Rood (Netherlands) Brewed by Gooische Bierbrouwerij
  • Silver: The Headwaters IPA (Japan) Brewed by Far Yeast Brewing Company
  • Silver: Viva El Rye 5.0 (Netherlands) Brewed by Jopen Bier
  • Bronze: Capri-Derhosen (United States) Brewed by Quarter Celtic Brewpub

Category 76 — Speciality Beer: Speciality Beer: Italian Style Grape Ale

  • Gold: Gadduresa (Italy) Owned by Harvest Srls
  • Silver: Druif Rouge (United States) Brewed by pFriem Family Brewers
  • Bronze: La Belle des Vignes (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Minne
  • Bronze: Tokée (Belgium) Owned by NovaBirra

Category 77 — Speciality Beer: Winter Ales

  • Gold: 21 12 (Italy) Brewed by Microbirrificio Artigianale Incanto di Iavarone Ignazio
  • Silver: Ter Dolen Winter (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Ter Dolen
  • Bronze: Gouden Carolus Christmas (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Het Anker
  • Bronze: Pietra Bière de Noël (France) Brewed by Brasserie Pietra

Category 78 — Stout/ Porter: American Stout

  • Gold: Rye Stout (Italy) Brewed by La Collina
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: All Black (Netherlands) Owned by Stanislaus Brewskovitch Brouwerij BV

Category 79 — Stout/ Porter: Baltic Porter

  • Gold: Special One – Ibeer (Italy) Brewed by Ibeer-Spirito Agricolo SRL
  • Silver: Dark Porter (China) Brewed by NEWME Brewery
  • Bronze: Porter Baltycki Trzech Kumpli (Poland) Owned by Browar Trzech Kumpli Sp., z.o.o.

Category 80 — Stout/ Porter: Dry Stout

  • Gold: Brotas Beer Dry Stout (Brazil) Brewed by Brotas Beer Industria de Bebidas LTDA
  • Silver: Monk’s Stout Dupont (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie Dupont
  • Silver: Wheeler (Poland) Owned by Browar Trzech Kumpli Sp.. z.o.o.
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 81 — Stout/ Porter: Oatmeal Stout

  • Gold: No award.
  • Silver: No award.
  • Bronze: Colorado Terezinha (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Colorado
  • Bronze: Olonella (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Di Legnano SRL

Category 82 — Stout/ Porter: Porter

  • Gold: Porter (Italy) Brewed by Birra Puddu SRL
    Silver: Port City Porter (United States) Brewed by Port City Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Bulk (Italy) Brewed by Hammer Italian Craft Beer
  • Bronze: Robust Porter (United States) Brewed by Reuben’s Brews

Category 83 — Stout/ Porter: Russian Imperial Stout

  • Gold: Hel & Verdoemenis (Netherlands) Brewed by Brouwerij de Molen
  • Silver: Singularity (Sweden) Brewed by Northern Light Brewery
  • Bronze: Paliata (Italy) Brewed by Drink Up SRL
  • Bronze: Wrecking Ball Imperial Stout (United States) Brewed by No-Li Brewhouse

Category 84 — Stout/ Porter: Export Stout

  • Gold: Cervecera Cuello Negro (Chile) Brewed by Cervecera Cuello Negro Spa
  • Silver: Hul Extra Stout (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij De Wilde Brouwers
  • Bronze: Elbow Patches (United States) Brewed by The Virginia Beer Company
  • Bronze: GrandMir Noire (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie du Grand Mir

Category 85 — Wheat: Dubbel Wit/Imperial White

  • Gold: IJwit (Netherlands) Owned by Brouwerij ‘t IJ
  • Silver: Dominicains Dubbel (Belgium) Brewed by Brasserie 3F
  • Bronze: PokerFace (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Het Nest

Category 86 — Wheat: Dunkel Weizen (Doppel)Bock

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

Category 87 — Wheat: Gose

  • Gold: NBeer Beijing GOSE Modern (China) Brewed by NBeer Craft Brewing Co.
    Silver: Gosexy (Italy) Brewed by Bozner Weisse GmbH
  • Bronze: Haihe River Gose (China) Brewed by Trueman Brewing Co.

Category 88 — Wheat: Weizen

  • Gold: Sonhoshin German Style Wheat Beer (China) Brewed by Beijing Sonhoshin & Five Star Beer Co., LTD
  • Silver: Primátor Weizen (Czech Republic) Brewed by Primátor A.S.
  • Bronze: Hawley Hefeweizen (United States) Brewed by Wallenpaupack Brewing Company
  • Bronze: Zebra Craft Weissbier (China) Brewed by Zebra Craft Beer

Category 89 — Wheat: Weizen (Doppel)Bock

  • Gold: Maisel’s Weisse Bajuwarus (Germany) Brewed by Brauerei Gebr. Maisel GmbH & Co. KG
  • Silver: Aloha 26 (China) Brewed by GuangXi Dongming Beer Co., LTD
  • Bronze: No award.

Category 90 — Wheat: White IPA/Hoppy Weizen

  • Gold: Meteor White IPA (France) Brewed by Brasserie Meteor
  • Silver: TAP5 Hopfenweisse (Germany) Brewed by Schneider Weisse G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH
  • Bronze: Der Weizen (Germany) Owned by Tilmans Biere

Category 91 — Wheat: Witbier

  • Gold: Brugs Tarwebier (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij De Halve Maan
  • Silver: Leopoldina Witbier (Brazil) Brewed by Cervejaria Leopoldina
  • Silver: Nachtraaf – De Witte Raaf (Belgium) Owned by De Nachtraafbrouwers
  • Bronze: Ter Dolen Wit (Belgium) Brewed by Brouwerij Ter Dolen
The Comac Trophy for 2023

The Comac Trophy, awarded to the Best Beer of the Competition, this year was won by:

Millican Extra (Italy) Brewed by Birrificio Mezzopasso, in the category Pale&Amber Ale: Strong Amber

You can also find a list of the winners at the Brussels Beer Challenge website.

Bistro IPA Festival Winners 2023

By

Today was the 25th annual IPA Festival at the Bistro. It was another lovely sunny day in Hayward, making it perfect beer festival weather, although we’d returned to being sequestered in the basement for judging. The full list of winners is below.

Judging today at the Bistro for their IPA Festival.

IPAs

Tenma picking up their gold medal.

And Tenma also won People’s Choice for favorite IPA at the festival.

It was a beautiful day in Hayward.

Bistro Double IPA Winners 2023

By

Earlier today, the 23rd annual Double IPA Festival was held at the Bistro in Hayward, California, and after a virtual fest two years, and a modified outdoor festival last year, this year it was back to a much more typical festival, complete with people and sunshine off and on. I got there early for judging again this year, and we were back in the basement again — which was oddly comforting. We judged 87 Double IPAs for most of the morning and part of the afternoon, before choosing our favorites

Beginning the judging process.

After emerging from the darkness into the light, it was nice to see the shining, at least from time to time.

Beautiful downtown Hayward.

At 2:00 p.m., Vic and Cynthia gathered everybody together to announce this year’s winners.

Double IPAs

People’s Choice Awards

It was also great running into loads of old friends.

Bistro Double IPA Winners 2022

By

Earlier today, the 22nd annual Double IPA Festival was held at the Bistro in Hayward, California, and after a virtual fest last year, this year it was back to a more typical festival, complete with people and sunshine. I got there early for judging again this year, and instead of being sequestered in the dark, dank basement out of the view of the beautiful Bay Area sun — which is where we usually are — we were again outside under a large tent in what was a beautiful, sunny, hot day. We judged Double IPAs and Triple IPAs for most of the morning and part of the afternoon, before choosing our favorites in both categories.

It was hot and sunny throughout the festival this year.
A little after 2:00 PM, Vic announced the winners.

Double IPAs

Russian River won three awards.
Danville Brewing won second place for their Double IPA, Chux.

Triple IPAs

Wynn Whisenhunt from Wondrous Brewing accepting his 1st place award.

People’s Choice Awards

Vic and me.

Bistro IPA Festival Winners 2021

By

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.

Traditional IPAs

Hazy IPAs

Bistro Double IPA Winners 2021

By

Earlier today, the 21st annual Double IPA Festival was held at the Bistro in Hayward, California. I got there early for judging again this year, and instead of being sequestered in the dark, dank basement out of the view of the beautiful Bay Area sun — which is where we usually are — we were outside in what was a beautiful, sunny, albeit a little windy, day. We judged Double IPAs in two categories — West Coast and Hazy — for most of the morning and chose our favorite six in each category, which Vic will will hand pack into a “Double IPAs Finals Case” which can be ordered online for just under one-hundred dollars. But sales will end at midnight tonight, so if you want one, now’s the time.

West Coast Double IPAs

Hazy Double IPAs

Congratulations to all of the winners.

Brussels Beer Challenge Winners 2020

By

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 2020 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

By

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 2020 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