Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Beer Birthday: Spike Buckowski

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Today is the 58th birthday of Brian “Spike” Buckowski, co-founder of Terrapin Beer Co. in Athens, Georgia. They first made a name for themselves at GABF that first year with their Rye Pale Ale, but a few years later their Hopsecutioner IPA became their flagship. I’m pretty sure we’d run to one another at events over the years, but I got to know him better while judging in South Africa last year. And unsurprisingly, he’s a great person and terrific ambassador for good beer. Join me in wishing Spike a very happy birthday.

Me and Spike in Nashville for CBC last year.
Spike and me in South Africa in 2022.
The American judges at 2022’s African Beer Cup: Marty Nachel, Doug Odell, Spike, Pete Slosberg, and me.

Historic Beer Birthday: George Wiedemann

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Today is the birthday of George Wiedemann (February 7, 1833-May 25, 1890). He was born in Eisenach, Stadtkreis Eisenach, Thüringen, Germany, and “came to the United States as a young man in 1854. first finding work in the brewing industry in New York, Louisville, and Cincinnati. He moved to Newport, Kentucky in 1870, and founded the George Wiedemann Brewing Co., which became Kentucky’s largest brewery.” After his death, his sons continued to run the business. After prohibition, the brewery merged with G. Heileman Brewing Company, and in 1967 was operated as the Wiedemann Division of the G. Heileman Brewing Company, Inc. The brewery was closed in 1983.

This short bio is from Widemann’s Find-a-Grave page:

Businessman, Beer Magnate. Came to the United States in 1855 from Eisenach, Germany. He obtained his experience while working for a brewer in Williamsburg, New York. In 1870 he moved to Newport, Kentucky and began working for a brewer named John Butcher. In 1878 he bought out the interest of John Butcher, and two years later he purchased the Constans Brewery and built a new brewery in Newport, Kentucky, which carried his name. The George Wiedemann Brewing Comapany remained under family control, until August 1, 1967, when it was sold to the G. Heileman Brewing Company of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

And this is from his Wikipedia page:

Wiedemann was born in Eisenach, Germany, in 1833. He came to the United States as a young man in 1854. first finding work in the brewing industry in New York, Louisville, and Cincinnati.[1] He moved to Newport, Kentucky in 1870. He was the founder of the George Wiedemann Brewing Company, which became Kentucky’s largest brewery. It was located at 601 Columbia Street in Newport, Kentucky. Wiedemann beer was synonymous with Newport. Wiedemann promoted itself as “America’s only registered beer” and often used humorous radio commercials as part of its advertising campaigns.

Wiedemann married Agnes Rohman and they had six children. Newspaper accounts described Wiedemann as an honest man with a natural sociability and a dignified businessman.

On May 28, 1890, George Wiedemann became ill and died at his home at 188 East Third St in Newport. The business was continued to operate by his sons, George Jr. and Charles.

Wiedemann Brewing was merged with G. Heileman Brewing Company, in 1967 and was operated as Wiedemann Division, G. Heileman Brewing Company, Inc. The primary brands were Wiedemann Fine Beer, Royal Amber Beer, Blatz Beer/Cream Ale and other assorted Heileman labels. The brewery was closed in 1983.

The Wiedemann name was then sold and was brewed by the Pittsburgh Brewing Co. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania until 2007 when the brand was dropped.

2012, a Newport, Kentucky company, Geo. Wiedemann Brewing Company, LLC, re-established the brand and started brewing Wiedemann Special Lager as a small-batch, craft beer. The name, the recipe, logo and all intellectual rights were bought out by beer brewer and journalist Jon Newberry. In 2018 Jon and wife, Betsy purchased an old funeral home in Cincinnati and after a few years of renovating the old building it opened up not only a brewery but a taproom and restaurant.

In 2019 the Sipple Family, Covington natives, bought the home of George Wiedemann, Jr. at 401 Park Avenue. The historic home has been renovated and is now utilized as a place of business for the 2nd generation family business, Centennial Talent Strategy and Executive Search. Centennial, a family business like the Wiedemann Brewery Company, is one of the Greater Cincinnati region’s largest and most prominent firms in their industry. 401 Park Avenue is also the home of IMPACT Cowork, an executive coworking and meeting rental space, and Talent Magnet Institute, a consulting firm, with a weekly podcast recorded in the historic building.

George Wiedemann was born in Eisenach,Thüringen, Prussia. He was educated in the brewer’s art in Saxony and in 1853 at the age of 19 years, emigrated to America. Wiedemann found immediate employment in a brewery in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, but it being not to his liking he remained there only three months.

Upon his release Wiedemann moved 750 miles southwest to Louisville where he had found a position in another brewery. Six months later he was hired away by Frank Eichenlaub to work in his brewery in the Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati. The addition of John Kaufmann as partner in the Eichenlaub firm inspired the erection of a second brewery on Vine Street, over which Wiedemann was made foreman.

In 1856 Wiedemann was joined in marriage to another German emigre Agnes Rohmann. The union produced four children, including sons Charles and George Junior.

Wiedemann presided over Eichenlaub’s Vine Street Brewery until 1870, when he took his savings and bought a minority share in John Butcher’s brewery in Newport Kentucky. The business was ideally located but Butcher was modest in ambition. Ambition was a trait Weidemann had in spades, though, and the partners quickly grew the brewery from 15 barrels a day to the largest in Kentucky. When Butcher retired from the firm in 1878 Wiedemann continued as sole proprietor.

By this time Wiedemann’s sons Charles and George Jr. were employed in the firm. Their education in the business proved so thorough that when the elder Wiedemann died unexpectedly at age 57 the transition of management to his sons was seamless. George Wiedemann died on the 25th of May 1890. His sons Charles (age 32) and George Jr. (age 24) carried the business on into the 20th century.

The family brewery operated through Prohibition and two World Wars. The firm was sold in 1967 to the G. Heileman Brewing Co. of La Crosse, Wisconsin, and closed in 1973, a little over a century after George Wiedemann persuaded John Butcher to think big.

This is from the Northern Kentucky Tribune, an article entitled “Our Rich History: George Wiedemann, Northern Kentucky’s Beer Baron and his Brewery.”

George Wiedemann (1833-1890) came to America from Germany in 1854, and after several years in the New World founded a brewery in Newport, Kentucky that became the largest south of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi River, as well as a brewing family dynasty that lasted for four generations.

Wiedemann was born in Eisenach in Saxony-Weimar, a province of the Kingdom of Prussia. It also was the birthplace of Martin Luther. The Wartburg, where Luther translated the Bible into German, overlooks the town. It was also not far from Mühlhausen, the hometown of John A. Roebling, who like many others, immigrated due to discontent with the socio-political conditions in the German states.

In 1854 at age 21, Wiedemann, who had learned the brewing trade by means of the apprenticeship system, joined the waves of German immigration that surged after the failure of the 1848 Revolution. After arrival in New York, he quickly found work in one of New York’s forty breweries, but then moved on to Louisville, which had a growing German population.

At the time, many native-born Americans feared the arrival of the Forty-Eighters, the refugees of the 1848 Revolution, as well as the large number of Catholics. This nativist antipathy gave rise to hostilities across the country, and to a riot known as Bloody Sunday in Louisville in August 1855. Not surprisingly, Wiedemann headed for Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine district.

He found a job at the brewery of Franz Eichenlaub, and worked his way up to Braumeister. Eichenlaub’s son-in-law, John Kauffman, took over the brewery, which was located on Vine Street in Over-the-Rhine, and it became known as the Kauffman Brewery. Wiedemann remained there for fifteen years, gaining much valuable experience in operating a brewery.

By 1870 Over-the-Rhine had a sizable number of breweries, so starting a brewery there would have been a challenge. Fortunately, Wiedemann had a friend, Johannes Butscher, across the Ohio River in Newport who was from his hometown. So in 1870, he partnered with him to form the Butscher & Wiedemann Brewing Co., with Wiedemann working as Braumeister. In 1878, he bought out his partner, taking full control of the brewery. In 1888, he rebuilt the entire brewery complex, with all the latest refinements and inventions in brewing. Pictures show that it was a wonderful example of German-American brewing architecture, built in the style known as German Romanesque Revival.

The Wiedemann Brewery also featured a Bavarian-style Gasthaus with a Bierstube for visitors. The reception area was adorned with murals on the ceiling, and the office was state of the art with telephones and typewriters. And Wiedemann’s office was truly fitting for a beer baron. The well-known architect Samuel Hannaford designed the brewery stable that housed 150 horses, all of which were needed for the horse-drawn beer wagons.

The Wiedemann Brewery was well known for its Bavarian Lager and its Bohemian Pilsner. The latter became popular after the 1873 Vienna International Exposition, and many brewers from the U.S., including Wiedemann, introduced the brew here. This was more yellow in color than a golden Lager, more light-bodied and had a foamy head with smooth creamy flavor.

Historic Beer Birthday: George Wiedemann Jr.

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Today is the birthday of George Wiedemann Jr. (February 6, 1866-March 26, 1901). He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of George Wiedemann Sr., who founded the George Wiedemann Brewing Co. in 1870, in Newport, Kentucky. After his father passed away in 1890, he and his brother sons continued to run the business. After prohibition, the brewery merged with G. Heileman Brewing Company, and in 1967 was operated as the Wiedemann Division of the G. Heileman Brewing Company, Inc. The brewery was closed in 1983.

This is Wiedmann Junior’s obituary from the American Brewers’ Review from April 20, 1901:

Here’s another obituary from the Kentucky Advocate West:

And this obit is from the Cincinnati Enquirer:

And finally, this is from the Cincinnati Post:

Beer Birthday: Jaime Jurado

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mbaa-logo

Today is the birthday of Jaime Jurado, who for many years was the Director of Brewing Operations for the Gambrinus Company, which included several beer brands and breweries, such as Shiner, BridgePort, Pete’s Wicked and Trumer. A couple of years ago, he moved to Pennsylvania, where he was the brewmaster at Susquehanna Brewing Co. in Pittston, then moved back south, this time to Louisiana, where for five years he was the Director of Brewing Operations at Abita Brewing. After that, he struck out on his own, and was doing brewery consulting and for a time was Vice-President of two start-ups, Ennoble Beverages and JHH. These days, he’s the GM at the 49th State Brewing Co. in Anchorage, Alaska. Jaime’s an incredibly talented brewer. More importantly, Jaime is one of the nicest people I know in the business. Join me wishing Jaime a very happy birthday.

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A blushing Jamie at OBF in 2006.
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Jamie with Lars Larson, brewmaster of Trumer Brauerei, at the Celebrator 18th anniversary party.
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Jamie (far left) with some NBWA luminaries at the 2008 NBWA welcome reception. From left, Jamie, Lucy Saunders (the Beer Cook), Charlie Papazian (President of the Brewers Association), Kim Jordan (from New Belgium Brewing) and Tom Dalldorf (from the Celebrator Beer News).
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Jamie with Todd and Jason Alström, founder of Beer Advocate, at the 2008 GABF.

Beer In Ads #4796: The Modern Crusader (Bock Beer)

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After taking a few months off from my “Beer in Ads” series, having finished documenting the Miss Rheingold ad campaign that lasted from 1941 to 1964, I thought it was time to bring back the ads, and decided to concentrate on Bock ads for the foreseeable future. Bock, of course, originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising.

Monday’s ad is called “The Modern Crusader” and is an ad for Bock beer for an unknown brewery in 1886, and unfortunately I don’t know who the artist was.

Historic Beer Birthday: Joseph Coors Sr.

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coors-red
Today is the birthday of Joseph Coors Sr. (November 12, 1917–March 15, 2003). He was the grandson of brewery founder Adolph Coors and president of Coors Brewing Company. “After graduation, he began work in the Coors Porcelain Co., the porcelain business that helped the company survive Prohibition. With his brother William Coors (whose desks were located only one foot apart), Joseph refined the cold-filtered beer manufacturing system and began America’s first large-scale recycling program by offering 1-cent returns on Coors aluminum cans. He served one term as a regent of the University of Colorado in 1967-1972, attempting to quell what he considered to be campus radicalism during the Vietnam war. He served as president of Coors in 1977-1985, and chief operating officer in 1980-1988. His leadership helped expand Coors beer distribution from 11 Western states in the 1970s to the entire USA by the early 1990s.”

joe-coors-sr
This short biography is from Find-a-Grave:

Businessman. Brewery magnate and leading member of the Coors Brewing family and company founded by his grandfather. Worked at the Coors Brewery in Golden, Colorado, starting in 1946 as technical director, became Executive Vice President in 1975, President in 1977, and Chief Operating Officer from 1985-1987. Engaged in an intense conforation with labor over an effort to unionize the Coors Brewery. An outspoken conservative who helped establish (with Paul Weyrich) The Heritage Foundation, The Independnce Institute (Golden, Colorado), and the Mountain States Legal Foundation. Elected to one term as a Regent of the University of Colorado (1966). Member of the ‘kitchen cabinet’ of President Ronald Reagan.

joe-coors-senior
And this brief biography of Joe Coors is from CoorsTek:

Joseph Coors, Sr., one of Adolph Jr.’s sons, assumed leadership at the pottery in 1946 and began the process of becoming the industrial ceramic technology leader. He started the first formal R&D group at Coors Porcelain and strengthened the technical and design staff.

joseph-coors-bw
Here’s his obituary from CBS News:

Joseph Coors, who used his brewing fortune to support President Reagan and help create the conservative Heritage Foundation, has died at age 85.

Coors, whose grandfather founded Golden-based Adolph Coors Co. in 1873, died Saturday in Rancho Mirage, Calif., after a three-month battle with lymphatic cancer.

In the 1970s, Coors began providing money and his famous name to start the Heritage Foundation, the influential think tank in Washington, D.C. Even earlier, he served as one of Reagan’s advisers and backers in the “kitchen Cabinet,” which financed Reagan’s political career from the governorship of California to the White House. The two first met in Palm Springs, Calif., in 1967.

“Without Joe Coors, the Heritage Foundation wouldn’t exist — and the conservative movement it nurtures would be immeasurably poorer,” the foundation’s president, Edwin Feulner, said in a statement.

In 1988 he retired as chief operating officer. He remained a director until three years ago.

Coors used his chemical engineering background to refine the brewery’s cold-filtered beer manufacturing system, which he created with his brother Bill. The brothers also initiated what is believed to have been the first large-scale recycling program by offering a one cent return on Coors’ aluminum cans in 1959.

Until the 1970s, Coors beer was sold in 11 just Western states. But aggressive competition from industry giants Anheuser-Busch and Miller Brewing prompted the company to expand. By the early 1990s, Coors was available nationwide. It is the third-largest brewer in the United States.

But the company was the object of sometimes bitter criticism from activists who criticized Coors’ politics and accused the company of a variety of violations of labor and environmental laws and bias against gays and other minorities.

In 1977, labor unions launched a boycott after a bitter 20-month strike. The boycott ended 10 years later after the company agreed to forgo erecting legal roadblocks often used by management against an attempt to organize its workforce. The following year, Coors employees turned down Teamsters representation.

Born in Golden on Nov. 12, 1917, Coors was educated in public schools. He graduated from Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., in 1940 with a degree in chemical engineering.

His first job at Coors Co. was with the company’s ceramics division, working in the clay pits west of Golden where the raw material for porcelain was mined. The porcelain business, purchased in the early 1900s, helped keep the company afloat during Prohibition, when the brewery produced malted milk and near-beer.

Coors also served a term as a regent of the University of Colorado, confronting what he saw as campus radicalism during the Vietnam War.

Coors and his brother worked in the same office, their desks not more than a foot apart. But Bill Coors said their politics were quite different.

“He was very principled and dedicated. But we got along a lot better if we didn’t talk politics,” Bill Coors said. “He was conservative as they come. I mean he was a little bit right of Attila the Hun.

In addition to his brother, he is survived by his wife, Anne; five sons, Joseph Jr., Jeffrey, Peter, Grover and John, all of the Golden area; 27 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

coors-brewery-postcard

Beer In Ads #4788: Celebrated Bock Beer

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After taking a few months off from my “Beer in Ads” series, having finished documenting the Miss Rheingold ad campaign that lasted from 1941 to 1964, I thought it was time to bring back the ads, and decided to concentrate on Bock ads for the foreseeable future. Bock, of course, originated in Germany, in the town of Einbeck. Because many 19th century American breweries were founded by German immigrants, they offered a bock at certain times of the year, be it Spring, Easter, Lent, Christmas, or what have you. In a sense they were some of the first seasonal beers. “The style was later adopted in Bavaria by Munich brewers in the 17th century. Due to their Bavarian accent, citizens of Munich pronounced ‘Einbeck’ as ‘ein Bock’ (a billy goat), and thus the beer became known as ‘Bock.’ A goat often appears on bottle labels.” And presumably because they were special releases, many breweries went all out promoting them with beautiful artwork on posters and other advertising.

Sunday’s ad is for an unknown brewery somewhere in the United States, and was created in 1899.

Beer Birthday: Thomas Kerns

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big-island-brewhaus

Today is the 59th birthday of Thomas Kerns, who is the owner and brewmaster of the Big Island Brewhaus in Kamuela, Hawaii. He’s originally from Oregon, and started brewing commercially for a McMenamins Pub brewery. When I met him he was the head brewer for Maui Brewery, and he was there for over ten years before striking out on his own, which opened in 2008. I first got to know Thomas a bunch of years ago when we roomed together for GABF judging. Join me wishing Thomas a very happy birthday.

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Visiting Thomas at his brewpub last August during a family vacation to Hawaii.
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Thomas with Garett Marrero when he was still at Maui Brewing.

Beer Birthday: Fred Karm

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hoppin-frog
Today is the 61st birthday of Fred Karm, who is the owner and brewmaster of Hoppin’ Frog in Akron, Ohio. While he’s been brewing since 1994, Fred opened his own place in 2006 (and later a separate tasting room) and has been making some great beer there ever since. I first met Fred at the RateBeer Best Awards, when I emceed the first awards show in 2016. He’s one of the most energetic and passionate people I’ve met in the beer industry. Join me in wishing Fred a very happy birthday.

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Fred and me at the RateBeer Best Festival in 2017.

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After the RateBeer Best Awards show in 2016.

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.