The 2025 Washington Beer Awards will take place in September for the main competition and October for the fresh hop category, with gold, silver, and bronze medals awarded to first, second, and third-place winners, respectively. Special awards will also recognize breweries with multiple standout entries. Winners will be announced and medals presented at a ceremony held alongside a prominent beer event, such as the Washington Brewers Festival or Washington Craft Beer Summit, amplifying the celebration of the state’s craft beer excellence.
This competition is the longest-running organizers of major beer competitions in the Northwest, the event is led by Master Judge-certified professionals who ensure a rigorous and fair evaluation process. This prestigious competition brings together Washington’s top judging talent to honor the finest beers in the state, highlighting the skill and innovation of its breweries. From crisp lagers to bold fresh hop ales, the Washington Beer Awards continues to elevate the region’s vibrant craft beer community.
2024 Washington Beer Awards Medal Winners
Light German-Style Lagers:
Gold: Larrabee Lager Company – Larrabee Original Lager
Silver: Chuckanut Brewery – Chuckanut Fest Bier
Bronze: Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2 – Helles
German-Style Pilsners:
Gold: E9 Brewing Co – T-Dome Pilsner
Silver: Fortside Brewing Company – Fortside Pilsner
Bronze: Farmstrong Brewing Co. – Skagit Pilsner
German-Style Oktoberfests/Wiesns:
Gold: Brick West Brewing – Festbier
Silver: Brothers Cascadia Brewing – Festbier
Bronze: Urban Family Brewing Co – Test Fest
German-Style Maerzens:
Gold: Garland Brew Werks – Oktoberfest
Silver: Heathen Brewing – Marzen Invaders
Bronze: Formula Brewing – Jacob Two Tree’s
German-Style Schwarzbiers:
Gold: The Good Society Brewery & Public House – Schwarzbier
Silver: Flying Lion Brewing – Small But Tiny Dark Lager
Bronze: Bellevue Brewing Co. – Bellevue Brewing Schwarzbier
Other European Amber & Dark Beers:
Gold: Four Generals Brewing – Alt Bier
Silver: San Juan Island Brewing Company – The Late Boat Czech Dark Lager
Bronze: Obec Brewing – Czech Dark Lager
Bohemian-Style Pilsners:
Gold: Chuckanut Brewery – Chuckanut Pilsner
Silver: Wander Brewing – Czech Pils
Bronze: Stemma Brewing – Stemma Pils
Vienna-Style Lagers:
Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Vienna Lager
Silver: Uprise Brewing Co – Vienna Lager
Bronze: Obec Brewing – Granat
American-Style Light Lagers:
Gold: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Boat Beer
Silver: Varietal Beer Company – Moxee Light
Bronze: Heathen Brewing – Heathen Light
American-Style Lagers:
Gold: Western Red Brewing – Little Tugger Lager
Silver: Distant West – American Lager
Bronze: Recluse Brew Works, LLC – RBW LAGER BEER
Contemporary American-Style Lager:
Gold: Hellbent Brewing – Tobogan Mexican Lager
Silver: Here Today Brewery & Kitchen – Lightning Harp
Bronze: Stoup Brewing – Cervecita
American-Style Pilsners:
Gold: Single Hill Brewing Company – Adams Pils
Silver: Reuben’s Brews – Pilsner
Bronze: Bellevue Brewing Co. – Bellevue 1882 Lager
Contemporary American-Style Pilsners:
Gold: Single Hill Brewing Company – Super Delicious
Silver: Recluse Brew Works, LLC – Faceless Commodity
Bronze: Farmstrong Brewing Co. – Skagit Pilsner
American-Style India Pale Lagers:
Gold: Trap Door Brewing – Day Beer
Silver: Old Stove Brewing Gardens – Neighborhood Chill
Bronze: Stoup Brewing-Capitol Hill – Mixtape Romeo
Other American-Style Lagers:
Gold: Halcyon Brewing Co. – Midnight Coterie
Silver: Lucky Envelope Brewing – Yinz Jawn Pennsylvania Lager
Bronze: Single Hill Brewing Company – Flight Cancelled
Australasian, Latin American or Tropical-Style Light Lagers:
Gold: Diamond Knot Brewing Company – Cantina
Silver: Boundary Bay Brewery – Van Zandt
Bronze: Wander Brewing – See You Tomorrow
International-Style Pilseners:
Gold: Maelstrom Brewing Company – Pilsner
Silver: Recluse Brew Works, LLC – Ugly Mug
Bronze: Project 9 Brewing – Floating Lotus
Strong Lagers:
Gold: Airways Brewing – Bockbier
Silver: DYSTOPIAN STATE BREWING CO – High Command
Bronze: Formula Brewing – Daydream Stream
Kellerbiers or Zwickelbiers:
Gold: Formula Brewing – Bootup Sequence
Silver: Valholl Brewing – Zwickel Pilsner
Bronze: Larrabee Lager Company – Keller Pils
German-Style Kölsches:
Gold: Dru Bru – Kolsch
Silver: Moment Brewing – Kolsch
Bronze: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Kiteboard Kolsch
German-Style Wheat Beers:
Gold: Brick West Brewing – Big Heart
Silver: Larrabee Lager Company – White Duck
Bronze: Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2 – Hefeweizen
Rye and American Wheat Beers:
Gold: Barrel Mountain Brewing – Be Happy
Silver: White Bluffs Brewing – Rock N Brown
Bronze: Mac & Jack’s Brewing Company – Serengeti Wheat
Golden or Blonde Ales:
Gold: Elliott Bay Brewing – Organic Boat Beer
Silver: Valholl Brewing – Golden Warrior
Bronze: Logan Brewing Company – Easy Mode
English-Style Bitters:
Gold: Obec Brewing – English Bitter
Silver: Rainy Daze Brewing – Test Drive Amber
Bronze: Vice Beer – AT-AT ESB
English Ales:
Gold: Kulshan Brewing Co. – Sunnyland – Transporter
Silver: Georgetown Brewing Co – Manny’s
Bronze: Loowit Brewing Company – Shadow Shinobi
Irish-Style Red Ales:
Gold: Kulshan Brewing Co. – Sunnyland – Red Cap
Silver: Silver City Brewery – Ridgetop Red
Bronze: WHISTLE PUNK BREWING – Irish Red Ale
Scottish Ales:
Gold: Silver City Brewery – The Magnificent Scotch Ale
Silver: Outer Planet Brewing – Falcon Wee Heavy
Bronze: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Sail Away Scotch Ale
Cream Ales:
Gold: Lucky Envelope Brewing – Mexican Lager (Insert Snarky Style Comment Here)
Silver: Varietal Beer Company – Two Wolves
Bronze: Resonate Brewery – Mexican Radio
International & Australasian Ales:
Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Wastelandia
Silver: Scuttlebutt Brewing Company – Option 42 Pale Ale
Bronze: Postdoc Brewing – Finest Decision XPA
British & American Strong Ales:
Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Geezer’s Paradox
Silver: San Juan Island Brewing Company – King Tide Barleywine
Bronze: Brothers Cascadia Brewing – Barleywine
Robust Porters:
Gold: White Bluffs Brewing – Shadows Of Temptation
Silver: Reuben’s Brews – Robust Porter
Bronze: Georgetown Brewing Co – 9 Pound
American-Style Stout:
Gold: Top Rung Brewing Company – My Dog Scout Stout
Silver: Old Stove Brewing – Dark Passage
Bronze: Stoup Brewing-Capitol Hill – Stoup American Stout
British Stouts:
Gold: Kulshan Brewing Co. – Sunnyland – Echoes In Time
Silver: Rainy Daze Brewing – Haulin Oats Stout
Bronze: Ten Pin Brewing – Snake Eye Stout
Irish Stouts:
Gold: Barrel Mountain Brewing – Starway
Silver: Elysian Brewing Co – Dragonstooth
Bronze: Hat Trick Brewing – Stouty McStouterson
American-Style Imperial Porters & Imperial Stouts:
Gold: Loowit Brewing Company – Shimmergloom
Silver: Big Barn Brewing – Black Dog Stout
Bronze: Ten Pin Brewing – Black Eyed Katy
American-Style Pale Ales:
Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Papermaker
Silver: Georgetown Brewing Co – Johnny Utah
Bronze: Stoup Brewing – N Zed Pale
Juicy or Hazy Pale Ales:
Gold: Humble Abode Brewing – Life Juice
Silver: Old Stove Brewing Gardens – Fight The Good Fight
Bronze: Icicle Brewing Company – Little Giant
American-Style Strong Pale Ales:
Gold: Hellbent Brewing – Dang! Citra IPA
Silver: Single Hill Brewing Company – Eastside
Bronze: Resonate Brewery – Atomic Punk
Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ales:
Gold: Irrelevant Beer – Psychedelic Therapy
Silver: Trap Door Brewing – Glowed Up
Bronze: Old Stove Brewing – No One Knows
American-Style Amber/Red Ales:
Gold: Old Stove Brewing Gardens – Amber Waves
Silver: Stemma Brewing – First Amber
Bronze: Terramar Brewstillery – Amber On
Pumpkin Spice Beers:
Gold: Elysian Brewing Co – Night Owl
Silver: Elysian Brewing Co – Great Pumpkin
Bronze: Elliott Bay Brewing – Organic Mashing Pumpkin
American-Style Brown & Black Ales:
Gold: Ladd & Lass Brewing – The Night Is Dark And Full Of Terror
Silver: Fortside Brewing Company – Couve A’licious
Bronze: Ice Harbor Brewing Co. – Bruneau Brown
American-Style India Pale Ales:
Gold: Victor 23 – Imitator
Silver: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Apex IPA
Bronze: Kulshan Brewing Co. – Sunnyland – Bastard Kat
West Coast-Style India Pale Ales:
Gold: Barrel Mountain Brewing – Unplug
Silver: Hellbent Brewing – Hop For Teacher IPA
Bronze: Uprise Brewing Co – Lucid Portal
Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ales:
Gold: Icicle Brewing Company – Enchantments
Silver: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Ice Axe
Bronze: Wet Coast Brewing Co. – Mixtape For 1
Imperial or Double India Pale Ales:
Gold: Single Hill Brewing Company – Mind Plant
Silver: Bale Breaker Brewing Company – Bottomcutter IIPA
Bronze: Taneum Creek Brewing – Never Lift
Juicy or Hazy Imperial or Double India Pale Ales:
Gold: Trap Door Brewing – Juiced Up
Silver: Reuben’s Brews Taproom – Supernova
Bronze: White Bluffs Brewing – Super NOG
Belgian-Style Witbiers:
Gold: Genus Brewing & Supply – “Erinaceus” (Genus Of The Hedgehog) V.4 Witbier
Silver: Hellbent Brewing – Wit
Bronze: Ghost Runners Brewery – Phantom Blanca
Belgian & Belgian Inspired Ales:
Gold: The Good Society Brewery & Public House – First To Fall
Silver: Dwinell Country Ales – Lookie Loo
Bronze: Echoes Brewing Company – The Golden Blonde
Belgian Strong & Abbey Ales:
Gold: Moment Brewing – Belgian Dark Strong
Silver: White Bluffs Brewing – Monking Around
Bronze: Hat Trick Brewing – Sup Nerds
Belgian & French Farmhouse Ales:
Gold: Lucky Envelope Brewing – LE Saison
Silver: E9 Brewing Co – Vital Transformation
Bronze: Humble Abode Brewing – Rye Saison
Chili Pepper Beers:
Gold: Haywire Brewing Co. – Lizzy Enfuego
Silver: Icicle Brewing Company – Cot In The Heat
Bronze: Old Stove Brewing – Ring Of Fire
Brett Beers:
Gold: Dwinell Country Ales – Summer Blush
Silver: Dwinell Country Ales – Fever Dream
Bronze: Dwinell Country Ales – Fuzzword
German Style Sour Beers:
Gold: Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2 – Gose
Silver: Dru Bru – Peach Sour
Bronze: Narrows Brewing – Good 2 Gose
American-Style Sour Ales:
Gold: FrinGe Brewing – Project Stardust
Silver: Ashtown Brewing Co. – Orange-Strawberry Smoothie Sour
Bronze: Beach Cat Brewing – Raspberry Purree
Belgian Sour and Wild Ales:
Gold: Elliott Bay Brewing Lake City Way – Ambrosia Kreik
Silver: North Fork Brewery – Turbo Goes To Rocket
Bronze: Elliott Bay Brewing Lake City Way – DeRode Duivels
American-Style Fruit Beers:
Gold: SnowEater Brewing Co – Rylans Dandy Shandy
Silver: Big Barn Brewing – Strawberry Blonde
Bronze: Narrows Brewing – Peachy Voyage
Fruit Wheat Beers:
Gold: Ice Harbor Brewing Co. – Ice Harbor Tangerine Hefeweizen
Silver: Ten Pin Brewing – Groove Pineapple Wheat Ale
Bronze: Resonate Brewery – Hysberia
Spiced, Field & Herb Beers:
Gold: Machine House Brewery – Stinging Nettle Ale
Silver: Beach Cat Brewing – Christmas In July
Bronze: In The Shadow Brewing – ITS HBL
Pastry Stouts, Coffee & Chocolate Beers:
Gold: Georgetown Brewing Co – Gusto Creme Coffee Ale
Silver: Humble Abode Brewing – Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter
Bronze: Farmstrong Brewing Co. – Mike In The Morning Coffee Porter
Smoke Beers:
Gold: Here Today Brewery & Kitchen – Icarus Phase
Silver: Ladd & Lass Brewing – Short Days, Dark Nights
Bronze: Genus Brewing & Supply – “Clavaria Fumosa” (Genus Of The Smokey Spindles)
Specialty & Historical Beers:
Gold: Taneum Creek Brewing – Wild Goose Chase
Silver: Fremont Brewing – NA IPA
Bronze: Ladd & Lass Brewing – WAtucky Corn Snacks
Session Beers:
Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Ticklish Warrior
Silver: Formula Brewing – I’ll Say It Once More
Bronze: Logan Brewing Company – Alchemist’s Dilemma
Experimental Beers:
Gold: Rainy Daze Brewing – Mr. Mustachio
Silver: Dru Bru – Experimental IPA #3
Bronze: Elysian Brewing Co – Punkuccino
Wood & Barrel Aged Strong Stouts:
Gold: Matchless Brewing – Thurston County Stout 2023
Silver: Fortside Brewing Company – Bourbon Barrel Aged Night King
Bronze: Uprise Brewing Co – Phases Of The Moon
Other Wood & Barrel Aged Beers:
Gold: Lumberbeard Brewing – Anniversary Year 4
Silver: Echoes Brewing Company – Glutinous Prime
Bronze: Postdoc Brewing – Hogus Maximus Extremis Amburana 2024
Wood & Barrel Aged Sour Beers:
Gold: Dru Bru – Margarita Sour
Silver: Urban Family Brewing Co – Rum Dawn
Bronze: Jellyfish Brewing Company – Birra Chiara
Seltzers:
Gold: Triceratops Brewing Co – Strawberry Lemonade Hard Seltzer
Silver: Timber City Ginger Beer – Imperial Ginger Beer
Bronze: Four Eyed Guys Brewing – Strawberry Basil Hard Seltzer
Pro-Am:
Gold: Reuben’s Brews and Homebrewer Drew Scoggins – Dortmunder
Silver: Beach Cat Brewing and Homebrewers Joe Murphy and Carolyn Macaulay Waldo – Joe’rchata Mexican Cream Ale
Bronze: North 47 Brewing Co and Homebrewer Tristan McCoy – Diet Smoke
Collaboration Beers:
Gold: Scuttlebutt Brewing Company & Sound to Summit Brewing – Bridging The Trestle
Silver: Heathen Brewing & Brothers Cascadia Brewing – Marzen Invaders
Bronze: Ladd & Lass Brewing, Big Time Brewery & Halcyon Brewing – WAtucky Corn Snacks
Very Small Brewery of the Year (Sponsored by Country Malt Group): Dwinell Country Ailes
Small Brewery of the Year (Sponsored by Crosby Hops): Larrabee Lager Company
Mid-Sized Brewery of the Year (Sponsored by Yakima Chief Hops): Grains of Wrath Brewing
Large Brewery of the Year (Sponsored by Briess Malt and Ingredients): Single Hill Brewing Company
History of the Washington State Craft Beer Scene
The Washington State craft beer scene began to take shape in the late 1970s and early 1980s, catalyzed by the legalization of homebrewing and a growing interest in diverse, flavorful beers. Pioneering breweries like Redhook, founded in Seattle in 1981, and Hale’s Ales, established in 1983, laid the groundwork for a burgeoning industry by introducing bold, innovative brews that contrasted with mass-produced lagers. These early breweries capitalized on Washington’s abundant resources, including high-quality hops from the Yakima Valley, which supplies over 70% of the nation’s hops. By the 1990s, the state’s craft beer culture had gained momentum, with brewpubs and microbreweries popping up in cities like Seattle, Spokane, and Bellingham, fostering a community of brewers and beer enthusiasts eager to experiment with styles ranging from IPAs to porters.
The 21st century saw explosive growth in Washington’s craft beer industry, with the number of breweries climbing from around 50 in 2000 to over 400 by 2025. Events like the Washington Beer Awards and festivals such as the Washington Brewers Festival have elevated the state’s reputation as a craft beer powerhouse. The scene thrives on collaboration, with breweries often partnering on special releases or community events, while taprooms and beer festivals draw locals and tourists alike. Washington’s craft beer culture is defined by its innovation, quality, and deep connection to local ingredients, cementing its status as a leader in the national craft beer movement.
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