Washington’s tenth state-wide professional beer competition results announced Seattle, WA, November 3, 2023: Specialty Competitions LLC is proud to release the results of the tenth annual Washington Beer Awards®. This year 110 Washington breweries received recognition of gold, silver, and bronze medals in 72 award category groupings.
The results for this Washington-only professional beer competition were announced on November 3rd at the Washington Craft Beer Summit at the Puyallup Fairgrounds where some of Washington’s best brewers received medals for their award-winning beers. The judging for the Washington Beer Awards was held on September 9th and 10th at Elliott Bay Public House & Brewery in Lake City. The panels of trained judges had to evaluate 1,276 beers from 175 breweries spanning 139 unique styles from the Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines for technical and stylistic excellence.
The competition was held with the endorsement of the Washington Beer Commission and Washington Brewers Guild as a way to celebrate Washington’s growing brewing culture and recognize excellence in the craft. All of Washington’s craft breweries were invited to submit entries to the competition held in a similar format to other craft beer competitions like the Great American Beer Festival® and World Beer Cup®.
Four special awards, the Very Small, Small, Mid-Sized, and Large Breweries of the Year, were presented to breweries who won numerous medals in many categories. Audacity Brewing edged out a win as the Very Small Brewery of the Year with two medals. Victory 23 Craft Brewery won the small brewery of the year with three gold medals, including a repeat gold in the American-style IPA category. Grains of Wrath Brewing had a dominant performance with three golds, a silver, and three bronze medals to win the Mid-Sized Brewery of the Year category. The Large Brewery of the Year was won by Icicle Brewing Company with four gold medals and two bronze medals, including gold in Juicy or Hazy IPAs. A few special awards were also provided recognizing some unique Washington brewing excellence. Figurehead Brewing Company won gold in the “Pro-Am” category for a barrel-aged wheatwine called “Wonder Woman Wheatwine” that was developed by Washington homebrewer Laura Meyer and scaled up for commercial production. Formula Brewing and Halcyon Brewing collaborated on an experimental beer leveraging sake yeast called “Many Little Steps” which won gold in this year’s “Collaboration Beer” category.
More information on the competition and the complete list of results can be found at www.wabeerawards.com/winners. Watch for Washington’s award-winning beers marked at your local craft beer bars and beer stores and get ready for the Washington Beer Awards to return in 2024 where new winners will be decided!
Complete Results:
Light German-Style Lagers:
Gold: Seapine Brewing Company – Helles
Silver: Chuckanut Brewery – Chuckanut Helles
Bronze: Ladd & Lass Brewing – Hella Bier
German-Style Pilsners:
Gold: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Day Sailor Pils
Silver: E9 Brewing Co – T-Dome Pilsner
Bronze: Fremont Brewing Company – Golden Pilsner
German-Style Oktoberfests/Wiesns:
Gold: Brick West Brewing Co – Brick West Festbier
Silver: Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2 – Oktoberfest
Bronze: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Gerstenwolf Fest Bier
German-Style Maerzens:
Gold: Dru Bru – Festbier
Silver: Trap Door Brewing – Austrian Powers
Bronze: Echoes Brewing Company – Oktoberfest
German-Style Schwarzbiers:
Gold: Bellevue Brewing Co. – Bellevue Brewing Schwarzbier
Silver: Whistle Punk Brewing – Schwarzbier
Bronze: Cloudburst Brewing – No Mistakes
Other European Amber & Dark Beers:
Gold: Chuckanut Brewery – Chuckanut Dunkel
Silver: Bainbridge Brewing – Arrow Point Amber
Bronze: San Juan Island Brewing Co. – The Late Boat
Bohemian-Style Pilsners:
Gold: San Juan Island Brewing Co. – San Juan Pilsner
Silver: Silver City Brewery – Silver City Pils
Bronze: Stemma Brewing Company – Stemma PIls
Vienna-Style Lagers:
Gold: Lucky Envelope Brewing – Vienna Lager
Silver: Whistle Punk Brewing – Vienna Lager
Bronze: Remlinger Brewing – Red Logger
American-Style Light Lagers:
Gold: Seapine Brewing Company – Light Lager
Silver: Lucky Envelope Brewing – American Lager
Bronze: Lumberbeard Brewing – Lumber Light
American-Style Lagers:
Gold: Western Red Brewing – Little Tugger Lager
Silver: Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2 – Premium Lager
Bronze: Blewett Brewing – Standard American Lager
Contemporary American-Style Lager:
Gold: Kulshan Brewing Co. – Sunnyland – Fiamma Frosty
Silver: Bellevue Brewing Co. – Uno Mas Mexican Lager
Bronze: Stoup Brewing – Cervecita
American-Style Pilsners:
Gold: Everybody’s Brewing – Co-Pilot
Silver: Lake Chelan Brewery – Big Bay Pilsner
Bronze: In The Shadow Brewing – ITS Pilsner
Contemporary American-Style Pilsners:
Gold: Wet Coast Brewing Co. – The Ocho
Silver: Georgetown Brewing Co – Roger’s
Bronze: Icicle Brewing Company – New Zealand Pilsner
American-Style India Pale Lagers:
Gold: Boundary Bay Brewing Co. – India Pale Lager
Silver: Fortside Brewing Co. – Blue Mountains
Bronze: Varietal Beer Company – Inflorescence
Other American-Style Lagers:
Gold: Stones Throw Brewery – Fest Bier
Silver: Lucky Envelope Brewing – Yinz Jawn Pennsylvania Lager
Bronze: Lowercase Brewing – Fairstate Collab American Dark Lager
Australasian, Latin American or Tropical-Style Light Lagers:
Gold: El Suenito Brewing Company – Alebrijes Mexican Lager
Silver: Wander Brewing – See You Tomorrow
Bronze: Everybody’s Brewing – Mexican Lager
International-Style Pilseners:
Gold: Icicle Brewing Company – Premium Pilsner
Silver: Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2 – Kulshan Especial
Bronze: Wheelie Pop Brewing – Mahna Mana Japanese Lager
Strong Lagers:
Gold: Victor 23 Craft Brewery – Super Cooper
Silver: Wander Brewing – Heller Bock
Bronze: Figurehead Brewing Company – St. Charlie
Kellerbiers or Zwickelbiers:
Gold: Formula Brewing – Chasing Trains
Silver: Airways Brewing – Biergarten Kellerbier
Bronze: Haas Innovations Brewing LLC. – Haas Zwickelbier
German-Style Kölsches:
Gold: Chuckanut Brewery – Chuckanut Kolsch
Silver: Dru Bru – Kolsch
Bronze: Resonate Brewery – Gold Digger
German-Style Wheat Beers:
Gold: Silver City Brewery – Bavarian Hefeweizen
Silver: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Weizenheimer
Bronze: Scuttlebutt Brewing Company – Bridging The Trestle
Rye and American Wheat Beers:
Gold: Perihelion Brewery – Daedalus
Silver: Postdoc Brewing – Sickle In Hand
Bronze: Barrel Mountain Brewing – Be Happy
Golden, Blonde & Cream Ales:
Gold: Reuben’s Brews – The Taproom – Golden Gardens
Silver: Port Townsend Brewing Co. – Chet’s Gold
Bronze: Chuckanut Brewery – Chuckanut Golden
English-Style Bitters:
Gold: Elysian Brewing – The Wise
Silver: Big Block Brewing – Special Bitter
Bronze: Figurehead Brewing Company – Fort Lawton Ale
English Ales:
Gold: Old Stove Brewing Company – Blitz-Fire Brown
Silver: Audacity Brewing – The Castle And Ship
Bronze: Audacity Brewing – Thames At Night
Irish-Style Red Ales:
Gold: Silver City Brewery – Ridgetop Red
Silver: Western Red Brewing – Mainline Red
Bronze: Loowit Brewing Company – Two-Sixteen Red Ale
Scottish Ales:
Gold: Remlinger Brewing – Grounds Keeper Willie
Silver: Bron Yr Aur Brewing Co – Bonnie Doon Scottish Ale
Bronze: In The Shadow Brewing – Welle Wee Heavy
Scotch Ales or Wee Heavies:
Gold: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Sail Away Scotch Ale
Silver: Moment Brewing – Wee Heavy
Bronze: TT’s Brewery And BBQ – So-Val Smoked Scotch
International & Australasian Ales:
Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Ripsaw IPA
Silver: Formula Brewing – Who Said That
Bronze: The Pike Brewing Company – Waterfront
British & American Strong Ales:
Gold: Reuben’s Brews – Three Ryes Men
Silver: White Bluffs Brewing – Vintage 2020
Bronze: Silver City Brewery – Old Scrooge
Brown Porters:
Gold: Big Time Brewery – Coal Creek
Silver: Ram Restaurant & Brewery – Disorder Porter
Bronze: San Juan Island Brewing Co. – Black Boar Porter
Robust Porters:
Gold: Georgetown Brewing Co – 9 Pound Porter
Silver: Reuben’s Brews – Robust Porter
Bronze: Port Townsend Brewing Co. – Port Townsend Porter
American-Style Stout:
Gold: Uprise Brewing Co – Stout
Silver: Top Rung Brewing Company – My Dog Scout Stout
Bronze: Flying Lion Brewing – Rye Stout
British Stouts:
Gold: Cairn Brewing – Thor’s Hammer
Silver: Rooftop Brewing Company – Tank Ride Imperial Stout
Bronze: Wheelie Pop Brewing – Powerslide Oatmeal Stout
Irish Stouts:
Gold: Barley POP! Brewing – Friendship Nugget
Silver: Wenatchee Valley Brewing Company – Trout Stout
Bronze: Wander Brewing – Correspondent
American-Style Imperial Porters & Imperial Stouts:
Gold: Loowit Brewing Company – Shimmergloom
Silver: Bent Bine Brew Co. – Peaceable Porter
Bronze: Fremont Brewing Company – Dark Star
American-Style Pale Ales:
Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Papermaker Pale
Silver: E9 Brewing Co – Don Of Time
Bronze: Bale Breaker Brewing Company – Daybreak Pale Ale
Juicy or Hazy Pale Ales:
Gold: Hellbent Brewing Company – Seattle Sunshine Hazy Pale Ale
Silver: YaYa Brewing Company – Fluffy Puffy Sunshine
Bronze: The Good Society Brewery & Public House – Tiny Pinto Eyes
American-Style Strong Pale Ales:
Gold: Formula Brewing – Formula 14
Silver: Ram Restaurant & Brewery – Big Red’s IPA
Bronze: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Built For Speed IPA
Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ales:
Gold: Wander Brewing – Galaxy Single EyePA
Silver: Reuben’s Brews – Reuben’s Crush
Bronze: Logan Brewing Company – Green Hill Zone
American Amber Ales:
Gold: Western Red Brewing – Mainline Red
Silver: Wet Coast Brewing Co. – Hi Jack! Red Ale
Bronze: Kulshan Brewing Co. – Sunnyland – Local Amber
Strong American Amber Ales:
Gold: Flying Bike Cooperative Brewery – Imperial Rye Ale
Silver: Ice Harbor Brewing Co. – Mastodon Imperial Red IPA
Bronze: Cloudburst Brewing – Say Hi To Your Dad For Me
American-Style Brown & Black Ales:
Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Falling Up IPA
Silver: Brothers Cascadia Brewing – Clay’s Brown Ale
Bronze: Wet Coast Brewing Co. – Scofflaw CDA
American-Style India Pale Ales:
Gold: Victor 23 Craft Brewery – Imitator
Silver: Stoup Brewing – Please & Thank You IPA
Bronze: Hellbent Brewing Company – Melon Bong
West Coast-Style India Pale Ales:
Gold: Bale Breaker Brewing Company – Skyward IPA
Silver: Trap Door Brewing – Trap Door IPA
Bronze: Varietal Beer Company – Motile Isles IPA
Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ales:
Gold: Icicle Brewing Company – Enchantments Hazy IPA
Silver: Single Hill Brewing Company – Not My Monkeys
Bronze: Half Lion Brewing Company – Wildfire Haze Hazy IPA
Imperial or Double India Pale Ales:
Gold: Kulshan Brewing Co. – Sunnyland – Bull Of The Woods
Silver: North Jetty Brewing – Rip Current Imperial Cold IPA
Bronze: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – $10 Exorcism
Juicy or Hazy Imperial or Double India Pale Ales:
Gold: Icicle Brewing Company – Magic Meadow
Silver: Trap Door Brewing – Juiced Up
Bronze: RAVENNA BREWING CO – Neon Supernova
Belgian-Style Witbiers:
Gold: Victor 23 Craft Brewery – Cockpit Wit
Silver: Reuben’s Brews – White River Wheat
Bronze: Savage Brewing Company – Blood Orange Witier
Belgian & Belgian Inspired Ales:
Gold: Elliott Bay Brewing Lake City Way – Sour Gold
Silver: Echoes Brewing Company – The Golden Blonde
Bronze: Elliott Bay Brewing Lake City Way – Ambrosia Kriek
Belgian Strong & Abbey Ales:
Gold: Figurehead Brewing Company – Black Ball Dubbel
Silver: Elysian Brewing – Bete Blanche
Bronze: The Pike Brewing Company – Monk’s Uncle
Belgian & French Farmhouse Ales:
Gold: Burke-Gilman Brewing Company – Sakura
Silver: Ladd & Lass Brewing – Lenticular Clouds
Bronze: Resonate Brewery – Shimmer
Chili Pepper Beers:
Gold: Icicle Brewing Company – Cot In The Heat
Silver: Stemma Brewing Company – Conditus Lager
Bronze: YaYa Brewing Company – Down The Hatch
Brett Beers:
Gold: Dwinell Country Ales – Fuzzword
Silver: Heathen Brewing – Apricot Fixation
Bronze: Dwinell Country Ales – Summer Blush
Berliner-Style Weisses:
Gold: Aslan Brewing Co. – Disco Lemonade
Silver: Terramar Brewstillery – Shuksan Sour
Bronze: Volition Brewing – Strange News From Another Star
Goses:
Gold: Terramar Brewstillery – Octopus Garden Gose
Silver: Snapshot Brewing – Hummingbird Gose
Bronze: Reuben’s Brews – The Taproom – Key Lime Gose
American-Style Sour Ales:
Gold: Beach Cat Brewing – Sourpuss Blackberry Sour
Silver: RAVENNA BREWING CO – Gemstone Forager
Bronze: Single Hill Brewing Company – Beach Cowboy
Belgian Sour and Wild Ales:
Gold: Elliott Bay Brewing Lake City Way – De Rode Duivels
Silver: Dwinell Country Ales – Second Sight
Bronze: Bainbridge Brewing – 2022 Viognier Sour Blonde
American-Style Fruit Beers:
Gold: Vice Beer – Cut My Lime Into Pieces
Silver: Triceratops Brewing Co – Bohemian Rhaspberry Golden Ale
Bronze: Logan Brewing Company – Sundelion
Fruit Wheat Beers:
Gold: North Jetty Brewing – Another F**ing Raspberry Hef
Silver: Dystopian State Brewing Co. – Raspberry Radius
Bronze: Icicle Brewing Company – Colchuck Raspberry Wheat
Spiced, Field & Herb Beers:
Gold: Lowercase Brewing – Stillwater Collab Sage Keller Door
Silver: Lucky Envelope Brewing – Chai-Spiced Double Happiness Imperial Stout
Bronze: Elliott Bay Brewing Lake City Way – Organic Mashing Pumpkin
Pastry Stouts, Coffee & Chocolate Beers:
Gold: Georgetown Brewing Co – Gusto Creme
Silver: Scamp Brewing Co – Exile In Sibeeria – Mocha Almond
Bronze: Triceratops Brewing Co – Revmo Caramel Coffee Stout
Smoke Beers:
Gold: Four Generals Brewing – Rauch Helles
Silver: 210 Brewing Co. – Prime Porter
Bronze: Black Fleet Brewing – Fire Ship Smoked Red Ale
Specialty & Historical Beers:
Gold: Rooftop Brewing Company – Hoppin Honey
Silver: Timber City Ginger Beer – Non-Alcoholic Fruited Ginger Beer
Bronze: Timber City Ginger Beer – Fruited South Sound Pounder
Session Beers:
Gold: Halcyon Brewing – Only Good Vibes
Silver: ANACORTES BREWING COMPANY,LLC – FIDALGO LIGHT
Bronze: Ladd & Lass Brewing – Daisy
Experimental Beers:
Gold: The Good Society Brewery & Public House – Rice Rice Baby!
Silver: Bizarre Brewing – Ghost Bird Sings
Bronze: Ladd & Lass Brewing – Pineapple Escapade
Experimental India Pale Ales:
Gold: Boundary Bay Brewing Co. – Sticky Trees
Silver: Elysian Brewing – Capitol Hill – Dank Dust
Bronze: Humble Abode Brewing – IPA N’ Chill
Wood & Barrel Aged Imperial Stouts:
Gold: Skookum Brewery – Solitary Confinement
Silver: Fortside Brewing Co. – 2022 Bourbon Barrel Aged Night King
Bronze: Wander Brewing – Earlybird
Other Wood & Barrel Aged Beers:
Gold: Fremont Brewing Company – 2022 BBOMB
Silver: Fremont Brewing Company – Brew 7000
Bronze: RAVENNA BREWING CO – Lion Tamer
Wood & Barrel Aged Sour Beers:
Gold: Wander Brewing – Plum Bob
Silver: Single Hill Brewing Company – Tempest
Bronze: North Fork Brewery – Vern’s Peach Tea
Pro-Am:
Gold: Figurehead Brewing Company – Wonder Woman Wheatwine – homebrewer Laura Meyer
Collaboration Beers:
Gold: Formula Brewing & Halcyon Brewing – Many Little Steps
Silver: Heathen Brewing & Brothers Cascadia Brewing – Marzen Invaders
Bronze: Old Stove Brewing- Post Alley & Varietal Beer Company – Walk, Don’t Run
Breweries of the Year
Very Small Brewery of the Year (Sponsored by the Country Malt Group): Audacity Brewing
Small Brewery of the Year (Sponsored by Crosby Hops): Victor 23 Craft Brewery
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): Icicle Brewing Company