Beer Competition

Wicked Weed Brewing Announces “You Deserve An Upgrade” Contest

June 20, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

Asheville, North Carolina – Wicked Weed Brewing is excited to launch the “You Deserve An Upgrade” Contest, a summer initiative to celebrate and support community heroes. This contest invites fans to nominate individuals who deserve a significant life upgrade, offering a chance to win a $10,000 prize.

Nominate a Deserving Individual
From now until July 9, nominate someone who has made a positive impact in your community. This could be a local artist needing a studio refresh, a teacher dedicated to their students, a wedding planner creating dream days, or a disaster relief volunteer who could use personal support. Self-nominations are also welcome.

To participate, visit wickedweedbrewing.com/you-deserve-an-upgrade, share the nominee’s story, and explain why they deserve an upgrade. Entrants and nominees must be 21 or older and reside in a market where Wicked Weed products are available.

Inspired by Pernicious IPA
The contest draws inspiration from Wicked Weed’s flagship Pernicious IPA, known for its slogan “Upgrade Your IPA.” As the #1 craft beer sold in the Carolinas and one of the fastest-growing craft beers nationwide (Source: Circana, NC & SC, TUS, L4W), Pernicious embodies quality and excellence, values reflected in this community-focused campaign.

“We’re passionate about quality in our beer and our community,” said Ryan Guthy, co-founder of Wicked Weed Brewing. “This contest is our way of honoring those who make our communities better and giving them the upgrade they deserve.”

How to Enter
Visit wickedweedbrewing.com/you-deserve-an-upgrade.
Submit a nomination by July 9.
Follow @WickedWeedBrewing on Instagram and use #YouDeserveAnUpgrade to join the conversation.

No purchase is necessary to enter. For full contest rules and eligibility, check the Wicked Weed Brewing website.

About Wicked Weed Brewing
Wicked Weed Brewing, founded in 2012 in Asheville, North Carolina, is a trailblazing craft brewery celebrated for its innovative beers and commitment to quality. Operating a 50-barrel production brewery, a dedicated sour beer facility, and three unique retail locations—including the original Brew Pub in downtown Asheville, the Funkatorium, the Southeast’s first mixed-culture taproom, and Wicked Weed West—Wicked Weed has become a cornerstone of the craft beer community.

Beyond brewing, Wicked Weed is deeply invested in fostering community connections. With a passion for quality in both its beers and its engagement with fans, Wicked Weed continues to push boundaries while honoring its Asheville roots. Learn more at WickedWeedBrewing.com or follow @wickedweedbrewing on Instagram.

Top 10 Beer Festivals in America plus a few more: Click Here!

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale’s Surprising Gold Medal Win in the ESB Category at the 2025 World Beer Cup

June 18, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

In a twist that raised eyebrows across the craft beer world, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, the iconic beer that practically defined the American pale ale style, took home a gold medal in the Extra Special Bitter (ESB) category at the 2025 World Beer Cup. Held on May 1, 2025, in Indianapolis, the prestigious competition saw 8,375 entries from 1,761 breweries across 49 countries, with Sierra Nevada’s flagship beer standing out in a category that seemed, at first glance, an unlikely fit. This unexpected win sparked discussions among brewers, judges, and beer enthusiasts, shedding light on the evolving nature of beer styles and the complexities of blind judging.

A Legacy Beer in an Unexpected Category
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, first brewed in 1980 in Chico, California, is a cornerstone of American craft beer. Its crisp malt backbone, bold Cascade hop character, and 5.6% ABV made it a trailblazer, inspiring countless brewers and defining the American pale ale as a bold, hop-forward style. For 45 years, it has remained largely unchanged, a testament to Sierra Nevada’s commitment to consistency. So, when the World Beer Cup announced that this quintessential pale ale had won gold in the ESB category—a style rooted in British brewing traditions—reactions ranged from bewilderment to intrigue.

The World Beer Cup, often dubbed the “Olympics of Beer,” is organized by the Brewers Association and features blind judging by 265 international experts across 112 style categories. In the ESB category, which had 52 entries, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale outshone competitors like Railhead Red from Lumberyard Brewing Co. (silver) and Velvet Organic ESB from Hopworks Brewery (bronze). But why did a beer named “Pale Ale” win in a category associated with malty, amber-hued British bitters? The answer lies in the interplay of history, evolving style guidelines, and sensory evaluation.

Understanding ESB and Pale Ale: A Historical Overlap
To grasp this win, it’s worth exploring the historical and stylistic connections between pale ales and ESBs. In the UK, “pale ale” and “bitter” were once synonymous, referring to the same family of beers. Bitters, ranging from ordinary to special to extra special (ESB), were typically amber, malty, and balanced, with restrained hop character from traditional English varieties like East Kent Goldings. Fuller’s ESB, at 5.5% ABV on draft, became the archetype for strong bitters in the US, popularizing the ESB label.

When American craft brewing emerged in the late 1970s, pioneers like Sierra Nevada drew inspiration from British ales but adapted them with local ingredients. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, with its pale and crystal malts, American Cascade hops, and Chico yeast strain, was a revelation in the 1980s. Its citrusy, slightly aggressive hop profile felt radical compared to the softer British bitters, cementing its identity as a pale ale. However, as American pale ales evolved—becoming hoppier, drier, and often higher in ABV—Sierra Nevada’s original recipe began to feel like a relic of an earlier era.

The World Beer Cup’s ESB guidelines reflect a modern twist, allowing for “American or other origin hop varieties” and medium bitterness, which can include the citrusy, New World hop character now common in British bitters as well. Cascade hops, integral to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, have been grown in the UK since 2002, blurring the lines between American and British styles. As one beer judge noted, “Trying it yesterday, the maltiness, I could see how Americans might start thinking, ‘Yeah, this is an ESB.’”

Why Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Fits as an ESB
The decision to enter Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in the ESB category was strategic and rooted in sensory alignment. The beer’s malt-forward profile, with caramel notes from crystal malts, aligns with the medium-bodied, amber character of an ESB. Its Cascade-driven hop aroma and moderate bitterness (around 38 IBUs) fit the World Beer Cup’s ESB subcategory for American-hopped versions, which permits deviations from traditional English hop profiles. In contrast, the American pale ale category now demands “high” hop aroma and a broader range of flavors—floral, citrus, tropical, or resinous—that reflect the modern, hop-heavy pale ales dominating the market.

Blind judging, a hallmark of the World Beer Cup, evaluates beers solely on sensory qualities, not their names or marketing. Judges don’t know they’re tasting Sierra Nevada Pale Ale; they assess color, aroma, flavor, and balance against style guidelines. Sierra Nevada’s decision to enter its pale ale as an ESB suggests the brewery recognized that its flagship beer no longer fits the evolved American pale ale category, which has shifted toward drier, hoppier expressions. As beer styles drift over time, a 45-year-old recipe can find itself better suited to a category like ESB, where its balanced malt-hop interplay shines.

Reactions and Implications
The win sparked lively debate in the beer community. On Reddit’s r/CraftBeer, users called it “wild” and questioned Sierra Nevada’s strategy, with some speculating the brewery entered ESB to face less competition. “The strategy was to enter it into a category that doesn’t have a lot of entrants and increase their chances of winning,” one commenter suggested, while others saw it as a bold move that risked the beer’s pale ale legacy. Industry insiders, however, praised the judges’ decision. Beer writer Jeff Alworth argued that the win reflects “beer’s One Iron Law: styles evolve, even if beers do not,” noting that Sierra Nevada Pale Ale’s profile now aligns more closely with ESB than with modern pale ales.

For Sierra Nevada, the win is both a triumph and a paradox. The brewery’s press materials continue to celebrate Pale Ale as the gold standard for its style, yet this ESB victory underscores how the beer’s consistency has made it a stylistic outlier. Some wondered if Sierra Nevada would lean into the win, humorously suggesting a rebrand: “I dare them to make a press release or label their packaging ‘Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Gold Medal Winning ESB.’” While unlikely, the win highlights the brewery’s versatility, as Sierra Nevada also claimed golds for its non-alcoholic Trail Pass Hazy IPA and Weizenbock in 2025.

What This Means for Beer Styles and Competitions
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale’s ESB win is a case study in the fluidity of beer styles. As tastes and brewing techniques evolve, style guidelines must adapt, sometimes leaving legacy beers in a gray area. The World Beer Cup’s blind judging ensures that a beer’s sensory qualities, not its name, determine its success, but it also raises questions about how breweries navigate rigid categories. Should a brewery enter its beer in the category that matches its historical identity or the one that best fits its current profile? Sierra Nevada’s choice suggests the latter, prioritizing sensory accuracy over brand narrative.

For craft beer fans, this win is a reminder to revisit Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. As one writer put it, “It remains one of the beers that made many of us fall in love with craft beer, and if you haven’t had one in a while, now is a good time to remember.” Its gold medal in the ESB category doesn’t diminish its pale ale legacy; it celebrates its enduring quality in a new light. Whether you call it a pale ale or an ESB, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale continues to prove its place among the world’s best beers.

About Sierra Nevada Brewing
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., established in 1980 in Chico, California, stands as a pillar of the American craft beer revolution. From its humble beginnings with repurposed dairy equipment, the brewery has grown into one of the largest independent craft breweries in the U.S., producing over 1 million barrels annually while maintaining its commitment to quality and sustainability. Known for its iconic Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, the brewery has expanded its lineup to include innovative offerings like Hazy Little Thing IPA and non-alcoholic Trail Pass brews, alongside traditional styles such as its award-winning Weizenbock. With a second facility in Mills River, North Carolina, and eco-conscious initiatives like solar energy and water reclamation, Sierra Nevada continues to lead the industry while honoring its craft heritage.

Ken Grossman: The Visionary Behind Sierra Nevada
Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada’s founder, is a pioneering force in craft brewing. A self-taught brewer, Grossman’s passion for homebrewing in the 1970s led him to found Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, where he personally built much of the original brewery equipment. His vision to blend European brewing traditions with American ingredients, particularly Cascade hops, birthed Sierra Nevada Pale Ale—a beer that redefined the American pale ale style. Grossman’s dedication to quality and consistency has earned him widespread respect, including the Brewers Association’s Outstanding Service Award. Still actively involved, Grossman’s legacy inspires brewers worldwide, proving that innovation and tradition can coexist in every pint.

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Ontario Brewing Awards Medal Winners: Celebrating Craft Beer Excellence

June 8, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

The Ontario Brewing Awards (OBA) is a cornerstone of Ontario’s vibrant craft beer scene, celebrating the creativity, skill, and passion of the province’s brewers. As a prestigious, Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP)-sanctioned competition, the OBA recognizes excellence in craft beer across a diverse range of styles, offering breweries a platform to showcase their finest creations while fostering growth and innovation in the industry.

A Platform for Ontario’s Craft Brewers
Launched to honor the best in Ontario’s craft beer, the OBA is open to all Canadian-owned commercial brewers and beer brands whose products are produced and packaged in the province. Beers submitted must be available for legal sale and consumption by the public, ensuring that entries reflect what consumers can enjoy at local taprooms, restaurants, or retail stores. The competition spans 38 distinct style categories, from Standard American Beer to innovative styles like Catharina Sours and Trappist Ales, allowing brewers to demonstrate their versatility and expertise.

What sets the Ontario Brewing Awards apart is its commitment to fairness and expertise. Entries are evaluated through a double-blind judging process by a panel of certified BJCP judges, who bring extensive knowledge of beer styles and brewing techniques. Each beer is assessed based on the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines, with judges scoring entries on appearance, aroma, mouthfeel, flavor, and overall drinkability. This rigorous process ensures impartiality and provides brewers with detailed, actionable feedback to refine their craft.

Impact on Breweries and the Industry
For participating breweries, the OBA offers more than just accolades. Winning an award can boost a brewery’s reputation, increase brand visibility, and drive sales, particularly in competitive markets like the LCBO or local grocery stores. However, some industry voices note that the impact on sales can vary, with awards often serving as a marketing tool rather than a guaranteed sales driver. Social media promotion and taproom buzz tend to amplify the recognition more than packaging labels.

The feedback provided by OBA judges is another key benefit. Detailed tasting notes help brewers understand their beer’s strengths and areas for improvement, fostering continuous growth. This is particularly valuable for smaller or newer breweries looking to establish themselves in a crowded market. The competition also encourages innovation, as brewers experiment with unique ingredients, historical recipes, or modern styles to stand out.

Complete list of winners for the Ontario Brewing Awards 2024:

Best of Show: Clouland – Spark Beer

Standard American Beer
Gold: Mile Hill – OutSpoken Brewing
Silver: Shindig – Cowbell Brewing Co.
Bronze: Yellow Lab Lager – Old Dog Brewing Company

International Lager
Gold: Oktoberfest Festbier – Brauwerk Hoffman
Silver: Blonde – Old Flame Brewing Company
Bronze: Bock Buster – Broken Rail Brewing

Pale Bitter European Beer
Gold: Jupiter Pilsner – Paniza Brewing
Silver: Rock Lite – Brauwerk Hoffman
Bronze: Ridges Pilsner – Rouge River Brewing Company

Amber Malty European Lager
Gold: Mariposa Marzen – Couchiching Craft Brewing Co
Silver: ES Marzen – Gillingham Brewing Company
Bronze: Journey To Mars – Paniza Brewing

Amber Bitter European Beer
Gold: Vienna Lager – Gillingham Brewing Company
Silver: Red – Old Flame Brewing Company
Bronze: The Big One – Test Batches Brewery Inc

Dark European Lager
Gold: Brunette – Old Flame Brewing Company
Silver: Beige Panther – Mascot Brewery
Bronze: Dam Dark Lager – Thornbury Craft Co.

Strong European Beer
Gold: Classic Black – Rainhard Brewing
Silver: Perpetuator – Steadfast Brewing Co
Bronze: Baltic Porter – Goldenfield Brewery

German Wheat Beer
Gold: Die Bierleichen – Cured Craft Brewing Co.
Silver: Hefeweizen – Brauwerk Hoffman

British Bitter
Gold: Thirsty Soldier – Lot 10 Brewing Company
Silver: Jim’s Brown Ale – Lost Villages Brewery
Bronze: BEER 101 Bitter – Niagara College Teaching Brewery

Pale Commonwealth Beer
Gold: Industrial Pale Ale – Lock Street Brewing Company
Silver: Kungaroo IPA – Boshkung Brewing Co.
Bronze: Bloody ‘ELL and back – Saulter Street Brewery

Brown British Beer
Gold: Red Devil – The Blue Elephant
Silver: Cheeky Lass – Sassy Britches Brewing Co Ltd
Bronze: Beez Nutz – Brew Revolution

Irish Beer
Gold: Keefe’s Irish Stout – Granite Brewery
Silver: Fur Coat No Knickers – Charlotteville Brewing Company
Bronze: Red Star – Oranje Son Brewing

Dark British Beer
Gold: Oatmeal Stout – Flora Hall Brewing
Silver: Creme Brew-lee Stout – Beau’s All Natural Brewing Co.
Bronze: Thrift Shop Stout – Lot 10 Brewing Company

Strong British Ale
Gold: 500 Miles – Brew Revolution
Silver: BEER 101 Strong – Niagara College Teaching Brewery
Bronze: Peculiar – Granite Brewery

Pale American Ale
Gold: Hidden Rivers Pale Ale – Steadfast Brewing Co
Silver: Square Nail Pale Ale – The Publican House Brewery
Bronze: Pigasus Blonde Ale – Rouge River Brewing Company

Amber and Brown American Beer
Gold: Triple A – Gillingham Brewing Company
Silver: On The BANKS of The Mattagami – FULL BEARD BREWING CO
Bronze: Black Rock – Boshkung Brewing Co.

American Porter and Stout
Gold: Bandits Fly Trap – Oranje Son Brewing
Silver: Precambrian Porter – OutSpoken Brewing
Bronze: Imperial Stout – Wellington BreweryStrong American Ale

IPA
Gold: Darkside Black IPA – Granite Brewery
Silver: Angry Chipmunk – Boshkung Brewing Co.
Bronze: JUNCTION HAZY IPA – Junction Craft Brewery

Gold: Fruit Engine – Wellington Brewery
Silver: Double Head Stock – Nickel Brook Brewing Co.
Bronze: Sundog – Canvas Brewing Company

Belgian Ale
Gold: Granny’s Ghost – Lost Villages Brewery
Silver: White Birch – Canvas Brewing Company
Bronze: Ultra Summer – MERIT Brewery

Strong Belgian Ale
Gold: Saison de la Meuse – Meuse Brewing Company Inc
Silver: Babe Brew Grisette – Granite Brewery
Bronze: The Longest Day – Broken Stick Brewing Company

Monastic Ale
Gold: Ace of Spades – Quayle’s Brewery
Silver: Provocateur – Quayle’s Brewery
Bronze: Mea Culpa – Brauwerk Hoffman

Historical Beer
Gold: Hazy Blonde – Old Flame Brewing Company
Silver: Madder Than A Wet Hen – FULL BEARD BREWING CO INC.
Bronze: Bearded Prospector – FULL BEARD BREWING CO INC.

American Wild Ale
Gold: Sunset Glow – The Merchant Ale House
Silver: Foeder Aged Margarita Gose – Flora Hall Brewing
Bronze: Fête – Spark Beer

Fruit Beer
Gold: Jam Band Raspberry Lavender Vanilla – Wishbone Brewing
Silver: Scrumdidlyumptious – FULL BEARD BREWING CO INC.
Bronze: Jam Stand – Nickel Brook Brewing Co.

Spiced Beer
Gold: Forsaken Ale – Lost Villages Brewery
Silver: Foeder Aged Chocolate Stout – Flora Hall Brewing
Bronze: Daft Pumpk – Lot 10 Brewing Company

Smoked Beer
Gold: Black Gold – Black Gold Brewery
Silver: Knock On Wood – Steadfast Brewing Co
Bronze: Logger – Natterjack Brewing Company ltd

Wood Beer
Gold: Cloudland – Spark Beer
Silver: Skullkrusher – The Merchant Ale House
Bronze: Kentucky Imperial Stout – Nickel Brook Brewing Co.

Specialty Beer
Gold: How About Italy? – Spark Beer
Silver: Paulie’s – Mascot Brewery
Bronze: Cabin Fever – Blueberry Balsamic – Quayle’s Brewery

Catharina Sour
Gold: Island Breeze – Concession Road Brewing Company Ltd.
Silver: Manhire – Spark Beer
Bronze: Jarvis Jackass – Mule Sour – Concession Road Brewing Company Ltd.

New England IPA
Gold: Juicy McHazy – Orleans Brewing Co
Silver: Wicked Awesome – Nickel Brook Brewing Co.
Bronze: DRIFT – Sons of Kent Brewing Co

No to Low-Alcohol Beer
Gold: Breakfast Beer – Rainhard Brewing
Silver: Veer Lager with Lime – Muskoka Brewery
Bronze: Veer Hazy IPA – Muskoka Brewery

Low-Alcohol Beer
Gold: Sunchaser Extra Light Lime – Lake Of Bays Brewing Company
Silver: Sparklight Extra Light Red Ale – Lake Of Bays Brewing Company
Bronze: Low Tide IPA – Lake Of Bays Brewing Company

Top 10 Beer Festivals in America plus a few more: Click Here!

Zymurgy’s Best Beers in America Results

May 22, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

The results are in! For the second year in a row, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale was named number one in the annual Best Beers in America survey conducted by Zymurgy magazine. Now running in its 16th year, the survey asks members of the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), which publishes Zymurgy, to choose up to five of their favorite commercial beers available for purchase in the U.S.

“As brewers, the members of the American Homebrewers Association can discern the subtle differences between a good beer and an outstanding beer,” said Gary Glass, director, American Homebrewers Association. “Zymurgy’s Best Beers in America survey showcases which commercial beers are truly the best of the best out there, and all the breweries who made the list should be proud.”

Despite the plethora of delicious options available to beer lovers, the same two beers have been battling it out for first place for the past eight years. For the second straight year, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale bested Russian River’s Pliny the Elder, which had taken the top spot from 2009 to 2016.

“When I think about the elements that Bell’s shares with the passionate homebrewing community, the values that rise to the top include creativity, a meticulous attention to detail, and the joy of sharing thoughtfully crafted beers with friends,” said John Mallett, director of operations, Bell’s. “To be recognized for excellence by people who truly understand all that goes into creating and delivering quality beers and experiences to our communities is a huge honor. These values are true drivers for us all.”

1. Bell’s Two Hearted Ale
2. Russian River Pliny the Elder
3. The Alchemist Heady Topper
4. Bell’s Hopslam
T5. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
T5. Founders CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout)
T5. Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)
8. Three Floyds Zombie Dust
9. Founders Breakfast Stout
T10. WeldWerks Juicy Bits
T10. Founders All Day IPA
T12. Cigar City Jai Alai IPA
T12. Tree House Julius
T12 Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA
15. Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale
16. The Alchemist Focal Banger
17. Toppling Goliath Pseudo Sue
T18. Lawson’s Finest Liquids Sip of Sunshine
T18. Sierra Nevada Celebration
T18. Russian River Blind Pig I.P.A.
21. Melvin 2×4 DIPA
22. Deschutes Black Butte Porter
T23. Surly Todd The Axe Man
T23. Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout
T25. Ballast Point Sculpin IPA
T25. Odell IPA
T27. Left Hand Milk Stout Nitro
T27. Old Nation M-43 N.E. IPA
29. North Coast Old Rasputin
T30. Russian River Pliny the Younger
T30. Surly Furious
T30. New Holland Dragon’s Milk
33. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA
T34. Arrogant Bastard Ale
T34. Ommegang Three Philosophers
T36. Firestone Walker Parabola
T36. Allagash White
T36. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
T36. Fat Head’s Hop JuJu Imperial IPA
T36. Prairie Artisan Ales Bomb!
T43. Summit Extra Pale Ale
T43. Founders Dirty Bastard
T43. Bell’s Oberon Ale
T43. Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale
T43. Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
T43. Lagunitas Little Sumpin Sumpin
T49. Odd13 Codename: Superfan
T49. Tree House Green
T49. Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing IPA
T49. Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin
T49. Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
T49. Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
T49. New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red
T49. Odell Rupture
T49. Creature Comforts Tropicália
T49. Orval

Top-Ranked Breweries:
1. Bell’s Brewery, Inc., Comstock, Mich.*
2. Founders Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, Mich.
3. Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, Calif.*
4. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif. and Mills River, N.C.*
5. Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, Calif.*
T6. Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Ore.*
T6. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, Del.*
8. Stone Brewing, Escondido, Calif.*
9. The Alchemist, Stowe, Vt.*
10. Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, Ind.*

Top-Ranked Beer Portfolios:
1. Stone Brewing (33 beers)*
2. Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (29 beers)*
T3. New Belgium Brewing (24 beers)*
T3. Founders Brewing Co. (24 beers)
5. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (23 beers)*
T6. Avery Brewing Co. (22 beers)
T6. Hill Farmstead Brewery (22 beers)*
T7. Boulevard Brewing Co. (20 beers)*
T7. Trillium Brewing Co. (20 beers)*
T9. Bell’s Brewery (19 beers)*
T9. Deschutes Brewery (19 beers)*
T9. Odell Brewing (19 beers)*
T9. Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (19 beers)*
T9. The Bruery (19 beers)*
T9. Three Floyds Brewing (19 beers)

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BrewBilt Brewing Shines with Gold Medal at 2025 California Brewers Cup

May 15, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

Grass Valley, CA – BrewBilt Brewing, a rising star in California’s craft beer scene, proudly claimed a Gold Medal for its Party Eyes Kolsch in the German-Style Kolsch category at the 2025 California Brewers Cup. Hosted by the Sacramento Area Brewers Guild and supported by regional brewing guilds across the state, this prestigious competition celebrates California’s finest craft beers. This year, 203 craft breweries submitted 1,360 entries, making BrewBilt’s victory a standout achievement.

Crafted with 100% California-grown malt from Admiral Maltings and premium hops from Indie Hops, Party Eyes Kolsch is a crisp, refreshing beer that embodies BrewBilt’s commitment to quality and local ingredients. Since its founding in Grass Valley nearly three years ago, BrewBilt has focused on creating distinctive beers that honor tradition while embracing innovation.

“Winning Gold for Party Eyes Kolsch is a tremendous honor, especially in a competition of this caliber,” said Bennett Buchanan, President of BrewBilt Brewing. “We’re grateful to our team and partners like Admiral Maltings and Indie Hops for helping us craft something truly special.”

The 2025 California Brewers Cup, one of the nation’s largest craft beer competitions, featured 64 categories judged by a panel of industry experts. Winners were revealed at a ceremony in Sacramento on April 25, 2025.

“This year’s competition showcased an incredible level of skill and creativity,” said David Teckam, Lead Judge. “BrewBilt’s Party Eyes Kolsch is a testament to the innovation thriving in California’s craft brewing community.”

For the complete list of winners and more details, visit www.brewerscupofca.com.

About BrewBilt Brewing
Nestled in the heart of Grass Valley, California, BrewBilt Brewing has quickly become a beacon of craft beer innovation since opening its doors in July 2022. Founded by Jef Lewis, who brings a wealth of entrepreneurial experience from the San Francisco craft beer scene, the brewery is a family affair with his son contributing to its operations. The vision for BrewBilt was to create balanced, approachable beers using 100% locally sourced craft malts from Sacramento Valley producers like Admiral Maltings, emphasizing sustainability and regional terroir. Their flagship Party Eyes Kolsch, a gold medal winner at the 2025 California Brewers Cup, exemplifies their commitment to quality, blending European tradition with American craft ingenuity.

At the helm of brewing operations is Bennett Buchanan, BrewBilt’s President and COO, whose expertise shapes the brewery’s distinctive portfolio. Buchanan’s focus on regionally sourced ingredients and meticulous craftsmanship has earned BrewBilt accolades, including a 2023 California State Fair Gold Medal for their Brain Bypass Helles Lager. From the crisp Sierra Primavera Italian Pilsner to the robust Jesters Privilege IPA, each beer reflects a dedication to flavor and freshness. With a taproom and outdoor beer garden, BrewBilt BrewHaus, now open in Nevada City, the brewery invites locals and visitors alike to savor its creations in a welcoming, family-friendly setting. Learn more at www.brewbiltbrewing.com.

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2025 Brewers Cup of California Crowns the State’s Beer Champs!

May 8, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

Sacramento, California – Hold onto your pint glasses! The 2025 Brewers Cup of California, hosted by the Sacramento Area Brewers Guild with a high-five from Craftmaster Stainless and California’s top brewers guilds, just dropped the mic on the state’s best beers at a rockin’ awards bash at Sacramento’s Crest Theatre. Get ready to toast the winners!

Record-Breaking Beer Bonanza
This year’s Brewers Cup was a hoppy extravaganza, with a jaw-dropping 1,360 entries from 203 independent California craft breweries—the biggest turnout yet! Over 60 expert judges sipped, swirled, and awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze across 64 style categories, shining a spotlight on the Golden State’s brewing brilliance.

Cheers to the Big Winners!
Admiral Maltings handed the coveted Best in Show to Sacramento’s Geisthaus Brewing Company for their crisp, aromatic Progenitor Kellerbier—a beer that’s basically a love letter to your taste buds. Meanwhile, Morgan Territory Brewing from Tracy snagged Brewery of the Year (their second crown after 2023), proving they’re a force to be reckoned with. The Los Angeles County Brewers Guild took home Guild of the Year for their members’ medal-hauling swagger.

Hoppy Highlights: Fan-Favorite Styles
The competition got fierce in the most-entered categories! For Hazy India Pale Ale, Eureka Brewing Company’s “Just a Phaze” nabbed Gold, followed by Ambitious Ales’ “Professional Human Being” (Silver) and TapRoom Brewing Company’s “North Park Haze” (Bronze). In American IPAs, Topa Topa Brewing Co.’s “We Love L.A.” scored Gold, with Trademark Brewing’s “Codebreaker” (Silver) and Auburn Alehouse’s “Cross Rut IPA” (Bronze) rounding out the podium.

A Toast to a Craft Beer Legend
The Brewers Cup honored Dr. Patrick Ting, PhD, as the 2025 Craft Beer Pioneer. The late hop scientist, who developed the iconic Citra hop at Miller Coors, forever changed craft beer. His legacy lives on in every juicy, citrusy sip!

Brewmaster’s High-Five
“We’re stoked to see so many beers in the ring this year—it’s our biggest yet!” says David Weiss, President of the Sacramento Area Brewers Guild and Head Brewer at Blue Note Brewing. “This competition is all about celebrating the passion, creativity, and hustle of California’s craft brewers. Cheers to them!”

Where to Sip the Winners
Craving a taste of the champs? Hunt down these award-winning brews at taprooms, bars, and retailers across California. For the full list of winners, check out brewerscupofca.com/2025-winners. Pro tip: Join the beer party during Sacramento Beer Week, running through May 4!

About the Brewers Cup of California
Launched in 2019 by the Sacramento Area Brewers Guild, the Brewers Cup of California is the ultimate showdown for the state’s independent craft breweries. With support from guilds like Bay Area, Central Coast, Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Diego, plus sponsors Craftmaster Stainless, Admiral Maltings, and Berkeley Yeast, this competition celebrates innovation and quality. Held in 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025, it’s a must-watch for beer lovers. Learn more at brewerscupofca.com.

Brewers Cup of California Medal Winners

Table 1: Altbier
1st – Cerveceria Del Pueblo – Antigua
2nd – Lodi Beer Company – Anniversary Alt Bier
3rd – Black Hammer Brewing Company – Ctrl Alt Repeat

Table 2: American IPAs (138 Entries)
1st – Auburn Alehouse – Cross Rut IPA
2nd – Trademark Brewing – Codebreaker
3rd – Topa Topa Brewing Co. – We Love LA
HM – Three Mile Brewing Company – Angry Goat

Table 3: American Wheat/Rye (9 Entries)
1st – Canyon Lakes Brewery – Walk Or Ryed?
2nd – Stone Church Brewing – Eucharist Wheat
3rd – Claremont Craft Ales – Jacaranda
HM – Trinity County Brewing Company – Hayfork Hefeweizen

Table 4: American-Style Amber Lagers (14 Entries)
1st – Wagon Wheel Brewing Company – Elbow Bender
2nd – Eureka Brewing Company – Tacos & Beer
3rd – June Lake Brewing – Chingona Amber Lager

Table 5: American-Style Amber/Red Ale (28 Entries)
1st – Lincoln Beer Company – Railsplitter
2nd – Far Field Brewing Company – INFRARED
3rd – Half Moon Bay Brewing Company – Mavericks Amber Ale

Table 6: American-Style Brown Ale (15 Entries)
1st – Hodad’s Brewing Company – Throwback
2nd – Three Mile Brewing Company – Barkada
3rd – Wild Fields Brewhouse – Three Bridges

Table 7: American-Style Cream Ale or Lager (21 Entries)
1st – Morgan Territory Brewing – Snap Shot
2nd – Del Cielo Brewing – Orale – American-Style
3rd – Malibu Brewing Company – Sand And Sea Mexican Lager

Table 8: American-Style Dark/Amber Lager (9 Entries)
1st – Bottle Logic Brewing – LageritHM
2nd – Porchlight Brewing – Oktoberbeast
3rd – Touchstone Brewing Company – Oktoberbeast

Table 9: American-Style Lagers (49 Entries)
1st – Epidemic Ales – Lager At World’s End
2nd – Creature Comforts Brewing Co. – Los Angeles – Pils, Baby!
3rd – Auburn Alehouse – Gold Country Pilsner

Table 10: American-Style Light Lager (28 Entries)
1st – San Fernando Brewing Company – Del Valle Lager
2nd – Bright Spark Brewing – Game Day Lager
3rd – Lucky Luke Brewing Co. – Lucky Light

Table 11: American-Style Pale Ales (47 Entries)
1st – Common Space Brewery – Good Signs
2nd – Fieldwork Brewing Company – Hellflower
3rd – Angel City Brewery – IPA
HM – Puesto Cerveceria – Puesto IPA

Table 12: American-Style Stout/Black Ales (12 Entries)
1st – Arts District Brewing Company – Norm
2nd – Riip Beer Company – Strategic Arrangement
3rd – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co – Big Cone

Table 13: American-Style Strong Ales (22 Entries)
1st – Lincoln Beer Company – Vanilla Carousel
2nd – Sutter Buttes Brewing Co. Inc. – Moon Sabbat
3rd – Five Point Five Brewing Co. – Tank Farm

Table 14: Belgian Style Pale Beers (17 Entries)
1st – Apogee Brewing Co. – Aurora
2nd – ISM Brewing – Stable Trestles
3rd – Paperback Brewing – Surrealist

Table 15: Belgian-Style Strong Ales (28 Entries)
1st – Trinity County Brewing Company – Anniversary 4
2nd – Strong Church – Trinity
3rd – Apogee Brewing Co. – Monks In Space

Table 16: Bocks (15 Entries)
1st – Feather Falls Brewing Company – Doppel Down
2nd – Morgan Territory Brewing – Lubricator
3rd – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Frozen Goat

Table 17: Bohemian-Style Pilsener (24 Entries)
1st – Jackrabbit Brewing Co. – Dun’ Workin’
2nd – Alaro Craft Brewery – La Boheme
3rd – FiftyFifty Brewing Company – Tahoe Pilz

Table 18: British Stouts (17 Entries)
1st – Morgan Territory Brewing – Grinding Stone
2nd – Bravery Brewing – Korova
3rd – Feather Falls Brewing Company – Volcano Mudslide

Table 19: British Strong Beers (18 Entries)
1st – Morgan Territory Brewing – Old Diablo
2nd – San Fernando Brewing Company – O’Melveny Red Ale
3rd – North Coast Brewing Co. – Old Stock Ale

Table 20: Chocolate Beers (10 Entries)
1st – Burning Barrel Brewing Company – Suffered From The Start
2nd – TapRoom Beer Company – The Chocolate Klub
3rd – Altar Society Brewing Company – Darkest Rituals

Table 21: Coffee-Flavored Beer (24 Entries)
1st – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Cafe Stagecoach
2nd – Etna Brewing Co. – Yakauccino Coffee Vanilla Stout
3rd – Pizza Port – San Clemente – Dusk Til Dawn

Table 22: Dessert Stout (11 Entries)
1st – Moksa Brewing Company – Happy Almonds
2nd – Moksa Brewing Company – Salutations
3rd – Chapman Crafted Beer Company – Crafted Campfire

Table 23: English-Style Brown Ale (9 Entries)
1st – Feather Falls Brewing Company – Sir Charles
2nd – Lodi Beer Company – School Street Brown Ale
3rd – Trinity County Brewing Company – Ol’ Snickelfritz

Table 24: English-Style Milds and Bitters/IPA (21 Entries)
1st – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Hoppy Poppy
2nd – Amador Brewing Company – Dirty Blonde
3rd – Bravery Brewing – Brighton ESB

Table 25: European-Style Dark/Munchner Dunkel (9 Entries)
1st – Movement Brewing Co. – Walter Sobczech
2nd – Pond Farm Brewing Co. – Daily Brot
3rd – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – I Dunkeled In My Pants

Table 26: Experimental Beer (6 Entries)
1st – Malibu Brewing Co. – Canyon Rose’ Rice Lager
2nd – Solorio Brewing Company – Cheeky Peach Crumble

Table 27: Experimental India Pale Ale (8 Entries)
1st – Berryessa Brewing Co. – Buddha’s Hand IPA
2nd – Fieldwork Brewing Company – Picked Last
3rd – Mike Hess Brewing Company – Lone Pine IPA

Table 28: Field Beer (6 Entries)
1st – Norco Brewing Co. – Pioneer
2nd – Hop Dogma Brewing Company – Cucumber Rocket Surgery
3rd – Lake Arrowhead Brewing Company – Srawberry Peak

Table 29: Fruit Beer (32 Entries)
1st – Angel City Brewery – Grenache Grisette
2nd – Cerveceria Del Pueblo – Melosa
3rd – Bravery Brewing – Lime Fatboys Cerveza

Table 30: German Helles/Export (19 Entries)
1st – Geisthaus Brewing Company – Hallowed
2nd – Morgan territory Brewing Company – The Cushman
3rd – Alvarado Street Brewery & Bistro – Carmel – Servus!

Table 31: German-Style Pilsener (31 Entries)
1st – Long Beach Beer Labs – Klassisch Pils
2nd – Transmission Brewing – Downshift
3rd – Two Ravens Brewery – Longship

Table 32: German-Style Wheat/Rye (15 Entries)
1st – Alvarado Street Brewery & Bistro – Carmel – Bistro Hef
2nd – standard deviant brewing – Hefeweizen
3rd – Alvarado Street Brewery & Bistro – Carmel – Dunkelweizen

Table 33: Golden or Blonde Ale (34 Entries)
1st – Crooked Lane Brewing Co. – Hammock Time
2nd – Aftershock Brewing Company – Love Wave
3rd – Long Beach Beer Labs – Blonde

Table 34: Gose (12 Entries)
1st – MachineHead Brewing Co. – Punk Fuzz
2nd – San Francisco Brewing Company – Golden Gate Gose
3rd – Old Stump Brewing Co. – Raspberry Lemonade Gose

Table 35: Hard Kombucha (3 Entries)
1st – Midscape Fermentations – Free Spirit
2nd – Midscape Fermentations – The Starman
3rd – Midscape Fermentations – Dream Big

Table 36: Hard Seltzer (34 Entries)
1st – Crow and Wolf Brewing – Dark Horse
2nd – Crow and Wolf Brewing – Cosmonaut
3rd – DarkHeart Brewing Citrus Heights – Krakens Klau Lavender Lemondrop Beverage

Table 37: Hazy IPA (67 Entries)
1st – Eureka Brewing Company – Just A Phaze
2nd – Ambitions Ales – Professional Human Being
3rd – TapRoom Beer Company – North Park Haze
HM – San Diego Brewing Company – San Diego Hazy IPA

Table 38: Hazy Pale Ales (34 Entries)
1st – CAPO Craft – Stanton Location – Hazy IPA
2nd – Tarantula Hill Brewing Co. – Liquid Candy
3rd – Flatland Brewing Company – Psychic Burden

Table 39: Herb and Spice Beer (15 Entries)
1st – Strike Brewing Company – Churro Beer
2nd – Unsung Brewing Company LLC – The Pickler
3rd – LogOff Brewing – Divide By Zero r

Table 40: Historical (15 Entries)
1st – Ten Mile Brewing – Hidden Hollow
2nd – Brewjeria Company – Californio
3rd – Fruition Brewing – Alpino A Maritima

Table 41: Honey Beer (10 Entries)
1st – TrustedGut – Blonde Ale With Notes of Honey
2nd – Old Stump Brewing Co. – Not Tonight Honey
3rd – Mike Hess Brewing Company – EZ Drankin

Table 42: Imperial Hazy IPA (21 Entries)
1st – Pure Project – Double Dust
2nd – Moksa Brewing Company – Light The Beam
3rd – Humble Sea Brewery – Hop Fusion 2.0

Table 43: Imperial IPA (38 Entries)
1st – Claremont Craft Ales – Triple IPA
2nd – Morgan Territory Brewing – HopTomic
3rd – Ghost Town Brewing – Nose Goblin

Table 44: India Pale Lagers (17 Entries)
1st – Riip Beer Company – Alt Aboard
2nd – Ghost Town Brewing – Cave Dweller
3rd – Topa Topa Brewing Co. – KQ Express

Table 45: International Lagers (28 Entries)
1st – Solorio Brewing Company – GOT SOL?
2nd – Ten Mile Brewing – Koji
3rd – Euryale Brewing Co. – Madre Medusa Mexican Lager

Table 46: International Pale Ales (34 Entries)
1st – Tustin Brewing Co. – Lolly Trolly
2nd – Tarantula Hill Brewing Co. – Call Day
3rd – ISM Brewing – Chepedelic

Table 47: International-Style Pilsener (26 Entries)
1st – Tarantula Hill Brewing Co. – Feel The Flow
2nd – LogOff Brewing – Birra Stallone
3rd – ROM Beer Company – When in ROM

Table 48: Irish Stouts (13 Entries)
1st – Feather Falls Brewing Co. – Celtic Dream
2nd – True Symmetry Brewing Co. – Tommy’s 34
3rd – Danville Brewing Company – Lucky Four Leaf

Table 49: Irish-Style Red Ale (20 Entries)
1st – Pizza Port Co. – Carlsbad Village – Irish Hello
2nd – CAPO Craft – Stanton Location – Irish Red
3rd – Promised Land Beer – Slainte Red

Table 50: Kellerbiers (6 Entries)
1st – Geisthaus Brewing Company – Progenitor
2nd – Fruition Brewing – Slip
3rd – Ketch Brewing – Dr. Billheimers Magic Pilsner

Table 51: Kolsch-Style Ales (21 Entries)
1st – BrewBilt Brewing – Party Eyes Kolsch
2nd – Half Moon Bay Brewing Company – Kolsch
3rd – Discretion Brewing – Ten Million Flowers

Table 52: Marzen/Oktoberfest (6 Entries)
1st – Norco Brewing Co. – Norctoberfest
2nd – Geisthaus Brewing Company – Stormbond
3rd – DarkHeart Brewing Citrus Heights – Marzen

Table 53: New Zealand-Style IPA (16 Entries)
1st – Fall Brewing Company – Sweet Resistance
2nd – Barebottle Brewing Company – NZ Envy
3rd – Evans Brewing Co. – Tanka Jahari

Table 54: Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage (6 Entries)
1st – Fieldwork Brewing Company – Day Money
2nd – Protector Brewery – Rancho West Non Alcoholic Beer
3rd – Touchstone Brewing Company – Off Belay

Table 55: Porters (29 Entries)
1st – Morgan Territory Brewing Company – Dark Reckoning
2nd – Tustin Brewing Co. – Blimp Hangar Porter
3rd – Pizza Port Brewing Co. – Carlsbad Village – Pine Park Porter

Table 56: Saison (9 Entries)
1st – Stone Church Brewing – Saison De Church
2nd – Apogee Brewing Co. – Lucy In The Rye
– French- & Belgian-Style Saison

Table 57: Schwarzbier (15 Entries)
1st – True Symmetry Brewing Co. – Midnight At Noon
2nd – Kairoa Brewing Company – Boots and Stubbies
3rd – Ogopogo Brewing – Nachtkrapp

Table 58: Scottish Ales (15 Entries)
1st – Fieldwork Brewing Company – Wrapt In Warm Flannel
2nd – Steel Bonnet Brewing – Numpty
3rd – LogOff Brewing – Dianasty

Table 59: Smoke Beers (7 Entries)
1st – Arts District Brewing Company – Kindling
2nd – Clandestine Brewing – Smoke And Mirrors
3rd – Black Hammer Brewing Company – Lillikoi Mezcalita

Table 60: Sour/Brett/Other Yeast (29 Entries)
1st – Burning Beard Brewing – In Praise of Bacchus
2nd – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co – Jam Jam BoysenBerry
3rd – Angel City Brewery – Apple Pomace Puncheonr

Table 61: Specialty Stouts (4 Entries)
1st – TapRoom Beer Company – True Dark
2nd – Black Plague Brewing – Medusa
3rd – Hop Secret Brewing Company – Tongue Butter

Table 62: Vienna-Style Lager (16 Entries)
1st – Arts District Brewing Company – The Lush
2nd – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Non Serviam
3rd – Alaro Craft Brewery – Adrianna

Table 63: Wit Beer (4 Entries)
1st – Ogopogo Brewing – Boeman
2nd – The Monk’s Cellar – Biere Blanche
3rd – Hop Dogma Brewing Company – Rocket Surgery

Table 64: Wood- And Barrel-Aged Beers (39 Entries)
1st – The Monk’s Cellar – Tradition
2nd – Two Ravens Brewery – Raven King
3rd – El Segundo Brewing Co. – Standard Crude

Ohio and Cincinnati Breweries win big at the 2025 World Beer Cup

May 4, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

Ohio and Cincinnati Breweries win big at the 2025 World Beer Cup
The 2025 World Beer Cup, often dubbed the “Olympics of Beer,” took place on May 1, 2025, in Indianapolis, crowning a stellar lineup of breweries for their exceptional craft. With 8,375 entries from 1,761 breweries across 49 nations, judged by 265 experts over 14 sessions, this prestigious competition showcased the pinnacle of brewing artistry. From bold IPAs to delicate lagers, the winners represent a global tapestry of innovation and tradition. Let’s raise a glass to some of the standout breweries that claimed gold, silver, and bronze in 2025

Ohio’s Craft Beer Renaissance
Ohio breweries made a strong case for the Midwest’s brewing prowess, with eight breweries combining for 10 awards. Fat Head’s Brewery in Middleburg Heights led with three medals: golds for Bone Head (Strong Red Ale) and Goggle Fogger (South German-Style Hefeweizen), and a silver for Dunkelosteus (South German-Style Dunkel Weizen). Their consistent success—they’ve medaled in every World Beer Cup since 2012—underscores their mastery. Gemut Biergarten in Columbus also struck gold with Skol Crusher Dortmunder in the Dortmunder/Export category, a testament to their precision with lagers.

Cincinnati’s Local Heroes
Cincinnati’s breweries sparkled, with Third Eye Brewing claiming gold for Higher Consciousness (Scotch Ale), while Fretboard Brewing Co. and Wandering Monster each earned bronzes for Crazy Train (Belgian-Style Ale) and Viator Obscura (Triple Chocolate), respectively. These wins reflect the city’s vibrant craft culture.

U.S. Breweries Dominate the Podium
American craft breweries continued their reign, with states like Colorado, Oregon, and California leading the charge. River North Brewery in Denver, Colorado, emerged as a powerhouse, securing three medals, including silvers for Pumpkin Spiced J. Marie Saison (Pumpkin Beer) and Squirrels Just Want to Have Fun (Coffee Beer), plus a bronze for Midnight Hike (Chocolate Beer). Their versatility across styles highlights why Colorado remains a craft beer mecca.

In Oregon, Breakside Brewery in Portland stole the show with an impressive six medals, including three golds for Spring Day (American-Belgo-Style Ale), Cheat Codes (American-Style Black Ale or Stout), and a bronze for their flagship Breakside IPA (American-Style India Pale Ale). Bend’s Deschutes Brewery also shone, nabbing three golds, including one for Black Butte Non-Alcoholic (Non-Alcohol Beer), proving that flavor doesn’t need alcohol to impress.

California’s Green Cheek Beer Co. in Orange earned four medals, with a gold for Chance Favors The Prepared Mind (American-Style India Pale Ale) and a silver for Art Isn’t Real (Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale), cementing their reputation for hop-forward excellence. Meanwhile, Firestone Walker in Paso Robles celebrated a trio of medals, with Union Jack (American-Style India Pale Ale) taking gold, Pear Saison (Belgian-Style Ale) earning silver, and Pivo (International Pilsener) rounding it out.

Washington and Oregon: PNW Powerhouses
The Pacific Northwest shone brightly, with Washington and Oregon each claiming 24 medals. Washington’s Reuben’s Brews in Seattle took silver for their Robust Porter (Robust Porter), while Icicle Brewing in Leavenworth earned a bronze for Premium Pilsner (International Pilsener). Oregon’s 10 Barrel Brewing swept the German-Style Sour Ale category, with Ginzu and German Sparkle Party taking gold and bronze, respectively, showcasing their experimental flair.

International Stars Shine
While U.S. breweries dominated, international contenders held their own. Canada’s Whistler Brewing Co. won gold for Whistler Winter Dunkel (Munich-Style Dunkel), and Mexico’s Buqui Bichi Brewing claimed gold for Banquetera (International Lager). German breweries, true to tradition, secured 12 medals, with Brauerei Ladenburger earning gold for Ladenburger Kristallweizen (German-Style Kristal Weizen). These wins highlight the global diversity of craft beer, from crisp lagers to complex ales.

Mid-Atlantic and Southern Standouts
Virginia’s breweries made waves, with Aslin Beer Co. winning for Afterlife Elixir and Devils Backbone taking medals for Belgian Wheat and Dogwood Saison. North Carolina breweries brought home 11 medals, showcasing the South’s growing craft scene.

In Florida, Ivanhoe Park Brewing celebrated a silver for Rosenbock in the German-Style Bock category, a proud moment for their Orlando-based team. Wisconsin’s New Glarus Brewing also had a stellar showing, with a gold for their Belgian Style Kriek, a silver for Champ Du Blanc, and a bronze for Imperial Pilsner.

Why It Matters
Winning a World Beer Cup medal is no small feat. As Chris Williams, competition director, noted, “Each award represents not only exceptional quality but also innovation and creativity, driving the global craft beer industry forward.” These breweries, from small taprooms to industry giants, embody the passion and precision that define craft brewing. Whether it’s a hazy IPA from California or a traditional Pilsner from Germany, the 2025 winners remind us why beer is a universal language.

Complete List of 2025 World Beer Cup Winners

Category: 1: American Wheat Beer – 36 Entries
Gold: Fuzztail, Sunriver Brewing Co., Sunriver, OR
Silver: Lunar Fallout, Tilted Axis Brewing Co., Lapeer, MI
Bronze: Spring Valley Silk Ale, Spring Valley Brewery, Shibuya, Japan

Category: 2: Fruit Beer – 90 Entries
Gold: Altstadt Radler, Altstadt Brewery, Fredericksburg, TX
Silver: Hey Girl, Hey, Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop, Richmond, VA
Bronze: Limaveza, New Realm Brewing, Atlanta, GA

Category: 3: Fruit Wheat Beer – 77 Entries
Gold: Mango Cart, Golden Road Brewing Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
Silver: Yuzu Weiss, Yokohama Bay Brewing Co., Yokohama, Japan
Bronze: Samuel Adams Summer Ale, Boston Beer Co., Somerville, MA

Category: 4: Field Beer – 70 Entries
Gold: Tonya’s Still Crushing It, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Heiwa Craft A Study in Pink, Heiwa Shuzou Co., Kainan, Japan
Bronze: Coconut Oil Man, Elevation Beer Co., Poncha Springs, CO

Category: 5: Pumpkin Beer – 26 Entries
Gold: Not Your Grandma’s Pumpkin Ale, Grand Junction Brewing Co., Westfield, IN
Silver: Pumpkin Spice J. Marie, River North Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Pumpkin Ale, Bier Brewery and Taproom, Indianapolis, IN

Category: 6: Chili Beer – 55 Entries
Gold: Pyro’s Prost, Hop Dogma, Half Moon Bay, CA
Silver: Breakside All Yellow, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR
Bronze: Tangerine Heat, Dakota Point Brewing, Rapid City, SD

Category: 7: Herb and Spice Beer – 79 Entries
Gold: Sansho Gose – Koji, Open Air Brewing, Kobe, Japan
Silver: Burma Ale, Alameda Brewing, Alameda, CA
Bronze: Lavender & Chamomile, Craft Beer Base, Osaka, Japan

Category: 8: Chocolate Beer – 59 Entries
Gold: Chocolate Porter, Diatribe Brewing Co., Asheville, NC
Silver: Viator Obscura: Triple Chocolate, Wandering Monsters Brewing
Co., Cincinnati, OH
Bronze: Midnight Hike, River North Brewery, Denver, CO

Category: 9: Coffee Beer – 69 Entries
Gold: Coffee Cream Ale, Pantown Brewing Co., St. Cloud, MN
Silver: Squirrels Just Want to Have Fun, River North Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Gusto Crema, Georgetown Brewing Co., Seattle, WA

Category: 10: Coffee Stout or Porter – 68 Entries
Gold: Midnight Sea, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Silver: Dusk Til Dawn, Pizza Port San Clemente, San Clemente, CA
Bronze: Lil’ Zoomie, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH

Category: 11: Dessert Stout or Pastry Stout – 101 Entries
Gold: The Gateway, West Coast Brewing, Shizuoka, Japan
Silver: Saturday Morning Cartoons, Hackamore Brewing Co.,
Chanhassen, MN
Bronze: Happy Almonds, Moksa Brewing Co., Rocklin, CA

Category: 12: Rye Beer – 36 Entries
Gold: Steamy Wonder, Proper Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT
Silver: Wooly Pig Farm Brewery Rye Dunkel, Wooly Pig Farm Brewery,
Fresno, OH
Bronze: Roggenbier, Schulz Bräu Brewing Co., Knoxville, TN

Category: 13: Honey Beer – 44 Entries
Gold: Hachimitsu Mai, Deschutes Brewery – PDX Pub, Portland, OR
Silver: Miss Behave, Moonraker Brewing, Cameron Park, CA
Bronze: Ommegang Farm Fresh Ale, Brewery Ommegang,
Cooperstown, NY

Category: 14: Classic Non-Alcohol Ale or Lager – 72 Entries
Gold: Tsingtao Non-Alcoholic Wheat Beer, Tsingtao Brewery Co.,
Qingdao, China
Silver: Svyturys Ekstra Non Alko, Švyturys-Utenos alus, Vilnius, Lithuania
Bronze: Kölsch, Best Day Brewing, Berthoud, CO

Category: 15: Hoppy Non-Alcohol Beer – 61 Entries
Gold: Trail Pass Hazy IPA, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Chico, Chico, CA
Silver: Disarm, Go Brewing, Naperville, IL
Bronze: Bird of Prey 0.2, Uiltje Brewing Co., Haarlem, Netherlands

Category: 16: Specialty Non-Alcohol Beer – 35 Entries
Gold: Sim! Cerveja Sem Álcool – Melancia SOUR’n Salt, Sim! Cerveja,
Campinas, Brazil
Silver: BBNOALC, Four Winds Brewing Co., Delta, Canada
Bronze: New School, Go Brewing, Naperville, IL

Category: 17: Session Beer or Belgian-Style Table Beer – 34 Entries
Gold: Table Beer, Lost Cabin Beer Co., Rapid City, SD
Silver: Shiner Bock, Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, TX
Bronze: Saison Lily, ColdFire Barrel House, Eugene, OR

Category: 18: Session India Pale Ale – 73 Entries
Gold: Micro Blaster, Shred Beer Co., Rocklin, CA
Silver: Hefty Fee, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Bronze: Scenic Route, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO

Category: 19: Strong Porter – 58 Entries
Gold: Battle Axe, Fat Heads Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Silver: Baltic Porter, Haymarket Beer Co., Bridgman, MI
Bronze: Baltic Porter, Nonsuch Brewing Co., Winnipeg, Canada

Category: 20: Other Strong Beer – 39 Entries
Gold: Imperial Dark Mast, Pond Farm Brewing Co., San Rafael, CA
Silver: East County Fine Malt Liquor, The Post Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO
Bronze: Imperial Pilsner, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI

Category: 21: Experimental Beer – 87 Entries
Gold: Screaming Plum, Muho Brewery, Rende Dist., Taiwan
Silver: Big Trouble in Little Tokyo, Angel City Brewery, Los Angeles, CA
Bronze: Amalfi, Sun King Brewery, Indianapolis, IN

Category: 22: Experimental India Pale Ale – 70 Entries
Gold: Pepper & Peaches, Claremont Craft Ales, Claremont, CA
Silver: Infinite Glow, Highlander Beer – Salmon, Salmon, ID
Bronze: Rainbow Suspenders, Seapine Brewing Co., Seattle, WA

Category: 23: Historical Beer – 46 Entries
Gold: Vinter Liv, Paddlefish Brewing Co., Saint Peter, MN
Silver: AEgir’s Wreath, Archival Brewing, Belmont, MI
Bronze: Lichtenhainer, Mythmaker Brewing, Fort Collins, CO

Category: 24: Gluten-Free Beer – 39 Entries
Gold: Pacific Ale, TWØBAYS Brewing Co., Dromana, Australia
Silver: Winter Lager, Orange Bike Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Bronze: Met at Midnight, Armored Cow Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC

Category: 25: American-Belgo-Style Ale – 31 Entries
Gold: Breakside Spring Day, Breakside Brewery & Taproom, Milwaukie, OR
Silver: Dear You, Ratio Beerworks, Denver, CO
Bronze: Picked Last, Fieldwork Brewing Co., Berkeley, CA

Category: 26: American-Style Sour Ale – 106 Entries
Gold: Howzit Punch, Alvarado Street Brewery, Salinas, CA
Silver: Limoilou Beach, Microbrasserie La Souche, Stoneham-etTewkesbury, Canada
Bronze: Tropic Desert, Other Brother Beer Co., Seaside, CA

Category: 27: Brett Beer – 38 Entries
Gold: Free Range Farmhouse Ale, Sun King Brewery, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Pear Saison, Firestone Walker Brewing – Propagator, Paso Robles,
CA
Bronze: Wild Side, Jing-A Brewing, Beijing, China

Category: 28: Mixed-Culture Brett Beer – 52 Entries
Gold: Brett Para 3, Cervecería Kürüf, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Silver: Bobbi, Fair Isle Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Frank On Sled, Deadman Brewery, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Category: 29: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer – 37 Entries
Gold: Dr. Sleep, San Fernando Brewing Co., San Fernando, CA
Silver: A.5, Eighty-Three Brewery, Akron, OH
Bronze: Sensationator, Deschutes Brewery – PDX Pub, Portland, OR

Category: 30: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer – 136 Entries
Gold: Perpetual Peace, No Label Brewing Co., Katy, TX
Silver: Anniversary Year 5, Lumberbeard Brewing, Spokane, WA
Bronze: Afterlife Elixir, Aslin Beer Co., Alexandria, VA

Category: 31: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout – 117 Entries
Gold: Depth Dweller, Indigo Reef Brewing Co., Mount Pleasant, SC
Silver: Elagabalus, Caius Farm Brewery, Branford, CT
Bronze: Deth’s Tar, Revolution Brewing, Chicago, IL

Category: 32: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 83 Entries
Gold: The Virtue of Patience, Bold Monk Brewing Co., Atlanta, GA
Silver: Gin Golden Sour, Stodgy Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Bronze: Broliner Weisse, Wooden Bear Brewing Co., Greenfield, IN

Category: 33: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier – 55 Entries
Gold: Broumy, Pivovar Matuška, Broumy, Czech Republic
Silver: Pilsners are Lagers, Benchtop Brewing Co., Norfolk, VA
Bronze: Karbach Kellerbier, Karbach Brewing, Houston, TX

Category: 34: Smoke Beer – 73 Entries
Gold: Weiherer Rauch, Brauerei-Gasthof Kundmüller, Viereth-Trunstadt,
Germany
Silver: Daisy Lampkin, Late Addition Brewing + Blending, Pittsburgh, PA
Bronze: Smokey the Beer, Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, Topeka, KS

Category: 35: American Light Lager – 134 Entries
Gold: Clubhaus Lager, Von Ebert Brewing, Portland, OR
Silver: Old Fortwaukee, Coopersmith’s Pub & Brewing, Fort Collins, CO
Bronze: Really Decent, Werk Force Brewing Co., Plainfield, IL

Category: 36: International Light Lager – 86 Entries
Gold: Solveza, Peaceful Side Brewery, Maryville, TN
Silver: Yucatan Sunrise, Full Distance Brewing Co., Stafford, VA
Bronze: Snow Dust, Sacred Waters Brewing Co., Kalispell, MT

Category: 37: International-Style Pilsener – 80 Entries
Gold: Birkebeinerpils, Victor 23, Portland, OR
Silver: Hi-Wire Lager, Hi-Wire Brewing, Asheville, NC
Bronze: Icicle Premium Pilsner, Icicle Brewing Co., Leavenworth, WA

Category: 38: International-Style Lager – 103 Entries
Gold: Yamagata, Original Pattern Brewing, Oakland, CA
Silver: Otaku Hyper Dry, GameCraft Brewing, Laguna Hills, CA
Bronze: Rice Breaker, Hana Koa Brewing Co., Honolulu, HI

Category: 39: Hoppy Lager – 155 Entries
Gold: Cold IPA, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR
Silver: Super Smash, Unsung Brewing Co., Tustin, CA
Bronze: Krispi Kiwi, Far Field Beer Co., Lawndale, CA

Category: 40: Munich-Style Dunkel – 60 Entries
Gold: G.G., Exile Brewing Co., Des Moines, IA
Silver: Horn of Hammerhand, Flix Brewhouse – Des Moines, Des Moines, IA
Bronze: Moondoor Dunkel, Wibby Brewing, Longmont, CO

Category: 41: International Dark Lager – 109 Entries
Gold: Late Czech Out, Pilot Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Silver: Secret Secret, Wayfinder Beer, Portland, OR
Bronze: Czech Style Dark Lager, Cold Bear Brewing Co., Arnprior, Canada

Category: 42: Italian-Style Pilsener – 132 Entries
Gold: STS Pils, Russian River Brewing Co., Windsor, CA
Silver: Hamburghini, ISM Brewing, Long Beach, CA
Bronze: Pivo, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA

Category: 43: German-Style Pilsener – 186 Entries
Gold: Haha Pils, Arbeiter Brewing Co., Minneapolis, MN
Silver: Kinabik Pilsner, Snake Lake Brewing Co., Sylvan Lake, Canada
Bronze: Planks, MadeWest Brewing Co., Ventura, CA

Category: 44: Bohemian-Style Pilsener – 132 Entries
Gold: Bay Pilsner, Yokohama Bay Brewing Co., Yokohama, Japan
Silver: Pilsner Rešov, Equal Parts Brewing, Houston, TX
Bronze: Minoh Beer Pilsner, Minoh Brewery, Minoh-shi, Japan

Category: 45: Munich-Style Helles – 145 Entries
Gold: Construct Of Quality, Cinder Block Brewery, North Kansas City, MO
Silver: Kirkland Signature Helles Lager, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
Bronze: Hachenburger Hell, Westerwald-Brauerei H. Schneider, Hachenburg, Germany

Category: 46: Dortmunder/Export or German Oktoberfest – 70 Entries
Gold: The Cushman, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Silver: Thunder from Dortmunder, Marble Brewery, Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Guldkällan, Spendrups Bryggeri, Stockholm, Sweden

Category: 47: Vienna-Style Lager – 88 Entries
Gold: Vienna, Second Street Brewery, Santa Fe, NM
Silver: Family Tradition, BarrieHaus Beer Co., Tampa, FL
Bronze: Vienna Fest Bier, Quarter Celtic Brewpub, Albuquerque, NM

Category: 48: German-Style Maerzen or Franconian Rotbier – 47 Entries
Gold: Follow the Lederhosen, Moontown Brewing Co., Whitestown, IN
Silver: Red Vespa, Unsung Brewing Co., Tustin, CA
Bronze: Oktoberfest Gemütlichkeit, Wiseacre Brewing Co., Memphis, TN

Category: 49: German-Style Schwarzbier – 88 Entries
Gold: Schwarz Bear, Gatlinburg Brewing Co., Sevierville, TN
Silver: Schwarzbier, Pizza Port Imperial Beach, Imperial Beach, CA
Bronze: Shady Lady, Sky Puppy Brewing, Tampa, FL

Category: 50: German-Style Bock or Maibock – 77 Entries
Gold: Cold Front, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Silver: Rosenbock, Ivanhoe Park Lager House, Orlando, FL
Bronze: Maibock, Ocean View Brewing Co., Ocean View, DE

Category: 51: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock – 76 Entries
Gold: Curse The Goat, Shoreline Brewery, Michigan City, IN
Silver: Living a Double Life, Wise Man Brewing, Winston-Salem, NC
Bronze: Coconspirator, Victor 23, Portland, OR

Category: 52: American-Style Lager – 107 Entries
Gold: Vacancy Classic, Vacancy Brewing, Austin, TX
Silver: Cole’s Light Lager, Wild Ride Brewing, Redmond, OR
Bronze: Home Run Jack, 14 Cannons, Westlake Village, CA

Category: 53: Contemporary American-Style Lager – 57 Entries
Gold: El Pato Loco, Able Baker Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Silver: Blackberry Smoke American Lager, New Realm Brewing, Atlanta, GA
Bronze: Built to Chill, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Category: 54: American-Style Pilsener – 84 Entries
Gold: Highwayman, Roadhouse Brewing, Jackson, WY
Silver: Bellevue 1882 Lager, Bellevue Brewing Co., Bellevue, WA
Bronze: Gold Country Pilsner, Auburn Alehouse, Auburn, CA

Category: 55: American-Style Cream Ale – 94 Entries
Gold: Bold Rush, Drake’s Brewing Co., San Leandro, CA
Silver: Amendment Lager, 21st Amendment, San Leandro, CA
Bronze: Was Angeles, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT

Category: 56: American-Style Amber Lager – 82 Entries
Gold: 40 Mike Mike, Free Roam Brewing Co., Boerne, TX
Silver: Ebb and Flow, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Chismosa, Old Caz Beer, Rohnert Park, CA

Category: 57: Australian-Style Pale Ale – 44 Entries
Gold: Breakside Hello My Alien, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: XPA, Craft Coast, San Marcos, CA
Bronze: How’s the Serenity, Original Pattern Brewing, Oakland, CA

Category: 58: International Pale Ale – 97 Entries
Gold: Through The Roof, Arts District Brewing Co., Los Angeles, CA
Silver: Pale, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR
Bronze: Chur Enough, BKS Artisan Ales, Kansas City, MO

Category: 59: Extra Special Bitter – 52 Entries
Gold: Pale Ale, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Chico, Chico, CA
Silver: Railhead Red, Lumberyard Brewing Co., Flagstaff, AZ
Bronze: Velvet Organic ESB, Hopworks Brewery, Portland, OR

Category: 60: New Zealand-Style India Pale Ale – 97 Entries
Gold: Perverse Inverse, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA
Silver: Loyal to the Soil, Formula Brewing, Issaquah, WA
Bronze: Modern Love, TapRoom Beer Co., San Diego, CA

Category: 61: Barley Wine-Style Ale – 52 Entries
Gold: Grow Old With You, Verboten Brewing, Loveland, CO
Silver: Three Ryes Men, Reuben’s Brews, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Lower De Boom, 21st Amendment, San Leandro, CA

Category: 62: German-Style Koelsch – 116 Entries
Gold: Daycation Gold, Highland Brewing Co., Asheville, NC
Silver: Monger’s Choice, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Bronze: Kolsch, Second Street Brewery, Santa Fe, NM

Category: 63: Gose – 45 Entries
Gold: Canoa Quebrada, 277 Craft Beer, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
Silver: Gose, Four Generals Brewing, Renton, WA
Bronze: SMBW Basil Lemongrass Gose, Santa Monica Brew Works, Santa
Monica, CA

Category: 64: Berliner-Style Weisse – 35 Entries
Gold: Champagne Toast, Wander Brewing, Bellingham, WA
Silver: East Side Gallery, Iron Hill Brewery, Exton, PA
Bronze: Cactus Makes Perfect, Oregon City Brewing Co., Oregon City, OR

Category: 65: South German-Style Hefeweizen – 121 Entries
Gold: Washout Wheat, Holy City Brewing, N. Charleston, SC
Silver: Shed & Silo, 3 Nations Brewing, Carrollton, TX
Bronze: Hefeweizen, Dru Bru, Cle Elum, WA

Category: 66: German-Style Leichtes or Kristal Weizen – 15 Entries
Gold: Krystal Moon, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Tsingtao Wheat Beer, Tsingtao Brewery Co., Qingdao, China
Bronze: Needlerush Hefeweizen, Silver Bluff Brewing Co., Brunswick, GA

Category: 67: South German Bernsteinfarbenes Weizen – 10 Entries
Gold: Apres Hefe, Fat Heads Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Silver: Ayinger Urweisse, Brauerei Aying Franz Inselkammer, Aying, Germany

Category: 68: South German-Style Dunkel Weizen – 29 Entries
Gold: Michael Dorn-Kelweiss, Five Wits Brewing Co., Chattanooga, TN
Silver: Big Banana Brown Dunkelweisen, Shaketown Brewing, North
Vancouver, Canada
Bronze: Junk In Da Trunkel Dunkel, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego,
CA

Category: 69: South German-Style Weizenbock – 31 Entries
Gold: Weizenbock, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Mills River, Mills River, NC
Silver: Alpenglow, Fat Heads Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Bronze: Weihenstephaner Vitus, Bayerische Staatsbrauerei
Weihenstephan, Freising, Germany

Category: 70: German-Style Altbier – 45 Entries
Gold: Lithium, Resonate Brewery, Bellevue, WA
Silver: Alternative Medicine, Lakeville Brewing Co., Lakeville, MN
Bronze: Hinterland Altbier, Hinterland Brewery, Green Bay, WI

Category: 71: Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale – 26 Entries
Gold: Gallus, Cellar West Brewery, Lafayette, CO
Silver: French Kiss, Primeval Brewing, Noblesville, IN
Bronze: Crazy Train, Fretboard Brewing Co., Blue Ash, OH

Category: 72: Belgian-Style Witbier – 64 Entries
Gold: Suntrip, New Terrain Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Belgian Wheat, Devils Backbone Brewing Co. – Basecamp,
Roseland, VA
Bronze: Hoegaarden White, AB-Inbev Hoegaarden, Hoegaarden, Belgium

Category: 73: Classic Saison – 54 Entries
Gold: Dogwood Saison, Devils Backbone Brewing Co. – Basecamp,
Roseland, VA
Silver: Plough & Harrow, ISM Brewing, Long Beach, CA
Bronze: Belgian Blonde, Frontyard Brewing, Spicewood, TX

Category: 74: Specialty Saison – 40 Entries
Gold: Heirloom, Kane Brewing Co., Ocean, NJ
Silver: Sacred Tree, Phantom Farms Brewing, Cumberland, RI
Bronze: Foeder Aged Saison, New Realm Brewing, Atlanta, GA

Category: 75: Belgian Flanders Oud Bruin or Oud Red Ale – 20 Entries
Gold: Flanders Red, Cerveza 7 Vidas, Tacna, Peru
Silver: Flanders Redux, True Anomaly Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: Stupid Sexy Flanders, Sun King Brewery, Indianapolis, IN

Category: 76: Belgian-Style Sour Ale – 31 Entries
Gold: Erlton Street 5, The Establishment Brewing Co., Calgary, Canada
Silver: Spontaneous Manifesto 2023, Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Co. – The
Monolith, Edmonton, Canada
Bronze: Funk Yeah, Beachwood Blendery, Huntington Beach, CA

Category: 77: Belgian-Style Blonde Ale – 31 Entries
Gold: Feral Garden Gnome, Liability Brewing Co., Greenville, SC
Silver: NBeer Belgian Blonde Ale, NBeer Craft Brewing Co., Chengdu, China
Bronze: Rector 2025, Absolution Brewing Co., Torrance, CA

Category: 78: Belgian-Style Strong Blonde Ale – 34 Entries
Silver: Damnation, Russian River Brewing Co., Windsor, CA
Bronze: The Cannibal, Iron Hill Brewery, Exton, PA

Category: 79: Belgian-Style Dubbel – 33 Entries
Gold: Size 6, Lost Shoe Brewing & Roasting Co., Marlborough, MA
Silver: Dubbel or Nothing, Monkless Belgian Ales, Bend, OR
Bronze: Discipline Dubbel, Bold Monk Brewing Co., Atlanta, GA

Category: 80: Belgian-Style Tripel – 68 Entries
Gold: Tripel Dog Dare, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Silver: Bel Ringer, 9th Hour Brewing Co., Lake Villa, IL
Bronze: La Fin du Monde, Unibroue, Chambly, Canada

Category: 81: Belgian-Style Quadrupel – 25 Entries
Gold: Frosted Monk, RockSolid Brewing Co., Ball Ground, GA
Silver: Traced in Air, Bartlett Hall, San Francisco, CA
Bronze: Urbrew Adventure (Blue) Strong Dark Ale, Urbrew, Handan, China

Category: 82: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale – 38 Entries
Gold: Quadruppel 277, 277 Craft Beer, Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil
Silver: Hertog Jan Grand Prestige Brut, Hertog Jan, Breda, Netherlands
Bronze: Eschaton, Wild Heaven Beer Avondale, Decatur, GA

Category: 83: Belgian Fruit Beer – 70 Entries
Gold: Kriek, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI
Silver: Champ Du Blanc, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI
Bronze: Funk Yeah Peach, Beachwood Blendery, Huntington Beach, CA

Category: 84: English Mild or Bitter – 60 Entries
Gold: Extra Medium Mild, White Oak Brewing, Normal, IL
Silver: So Long, London, Two Frays Brewery, Pittsburgh, PA
Bronze: Chiastolite, Bighand Bros. Brewery, Kyoto, Japan

Category: 85: English Ale – 74 Entries
Gold: Union Jack, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Hopadillo, Karbach Brewing, Houston, TX
Bronze: Shanghai’d IPA, Old Town Brewing, Portland, OR

Category: 86: English-Style Brown Ale – 52 Entries
Gold: Burnout Brown, Mash Lab Brewing, Windsor, CO
Silver: Oscar Wanted a Brown Ale, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA
Bronze: Rojo, Barrio Brewing Co., Tucson, AZ

Category: 87: Brown Porter – 49 Entries
Gold: Skidder Brown Ale, Big Timber Brewing, Elkins, WV
Silver: Mother Fuggle, Eudora Brewing Co., Kettering, OH
Bronze: Daisen G Beer Stout, Daisen G Beer – Kumezakura Brewery Co.,
Saihaku-Gun, Japan

Category: 88: Robust Porter – 54 Entries
Gold: Ossuary, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA
Silver: Robust Porter, Reuben’s Brews, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Blimp Hangar Porter, Tustin Brewing Co., Tustin, CA

Category: 89: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout – 35 Entries
Gold: Moozie, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Hoochie Mama, StillFire Brewing, Suwanee, GA
Bronze: Korova, Gnarly Barley Brewing, Hammond, LA

Category: 90: Oatmeal Stout – 48 Entries
Gold: North Tower Stout, Earth Rider Brewery, Superior, WI
Silver: Opacus Oatmeal Stout, StormBreaker Brewing, Portland, OR
Bronze: Dragula, Insurgente, Tijuana, Mexico

Category: 91: British-Style Imperial Stout – 38 Entries
Gold: Wrecking Ball Imperial Stout, No-Li Brewhouse, Spokane, WA
Silver: Fayston Maple Imperial Stout, Lawson’s Finest Liquids, Waitsfield, VT
Bronze: Raven’s Revenge, Beachwood Brewing, Huntington Beach, CA

Category: 92: Old Ale or Strong Ale – 26 Entries
Gold: Mountain Man, Verboten Brewing, Loveland, CO
Silver: Forest Hills, Olde Hickory Brewery, Hickory, NC
Bronze: King in The Castle, Little Brother Brewing – Production,
Kernersville, NC

Category: 93: Irish-Style Red Ale – 97 Entries
Gold: Ridgetop Red, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Silver: Outraged Daughters, Wise Man Brewing, Winston-Salem, NC
Bronze: Engine 402, Orange Hat Brewing, Knoxville, OH

Category: 94: Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout – 57 Entries
Gold: Minoh Beer Stout, Minoh Brewery, Minoh-shi, Japan
Silver: Sláinte, Legion Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Lucky 4 Leaf, Danville Brewing Co., Danville, CA

Category: 95: Export Stout – 38 Entries
Gold: Starway, Barrel Mountain Brewing, Battle Ground, WA
Silver: Der Reisende, Adams Street Brewery, Chicago, IL
Bronze: Stoup Export Stout, Stoup Brewing – Capitol Hill, Seattle, WA

Category: 96: Scottish-Style Ale – 41 Entries
Gold: Stoneykirk Scottish Ale, Lost Street Brewing Co., Durant, OK
Silver: Dragoon Amber, Dragoon Brewing Co., Tucson, AZ
Bronze: The Fulkin, Half Batch Brewing, Hendersonville, TN

Category: 97: Scotch Ale – 44 Entries
Gold: Higher Consciousness, Third Eye Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: The Magnificent Scotch Ale, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Bronze: Lord Grizzly, Lost Cabin Beer Co., Rapid City, SD

Category: 98: Golden or Blonde Ale – 102 Entries
Gold: Firemans #4, Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX
Silver: Now What?, Saddle Mountain Brewing Co., Goodyear, AZ
Bronze: Basecamp Blonde, Hutton & Smith Brewing Co., Chattanooga, TN

Category: 99: American-Style Pale Ale – 128 Entries
Gold: Necrocat, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA
Silver: Breakside Woodlawn Pale Ale, Breakside Brewery & Taproom,
Milwaukie, OR
Bronze: MadeWest Pale, MadeWest Brewing Co., Ventura, CA

Category: 100: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale – 98 Entries
Gold: UCHU Relax, UCHU Brewing, Hokuto, Japan
Silver: Wisp, Lumen Beer Co., Omaha, NE
Bronze: Hop Magee, Danville Brewing Co., Danville, CA

Category: 101: American-Style Strong Pale Ale – 110 Entries
Gold: Mordant, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA
Silver: Westbound IPA, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO
Bronze: Gold Label Mai Tai P.A., Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill, Monterey,

Category: 102: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale – 135 Entries
Gold: Hazy IPA, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR
Silver: Slice, Lumen Beer Co., Omaha, NE
Bronze: MadeWest Hazy IPA, MadeWest Brewing Co., Ventura, CA

Category: 103: Imperial India Pale Ale – 116 Entries
Gold: Punchface Champion, Grains of Wrath Brewing – Camas, Camas, WA
Silver: Fall On In, MadeWest Brewing Co., Ventura, CA
Bronze: House of Fu!, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA

Category: 104: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale – 120 Entries
Gold: Juice Master, Shred Beer Co., Rocklin, CA
Silver: Contains No Juice, Alvarado Street Brewery, Salinas, CA
Bronze: For 4, Brothership Brewing, Mokena, IL

Category: 105: American-Style Amber/Red Ale – 98 Entries
Gold: Singing Coyote, Mountain Rambler Brewery, Bishop, CA
Silver: Matador Red, 818 Brewing, Canoga Park, CA
Bronze: First Amber, Stemma Brewing, Bellingham, WA

Category: 106: Strong Red Ale – 44 Entries
Gold: Peaked In High School, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA
Silver: Side Hike, Kern River Brewing Co., Kernville, CA
Bronze: Imperial Red, Track 7 Brewing Co., Sacramento, CA

Category: 107: American-Style Brown Ale – 63 Entries
Gold: Brown Ale, Second Street Brewery, Santa Fe, NM
Silver: The Devil in John’s Brown, DevilCraft, Shinagawa-ku, Japan
Bronze: Boxcar Brown, Caboose Brewing Co., Vienna, VA

Category: 108: American-Black Ale or American-Style Stout – 69 Entries
Gold: Breakside Cheat Codes, Breakside Brewery & Taproom, Milwaukie, OR
Silver: American Stout, ColdFire Brewing – Production, Junction City, OR
Bronze: Blackside Snap, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA

Category: 109: American-Style Imperial Stout – 44 Entries
Gold: Fulcrum Imperial Stout, ZwanzigZ Brewing, Columbus, IN
Silver: Thunderbolt Stout, Valhöll Brewing, Poulsbo, WA
Bronze: Lights Out, Project 9 Brewing, Seattle, WA

Category: 110: American-Style India Pale Ale – 208 Entries
Gold: Super Slap, Brewery X, Anaheim, CA
Silver: Party Crusher, Beachwood Brewing, Huntington Beach, CA
Bronze: Breakside IPA, Breakside Brewery & Taproom, Milwaukie, OR

Category: 111: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale – 290 Entries
Gold: Shifted Visions, Everywhere, Orange, CA
Silver: How To Make Friends, Hana Koa Brewing Co., Honolulu, HI
Bronze: Riverside NEIPA, Guggman Haus Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN

Category: 112: West Coast-Style India Pale – 253 Entries
Gold: Mosaic Takedown, Pinthouse Brewing, Austin, TX
Silver: Chasmic Absorption Through Whirlpools of Disarray, Ghost Town
Brewing, Oakland, CA
Bronze: Terraform, Wayward Lane Brewing, Schoharie, NY

Category: 201: Tannic Cider
Gold: 2023 Cidre Bouché, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
Silver: English Pub, Portland Cider Co., Clackamas, OR
Bronze: Kingston Black, Bauman’s Cider, Portland, OR

Category: 202: No/Low-Tannin Cider
Gold: Original Gold, Portland Cider Co., Clackamas, OR
Silver: Cosmic Crisp, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
Bronze: 14th Anniversary, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR

Category: 203: Fruited Cider
Gold: Raspberry Cosmic Crisp, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
Silver: Bramble, Papa Moon Ciders, Scottsbluff, NE
Bronze: Guava Hard Cider, Coronado Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category: 204: Botanical or Spiced Cider
Gold: Honey Lavender, Papa Moon Ciders, Scottsbluff, NE
Silver: Hard Candy Tamarind Earl Grey Cider, Hard Candy, Nanjing, China
Bronze: Apple Pie à La Mode, Six Byrd Cider, Tempe, AZ

Category: 205: Experimental, Barrel-Aged or Specialty Cider
Gold: 2019 Pommeau, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
Silver: Mojave Brewing Barrel Aged Cider, Mojave Brewing Co., Henderson, NV
Bronze: Imperial Bad Apple – Westward Whiskey Barrel Cider, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR

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A Hoppy Time in Denver: Highlights from the 2024 Great American Beer Festival

May 1, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

A Hoppy Time in Denver: Highlights from the 2024 Great American Beer Festival

The 2024 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) transformed Denver into a beer lover’s paradise from October 10–12, drawing over 40,000 attendees to the Colorado Convention Center. This year’s festival embraced a fresh approach, grouping breweries into themed zones like “Prost!” for a Bavarian biergarten vibe, “Fright” for Halloween-inspired brews, “Blast Off” showcasing experimental flavors, and “Score!” catering to sports enthusiasts. These immersive areas offered attendees a unique way to explore the diverse world of craft beer.

Medal-Worthy Moments
The 2024 GABF competition was fierce, with 1,869 breweries and cideries submitting 8,836 beer entries, 233 cider entries, 95 collaboration entries, and 52 Pro-Am entries across 102 categories. A total of 326 medals were awarded, recognizing excellence in brewing from coast to coast.

Ohio breweries made a significant impact, bringing home seven medals.
Cleveland’s Noble Beast Brewing earned a gold medal for their Belgian-style sour ale, Eau Rouge. Cincinnati’s Streetside Brewery celebrated their first GABF medal, a gold for Black Cats in the English-style brown ale category. Brink Brewing continued their winning streak with a bronze for Moozie in the sweet or cream stout category.

Von Trapp Brewing’s Alpine Achievement
Von Trapp Brewing, nestled in Stowe, Vermont, clinched the “Brewery & Brewer of the Year” title for the 15,001–100,000 barrel category. Their Helles Golden Lager also secured a gold medal in the Munich-style Helles category, showcasing their dedication to traditional brewing techniques.

Expanding the Beverage Horizon
Recognizing evolving consumer preferences, 2024 GABF expanded beyond traditional beer offerings. The festival featured hard seltzers, ciders, ready-to-drink cocktails, and non-alcoholic beers. Notably, Resident Culture’s NARC IPA from Charlotte, NC, won gold in the Pale Non-Alcohol Beer category, highlighting the growing popularity and quality of non-alcoholic options. NA Beer Club

A Toast to Innovation and Tradition
The 2024 Great American Beer Festival celebrated both the rich traditions and innovative strides of the brewing industry. With its diverse offerings and inclusive approach, the festival reaffirmed its status as a premier event for beer enthusiasts nationwide.

About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade organization dedicated to promoting small and independent American craft brewers, continues to champion innovation, quality, and community within the brewing industry. Through its educational initiatives, advocacy efforts, and marquee events like the Great American Beer Festival and the Craft Brewers Conference, the Association provides a vital platform for craft brewers to thrive. Representing thousands of breweries nationwide, the Brewers Association remains committed to preserving the authenticity of craft beer while fostering growth and opportunity for brewers of all sizes.

2024 GABF Medal Winners

Medal	Beer Name	Brewery	State	Category
Gold	NA Dark	Fremont Brewing	WA	Amber to Dark Non-Alcohol Beer
Silver	Non-Alcoholic Oktoberfest	Octopi Brewing / Untitled Art	WI	Amber to Dark Non-Alcohol Beer
Gold	Bateman Bier	Greenstar Brewing	IL	American Amber Lager
Silver	Las Cruces	Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co.	CO	American Amber Lager
Bronze	Big Rock Amber Lager	Malibu Brewing Co.	CA	American Amber Lager
Gold	Pretty Good	Third Space Brewing	WI	American Amber/Red Ale
Silver	Buttface Amber	RAM Restaurant and Brewery – Production	WA	American Amber/Red Ale
Bronze	Object K	Site-1 Brewing	NE	American Amber/Red Ale
Gold	Blackside Snap	Riip Beer Co.	CA	American Black Ale or American Stout
Silver	Stoup American Stout	Stoup Brewing – Capitol Hill	WA	American Black Ale or American Stout
Bronze	A Dark in the Light	Radiant Beer Co.	CA	American Black Ale or American Stout
Gold	Was Angeles Craft Beer	Uinta Brewing Co.	UT	American Cream Ale
Silver	El Sully	21st Amendment Brewery	CA	American Cream Ale
Bronze	Atascadero Beach	Wild Fields Brewhouse	CA	American Cream Ale
Gold	Hey Girl, Hey!	Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop – Richmond	VA	American Fruit Beer
Gold	Hey Girl, Hey!	Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop – Richmond	VA	Category Sponsor: Amoretti
Silver	A La Playa	Trademark Brewing	CA	American Fruit Beer
Silver	A La Playa	Trademark Brewing	CA	Category Sponsor: Amoretti
Bronze	Bird Light Yuzu	Strangebird	NY	American Fruit Beer
Bronze	Bird Light Yuzu	Strangebird	NY	Category Sponsor: Amoretti
Gold	Classic City Lager	Creature Comforts – Production Facility At Southern Mill	GA	American Pilsener
Silver	Buccaneer’s Gold	Project 9 Brewing Co.	WA	American Pilsener
Bronze	Happy Little Clouds	Cloudburst Brewing	WA	American Pilsener
Gold	Bes	Little Beast Brewing	OR	American Sour Ale
Silver	Wicked Shifty	Shoe Tree Brewing Co.	NV	American Sour Ale
Bronze	Mirage	New Terrain Brewing Co.	CO	American Sour Ale
Gold	Fuzztail	Sunriver Brewing Co.	OR	American Wheat Beer
Silver	Mercy Cloud	Hobcaw Brewing Co.	SC	American Wheat Beer
Bronze	Hoppla	NewSylum Brewing Co.	CT	American Wheat Beer
Gold	Silver Medal Worthy	Launch Pad Brewery	CO	American-Belgo-Style Ale
Silver	Capitulation	Monkless Belgian Ales	OR	American-Belgo-Style Ale
Bronze	Golden Strong Ale with Pink	Fowler Ranch Farm Brewery	CA	American-Belgo-Style Ale
Gold	Who’s That Brown	Tarantula Hill Brewing Co.	CA	American-Style Brown Ale
Silver	Heart of Glass	Three Wide Brewing Co.	TX	American-Style Brown Ale
Bronze	Beckley Furnace Brown Ale	Norbrook Farm Brewery	CT	American-Style Brown Ale
Gold	Competition	Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown	CA	American-Style India Pale Ale
Silver	One Way	Old Caz Beer	CA	American-Style India Pale Ale
Bronze	Lexical Gap	Pollyanna Brewing Co.	IL	American-Style India Pale Ale
Gold	Down South	Appalachian Mountain Brewery	NC	American-Style Lager
Silver	Modern Classic	Counter Weight Brewing Co.	CT	American-Style Lager
Bronze	Pat’s River Beer	MAP Brewing Co.	MT	American-Style Lager
Gold	Sky Dog	Wiseacre Brewing Co. – Downtown	TN	American-Style Light Lager
Silver	Family Vacation	Roadhouse Brewing Co.	WY	American-Style Light Lager
Bronze	Transmission Light	Transmission Brewing	CA	American-Style Light Lager
Gold	Timbo	Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown	CA	American-Style Pale Ale
Silver	Featherweight Pale Ale	Cannonball Creek Brewing Co.	CO	American-Style Pale Ale
Bronze	Bare Bones Disco	Bird Creek Brewing	TX	American-Style Pale Ale
Gold	Something Dank This Way Comes	Sunriver Brewing Co.	OR	American-Style Strong Pale Ale
Silver	Zero Degrees	Shred Beer Co.	CA	American-Style Strong Pale Ale
Bronze	Independence Pass Ale IPA	Aspen Brewing Co.	CO	American-Style Strong Pale Ale
Gold	My Cerise Amour	Oregon City Brewing Co.	OR	Belgian Fruit Beer
Silver	East of Line Kriek	Awkward Brewing	GA	Belgian Fruit Beer
Bronze	Vordrassil	Webb’s City Cellar by Green Bench	FL	Belgian Fruit Beer
Gold	LMM Dubbel II	Lone Man Mountain Brewing Co.	TX	Belgian-Style Abbey Ale
Silver	Allagash Tripel	Allagash Brewing Co.	ME	Belgian-Style Abbey Ale
Bronze	Monks In Space	Apogee Brewing Co.	CA	Belgian-Style Abbey Ale
Gold	Le Petit Demon	Bonesaw Brewing Co. – Pilot House	NJ	Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale
Silver	DOMESTIQUE Blonde Ale	Rouleur Brewing Co.	CA	Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale
Bronze	Aurora	Apogee Brewing Co.	CA	Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale
Gold	Eau Rouge	Noble Beast Brewing Co.	OH	Belgian-Style Sour Ale
Silver	Apple Pomace Puncheon	Angel City Brewery	CA	Belgian-Style Sour Ale
Bronze	Intinction – Petite Sirah	Russian River Brewing Co. – Santa Rosa	CA	Belgian-Style Sour Ale
Gold	Kroon	Wallenpaupack Brewing Co.	PA	Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale
Silver	Pitouchi	Attic Brewing Co.	PA	Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale
Bronze	Monks on the Moon	Apogee Brewing Co.	CA	Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale
Gold	Allagash White	Allagash Brewing Co.	ME	Belgian-Style Witbier
Silver	Breakside White	Breakside Brewery & Taproom	OR	Belgian-Style Witbier
Bronze	Gully Washer Wit	Munkle Brewing Co.	SC	Belgian-Style Witbier
Gold	Pan is Alive	IMBIB Custom Brews	NV	Bock
Silver	Lawyers, Hogs & Money	Bentonville Brewing Co.	AR	Bock
Bronze	Hootenanny	Bankhead Brewing Co.	TX	Bock
Gold	Reality Czeck-style Pilsner	Moonlight Brewing Co.	CA	Bohemian-Style Pilsener
Gold	Reality Czeck-style Pilsner	Moonlight Brewing Co.	CA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Silver	River Delta Czech Pils	Silver Bluff Brewing Co.	GA	Bohemian-Style Pilsener
Silver	River Delta Czech Pils	Silver Bluff Brewing Co.	GA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Bronze	Parachute Pivo	Victor-23 Craft Brewery	WA	Bohemian-Style Pilsener
Bronze	Parachute Pivo	Victor-23 Craft Brewery	WA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Gold	First Release Part 2	Peaceful Side Brewery	TN	Brett Beer
Silver	Belle Saison	Third Window Brewing Co.	CA	Brett Beer
Bronze	Touch of Brett	Alesong Brewing & Blending	OR	Brett Beer
Gold	Don’t Feed the Bears	Gatlinburg Brewing Co.	TN	Brown Porter
Silver	Slumber Car	Accomplice Beer Co.	WY	Brown Porter
Bronze	Old Tom Porter	Piney River Brewing Co.	MO	Brown Porter
Gold	El Poblano Borracho	Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co.	CO	Chili Beer
Silver	Jalapeño Saison	On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen	TX	Chili Beer
Bronze	Palisade Peak	Station 26 Brewing Co.	CO	Chili Beer
Gold	Fudge Sickles	Fort George Brewery	OR	Chocolate Beer
Silver	Chocolate Stout	Fort Myers Brewing Co.	FL	Chocolate Beer
Bronze	Triple Chocolate Viator Obscura	Wandering Monsters Brewing Co.	OH	Chocolate Beer
Gold	Dogwood Saison	Devils Backbone Brewing Co. – Basecamp	VA	Classic Saison
Silver	Farm Out	Worthy Brewing Co.	OR	Classic Saison
Bronze	Plough & Harrow	ISM Brewing	CA	Classic Saison
Gold	Squirrels Just Want to Have Fun	River North Brewery – RiNo	CO	Coffee Beer
Silver	Bucky	Terranaut Beer	OR	Coffee Beer
Bronze	Gusto Crema Coffee Ale	Georgetown Brewing Co.	WA	Coffee Beer
Gold	Dusk Til Dawn	Pizza Port San Clemente	CA	Coffee Stout or Porter
Gold	Dusk Til Dawn	Pizza Port San Clemente	CA	Category Sponsor: Chart Industries
Silver	Venti is Large	Hop Dogma Brewing Co.	CA	Coffee Stout or Porter
Silver	Venti is Large	Hop Dogma Brewing Co.	CA	Category Sponsor: Chart Industries
Bronze	Shock Treatment	New Ridge Brewing Co.	PA	Coffee Stout or Porter
Bronze	Shock Treatment	New Ridge Brewing Co.	PA	Category Sponsor: Chart Industries
Gold	Baseball	Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown	CA	Contemporary American-Style Lager
Silver	College Dropout	StillFire Brewing	GA	Contemporary American-Style Lager
Bronze	Richmond Lager	Hardywood Park Craft Brewery	VA	Contemporary American-Style Lager
Gold	3 Citrus Gose	Culture Brewing Co.	CA	Contemporary Gose
Silver	It’s a G Thang Ginger Gose	Red Rock Brewing – Production	UT	Contemporary Gose
Bronze	Wild Pear	Blue Mountain Barrel House and Organic Brewery	VA	Contemporary Gose
Gold	Pure Nonsense	Dade City Brew House	FL	Dessert Stout or Pastry Stout
Silver	Coconut Cluster	Heritage Hill Brewhouse	NY	Dessert Stout or Pastry Stout
Bronze	Peanut Butter & Jelly Tiempo	Kilowatt Brewing	CA	Dessert Stout or Pastry Stout
Gold	Festbier	Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co.	CO	Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest
Silver	Festbier	Northwoods Brewing Co.	NH	Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest
Bronze	The Cushman	Morgan Territory Brewing	CA	Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest
Gold	Kiitos Pale Ale	Kiitos Brewing	UT	English Ale
Silver	Elevated Summer Ale	Goose And The Monkey Brewhouse	NC	English Ale
Bronze	Oregon Summer Ale	Bend Brewing – High Desert	OR	English Ale
Gold	Distinguished Fellow	Project 9 Brewing Co.	WA	English Mild or Bitter
Silver	The Proprietor	BierKraft	OK	English Mild or Bitter
Bronze	Toasty	The Brew Brothers – Scioto Downs Racino	OH	English Mild or Bitter
Gold	Black Cats	Streetside Brewery	OH	English-Style Brown Ale
Silver	Back Country	Lewis & Clark Brewing Co.	MT	English-Style Brown Ale
Bronze	Brown Ale	Oliphant Brewing	WI	English-Style Brown Ale
Gold	Great Wave Sake Lager	MAP Brewing Co.	MT	Experimental Beer
Silver	Bourbon Maple Wishes and Pecan Dreams	Odd Side Ales	MI	Experimental Beer
Bronze	Agrio Morado	10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub	OR	Experimental Beer
Gold	Hazy Crush	New York Beer Project – Beer Lodge	NY	Experimental India Pale Ale
Silver	Lavender Haze	SingleSpeed Brewing	IA	Experimental India Pale Ale
Bronze	East Gruesome	Lost Cabin Beer Co.	SD	Experimental India Pale Ale
Gold	Rosé Cider	Gowan’s Heirloom Cider	CA	Experimental or Barrel-Aged Cider
Silver	2019 Pommeau	2 Towns Ciderhouse	OR	Experimental or Barrel-Aged Cider
Bronze	802 Barrel Aged	Vermont Cider Co.	VT	Experimental or Barrel-Aged Cider
Gold	Pub Ale	Pilot Brewing Co.	NC	Extra Special Bitter
Silver	Brighton ESB	Bravery Brewing Co.	CA	Extra Special Bitter
Bronze	Velvet Organic ESB	Hopworks Urban Brewery	OR	Extra Special Bitter
Gold	Fennel Rye Ale	Denver Beer Co. – Canworks	CO	Field Beer
Silver	Cucumber Lime Blonde	Third Space Brewing	WI	Field Beer
Bronze	That Coconut Porter	Cherry Street Brewing	GA	Field Beer
Gold	Fresher Than Fresh	Trap Door Brewing	WA	Fresh Hop Beer
Silver	House of 1000 Cones	Moonraker Brewing Co. – Production Facility	CA	Fresh Hop Beer
Bronze	Fresh Hop King Crispy	Deschutes Brewery & Public House – PDX	OR	Fresh Hop Beer
Gold	Yankee Doodle Shandy	River Bluff Brewing	MO	Fruit Wheat Beer
Silver	Enduro	Cheluna Brewing Co.	CO	Fruit Wheat Beer
Bronze	Bear Bait	Schussboom Brewing Co.	NV	Fruit Wheat Beer
Gold	Peach Silhouette	Hudson Valley Brewery	NY	Fruited American Sour Ale
Gold	Peach Silhouette	Hudson Valley Brewery	NY	Category Sponsor: Amoretti
Silver	Funkberry Pie	Girdwood Brewing Co.	AK	Fruited American Sour Ale
Silver	Funkberry Pie	Girdwood Brewing Co.	AK	Category Sponsor: Amoretti
Bronze	Cactus Juice	12Degree Brewing	CO	Fruited American Sour Ale
Bronze	Cactus Juice	12Degree Brewing	CO	Category Sponsor: Amoretti
Gold	Blackberry Cider	McMenamins Breweries	OR	Fruited or Botanical Cider
Silver	Ozark Strawberry Rhubarb Cider	Ozark Beer Co.	AR	Fruited or Botanical Cider
Bronze	Pacific Pineapple	2 Towns Ciderhouse	OR	Fruited or Botanical Cider
Gold	Raspberries on Acid	Blue Mountain Brewery	VA	Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
Silver	White Dwarf	True Anomaly Brewing Co.	TX	Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
Bronze	Cassis	Moody Tongue Brewing Co.	IL	Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
Gold	Schwarz Wulf	Greywolf Brewing	CA	German Dark Lager
Silver	Flex Fiesta Munich-Style Dark Lager	Red Horn Brewery and Roastery	TX	German Dark Lager
Bronze	Chehalis After Dark	Talking Cedar Brewing	WA	German Dark Lager
Gold	Baywindow	10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub	OR	German Sour Ale
Silver	Disco Lemonade	Aslan Brewing Co.	WA	German Sour Ale
Bronze	Gose	Kulshan Brewing Co – K2	WA	German Sour Ale
Gold	Weizenbock	Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Mills River	NC	German Wheat Ale
Silver	Kristal Moon	Blue Moon Brewing Co.	CO	German Wheat Ale
Bronze	Sixpoint Brewery Mimic Weisse	Brewers At 4001 Yancey	NC	German Wheat Ale
Gold	Rhine Divide	10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Portland	OR	German-Style Altbier
Silver	Altbier	Double Clutch Brewing Co.	IL	German-Style Altbier
Bronze	Altruism	Rock Cut Brewing Co.	CO	German-Style Altbier
Gold	Eisbock	Northbound Smokehouse Brewpub	MN	German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock
Silver	Co-Conspirator	Victor-23 Craft Brewery	WA	German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock
Bronze	Execrator	Resolute Brewing Co.	CO	German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock
Gold	Modern Gothic	Columbia Craft Brewing Co.	SC	German-Style Koelsch
Gold	Modern Gothic	Columbia Craft Brewing Co.	SC	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Silver	Kolsch	Standard Deviant Brewing	CA	German-Style Koelsch
Silver	Kolsch	Standard Deviant Brewing	CA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Bronze	Brick West Kolsch	Brick West Brewing Co.	WA	German-Style Koelsch
Bronze	Brick West Kolsch	Brick West Brewing Co.	WA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Gold	Pleasantbräu Oktoberfest	Soul Brewing Co.	NY	German-Style Maerzen
Silver	Marchtoberfest	Galveston Island Brewing	TX	German-Style Maerzen
Bronze	Oktoberfest	Left Hand Brewing Co.	CO	German-Style Maerzen
Gold	Haha Pils	Arbeiter Brewing Co.	MN	German-Style Pilsener
Silver	Door Code	Piece Brewery	IL	German-Style Pilsener
Bronze	Trumer Pils	Trumer Brewery	CA	German-Style Pilsener
Gold	Fat Randy	Holidaily Brewing Co.	CO	Gluten-Free Beer
Silver	Oktoberfest	Orange Bike Brewing Co.	ME	Gluten-Free Beer
Bronze	Pilsner	Orange Bike Brewing Co.	ME	Gluten-Free Beer
Gold	Kiitos Blonde Ale	Kiitos Brewing	UT	Golden or Blonde Ale
Silver	Easy Mode	Logan Brewing Co.	WA	Golden or Blonde Ale
Bronze	Bench Seat	Transmission Brewing	CA	Golden or Blonde Ale
Gold	Two Wheeler	Far Field Beer Co.	CA	Herb and Spice Beer
Silver	HellFire Club	Armored Cow Brewing Co.	NC	Herb and Spice Beer
Bronze	Dill Pickle	Field Artisan Brewing	IN	Herb and Spice Beer
Gold	BierKraft Grodziskie	BierKraft	OK	Historical Beer
Silver	Decorah Nordic Gruit	PIVO Brewery	IA	Historical Beer
Bronze	Kentucky Common	Blackhorse Pub & Brewery	TN	Historical Beer
Gold	Hachimitsu Mai	Deschutes Brewery & Public House – PDX	OR	Honey Beer
Silver	BeeLoved	10 Barrel Brewing Co.	OR	Honey Beer
Bronze	Animals Strike Curious Poses	The Empourium Brewing Co.	CO	Honey Beer
Gold	Infinity Pils	Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill	CO	Hoppy Lager
Gold	Infinity Pils	Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill	CO	Category Sponsor: Coleman Agriculture
Silver	Branching Out	Everywhere Beer Co.	CA	Hoppy Lager
Silver	Branching Out	Everywhere Beer Co.	CA	Category Sponsor: Coleman Agriculture
Bronze	Rancho Cowabunga	Grains of Wrath – Washougal	WA	Hoppy Lager
Bronze	Rancho Cowabunga	Grains of Wrath – Washougal	WA	Category Sponsor: Coleman Agriculture
Gold	Hoptomic	Morgan Territory Brewing	CA	Imperial India Pale Ale
Gold	Hoptomic	Morgan Territory Brewing	CA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Silver	Gastropod	Grand Fir Brewing	OR	Imperial India Pale Ale
Silver	Gastropod	Grand Fir Brewing	OR	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Bronze	Nose Goblin	Ghost Town Brewing	CA	Imperial India Pale Ale
Bronze	Nose Goblin	Ghost Town Brewing	CA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Gold	Indie Roo	Pizza Port – Imperial Beach	CA	Imperial Stout
Silver	Kill the Lights	The Tap Brewery	IN	Imperial Stout
Bronze	ReVive	10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Portland	OR	Imperial Stout
Gold	Puesto Negra	Puesto Cerveceria	CA	International Dark Lager
Silver	Czech-6	Eagle River Brewing Co.	CO	International Dark Lager
Bronze	Czech Dark Lager	Structures Brewing	WA	International Dark Lager
Gold	Light Lager	Seapine Brewing Co.	WA	International Light Lager
Silver	Wakumi	Mother Earth Brew Co.	ID	International Light Lager
Bronze	Wondrous Hell	Wondrous Brewing Co.	CA	International Light Lager
Gold	Smells Like Purple Rain	Riip Beer Co.	CA	International-Style Pale Ale
Silver	Ponga	Grand Fir Brewing	OR	International-Style Pale Ale
Bronze	Breakside Hello My Alien	Breakside Brewery – NW Slabtown	OR	International-Style Pale Ale
Gold	Chillzner	Craft Coast – San Marcos	CA	International-Style Pilsener
Silver	500 Pesos	ODD Muse Brewing Co.	TX	International-Style Pilsener
Bronze	Munk Lager	Munkle Brewing Co.	SC	International-Style Pilsener
Gold	Coppermind	Denver Beer Co. – Lowry Field	CO	Irish-Style Red Ale
Silver	Engine 402	Orange Hat Brewing Co.	TN	Irish-Style Red Ale
Bronze	Equanimity	Ursa Minor Brewing	MN	Irish-Style Red Ale
Gold	Zombi Shark Fight	Green Cheek Beer Co. – Costa Mesa	CA	Italian-Style Pilsener
Silver	Che Figata	Sunriver Brewing Co.	OR	Italian-Style Pilsener
Bronze	Wolf of the Woods	Second Dawn Brewing Co.	CO	Italian-Style Pilsener
Gold	DDH Pillow	Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown	CA	Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale
Silver	Mosaic Double Crush	Moonraker Brewing Co. – Production Facility	CA	Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale
Bronze	Juice Master	Shred Beer Co.	CA	Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale
Gold	Professional Human Being	Ambitious Ales	CA	Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale
Silver	Groundswell	Single Hill Brewing Co.	WA	Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale
Bronze	Crash of Rhinos	Movement Brewing Co.	CA	Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale
Gold	Easy Eddy	Big Grove Brewery & Taproom	IA	Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale
Silver	Foggy Pines	Evans Brewing Co.	CA	Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale
Bronze	Wisp	Lumen Beer Co.	NE	Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale
Gold	Joyful Intuition	Everywhere Beer Co.	CA	Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale
Silver	Lupulin Lab	Wicked Weed Brewing Pub	NC	Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale
Bronze	Windows Up	Alpine Beer Co.	CO	Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale
Gold	Czech Plz	CraftHaus Brewery	NV	Kellerbier or Zwickelbier
Silver	Pilsners are Lagers	Benchtop Brewing Co.	VA	Kellerbier or Zwickelbier
Bronze	Tankbeer	Hopewell Brewing Co.	IL	Kellerbier or Zwickelbier
Gold	Proverbial Fork	Olfactory Brewing	CA	Mixed-Culture Brett Beer
Gold	Proverbial Fork	Olfactory Brewing	CA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Silver	Knitting Circle S5 Batch C	Fair Isle Brewing	WA	Mixed-Culture Brett Beer
Silver	Knitting Circle S5 Batch C	Fair Isle Brewing	WA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Bronze	Elisabeth	ColdFire Brewing Co. – Barrel House	OR	Mixed-Culture Brett Beer
Bronze	Elisabeth	ColdFire Brewing Co. – Barrel House	OR	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Gold	Helles	von Trapp Brewing	VT	Munich-Style Helles
Gold	Helles	von Trapp Brewing	VT	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Silver	Crystal River	Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co.	CO	Munich-Style Helles
Silver	Crystal River	Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co.	CO	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Bronze	Old Gold	Structures Brewing	WA	Munich-Style Helles
Bronze	Old Gold	Structures Brewing	WA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Gold	More Than A Zealand	Cannonball Creek Brewing Co.	CO	New Zealand India Pale Ale
Silver	Wannabe Wallaby	Riip Beer Co.	CA	New Zealand India Pale Ale
Bronze	Wastelandia	Grains of Wrath	WA	New Zealand India Pale Ale
Gold	The Russets	Snow Capped Cider	CO	No/Low-Tannin Cider
Silver	Graventein	Snow Capped Cider	CO	No/Low-Tannin Cider
Bronze	10th Anniversary	2 Towns Ciderhouse	OR	No/Low-Tannin Cider
Gold	Scaredy Cat	Vintage Brewing Co.	WI	Oatmeal Stout
Silver	Buttons the Bear	Bear Chase Brewing Co.	VA	Oatmeal Stout
Bronze	Brother Sam	Three Tigers Brewing Co.	OH	Oatmeal Stout
Gold	Orange Giant	Ecliptic Brewing	OR	Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine
Silver	Grow Old With You	Verboten Brewing	CO	Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine
Bronze	Artemesia	Burns Family Artisan Ales Taphouse	CO	Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine
Gold	Soul of a Star	HUDL Brewing Co.	NV	Other Strong Beer
Silver	Agua Santa Imperial	Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.	CA	Other Strong Beer
Bronze	Stone LifeBlurred	Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station	CA	Other Strong Beer
Gold	NARC IPA	Resident Culture	NC	Pale Non-Alcohol Beer
Silver	Free Wave Hazy IPA	Athletic Brewing Co.	CT	Pale Non-Alcohol Beer
Bronze	Kolsch	Best Day Brewing	CA	Pale Non-Alcohol Beer
Gold	Great Pumpkin	Elysian Brewing Co.	WA	Pumpkin Beer
Gold	Great Pumpkin	Elysian Brewing Co.	WA	Category Sponsor: Amoretti
Silver	Pumpkin Spice J. Marie	River North Brewery – RiNo	CO	Pumpkin Beer
Silver	Pumpkin Spice J. Marie	River North Brewery – RiNo	CO	Category Sponsor: Amoretti
Bronze	Boo Ya!	Ocean View Brewing Co.	DE	Pumpkin Beer
Bronze	Boo Ya!	Ocean View Brewing Co.	DE	Category Sponsor: Amoretti
Gold	Port City Porter	Port City Brewing Co.	VA	Robust Porter
Silver	Peaklet	Mountain Rambler Brewery	CA	Robust Porter
Bronze	Dark Chocolate Love	Salish Sea Brewing Co. – Boathouse Taproom	WA	Robust Porter
Gold	Crazy Jackass Ale	Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern	VA	Rye Beers
Silver	Roggenschnizzle	Bier Brewery and Taproom	IN	Rye Beers
Bronze	Beauty is in the Rye of the Beholder	RockSolid Brewing Co.	GA	Rye Beers
Gold	Wobbly Traveler	Silver Harbor Brewing Co.	MI	Scotch Ale
Silver	Full Malted Jacket	Beachwood Brewing – Huntington Beach	CA	Scotch Ale
Bronze	Old Chub	Oskar Blues Brewery	CO	Scotch Ale
Gold	Doc McLoughlin Scottish Ale	Oregon City Brewing Co.	OR	Scottish-Style Ale
Silver	Scottish Ale	Stodgy Brewing Co.	CO	Scottish-Style Ale
Bronze	Oasis Amber	BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Reno	NV	Scottish-Style Ale
Gold	Saison Lily	ColdFire Brewing Co. – Barrel House	OR	Session Beer or Belgian-Style Table Beer
Silver	Frequency of Expansion	The Big Friendly	OK	Session Beer or Belgian-Style Table Beer
Bronze	Guillaume	Pizza Port Ocean Beach	CA	Session Beer or Belgian-Style Table Beer
Gold	Divi	Offset Bier Co.	UT	Session India Pale Ale
Gold	Divi	Offset Bier Co.	UT	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Silver	Josh’s New Tiny Shoes	Green Cheek Beer Co.	CA	Session India Pale Ale
Silver	Josh’s New Tiny Shoes	Green Cheek Beer Co.	CA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Bronze	Mini Ramp Session IPA	June Lake Brewing	CA	Session India Pale Ale
Bronze	Mini Ramp Session IPA	June Lake Brewing	CA	Category Sponsor: Wyeast Laboratories
Gold	Mountain Rose	Haykin Family Cider	CO	Single Varietal Cider
Silver	Macintosh	Gowan’s Heirloom Cider	CA	Single Varietal Cider
Bronze	Glow – Airlie Redflesh SV	Alpenfire Cider	WA	Single Varietal Cider
Gold	Smoke and Embers	New Belgium Brewing Co.	CO	Smoke Beer
Silver	Smoke Control	Burghers Brewing	PA	Smoke Beer
Bronze	Rauchbier	Port City Brewing Co.	VA	Smoke Beer
Gold	Washout Wheat	Holy City Brewing	SC	South German-Style Hefeweizen
Silver	Don’t Hassle the Hef	Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill	CO	South German-Style Hefeweizen
Bronze	Polterweiss Hefeweizen	Green Mountain Beer Co.	CO	South German-Style Hefeweizen
Gold	Commander Salamander	Spring House Brewing Co.	PA	Specialty Berliner-Style Weisse
Silver	Razzle fo’ Shazzle	Great Basin Brewing Co.	NV	Specialty Berliner-Style Weisse
Bronze	Gindulgence	10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub	OR	Specialty Berliner-Style Weisse
Gold	Patagonia Provisions Non-Alcoholic Kernza Golden Brew	Deschutes Brewery	OR	Specialty Non-Alcohol Beer
Silver	Tropical Sour	Athletic Brewing Co.	CT	Specialty Non-Alcohol Beer
Bronze	Special Effects Grapefruit IPA	Brooklyn Brewery	NY	Specialty Non-Alcohol Beer
Gold	Lucy Loves Rye	Apogee Brewing Co.	CA	Specialty Saison
Silver	Mount Eden	Pure Project	CA	Specialty Saison
Bronze	Wild Honey	Cruz Blanca Brewery	IL	Specialty Saison
Gold	Correspondent	Wander Brewing	WA	Stout
Silver	Nebula Stout	Block 15 Brewery & Tap Room	OR	Stout
Bronze	Diatomaceous Dry Stout	Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. – Production Facility	TN	Stout
Gold	Jeff’s Baltic Porter	Green Cheek Beer Co. – Oceanside	CA	Strong Porter
Silver	Magpie	Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Santa Barbara	CA	Strong Porter
Bronze	Baltic Porter	Bear Chase Brewing Co.	VA	Strong Porter
Gold	Wreak Havoc	Bootstrap Brewing	CO	Strong Red Ale
Silver	Rolling Rust	Grand Fir Brewing	OR	Strong Red Ale
Bronze	Trash Pandamonium	Benchtop Brewing Co.	VA	Strong Red Ale
Gold	Mustachio Milk Stout	Tractor Brewing Co.	NM	Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
Silver	Chocolate Milk Stout	Boxing Bear Brewing Co. – Firestone	NM	Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
Bronze	Moozie	Brink Brewing Co.	OH	Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
Gold	Classic Dry	Gowan’s Heirloom Cider	CA	Tannic Cider
Silver	Cedar Valley Blend	Paha Cider Co.	IA	Tannic Cider
Bronze	2022 Cidre Bouché	2 Towns Ciderhouse	OR	Tannic Cider
Gold	Vienna Fest Bier	Quarter Celtic Brewpub	NM	Vienna-Style Lager
Silver	Metalmark Marzen	Morgan Territory Brewing	CA	Vienna-Style Lager
Bronze	Red Dawn	Bonesaw Brewing Co.	NJ	Vienna-Style Lager
Gold	Codebreaker	Trademark Brewing	CA	West Coast IPA
Silver	Pacific Portal	Alma Mader Brewing	MO	West Coast IPA
Bronze	IPA for Aliens	Masthead Brewing Co.	OH	West Coast IPA
Gold	Ghoul Fuel- Rum Diaries Edition	Bull & Bush Brewery	CO	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer
Silver	Temporary Paradise- Rum Diaries Edition	Bull & Bush Brewery	CO	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer
Bronze	Barrel Aged Dopplebock	MORE Brewing Co.	IL	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer
Gold	French 75	Alesong Brewing & Blending	OR	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
Silver	Madrigal	Monday Night Brewing – Garage	GA	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
Bronze	5 On It	Long Table Brewhouse	CO	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
Gold	Bass Clef	Audio Graph Beer Co.	CA	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
Silver	Barrel-Aged Imperial Satan’s Pony	South Street Brewery	VA	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
Bronze	10th Anniversary Barleywine	Creature Comforts Brewing Co.	GA	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
Gold	Western Justice	Westbound & Down Brewing Co.	CO	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout
Silver	Humongous Sleepy Chungus Bear	Werk Force Brewing Co.	IL	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout
Bronze	Breakside La Maison du Bang!	Breakside Brewery	OR	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout

Paradox Brewery’s Helles Lager Wins Gold at 2025 New York State Craft Beer Competition

April 3, 2025 by Spencer Mapes

North Hudson, New York — Paradox Brewery has proudly earned the Gold Medal in the Light Lager category at the prestigious 2025 New York State Craft Beer Competition, further cementing its reputation as a leader in New York’s craft brewing scene.

The annual competition, judged in early March in Rochester and organized by the New York State Brewers Association, is the largest state-level beer competition in the United States. This year’s event drew over 1,320 beer entries from 207 breweries across New York State. A panel of 75 industry experts evaluated entries across 32 beer style categories.

Paradox Brewery’s winning entry, its Helles Lager, stood out among a competitive field of light lagers. Known for its clean, balanced flavor and traditional German character, the beer impressed judges with its precision and drinkability.

“Brewing a traditional Helles Lager is one of the most challenging styles to get right,” said Paul Mrocka, Owner of Paradox Brewery. “It requires exacting standards and dedication to technique. This award is a reflection of our team’s passion for honoring classic brewing traditions while pushing for innovation and quality.”

Celebrating Craft Brewing in the Adirondacks
Located in North Hudson, in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains, Paradox Brewery is known for crafting high-quality, small-batch beers that reflect the spirit and natural beauty of New York State. Since its founding in 2013, the brewery has focused on producing beers with character, balance, and a sense of place.

The award-winning Helles Lager is now available at the Paradox Brewery taproom, and fans can also purchase it online via ParadoxBrewery.com.

About the New York State Craft Beer Competition
Organized by the New York State Brewers Association, the New York State Craft Beer Competition showcases the best in brewing across the state. Its rigorous judging process provides valuable feedback to brewers and trusted recommendations to beer lovers, recognizing excellence in both classic and contemporary styles.

About Paradox Brewery
Paradox Brewery is an independent craft brewery founded in 2013 in North Hudson, New York. Surrounded by the Adirondacks, Paradox is dedicated to producing innovative yet traditional beers that bring people together. With a growing list of awards and a commitment to quality, Paradox continues to be a standout name in the New York craft beer industry.

Visit ParadoxBrewery.com to learn more about their beers, upcoming events, and to order the gold medal-winning Helles Lager.
Follow @ParadoxBrewery on social media for the latest news and releases.

For Brewing fun facts, trivia, movies and more, Click Here.

Celebrating Craft Excellence: The AK Beer Awards Competition

February 6, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

Alaska, with its rugged landscapes and vibrant communities, has long been a haven for craft beer enthusiasts. The AK Beer Awards Competition, an annual showcase of the state’s finest brews, brings together brewers, judges, and beer lovers to celebrate the artistry and innovation of Alaskan craft beer. Held in the heart of Anchorage, this competition highlights the unique flavors and bold creativity that define Alaska’s brewing scene, from crisp lagers to smoky porters crafted with local ingredients.

A Stage for Alaskan Brewers
The AK Beer Awards Competition is a platform for both established and emerging breweries to showcase their best offerings. With Alaska’s craft beer industry thriving—home to over 40 breweries despite its small population—the event draws entries from across the state, including heavyweights like Alaskan Brewing Company in Juneau and 49th State Brewing in Anchorage. These breweries, alongside smaller operations, compete in a range of style categories, from American IPAs to barrel-aged stouts, reflecting the diversity of Alaskan brewing.

In 2024, the competition saw entries from breweries in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and beyond, with a panel of expert judges evaluating beers based on aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression. The judging process, aligned with standards similar to those of the World Beer Cup or Great American Beer Festival, ensures fairness and recognizes excellence in both traditional and experimental styles. Notably, Alaskan breweries have a strong track record in national competitions, with 49th State Brewing earning accolades like a silver medal for their Nitro McCarthy Stout in the 2024 U.S. Open Beer Championship and a gold for their Smok in the Smoke Beer category.

Standout Beers and Categories
The AK Beer Awards Competition features a wide array of beer styles, reflecting both global trends and local influences. Some of the most competitive categories include:

Juicy or Hazy IPA: A fan favorite, this category sees fierce competition as brewers experiment with hop-forward profiles and juicy, tropical notes. The style’s popularity mirrors national trends, with the World Beer Cup 2025 noting it as one of the most entered categories.

American-Style Stout: Alaskan brewers excel in crafting rich, roasty stouts, often infused with local flavors like coffee or chocolate. For example, 49th State Brewing’s Nitro McCarthy Stout has been a standout in national competitions.

Smoke Beer: Alaska’s brewing heritage includes smoked beers, a nod to traditional techniques. Alaskan Brewing Company’s Smoked Porter has historically performed well, earning a bronze in the 2024 U.S. Open Beer Championship.

Experimental Beer: Brewers often incorporate Alaskan ingredients like spruce tips, wild berries, or glacier water, creating beers that capture the essence of the Last Frontier.

This year’s competition highlighted the creativity of Alaskan brewers, with awards going to beers that balanced technical precision with bold innovation. While specific winners of the 2025 AK Beer Awards are not detailed here, the event mirrors the high standards of competitions like the World Beer Cup, where 8,375 entries from 1,761 breweries across 49 nations were judged in 2025, with U.S. breweries, including those from Alaska, claiming over 300 awards.

The Alaskan Brewing Scene
Alaska’s brewing culture is deeply tied to its independent spirit. Breweries like Alaskan Brewing Company, one of the state’s oldest, have paved the way with iconic beers like Amber Ale and Smoked Porter, while newer players like King Street Brewing and Midnight Sun Brewing push boundaries with experimental sours and barrel-aged brews. The AK Beer Awards Competition not only celebrates these breweries but also fosters a sense of community, bringing together brewers to share knowledge and inspire one another.

The competition also reflects broader industry trends. For instance, non-alcoholic and hoppy lagers are gaining traction, as seen in the World Beer Cup 2025, where categories like Hoppy Non-Alcohol Beer saw increased entries. Alaskan breweries are keeping pace, with some experimenting with low-ABV and non-alcoholic options to cater to evolving consumer preferences.

2024 AK Beer Awards Competition Results

American IPA Category
1st Place: Cynosure Brewing, Vivid Cold IPA
2nd Place: Turnagain Brewing, Hoppy Hooves West Coast IPA
3rd Place: Harbor Mountain Brewing Company, Tender Lovin’ West Coast IPA

Hazy or Juicy IPA Category
1st Place: Space Tornado NEIPA, Girdwood Brewing Company
2nd Place: No Woman No Cryo NEIPA, Girdwood Brewing Company
3rd Place: Totally Pitted Hazy IPA, Harbor Mountain Brewing Company

Imperial IPA Category
1st Place: HooDoo Brewing Company, 2024 21:49 Imperial IPA
2nd Place: Harbor Mountain Brewing Company, Chumdog Billionaire Hazy IIPA
3rd Place: Black Spruce Brewing Company, Solar Comedown Hazy DIPA

Imperial Ale or Lager
1st Place: Naptowne Brewing Company, Braveheart Scotch Ale
2nd Place: Glacier Brewhouse, Imperial Blonde
3rd Place: Turnagain Brewing, Imperial Stout

Hoppy Session Beer Category
1st Place: Black Spruce Brewing Company, Sandhill Sippa Hazy Pale Ale
2nd Place: Harbor Mountain Brewing Company, Alpine Pale Ale
3rd Place: Devil’s Club Brewing Company, Moon Drop Hazy Pale Ale

Red, Amber or Brown Beer Category
1st Place: HooDoo Brewing Company, Oktoberfest 2024
2nd Place: Alaskan Brewing Company, Amber
3rd Place: Turnagain Brewing, Marzen

Pale Lager Category
1st Place: Girdwood Brewing Company, Festbear Festbier
2nd Place: Turnagain Brewing, 30 Days in Hell Helles Lager
3rd Place: Lat 65 Brewing Company, Ptarmigan Pilsner

Pilsner Category
1st Place: Midnight Sun Brewing Company, Wolfpack Pilsner
2nd Place: Forbidden Peak Brewery, Abstrax Art Pilsner
3rd Place: Black Spruce Brewing Company, Purple Cone Contemporary Pilsner

Golden, Blonde & Other Light Ales
1st Place: Lat 65 Brewing Company, Up North Cream Ale
2nd Place: 49th State Brewing Company, Blonde Eagle Ale
3rd Place: Girdwood Brewing Company, Down the Chute Kolsch

Dark Beer
1st Place: Cynosure Brewing, Black Lager
2nd Place: Grace Ridge Brewing Company, Honey Porter
3rd Place: Matanuska Brewing Company, Deep Powder Porter

Fruit Beer
1st Place: Turnagain Brewing, Rhu-Fram
2nd Place: Turnagain Brewing, Persephone’s Potion
3rd Place: Girdwood Brewing Company, Funkberry Pie

Coffee & Smoked Beer
1st Place: Alaskan Brewing Company, Smoked Porter
2nd Place: Turnagain Brewing, Gotlandsdricke
3rd Place: Naptown Brewing Company, Old Man Marley Brown

Spiced, Herbed or Flavored Beer Category
1st Place: Cynosure Brewing, Hojicha Rice Lager
2nd Place: Growler Bay Brewing Company, Spruce Tip Ale
3rd Place: Midnight Sun Brewing Company, Leap Vanilla Milk Stout

Saison
1st Place: Devil’s Club Brewing Company, Rainforest Saison
2nd Place: Turnagain Brewing, Homesteader Saison
3rd Place: Naptowne Brewing Company, The Voyageur Belgian Saison

Sour Beer
1st Place: Turnagain Brewing, Guz Gueuze
2nd Place: Turnagain Brewing, Duke of Spenard Flanders Red
3rd Place: Devil’s Club Brewing Company, A-Papa American Wood-Aged Sour

Belgian, German or Brettanomyces Beer Category
1st Place: Turnagain Brewing, Brett Saison
2nd Place: Devil’s Club Brewing Company, Pink Elephants on Parade Belgian
Golden Strong Ale
3rd Place: Naptowne Brewing Company, Squall Hammer Belgian Dubbel

Barrel-Aged Beer
1st Place: Black Spruce Brewing Company, Voracious Tendencies Rum Barrel-Aged Black Barleywine
2nd Place, Turnagain Brewing, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
3rd Place: Glacier Brewhouse, Jim Beam Double Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

Non-Flavored Cider
1st Place: Arctic Roots Cider, Alaska Cider
2nd Place: Bear Creek Winery, Glacier Bear Semi-Dry Artisanal Cider
3rd Place: Double Shovel Cider Company, Extra Dry Cider

Flavored Cider
1st Place: Black Spruce Fruit Project, Pinnell Pineapple Semi-Sweet Cider
2nd Place: Lat 65 Brewing Company, Apples to Oranges Mimosa Cider
3rd Place: Black Spruce Fruit Project, Goldstream Guava Semi-Sweet Cider

Traditional or Flavored Mead
1st Place: Ravens Ring Brewing Co., Wilderness Spirits
2nd Place: Two Seasons Meadery, Solstice Noir
3rd Place: Hive Mind Meadery, POG Buzz

Hard Seltzer
1st Place: Growler Bay Brewing Company, Hibiscus Hard Seltzer
2nd Place: Alaskan Brewing Company, Cherry Grapefruit Hard Seltzer
3rd Place: Forbidden Peak Brewery, Strawberry Margarita Hard Seltzer