Beer Festival

Yards Brewing Company Hosts 2025 Real Ale Invitational

April 21, 2025 by Spencer Mapes

PHILADELPHIA, PA – April 2025 — Yards Brewing Company is proud to bring back the Yards Real Ale Invitational, the region’s only cask-conditioned beer festival, on Sunday, April 27, 2025, from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM at their brewery in Philadelphia.

This one-of-a-kind event features over 40 unique real ales from top breweries across Philadelphia, the Mid-Atlantic, and beyond. Guests will enjoy exclusive small-batch beers, live music, local bites, and a behind-the-scenes experience at Yards’ state-of-the-art brewing facility.

“Our philosophy has always been to honor traditional styles and bring inspiring, quality beer to our community,” says Tom Kehoe, founder of Yards Brewing Company. “This festival is a celebration of real ale — the beer that started it all for us.”

🍺 What Is Real Ale?

Unlike conventional beer, real ale is unfiltered, unpasteurized, and naturally carbonated inside a cask. It’s served fresh and conditioned without artificial CO₂ — a nod to centuries-old English brewing methods. Yards has been a champion of real ale since day one, with its flagship Extra Special Ale (ESA) always available on cask in the taproom.

🎉 Event Highlights

40+ cask-conditioned beers from leading breweries
Special releases like terpene-infused IPAs, barrel-aged quads, English-style porters, and more
Live music from Burnin’ Bridges, a folk-rock acoustic duo
Complimentary brewery tours during the event
Tasty snacks including soft pretzels from Philly Pretzel Factory and Marchiano Bakery’s famous tomato pie
All-inclusive ticket includes beer samples, food, a commemorative glass, and music

🍻 Participating Breweries

Enjoy rare and exclusive beers from:

Philadelphia legends like Dock Street Brewery and Iron Hill Brewery
Area favorites like Forest & Main Brewing and Levante Brewing
Regional standouts including Cape May Brewing (NJ), Tonewood Brewing (NJ), Big Oyster Brewery (DE), and Dewey Beer Company (DE)
…and many more to be announced!

📍 Event Details

📆 Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
🕛 Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
📍 Location: Yards Brewing Company, 500 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia, PA
🎟️ Tickets: Available online now

General Admission includes beer samples, food, glassware & entertainment
Designated Driver Tickets: $20

“Bringing together breweries from across the region isn’t just about celebrating beer,” adds Kehoe. “It’s about honoring shared history, creativity, and the community we’ve built over decades. Our motto, Brew Unto Others, really comes to life at this event.”

🔗 Learn More & Buy Tickets

To purchase tickets or explore the full list of breweries and beers, visit:
👉 yardsbrewing.com

About Yards Brewing Company

Yards Brewing Company, a cornerstone of Philadelphia’s craft beer scene, was founded in 1994 by friends Tom Kehoe and Jon Bovit, who began brewing as homebrewers in the late 1980s. Their passion for beer led to the establishment of a small, garage-sized brewery in Philadelphia’s Manayunk neighborhood, where they produced their first batches, including the now-iconic Extra Special Ale (ESA). Operating out of a 3.5-barrel brewhouse, they initially brewed one six-keg batch at a time, supplying local bars like Dawson Street Pub and Khyber Pass with hand-pumped ales. By April 1995, Yards ESA debuted at the Philadelphia Craft Beer Festival, marking their entry into the broader craft beer community.

The brewery grew steadily, and in 2008, Yards moved to its current 70,000-square-foot facility at 500 Spring Garden Street in Northern Liberties, a 100% wind-powered brewery that solidified its status as Philadelphia’s largest brewery by 2015.

Yards is renowned for its English-inspired ales, including Philadelphia Pale Ale, Brawler, and the Ales of the Revolution series, which draws from 18th-century recipes attributed to founding fathers like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin. Launched in 1999 in collaboration with City Tavern, this series includes General Washington’s Tavern Porter, Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale, and Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce, released for Franklin’s 300th birthday in 2006. The brewery’s commitment to quality and community is reflected in its motto, “Brew Unto Others,” emphasizing support for local organizations and sustainability.

Top 10 Cities in the United States to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day

March 17, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

History of Saint Patrick’s Day
Since the mid-20th century, St. Patrick’s Day has evolved from a primarily religious and cultural observance into a global celebration of Irish identity, driven by commercialization, tourism, and the Irish diaspora. In Ireland, the holiday shifted significantly after the 1930s, when Dublin’s parade grew into a national event to promote Irish pride. By the 1990s, the Irish government launched the St. Patrick’s Festival, a multi-day event in Dublin featuring music, dance, and cultural showcases, capitalizing on tourism and global interest. This marked a turning point, as Ireland embraced the holiday’s economic potential, with over 1 million visitors attending Dublin’s festivities annually by the 2010s.

In the United States, where Irish-Americans number over 30 million, St. Patrick’s Day became a cultural juggernaut. Cities like New York, Boston, and Chicago amplified traditions—New York’s parade, the world’s largest, draws up to 2 million spectators, while Chicago’s river-dyeing, started in 1962, became a viral symbol. The holiday also grew commercial, with green beer, shamrock merchandise, and leprechaun imagery fueling a multi-billion-dollar industry. However, this commercialization sparked debates, with critics arguing it perpetuates stereotypes, like drunkenness, over authentic Irish culture.

Globally, St. Patrick’s Day expanded through “greening” initiatives, where landmarks like the Sydney Opera House or the Colosseum turn green, a campaign Ireland began in 2010 to boost tourism. By 2025, over 70 countries host parades or events, from Tokyo to Buenos Aires, reflecting the diaspora’s reach and globalization’s impact. Yet, tensions persist—some Irish communities push back against caricatures, advocating for focus on traditional music, language, and history. The modern holiday, while festive, balances cultural pride with the challenges of commodification and identity.

Top 10 U.S. Cities to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day(according to US News and World Report)
1. Boston, MA
2. Savannah, GA
3. New London, Wisconsin
4. Chicago
5. Hot Springs, Arkansas
6. North Kansas City, Missouri
7. New York City
8. O’Neill, Nebraska
9. Enterprise, Alabama
10. New Orleans

Boston, Massachusetts
Boston, with its deep Irish-American heritage, is a St. Patrick’s Day powerhouse. The South Boston parade, one of the oldest in the U.S., fills the streets with bagpipes, colorful floats, and cheering crowds. Iconic pubs like The Black Rose pour green beer and serve corned beef, while céilí dances and cultural events along the Irish Heritage Trail add authenticity. The city’s vibrant community spirit and historical ties to Ireland create an electric, welcoming atmosphere, making Boston a top spot to celebrate March 17.

Savannah, Georgia
Savannah’s St. Patrick’s Day is a Southern gem, hosting one of the largest parades in the region since 1824. The historic district, with its oak-lined squares, becomes a sea of green as floats and bands march through. River Street’s open-container vibe fuels a laid-back party with live music and Irish whiskey. The mild March weather and Savannah’s charm—think cobblestone streets and warm hospitality—make it an inviting, festive destination for a unique St. Patrick’s Day experience.

New London, Wisconsin
New London, Wisconsin, offers a quirky, small-town St. Patrick’s Day with its “Shamrock Club” celebration, one of the state’s oldest. The town transforms into “New Dublin” for the week, hosting a parade with Irish dancers, pipe bands, and leprechaun-themed floats. Local taverns like Finn’s Pub serve green beer, and community events like Irish breakfasts foster a cozy, family-friendly vibe. New London’s heartfelt, grassroots festivities make it a charming choice for an authentic, low-key holiday.

Chicago, Illinois
Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day is iconic, thanks to the surreal tradition of dyeing the Chicago River emerald green, a spectacle that draws thousands. The downtown parade bursts with Irish pride, featuring shamrock-decorated floats and bagpipers, while South Side Irish neighborhoods like Beverly host their own marches. Pubs citywide pour green beer and Irish stout, keeping the party going late. Chicago’s bold, festive energy and unique traditions make it a must-visit for an unforgettable March 17.

Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs, Arkansas, claims the “World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade,” a 98-foot spectacle on Bridge Street that’s as whimsical as it gets. Expect Elvis impersonators, green-clad marchers, and a dose of Southern eccentricity. The town’s historic bathhouses and lively bars, like Maxine’s Live, serve up green cocktails and Irish tunes. Hot Springs’ compact, quirky celebration, paired with its spa-town charm, offers a fun, offbeat St. Patrick’s Day experience.

North Kansas City, Missouri
North Kansas City’s St. Patrick’s Day shines with its Snake Saturday Parade, a beloved local tradition blending Irish and reptilian themes to celebrate St. Patrick’s snake-banishing legend. Floats, bagpipers, and green-bedecked crowds fill the streets, while breweries like Cinder Block tap special green beers. The community’s laid-back, Midwestern warmth and creative spin on the holiday make North Kansas City a delightful, under-the-radar spot for March 17 festivities.

New York City, New York
New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day is a global spectacle, anchored by the world’s oldest and largest parade, running since 1762 along Fifth Avenue. Green-clad crowds pass St. Patrick’s Cathedral as bagpipes blare and Irish dancers perform. From Hell’s Kitchen pubs to cultural events like step-dancing showcases, the city pulses with energy. NYC’s sheer scale, diversity, and Irish pride deliver a St. Patrick’s Day that’s both historic and exhilarating.

O’Neill, Nebraska
O’Neill, Nebraska, dubbed the “Irish Capital of Nebraska,” delivers a heartfelt St. Patrick’s Day rooted in its Irish settler history. The town paints a shamrock on its main intersection and hosts a lively parade with tractors, horses, and green floats. Local bars like The Mint serve Irish coffee, and community events include Irish music and dance. O’Neill’s small-town charm and proud heritage make it a cozy, authentic spot for a traditional celebration.

Enterprise, Alabama
Enterprise, Alabama, hosts a surprisingly spirited St. Patrick’s Day with its “World’s Smallest St. Patrick’s Day Parade,” a tongue-in-cheek event featuring a single kilted marcher and a bagpiper. The town leans into the fun with green-themed festivals, live music, and pub crawls at spots like The Barrel. Enterprise’s warm weather and quirky, community-driven vibe offer a lighthearted, sunny twist on the holiday, perfect for a relaxed celebration.

New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans brings its Mardi Gras flair to St. Patrick’s Day, with the Irish Channel parade tossing cabbages, carrots, and beads from vibrant floats. The French Quarter buzzes with green cocktails, Irish jigs, and block parties, while bars like Parasol’s serve Guinness and po’boys. The city’s love for revelry, combined with its Irish-American roots, creates a raucous, soulful celebration. New Orleans’ festive chaos makes it an unbeatable St. Patrick’s Day destination.

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

St. Patrick’s Day by the Numbers

March 16, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

St. Patrick’s Day by the Numbers

On St. Patrick’s Day, an estimated 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed worldwide, fueling celebrations from Dublin to Dubai. In the United States, about 60% of Americans plan to join the festivities, contributing to a staggering $5.9 billion in total spending. The average reveler shells out around $40 on green attire, drinks, and food.

Iconic traditions shine in Chicago, where 45 pounds of eco-friendly vegetable dye have turned the river a brilliant emerald since the practice began in 1962. Meanwhile, a leprechaun’s mythical pot of gold—holding 1,000 one-ounce coins—would be worth roughly $1.3 million at current gold prices. St. Patrick’s Day ranks as the fourth-most popular drinking holiday in the U.S., trailing only New Year’s Eve, Christmas, and the Fourth of July. Sixteen American cities bear the name Dublin, and the nation’s first St. Patrick’s Day parade marched through Boston in 1737—decades before Ireland held its own.

American St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day in the United States is a boisterous, emerald-hued spectacle that transforms cities into Irish wonderlands every March 17. Rooted in the veneration of Ireland’s patron saint, the holiday arrived with waves of Irish immigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries and quickly evolved from solemn religious observances into a full-throated celebration of Irish heritage and general revelry. In cities with large Irish-American populations—Boston, Chicago, New York, and Savannah—parades draw hundreds of thousands of spectators. Chicago famously dyes its river a vivid green using an environmentally safe vegetable-based dye, a tradition started in 1962 by plumbers who noticed the color lingering after testing for pollution. Bagpipers in kilts, step dancers with lightning-fast feet, and floats sponsored by local unions and businesses wind through downtown streets while spectators, many sporting shamrock antennae or “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” pins (regardless of actual ancestry), cheer and toss beads.

The day is as much about communal indulgence as cultural pride. Bars open early, serving green beer, Irish car bombs, and corned beef with cabbage to crowds decked out in every shade of green imaginable. House parties spill onto porches, and even non-Irish Americans join in, turning the holiday into a universal excuse for daytime drinking and good-natured mischief. In New York, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade—dating back to 1762 and billed as the world’s oldest and largest—marches up Fifth Avenue past St. Patrick’s Cathedral, where the Archbishop offers a blessing. Though the festivities can get rowdy, with police managing overflowing sidewalks and occasional overindulgers, the overwhelming mood is one of inclusive joy, a mid-March reminder that, for one day, everyone claims a drop of Irish blood.

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

History of Ursula Brewery in Aurora, Colorado

March 10, 2025 by Morgan Forsyth

Ursula Brewery(2015-2024)
Ursula Brewery quietly opened its doors in Aurora, Colorado, in December 2015, but its roots run straight back to one of the state’s most legendary (and long-gone) cult breweries: Phantom Canyon Brewing in Colorado Springs.

Co-founders Ben Davis and Mike Van Ness both cut their teeth at Phantom Canyon in the late ’90s and early 2000s, where they brewed under the late Steve Gonzalez—Colorado’s original “godfather of barrel-aged beers.” When Phantom Canyon closed its original brewhouse in 2012, Ben and Mike carried that old-school, no-shortcuts philosophy with them. After years of homebrewing together and plotting over pints, they launched Ursula in a low-key industrial strip on the edge of Aurora, just minutes from Denver International Airport.

Named after Ben’s grandmother Ursula (a tough-as-nails German immigrant who loved her lager), the brewery’s identity has always been “refined classics with a Colorado twist.” From day one, Ursula specialized in crisp, clean lagers (a rarity in IPA-crazed Colorado at the time) alongside English-style bitters, German altbiers, and the occasional big barrel-aged stouts. Their flagship Frauline Ursula German Pilsner became an instant local favorite for its snappy noble-hop bite and bone-dry finish, while Phantasmagoria (a rotating series of barrel-aged imperial stouts and barleywines) paid direct homage to their Phantom Canyon’s iconic old program.

By 2018, Ursula had outgrown its original 7-bbl system and expanded into the space next door, adding a 15-bbl brewhouse and a cozy 70-seat taproom with garage doors and a dog-friendly patio. That same year they took home gold at the Great American Beer Festival for their Dunkelweizen, cementing their rep as one of Colorado’s most underrated lager houses.

Through the 2020s, Ursula stayed fiercely independent while the rest of the state exploded with hazy IPAs and pastry stouts. They kept quietly cranking out perfect Kölsch, Helles, Märzen, and the occasional dry-hopped lager, earning a cult following among Denver-area beer nerds who wanted something crushable that still tasted like beer. In 2023, they launched limited can distribution of Fraulein Ursula and their Black Forest Schwarzbier, finally giving shelf space to Colorado lagers that could hang with the big boys.

Closing of Ursula Brewery
The Denver Post reported that Ursula Brewery in Aurora, near Anschutz Medical and Children’s Hospital, had its last day on December 22, 2023. It sounds like the saddest Christmas party, to me.

PICK OHIO BEER Festival 2025

February 10, 2025 by Spencer Mapes

PICKERINGTON, OH – “We will have an amazing selection of unique offerings pouring in the Combustion Private Event Space on the 22nd for Pick Ohio Beer Fest! Tickets are on sale now!” said Combustion owner Sarah Jackson.

“This is our sixth year for the Pick Ohio Beer Festival! It’s a great event that get’s other Ohio breweries out to the taproom to raise money in conjunction with Helping Hops to benefit the (ROX) Ruling Our eXperiences! The buzz around the event really livens things up this time of year!” said Combustion owner Keith Jackson.

FEBRUARY 22, 2025
12 PM – 6:30 PM

Enjoy artisanal beer curated from some of Ohio’s most highly sought-after breweries at Pick Ohio Beer Fest! Beer samples will reflect the unique talents of each brewery under one roof. This intimate festival experience will be hosted at Combustion Private Event Space and presented in collaboration with Helping Hops! A portion of ticket sales to benefit (ROX) Ruling Our eXperiences! Blending an unparalleled tasting experience with an opportunity to Empower Girls To Rule Their Experiences — From Relationships To Academics. We promise a great selection with generous result!

Participating Breweries
2 Tones Brewing Co.
Combustion Brewery & Taproom
DankHouse Brewing Company
Derive Brewing Company
Forbidden Root Brewery
Jackie O’s
Sixth Sense Brewing Co.
Streetside Brewery
Three Tigers Brewing Co.
Thunderwing Brewing

February 22nd Food Truck
Spanglish Latin Street Food 11am-9pm

Tickets
combustionbrewing.com/tickets

Address
80 W Church St Ste 200 • Pickerington, OH 43147

For More Information:
Learn More

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

2023 Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer Winners Announced

January 6, 2025 by Spencer Mapes

CHICAGO, Illinois: The 2023 Festival of Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer (FOBAB) turned Chicago’s Credit Union 1 Arena into a hoppy haven on November 10-11, where over 150 breweries unleashed more than 200 barrel-aged masterpieces on thirsty enthusiasts. Picture this: the air thick with notes of bourbon, vanilla, and toasted oak as attendees swirled, sniffed, and sipped their way through rarities like Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout variants and Revolution Brewing’s Deep Wood Series bombs. It wasn’t just a tasting—it was a boozy treasure hunt, with lines snaking around for limited pours of coffee-infused porters and wine-barrel sours that could make even a teetotaler reconsider their life choices.

FOBAB 2023 crowned champions in a blaze of glory, with Side Project Brewing snagging Best of Show for their silky-smooth Jammy, a fruit-forward barrel-aged beauty that had judges weak in the knees. Local heroes like Half Acre and Maplewood brought the Chicago pride, while out-of-towners from California to Belgium added global flair. Between sessions, folks geeked out over aging techniques, swapped trading cards for rare bottles, and left with bellies full of liquid art—and maybe a slight wobble. If you’re plotting your 2024 beer bucket list, Google “FOBAB Chicago tickets” now; this fest proves the Windy City knows how to age gracefully, one barrel at a time!

2023 FOBAB Medal Winners

Cider/Perry/Mead
Gold: Final Act – Garagiste Meadery
Silver: Rye Barrel Aged Marion – Superstition Meadery
Bronze: Wealthy Financier – Listermann Fermatorium

Wild Beer Mixed Culture/Acidic W/Fruit
Gold: Peach Horizon – 10 Barrel West Side
Silver: Routes Du Cidre – Idyll Forest Artisan Ales
Bronze: Soiree – Idyll Forest Artisan Ales

Wild Beer Mixed Culture/Acidic
Gold: Oblivion – Wicked Weed Brewing
Silver: Cuvee De Josh – Pretentious Barrel House
Bronze: Polyflora – Brewery Bhavana

Wild Brett Beer
Gold: Oaked Val D’Or – Hidden Hand Brewery
Silver: Palace of Gold – Full Mile Beer Co. & Kitchen
Bronze: Oak Rado – Penrose Brewing Company

Specialty & Experimental Beer
Gold: Mezcal Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos – Off Color Brewing – Production
Silver: Astral Predator – Cerebral Brewing – Congress Park
Bronze: All That Was Promised – Magnanimous Brewing

Fruit Beer
Gold: Icky Bob Thornton – Haymarket Pub and Brewery
Silver: Tako Michu – 10 Barrel West Side
Bronze: Polynesian Passion – Sun King Brewery-Fishers

Other Dark Beer
Gold: Bravissimo – Firestone Walker Propagator
Silver: Orin – Half Acre
Bronze Skateboard Jesus – 10 Barrel East Side

Lagers
Gold: Dark Crator – Boulevard Brewing Company
Silver: Brewers’ Reserve Bourbon Barrel-Aged Honey Bock – Lakefront Brewery
Bronze: Barrel-Aged Generator Doppelbock – Metropolitan Brewing

Other Pale Beer
Gold: Tripel G – Belgian Style Tripel – Sketchbook Brewing Co. Skokie
Silver: Boost – HighGrain Brewing Company
Bronze: Muon – Loose Ends Brewing

Barley Wine/Wheat Wine
Gold: Moments of Silent Banter – Taproom Beer Co.
Silver: Owl of Athena – Solemn Oath Brewery
Bronze: Two Faced Terror – False Idol Brewing

Specialty Strong Porter & Stout
Gold: BBA Ego Death W Vanilla – Resident Culture Brewing
Silver: Veneration of the Dead – Ever Grain Brewing
Bronze: BA Cuppa Stuffff – Maplewood Brewery & Distillery

Strong Porter & Stout
Gold: Mehndi 2023 – More Brewing Company
Silver: Slappa Da Base – Mikerphone Brewing
Bronze: Double BA Temple of Minerva – Jackie O’s Brewery

Best of Show
Runner Up: Mehndi 2023 – More Brewing Company
Winner: Oaked Val D’Or – Hidden Hand Brewery

For more information on the 2023 Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer, Click Here.

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

2018 Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer (FoBAB) Medal Winners

November 18, 2024 by Dow Scoggins

The 2018 Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer (FoBAB) – aka the Super Bowl of Barrel-Aged Brews 🍻🥃 – is hands-down the world’s biggest and baddest barrel-aged beer bash and showdown! Every year, the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild throws open the doors in Chicago and invites breweries from every corner of the planet to flex their rarest, wildest, wood-kissed creations.

Every single pour – beer, cider, mead, perry – has been lovingly aged in wood or at least given a flirty little wood-chip spa day. And yeah, the brewers go full gladiator mode in the National Barrel-Aged Beer Competition for ultimate bragging rights.

This year? A whopping 400+ barrel-aged beauties from 210 breweries across 30 states threw their hats (and barrels) in the ring.

Ready for the 2018 FoBAB medal winners? Let’s pop the cork on the champs!

2018 Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer Medal Winners

Category Cider, Perry, Mead
Gold: Cellarmen’s – Valentine Liberator Gin Barrel Aged Cranpus
Silver: Superstition Meadery – Aphrodisia
Bronze: 2 Towns Ciderhouse – La Mure

Category Wild Beer Sour w/Fruit
Gold: Rhinegeist Brewery – Perpetual Passion
Silver: The Rare Barrel- Playing for Keeps
Bronze: Horus Aged Ales – Goodbye to Beauty

Category Wild Beer Sour
Gold: Hopewell Brewing Company – Crudites
Silver: Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project – L’Brett D’or
Bronze: The Rare Barrel – The Search

Category: Wild Beer Brett
Gold: Off Color – Mousetrap – Wildings
Silver: Blackberry Farm Brewery – Barrel Series Brett Belgo IPA
Bronze: Funkwerks – Sauvin Serve

Category: Fruit Beer
Gold: Werk Force Brewing – Farmhouse Vultures Saison with Raspberries and Blackberries
Silver: Werk Force Brewing – The Legend of Mr. Birger Saison
Bronze: Brickstone – Barrel Aged AfterWorld with Luxardo Cherries

Category: Specialty Experimental
Gold: Fremont Brewing – B-Bomb: Coconut Edition
Silver: St. Francis Brewery – Teotwawki
Bronze: The Dayton Beer Company – Deep Sea Diving Aged in Bookers

Category: Strong Dark Beer Category
Gold: Rock Bottom Brewery(Portland) – 5th Dimension
Silver: Karetas Brewing – Colm Cille
Bronze: Half Acre Brewing – Orin

Category: Strong Pale Beer
Gold: Pollyanna Brewing – Orenda Volume 03 Aged in Apple Brandy Barrels
Silver: Karetas Brewing – Sacre Coeur
Bronze: Nebraska Brewing – Melange a Trois

Category: Classic Beer Styles
Gold: Middle Brow Beer Company – Sassafras Brut
Silver: Church Street Brewing – Holly Moly
Bronze: Black Horizon Brewing – Gin Barrel Aged Fooled Me Once

Category: Barleywine/Wheatwine
Gold: Verboten Brewing Cognac/Whiskey Grow Old with You
Silver: Goose Island Beer Company – Bourbon County Brand Wheatwine
Bronze: Revolution Brewing(Kedzie) – Straight Jacket

Category: Specialty Strong Porter/Stout
Gold: Bottle Logic Brewing – Fundamental Observation
Silver: Freemont Brewing – The Rusty Nail
Bronze: Four Fathers Brewing – Double Barrel Aged Wheelhouse

Category: Strong Porter/Stout
Gold: More Brewing – Barrel-Aged Mehndi
Silver: Saugatuck Brewing – BBA Gramanatrixxx
Bronze: Emperical Brewery – Neutronium

Best in Show: Bottle Logic Brewing – Fundamental Observation
Runner Up: The Hopewell Brewing – Crudites

FoBAB, the Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer
FoBAB, the Festival of Wood & Barrel-Aged Beer, kicked off in 2004 at Chicago’s Goose Island Wrigleyville Taproom as a cozy showcase for oaky brews, dreamed up by the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild (ICBG). Inspired by trailblazers like Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout, it quickly grew from 50 local pours to the world’s largest barrel-aged bash, adding a pro-judged National Barrel-Aged Beer Competition in 2006. By 2010, it outgrew taprooms for bigger venues like the Logan Square Auditorium, pulling global brewers and thousands of fans to geek out over whiskey-kissed stouts and funky ferments.

Today, FoBAB draws 10,000+ attendees over two nights, pouring 500+ entries from 250+ breweries across 40 states and beyond—every beer, cider, mead, or perry required to flirt with wood (barrels or chips). Medals launch legends, trends like tequila-cask IPAs are born, and funds fuel ICBG advocacy. Fun fact: Over 100,000 samples have flowed in peak years—enough to fill a kiddie pool with boozy bliss. Grab tickets fast at fobab.com and toast Chicago’s barrel-aged empire!

2022 Great American Beer Festival Medal Winners and Breweries of the Year

September 30, 2024 by Dow Scoggins

The 2022 Great American Beer Festival (GABF), held October 6-8 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, marked a triumphant return to in-person festivities for its 40th anniversary, following virtual events in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hosted by the Brewers Association, the festival welcomed over 40,000 attendees who sampled more than 4,000 beers from 800 breweries, showcasing the diversity and innovation of American craft brewing. The event buzzed with live music, costume contests, and the unique PAIRED experience, pairing craft beers with culinary creations from top chefs. The festival’s competition, the nation’s largest professional beer judging, awarded 300 medals across 98 categories, with 9,904 entries evaluated by 235 experts from seven countries, cementing GABF’s reputation as the pinnacle of brewing excellence.

Only a couple of weeks before the 2024 Great American Beer Festival announces the 2024 medal winners and breweries of the year. Let’s look at last year’s winners and reining champs.

2022 Great American Beer Festival Medal Winners
Category 1: American Wheat Beer – 65 Entries
Gold: Sunsphere, Balter Beerworks, Knoxville, TN
Silver: Canebrake, Parish Brewing Co., Broussard, LA
Bronze: Uinta Brewing Golden Spike Hefeweizen, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt
Lake City, UT

Category 2: American Fruit Beer – 118 Entries
Gold: Street Cart, Golden Road Brewing – Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Silver: Big Sippin’, Odell Brewing Co. – Five Points Brewhouse, Denver, CO
Bronze: Lemonade, Surly Brewing Co., Minneapolis, MN

Category 3: Fruit Wheat Beer – 106 Entries
Gold: Guava Cart, Golden Road Brewing – Huntington Harbour, Huntington
Beach, CA
Silver: Inclusion Criteria, Relative Risk Brewing Co., Penn Yan, NY
Bronze: Tuava Guava, Laguna Beach Beer Co., Rancho Santa
Margarita, CA

Category 4: Field Beer – 69 Entries
Gold: King of Carrot Flowers, Ratio Beerworks, Denver, CO
Silver: Cucumber Crush, 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Bend, OR
Bronze: Heart Island, Grand Fir Brewing, Portland, OR

Category 5: Pumpkin Beer – 71 Entries
Gold: Pumpkin Ale, Blackstone Brewing Co., Nashville, TN
Silver: Gourd Darn-it, Third Eye Brewing Co., Sharonville, OH
Bronze: Pumpkinslayer, Royal Docks Brewing Co. – Brewhouse + Cannery,
Massillon, OH

Category 6: Chili Beer – 88 Entries
Gold: Chilis from the Grave, Family Business Beer Co., Dripping
Springs, TX
Silver: Green Chile Honey Kölsch, Bent Barley Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
Bronze: Hatch Nites, Lovelady Brewing Co., Henderson, NV

Category 7: Herb and Spice Beer – 90 Entries
Gold: Chai Eye Captain, Third Eye Brewing Co., Sharonville, OH
Silver: Hibiscus Lime Shandy, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Santa
Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Bronze: Kha Point, Pathlight Brewing, Shawnee, KS

Category 8: Chocolate Beer – 43 Entries
Gold: Double Astral, Third Eye Brewing Co., Sharonville, OH
Silver: Midnight Hike, River North Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Because You’re Mine, The Bruery, Placentia, CA

Category 9: Coffee Beer – 69 Entries
Gold: Cuppa Joe Coffee Brown Ale, Kulshan Brewing Co., Bellingham, WA
Silver: Kurt’s Mile High Malt, Wynkoop Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Conditions of My Parole, The Empourium Brewing Co.,
Denver, CO

Category 10: Coffee Stout or Porter – 68 Entries
Gold: Lil Zoomie, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Super Tonic, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Bronze: Venti is Large, Hop Dogma Brewing Co., Half Moon Bay, CA

Category 11: Dessert Stout or Pastry Stout – 49 Entries
Gold: Board Meeting, Corporate Ladder Brewing Co., Palmetto, FL
Silver: Mega Devil’s Teeth: Double Dutch S’mores Edition, Modern Times
Beer, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Chaos Grid: The Final Final Course, Modern Times Beer, San
Diego, CA

Category 12: Rye Beers – 52 Entries
Gold: No. 68 Red Lager, The Freehouse, Minneapolis, MN
Silver: Steamy Wonder, Proper Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Rye Dawn, Breakwater Brewing Co., Oceanside, CA

Category 13: Honey Beer – 67 Entries
Gold: Smashing Honey Blonde, Hoppin’ Frog Brewing, Akron, OH
Silver: Jetty, Great South Bay Brewery, Bay Shore, NY
Bronze: Valhallale, Coney Island Brewing Co., Brooklyn, NY

Category 14: Non-Alcohol Beer – 70 Entries
Gold: Free & Easy Belgian-Style White, Karbach Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Silver: Juicy NA IPA, Two Roads Brewing Co., Stratford, CT
Bronze: Night Strike, Leader Brewing, Palm Bay, FL

Category 15: Session Beer or Belgian-Style Table Beer – 42 Entries
Gold: Oblique & Bent, The Big Friendly, Oklahoma City, OK
Silver: Guillaume, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Tip the Calf, SingleSpeed Brewing Tap Room, Cedar Falls, IA

Category 16: Session India Pale Ale – 82 Entries
Gold: Only Good Vibes, Halcyon Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: The Next Chapter, Original Pattern Brewing Co., Oakland, CA
Bronze: Micro Blaster, Shred Beer Co., Rocklin, CA

Category 17: Strong Porter – 38 Entries
Gold: Barometer Drop, Ballast Point Brewing Co. – Little Italy, San
Diego, CA
Silver: Herd of Turtles, Bagby Beer Co., Oceanside, CA
Bronze: Midnight Rider Imperial Porter, Great American Restaurants –
Sweetwater Tavern Merrifield, Falls Church, VA

Category 18: Other Strong Beer – 33 Entries
Gold: Breakside LIFE, Breakside Brewery & Taproom, Milwaukie, OR
Silver: Skate Juice, Hideaway Park Brewery, Winter Park, CO
Bronze: Random Acts of Greatness, HopSaint Brewing Co., Torrance, CA

Category 19: Experimental India Pale Ale – 106 Entries
Gold: Tropical Terps IPA, Belching Beaver Brewery – Oceanside
Brewhouse, Oceanside, CA
Silver: Forager IPA, Pumphouse Brewery & Restaurant, Longmont, CO
Bronze: Pina Colada Milkshake IPA, 14er Brewing Co., Denver, CO

Category 20: Experimental Beer – 83 Entries
Gold: Hill & Hollow: Cayuga, Cinderlands Foederhouse, Pittsburgh, PA
Silver: Apple Pomace Puncheon, Angel City Brewery, Los Angeles, CA
Bronze: Small Batch – Intinction Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Brewing
Co. – Windsor, Windsor, CA

Category 21: Experimental Wood-Aged Beer – 32 Entries
Gold: Soul Shakedown Party, Sun King Brewery, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Boathouse Reserve Imperial Stout, Crystal Lake Brewing, Crystal
Lake, IL
Bronze: Sugar Moon, Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Co., Ossipee, NH

Category 22: Historical Beer – 41 Entries
Gold: IZOLA Kvass, East Village Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Derby Day, Roadmap Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX
Bronze: Grodziskie, Sketchbook Brewing Co., Skokie, IL

Category 23: Gluten-Free Beer – 47 Entries
Gold: It Came From The Haze, Ghostfish Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: Lander Lager, Ghostfish Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Bronze: Scarlet Sunset, Buck Wild Brewing, Oakland, CA

Category 24: American-Belgo-Style Ale – 34 Entries
Gold: DOL, Longtab Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX
Silver: Whitewall Wheat, Crank Arm Brewing Co., Raleigh, NC
Bronze: Paper Game, Ozark Beer Co., Rogers, AR

Category 25: American Sour Ale – 32 Entries
Gold: Brilliant, 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Bend, OR
Silver: The Sauer House Project: Ellie’s Version, Dostal Alley Brewpub &
Casino, Central City, CO
Bronze: Fate Single Hop Sour, Fate Brewing Co., Scottsdale, AZ

Category 26: Fruited American Sour Ale – 160 Entries
Gold: Huckleberry pHin Sour, Lost Winds Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA
Silver: Poggers, Immersion Brewing, Bend, OR
Bronze: Fistful of Gummies, Second Chance Beer Co., San Diego, CA

Category 27: Brett Beer – 46 Entries
Gold: Tapestry From An Asteroid, The Big Friendly, Oklahoma City, OK
Silver: Druif Blanc, pFriem Cascade Locks Barrelhouse, Cascade
Locks, OR
Bronze: Neon Butterfly, Deschutes Brewery & Public House – PDX,
Portland, OR

Category 28: Mixed-Culture Brett Beer – 59 Entries
Gold: Loup et Renard Saison, Odd Breed Wild Ales, Pompano Beach, FL
Silver: Never Been Wrong, Thompson Island Brewing Co., Rehoboth
Beach, DE
Bronze: Silent Sounds, Monday Night Brewing – Garage, Atlanta, GA

Category 29: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer – 30 Entries
Gold: Ye Olde Ale, Banded Oak Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Barrel Aged Maibock, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Bourbon Barrel Drafty Kilt, Monday Night Brewing – Garage,
Atlanta, GA

Category 30: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer – 122 Entries
Gold: Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged Atom Smasher, Rock Bottom Brewery –
Bethesda, Bethesda, MD
Silver: 1314, Black Tooth Brewing Co., Sheridan, WY
Bronze: Amaro Barrel Aged Barleywine, pFriem Cascade Locks
Barrelhouse, Cascade Locks, OR

Category 31: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout – 121 Entries
Gold: Breakside The Trappings and the Suits of Woe, Breakside Brewery –
NW Slabtown, Portland, OR
Silver: Black Market Liver, Windmills Brewery & Restaurant, The Colony, TX
Bronze: Barrel Aged Count Chungus, Werk Force Brewing Co.,
Plainfield, IL

Category 32: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 28 Entries
Gold: Wet Hop Strata (2023), Barrique Brewing & Blending, Nashville, TN
Silver: Sea of Waves, True Anomaly Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: Speedy G, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman, MT

Category 33: Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 53 Entries
Gold: I Don’t Want to Wait, 1840 Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Passionfruit on Acid, Blue Mountain Barrel House, Arrington, VA
Bronze: Spring Reverb, HiDef Brewing Co., Los Angeles, CA

Category 34: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier – 70 Entries
Gold: Copper Midge, Spearfish Brewing Co., Spearfish, SD
Silver: Chasing Trains, Formula Brewing, Issaquah, WA
Bronze: Light Hike, Topa Topa Brewing Co. – HQ, Ventura, CA

Category 35: Smoke Beer – 73 Entries
Gold: Ilaria, Whistle Hop Brewing Co., Fairview, NC
Silver: Helles Rauchbier, Double Clutch Brewing Co., Evanston, IL
Bronze: Schmoke Em’ Up, NewSylum Brewing Co., Newtown, CT

Category 36: Light Lager – 284 Entries
Gold: Nashville Light, Nashville Brewing Co., Nashville, TN
Silver: Mexican Lager, Lone Tree Brewing Co., Lone Tree, CO
Bronze: Legendary Lager, MadTree Brewing, Cincinnati, OH

Category 37: American-Style Lager – 123 Entries
Gold: Sonrisa, Common Space Brewery, Hawthorne, CA
Silver: Bendelo Especial, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR
Bronze: Saca La Bolsita, Villains Brewing Co., Anaheim, CA

Category 38: Contemporary American-Style Lager – 104 Entries
Gold: Scout, True Anomaly Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Silver: Shouganai, Blue Point Brewing Co., Patchogue, NY
Bronze: Blackberry Smoke American Lager, New Realm Brewing Co. –
Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

Category 39: American Pilsener – 141 Entries
Gold: Wibby Jibby, Wibby Brewing, Longmont, CO
Silver: Cerveza Mecanica, Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO
Bronze: Week 365, Industrial Arts Brewing Co., Beacon, NY

Category 40: International-Style Pilsener – 141 Entries
Gold: Little Wing, Horse Thief Hollow Brewing Co., Chicago, IL
Silver: Ofrenda, Device Brewing Co., Sacramento, CA
Bronze: Tora!, Fall Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category 41: American Cream Ale – 124 Entries
Gold: 307, Black Tooth Brewing Co., Sheridan, WY
Silver: Cinco Cinco Cinco!, Shred Beer Co., Rocklin, CA
Bronze: The Coloradan, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound
Mill, Lafayette, CO

Category 42: Other Hoppy Lager – 68 Entries
Gold: Jet Lag Lager, Vacancy Brewing, Austin, TX
Silver: Juicy Pilsner, Cinder Block Brewery, North Kansas City, MO
Bronze: Day Beer, Trap Door Brewing – Whistle Stop Pub, Washougal, WA

Category 43: India Pale Lager or Cold India Pale Ale – 134 Entries
Gold: Sound Sail, MadeWest Brewing Co., Ventura, CA
Silver: Orizaba Cold IPA, Cheluna Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
Bronze: Zero Degrees, Shred Beer Co., Rocklin, CA

Category 44: American Amber Lager – 126 Entries
Gold: Hometown Lager, Second Pitch Beer Co., San Antonio, TX
Silver: Vecino, Balter Beerworks, Knoxville, TN
Bronze: Bell’s Brewery Octoberfest, Bell’s Brewery, Comstock, MI

Category 45: German-Style Pilsener – 228 Entries
Gold: Prodigal Pils, Lazarus Brewing Co. – Laz 2, Austin, TX
Silver: Prost Pilsner, Prost Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Don’t Fear The Answer, Tenma Beer Project, Oakland, CA

Category 46: Bohemian-Style Pilsener – 158 Entries
Gold: Crazy Horse, Lazarus Brewing Co., Austin, TX
Silver: Daytonian Rhapsody, Eudora Brewing Co., Dayton, OH
Bronze: Tahoe Pilz, FiftyFifty Brewing Co. – Production Facility,
Truckee, CA

Category 47: Munich-Style Helles – 172 Entries
Gold: Prinz Crispy, Deschutes Brewery & Public House – Bend, Bend, OR
Silver: Templin Family Helles, Templin Family Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Ein Helles, Counter Weight Brewing Co., Cheshire, CT

Category 48: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest – 134 Entries
Gold: Dortmunder Export, Cooperage Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: Thunder from Dortmunder, Marble Brewery – MavLab,
Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Dorty Work, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA

Category 49: Vienna-Style Lager – 116 Entries
Gold: Oktoberfest, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA
Silver: Oktoberfest, Silver Branch Brewing Co., Silver Spring, MD
Bronze: Cape May Oktoberfest, Cape May Brewing Co., Cape May, NJ

Category 50: German-Style Maerzen – 162 Entries
Gold: Seedstock Maerzen, Seedstock Brewery, Denver, CO
Silver: Festbier, Big Grove Brewery & Taproom, Iowa City, IA
Bronze: Oktoberfest, Golden Road Brewing – Los Angeles,
Los Angeles, CA

Category 51: German Dark Lager – 122 Entries
Gold: Goodnight Munich, Liquid Gravity Brewing Co., San Luis Obispo, CA
Silver: Wunder Bier, Red Leg Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO
Bronze: Black Hill, Silver Reef Brewing Co., Saint Georg

Category 52: International Dark Lager – 79 Entries
Gold: Midnight Trucker, Rock Solid Brewing Co., Ball Ground, GA
Silver: Tmavé, Copper Furrow Brewing, Helena, MT
Bronze: Flek Me?? No Flek Ů!!, Brieux Carré Brewing Co., New
Orleans, LA

Category 53: Bock – 70 Entries
Gold: Hootenanny, Bankhead Brewing Co., Rowlett, TX
Silver: Breakline Bock, Rip Current Brewing, San Marcos, CA
Bronze: Ain’t Afraid of No Goats, Metazoa Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN

Category 54: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock – 44 Entries
Gold: Execrator, Resolute Brewing Co., Centennial, CO
Silver: Co-Munichator, Deschutes Brewery & Public House – PDX,
Portland, OR
Bronze: Activator, Wallenpaupack Brewing Co., Hawley, PA

Category 55: Golden or Blonde Ale – 138 Entries
Gold: Fancy Lawnmower Beer, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Silver: Sunlight Cream Ale, Sun King Brewery, Indianapolis, IN
Bronze: Basecamp Blonde, Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. – Production
Facility, Chattanooga, TN

Category 56: German-Style Koelsch – 195 Entries
Gold: Kodiak Kolsch, Bear Chase Brewing Co., Bluemont, VA
Silver: Rise & Climb, New Terrain Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: Cruzer, Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX

Category 57: English Ale – 69 Entries
Gold: Elissa IPA, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Silver: House Ale, 1849 Brewing Co., Grass Valley, CA
Bronze: Prickly Pear Pale Ale, Lewis & Clark Brewing Co., Helena, MT

Category 58: International-Style Pale Ale – 123 Entries
Gold: Hand of Josh, Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Silver: Carlsbad Crush, Burgeon Beer Co., Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: Extra Pale Ale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co. – The Propagator,
Marina del Rey, CA

Category 59: New Zealand India Pale Ale – 104 Entries
Gold: Kiwi (The Bird), Rhinegeist Innovation Brewery, Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Spirit of the West, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound
Mill, Lafayette, CO
Bronze: Docta-Ron, Russian River Brewing Co. – Santa Rosa, Santa
Rosa, CA

Category 60: American-Style Pale Ale – 149 Entries
Gold: Featherweight, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Snow Crest, Outlaw Brewing Co., Bozeman, MT
Bronze: Double Nickels, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA

Category 61: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale – 118 Entries
Gold: Cloudy Joose, New Belgium Brewing Co. – Mission Bay, San
Francisco, CA
Silver: Sneakbox, Kane Brewing Co., Ocean, NJ
Bronze: Lil’ Space Booties, MORE Brewing Co., Huntley, IL

Category 62: American-Style Strong Pale Ale – 123 Entries
Gold: Mai Tai, Alvarado Street Brewery & Bistro, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA
Silver: Chaos Erupts, Unsung Brewing Co., Tustin, CA
Bronze: Liquid Gravity IPA, Liquid Gravity Brewing Co., San Luis
Obispo, CA

Category 63: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale – 140 Entries
Gold: PB Haze, TapRoom Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Modern Melody, Corn Coast Brewing Co., Lincoln, NE
Bronze: Tropical Mirage, Flix Brewhouse – ABQ, Albuquerque, NM

Category 64: American-Style India Pale Ale – 206 Entries
Gold: Head Hunter, Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon, North Olmsted, OH
Silver: Breakside IPA, Breakside Brewery & Taproom, Milwaukie, OR
Bronze: Downtown Tom, Three Mile Brewing Co., Davis, CA

Category 65: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale – 365 Entries
Gold: Golden Goal, 1852 Brew Co., Visalia, CA
Silver: Juicy Mid-Tones, Corn Coast Brewing Co., Lincoln, NE
Bronze: Make it Rain, Side Hustle Brewing Co., Hilton Head Island, SC

Category 66: West Coast-Style India Pale Ale – 301 Entries
Gold: Westbound Select, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho
Springs, CO
Silver: Untold Prophecy, Slice Beer Co., Lincoln, CA
Bronze: Bright Side IPA, Uprise Brewing Co., Spokane, WA

Category 67: Imperial India Pale Ale – 130 Entries
Gold: Triple IPA, Claremont Craft Ales, Claremont, CA
Silver: Drama King, Liquid Gravity Brewing Co., San Luis Obispo, CA
Bronze: Double MO7, Del Cielo Brewing Co., Martinez, CA

Category 68: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale – 135 Entries
Gold: DDH Pillow, Highland Park Brewery, Los Angeles, CA
Silver: X-Raying Flowers, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Blue Quad Roller Skates, Wren House Brewing Co., Phoenix, AZ

Category 69: American Amber/Red Ale – 130 Entries
Gold: Blown Tire, Knuckle Puck Brewing, Longmont, CO
Silver: Night Sky Red Ale, Sound2Summit Brewery, Snohomish, WA
Bronze: Azalea City Amber, Georgia Beer Co., Valdosta, GA

Category 70: Strong Red Ale – 50 Entries
Gold: Wreak Havoc, Bootstrap Brewing, Longmont, CO
Silver: Say Hi To Your Dad For Me, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Contemplation Time, Half Batch Brewing, Hendersonville, TN

Category 71: English Mild or Bitter – 66 Entries
Gold: Sawtooth Ale, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
Silver: Toasty, The Brew Brothers – Eldorado Scioto Downs Racino,
Columbus, OH
Bronze: Good Talk, Gusto Brewing Co., North Cape May, NJ

Category 72: Extra Special Bitter – 49 Entries
Gold: Velvet ESB, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: Railhead Red, Lumberyard Brewing Co. – Taproom & Grille,
Flagstaff, AZ
Bronze: Hooks & Dun, Wren House Brewing Co., Phoenix, AZ

Category 73: Scottish-Style Ale – 51 Entries
Gold: William Walrus, Metazoa Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Laughing Lab Scottish Ale, Bristol Brewing Co., Colorado
Springs, CO
Bronze: Glenlongbeach, Beachwood Brewing – Huntington Beach,
Huntington Beach, CA

Category 74: Irish-Style Red Ale – 87 Entries
Gold: Rock Hill Irish Red, Barley Naked Brewing Co., Stafford, VA
Silver: Megaphone, Inside the Five Brewing Co., Sylvania, OH
Bronze: Engine 402, Orange Hat Brewing Co., Knoxville, TN

Category 75: English-Style Brown Ale – 48 Entries
Gold: Classic Version, Agile Brewing, Baton Rouge, LA
Silver: Stone Fort, Seventh Son Brewing Co., Columbus, OH
Bronze: Nut Brown, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category 76: American-Style Brown Ale – 80 Entries
Gold: Restraint, Institution Ale Co., Camarillo, CA
Silver: Upside Brown Ale, Falling Sky Brewing, Eugene, OR
Bronze: Trabuco, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA

Category 77: American Black Ale or American Stout – 59 Entries
Gold: Breakside Cheat Codes, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: Hoppa Emeritus, Beachwood Brewing – Long Beach,
Long Beach, CA
Bronze: Midnight Oil, Tustin Brewing Co., Tustin, CA

Category 78: German Sour Ale – 43 Entries
Gold: Riviera, 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub, Bend, OR
Silver: Restless Seas Gose, Narrow Path Brewing Co., Loveland, OH
Bronze: Athena, Creature Comforts – Production Facility At Southern Mill,
Athens, GA

Category 79: Specialty Berliner-Style Weisse – 42 Entries
Gold: Saft, Narrow Gauge Brewing Co., Florissant, MO
Silver: Jersey Vice, Bolero Snort Brewery, Carlstadt, NJ
Bronze: La Cabrona, Hound Song Brewing Co., Columbus, TX

Category 80: Contemporary Gose – 71 Entries
Gold: Citrus Snack, Flying Basset Brewing, Gilbert, AZ
Silver: In Bloom, Basin+Range, Tucson, AZ
Bronze: MexicAle, Shortleaf Brewing, O’Fallon, MO

Category 81: German-Style Altbier – 48 Entries
Gold: Alt 140, Sew Hop’d Brewery, Huntley, IL
Silver: Altbier, Four Generals Brewing, Renton, WA
Bronze: BierKraft Altbier, BierKraft, McAlester, OK

Category 82: German Wheat Ale – 24 Entries
Gold: Alpenglow, Fat Head’s Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Silver: Weizenheimer, Grains of Wrath PDX, Portland, OR
Bronze: Der Hexenmeister, Magnanimous Brewing – Bradenton,
Bradenton, FL

Category 83: South German-Style Hefeweizen – 158 Entries
Gold: Goggle Fogger, Fat Head’s Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Silver: Kulshan Hefeweizen, Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2, Bellingham, WA
Bronze: Hoofer’s Hef, Bankhead Brewing Co., Rowlett, TX

Category 84: Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale – 63 Entries
Gold: Vincianne, True North Ale Co., Ipswich, MA
Silver: DOMESTIQUE Blonde Ale, Rouleur Brewing Co., Carlsbad, CA
Bronze: LMM Belgian Amber, Lone Man Mountain Brewing Co.,
Driftwood, TX

Category 85: Belgian-Style Witbier – 68 Entries
Gold: White Rascal, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Silver: Allagash White, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Bronze: White Goblin, Mathews Brewing Co., Lake Worth, FL

Category 86: Classic Saison – 62 Entries
Gold: Kal-El, Protagonist Beer, Charlotte, NC
Silver: Disco Elephant, New York Beer Project, Lockport, NY
Bronze: Saison Parfait, Little Beast Brewing, Clackamas, OR

Category 87: Specialty Saison – 63 Entries
Gold: Shadow Saison Ale with Hibiscus, Musings Fermentation
Underground, Newark, DE
Silver: Freedom Fries w/ Cherry, Call To Arms Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: 1710 Saison, Figurehead Brewing Co., Seattle, WA

Category 88: Belgian-Style Sour Ale – 51 Entries
Gold: All the Love You Won’t Forget, Autumn Arch Beer Project,
Newark, DE
Silver: Earth & Aether, Noble Creature Wild Ales & Lagers, Youngstown, OH
Bronze: Trois Années Cuvée, Angel City Brewery, Los Angeles, CA

Category 89: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale – 83 Entries
Gold: Quadrupel Donker, Evans Brewing Co., Corona, CA
Silver: Thor’s Hammer, Redwood Brewing Co., Flint, MI
Bronze: Delta Quadrant, The Tap Brewery, Bloomington, IN

Category 90: Belgian-Style Abbey Ale – 87 Entries
Gold: Tripel, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Silver: Over There, Attic Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA
Bronze: Hubble Dubbel, Apogee Brewing Co., Grover Beach, CA

Category 91: Belgian Fruit Beer – 52 Entries
Gold: Frambozen, pFriem Cascade Locks Barrelhouse, Cascade Locks, OR
Silver: Island Rascal, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Bronze: Raspberry Parliament, Alesong Brewing & Blending, Eugene, OR

Category 92: Brown Porter – 52 Entries
Gold: Dark Matter Porter, Logboat Brewing Co., Columbia, MO
Silver: Night Swim, Coppertail Brewing Co., Tampa, FL
Bronze: Old Normal, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Category 93: Robust Porter – 62 Entries
Gold: Foggy London Town, Rock Bottom Brewery – Denver, Denver, CO
Silver: Robust Porter, Reuben’s Brews – Production Brewery, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Tabula Rasa, Second Chance Beer Co., San Diego, CA

Category 94: Stout – 67 Entries
Gold: Slainte, Legion Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Silver: Shinobi, Byway Brewing Co., Hammond, IN
Bronze: Silent Neighbor, Atlas Brew Works, Washington, DC

Category 95: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout – 46 Entries
Gold: Scout, Vibrissa Beer, Front Royal, VA
Silver: Milk Stout, Waredaca Brewing Co., Gaithersburg, MD
Bronze: Moozie, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH

Category 96: Oatmeal Stout – 48 Entries
Gold: Mountain Moonlight, Wild Fields Brewhouse, Atascadero, CA
Silver: Wall of Sound, Stereo Brewing Co., Placentia, CA
Bronze: Buttons the Bear, Bear Chase Brewing Co., Bluemont, VA

Category 97: Imperial Stout – 67 Entries
Gold: Gatling Gun, BNS Brewing & Distilling Co., Santee, CA
Silver: Big Deluxe, Ritual Brewing Co., Redlands, CA
Bronze: Postcard from St. Petersburg, Bartlett Hall, San Francisco, CA

Category 98: Scotch Ale – 39 Entries
Gold: Real Heavy, Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX
Silver: Scottish Wildcat, Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co., Castle Rock, CO
Bronze: Old Chub Scotch Ale, Oskar Blues Brewery & Tasty Weasel
Taproom, Longmont, CO

Category 99: Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine – 53 Entries
Gold: Ice Raptor, Ninkasi Brewing Co., Eugene, OR
Silver: Populator, Diebolt Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Chris Barley in a Little Coat, Wichita Brewing Co. – Production,
Wichita, KS

Category : Pro-Am Competition – 50 Entries
Gold: She Fancies Herself A Little Bit French, CooperSmith’s Pub &
Brewing – Mark Pennick, Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Rob’s Baltic Porter, New Belgium Brewing Co. – Rob Hardisty, Fort
Collins, CO
Bronze: What Is That?, Decipher Brewing Co. – Joel Miller,
Charlottesville, VA

Category : Collab Competition – 96 Entries
Gold: Luna Nueva Mexican Export Lager, Cheluna Brewing Co. / Prost
Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
Silver: Mounds of Importance, Third Eye Brewing Co. / Narrow Path
Brewing Co., Sharonville, OH
Bronze: Two’s Daze, Attic Brewing Co. / Two Locals Brewing Co.,
Philadelphia, PA

2023 Brewery of the year awards:
0-250 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Shred Beer Co., Rocklin, CA
Zack Frasher & Amy Heller

251–500 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Beer Law Center
The Big Friendly, Oklahoma City OK
Will Quinlin & Joe Quinlin

501–1,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Prairie Malt
Balter Beerworks, Knoxville, TN
Balter Brewing Team

1,001–2,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by ABS Commercial
Third Eye Brewing Co., Sharonville, OH
Third Eye Brew Crew

2,001–5,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Liquid Gravity Brewing Co., San Luis Obispo, CA
Brendan Gough & Beau Sorenson

5,001–15,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Country Malt Group
Wibby Brewing, Longmont, CO
Team Wibby Brewing

15,001–100,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.
Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Saint Arnold Brew Crew

Brewery Group Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Encompass Technologies
Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Team Allagash

About the Great American Beer Festival
The Great American Beer Festival (GABF), hosted annually by the Brewers Association in Denver, Colorado, stands as the premier celebration of American craft brewing, drawing tens of thousands of beer enthusiasts from around the globe. This iconic event showcases thousands of beers from hundreds of breweries. GABF’s renowned competition, the largest of its kind, awards medals across diverse categories, judged by international experts, highlighting the creativity and quality of U.S. craft beer. With live music, culinary pairings, and a vibrant taproom atmosphere, GABF unites communities through a shared passion for exceptional brews and unforgettable experiences.

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

2023 Great American Beer Festival Awards Announced!

September 24, 2024 by Spencer Mapes

DENVER, Colorado – October 2025 The Brewers Association (BA) celebrated the finest beers of 2025 at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF®) awards ceremony, held on September 20, 2025, at the Bellco Theatre in Denver and livestreamed via The Brewing Network. As the nation’s premier professional beer competition, GABF medals are globally recognized as symbols of brewing excellence, coveted by brewers worldwide. This year, 263 breweries earned 303 medals across 99 beer categories encompassing 175 beer styles, including subcategories. Additionally, three Collaboration medals were awarded for beers crafted by multiple professional breweries, and three Pro-Am medals honored creations by professional and amateur homebrewer teams. Over nine days, 250 beer experts from 10 countries judged 9,298 commercial entries from all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, alongside 95 Collaboration and 50 Pro-Am entries, supported by over 300 volunteers. “GABF is a stage for America’s top beers to shine through rigorous evaluation,” said Chris Williams, GABF competition director. “The brewing community’s dedication to innovation and quality is inspiring, and we’re proud to honor this year’s winners.”

View the 2023 winners or download a PDF list of the winners.

GABF COMPETITION STATISTICS
37th edition of the GABF competition
9,298 beers judged
2,033 breweries in the competition from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico
250 judges
300+ volunteers
Average number of competition beers entered in each category: 92
Category with the highest number of entries: 65: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale (365)
303 total medals awarded
263 medal-winning breweries
325 first-time GABF entrants
16 first-time GABF winners

TOP 5 MOST-ENTERED STYLE CATEGORY WINNERS
Category 65: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale (365 entries) – Sponsored by Antigo Zeon

Category 66: West Coast-Style India Pale Ale (301 entries)

Category 36: Light Lager (284 entries)

Category 45: German-Style Pilsener (228 entries) – Sponsored by Tripleseat

Category 64: American-Style India Pale Ale (206 entries) – Sponsored by Micro Matic

MOST-MEDALED BREWERY
Third Eye Brewing Co. | Sharonville, OH
GOLD: Herb and Spice Beer (Cat.7)
GOLD: Chocolate Beer (Cat. 8)
SILVER: Pumpkin Beer (Cat. 5)
SILVER: Collaboration Competition

COLLABORATION COMPETITION (95 entries)
See criteria here.

GOLD: Luna Mexican Export Lager | Cheluna Brewing Co. & Prost Brewing Co.
SILVER: Mounds of Importance | Third Eye Brewing Co. & Narrow Path Brewing Co.
BRONZE: Two’s Daze | Attic Brewing Co. & Two Locals Brewing Co.

PRO-AM COMPETITION (50 entries)
See criteria here.

Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients, Country Malt Group, and White Labs

GOLD: She Fancies Herself A Little Bit French | CooperSmith’s Pub & Brewing and Mark Pennick
SILVER: Rob’s Baltic Porter | New Belgium Brewing Co. and Rob Hardisty
BRONZE: What Is That? | Decipher Brewing Co. and Joel Miller

Editor’s note: Photos for media use are available on the GABF website. Members of the media are encouraged to contact brewerspr@backbone.media with any questions.

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The Beer Mile World Record: A Feat of Speed and Stomach

August 12, 2024 by Dow Scoggins

The beer mile, a quirky yet grueling event that combines running and drinking, has captured the attention of athletes and spectators alike. This unique race requires competitors to chug a 12-ounce beer (355 ml, minimum 5% ABV) before each of four 400-meter laps on a standard track, testing both athletic prowess and gastric fortitude. The current world records for the beer mile showcase extraordinary performances that push the boundaries of human capability in this unconventional sport.

Men’s World Record: Corey Bellemore’s Blazing 4:28.1
Canadian runner Corey Bellemore holds the men’s beer mile world record with an astonishing time of 4:28.1, set on October 23, 2021, at the Beer Mile World Classic in Leigh Sports Village near Manchester, UK. This performance shattered his own previous record of 4:33.6, set in 2017 at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco. Bellemore, a professional runner for Adidas with a 3:57 mile personal best, has dominated the beer mile scene since 2016, when he first broke the 4:40 barrier. His 2021 record-breaking run saw him average under 67 seconds per lap, including the time to down each beer, a feat that blends elite-level running with an iron stomach.

Bellemore’s journey to the record hasn’t been without hiccups. In 2018, he ran an even faster 4:24.4 at the Beer Mile World Classic in Vancouver, but was disqualified for leaving slightly too much foam in his bottles, exceeding the rule that unconsumed beer must total less than 4 ounces across all four containers. Despite setbacks like losing a shoe during the 2023 World Classic and still finishing in 4:30, Bellemore’s consistency and speed have cemented his status as the beer mile’s greatest.

Women’s World Record: Shelby Houlihan’s Historic 5:43
On the women’s side, American runner Shelby Houlihan holds the world record with a groundbreaking time of 5:43, set on July 1, 2023, at the Beer Mile World Classic in Chicago. This performance obliterated the previous record of 6:16, held by Allison Grace Morgan, by 33 seconds and marked the first time a woman broke the 6-minute barrier. Houlihan, a professional middle-distance runner with a 4:25 mile split during her beer mile, consumed her four beers in roughly 1:18, showcasing remarkable chugging efficiency. Her final 400 meters, run in 63 seconds with four beers in her stomach, stunned onlookers.

Houlihan’s record came with some controversy, as she was 2.5 years into a 4-year track and field suspension for a failed drug test at the time. However, the Beer Mile World Classic determined her time was eligible for the record, as official beer mile rules rely solely on video evidence to verify compliance, not requiring drug testing. Houlihan raced in a non-championship heat, with approval from competing athletes and governing bodies, ensuring her record stood.

The Beer Mile: Rules and Challenges
The beer mile follows strict rules to ensure fairness. Competitors must drink four 12-ounce beers, each at least 5% ABV, from untampered cans or bottles within a 9-meter transition zone before each lap. Vomiting, or a “reversal of fortune,” results in a penalty lap. The total unconsumed beer left in containers must be less than 4 ounces, verified by video or measurement. These rules, outlined by BeerMile.com, maintain the event’s integrity while adding to its difficulty.

The physical challenge is immense. Runners must balance sprinting at near-elite speeds with chugging carbonated beverages under time pressure, all while fighting the urge to regurgitate. Bellemore has noted the difficulty of chugging while out of breath, and Houlihan’s ability to run a 4:25 mile with a stomach full of beer highlights the extraordinary fitness required.

A Growing Phenomenon
The beer mile has evolved from an underground pastime to a mainstream spectacle, with world championships and media coverage on platforms like ESPN and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Since James Nielsen broke the 5-minute barrier in 2014, the men’s record has dropped dramatically, and the women’s record has seen similar progress. The sport’s appeal lies in its blend of athleticism and camaraderie, drawing runners like Bellemore, who transitioned to triathlon in 2024, and Houlihan, who used the event to return to competition.

Looking Ahead
As the beer mile gains popularity, questions arise about how much faster times can get. Bellemore’s 4:28.1 is just 45 seconds slower than the men’s mile world record of 3:43.1, leaving little room for improvement unless chugging techniques or stomach capacities evolve. For women, Houlihan’s 5:43 is a significant leap, but the 5-minute barrier may be the next frontier. With events like the 2024 Beer Mile World Classic and the premiere of Beer Mile: The Film on YouTube, the sport continues to grow, promising more records and unforgettable moments.

For those inspired to try, heed Bellemore’s advice: learn to open your throat for chugging, stay fit, and follow the rules. But be warned—this is one race where speed and a strong stomach are equally vital.

Official Rules for the Beer Mile
The beer mile is pretty simple. Drink 4 beers and run 4 laps around the track in alternating fashion as quickly as you can. But just to be sure everyone is on the same playing field, here is the standard set of beer mile rules to follow.

Each competitor drinks four cans or bottles of beer and runs four laps around a standard running track (start with chugging a beer, then run a lap, then beer, then lap, then beer, then lap, then beer, then lap – finish).
Beer must be consumed before the lap begins within the transition area. The transition area is the 9 meter zone between the starting line for a mile race and the finish line of a 400m track.
The race begins with competitors lined up on the mile starting line, drinking the first beer in the transition zone described in the step above. This ensures competitors cover a complete mile. Competitors can walk/move in the transition area while drinking, but all beer must be consumed in the transition area before setting off to run a lap.
Women also drink four beers and run four laps (some past rule lists only required ladies to drink three beers).
Competitors must drink canned or bottled beer that is no less than 355mL (12 Oz) in volume, which is the standard can/bottle size in the USA and some other countries.
No specialized cans or bottles may be used that give an advantage by allowing the beer to pour at a faster rate (e.g. wide mouth bottles/cans).
Beer cans must not be tampered with in any manner. (e.g. no shotgunning, puncturing the can, squeezing the can, etc.). The same applies for bottles – no straws or other aids allowed that speed up the pouring process. The only action allowed is opening the can with the tab at the top or twisting off the bottle cap of a bottle.
Beer must be a minimum of 5% alcohol by volume. Hard ciders, hard sodas, and other alcoholic sugary drinks will not suffice. The beer must be a fermented alcoholic beverage brewed from malted cereal grains and flavored with hops.
Each beer can/bottle must not be opened until the competitor enters the transition zone on each lap.
Competitors who vomit before they finish the race must complete one penalty lap at the end of the race (immediately after the completion of their 4th lap). Vomiting more than once during the race still only requires one penalty lap at the end.
When attempting a performance for the official records, it is recommended to provide video evidence of the race and prove that all beer was sufficiently drank. This can be achieved by tipping the empty beer over your head after each chug to verify an empty vessel or by collecting the containers and pouring the contents into a measuring cup to prove there is less than 4oz of liquid/foam remaining total across all four beers. We recommend picking up a pack of disposable measuring cups for your next beer mile event. funds for police brutality reform and legal

Beermile.com – The official racing resource. Hosts a database of thousands of race results and official rules.

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