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Uncategorized

Genesee Brewery’s Keg Tree Lights Up the Nation as Newsweek’s Top Holiday Display

December 7, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

Genesee Brewery's Keg Tree Lights Up the Nation as Newsweek's Top Holiday Display
In a festive upset that has brewmasters and holiday enthusiasts toasting alike, the Genesee Brewing Company’s iconic Keg Tree has been crowned Newsweek’s #1 Readers’ Choice Best Christmas Tree for 2025. Outshining giants like New York City’s Rockefeller Center tree and the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., this three-story marvel—crafted from over 650 empty beer kegs and draped in 25,000 twinkling lights—proves that sometimes the best holiday spirit comes straight from the tap.

The announcement, revealed on November 25, 2025, capped a whirlwind voting period that saw the quirky Rochester tradition rack up thousands of votes from fans across the country. Nominated alongside 14 other iconic displays in Newsweek’s annual Readers’ Choice awards, the Keg Tree surged to the top, earning its stainless-steel branches a spot in holiday history.

“This win is a testament to the creativity and community spirit that defines Rochester,” said Tiffany Bowman, Genesee Brand Manager, in a statement from the brewery. “From our hardworking team stacking those kegs to the fans who lit up the polls, it’s all about celebrating the joy of the season in true Genny style.”

A Tradition Born from Empty Kegs and Holiday Cheer

The Keg Christmas Tree’s origins trace back to 2014, when Genesee Brewery—New York’s oldest, founded in 1878—decided to give its empty kegs a second life as a seasonal centerpiece. Perched beside the roaring High Falls, the largest urban waterfall in the U.S., the structure has grown taller and brighter each year. This season’s edition stands at an impressive three stories, assembled by the brewery’s dedicated union carpenters and illuminated with enough LED lights to rival a small constellation.

What started as a local marketing gimmick has evolved into a beloved rite of winter in the Flower City. Thousands flock annually to the Genesee Brew House at 25 Cataract St. for the lighting ceremony, where the air fills with the scent of food trucks, the sound of holiday tunes, and the clink of cold Genesee Cream Ale pours.

Crowning Glory: The Lighting Event and Special Celebrations

The victory couldn’t have come at a better time—just days before the 10th annual Keg  Tree Lighting on Friday, December 5, 2025. The event drew record crowds from 5 to 9 p.m., with the official countdown kicking off at 7 p.m. under the emcee-ship of Brewmaster Dean Jones. Attendees sipped seasonal brews like the Keg Tree Cinnamon Ale, munched on grub from local vendors, and posed for photos in oversized sleighs and festive igloos handcrafted on-site.

Adding a sweet twist to the sudsy spectacle, Genesee partnered with Rochester’s Donuts Delite for the debut of “Keg Tree Fonuts”—honey bun donuts infused with the brewery’s cinnamon ale. Available through December 5 at the Brew House and the bakery on Culver Road, a portion of proceeds benefited the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester.

Carl Falk, General Manager of Genesee Brewery, beamed with local pride during the festivities. “We’re a Rochester company through and through,” he told local media. “This keg tree isn’t just lights and kegs—it’s generations of hard work and the people who make our city sparkle.”

National Spotlight on a Local Legend

The Keg Tree’s path to national acclaim wasn’t without competition. Newsweek’s contest featured heavy hitters, including the 75-foot Norway spruce from upstate New York at Rockefeller Center (which landed at #5). Yet voters gravitated toward the Keg Tree’s unique blend of whimsy and warmth, with social media buzzing under #GennyKegTree and shares from coast to coast.

USA Today also gave a nod earlier in the season, nominating it for Best Holiday Lights Display. As the tree remains lit through the holidays—visible nightly against the misty backdrop of High Falls—it continues to draw visitors, who are encouraged to tag @GeneseeBrewery for a chance at shoutouts.

For those who missed the lighting, the display is free to view, though ride-sharing is recommended due to limited parking. Head to the High Falls Garage at 262 State St. for the easiest access.

Raising a Glass to Rochester’s Holiday Heart

In an era of cookie-cutter celebrations, the Genesee Keg Tree stands as a reminder that the holidays are best when they’re a little offbeat. Owned by FIFCO USA, the brewery not only brews classics like Genesee Cream Ale and Honey Brown Lager but also fosters traditions that unite communities. This year’s win underscores a simple truth: sometimes, the most memorable trees aren’t grown in forests—they’re built from the empties of good times shared.

As Rochester twinkles on, one keg at a time, Genesee invites all to join the cheer. After all, in the words of the brewery: “O Genesee Keg Tree! O Genesee Keg Tree! How lovely are thy branches.”

Genesee Brewery
Nestled along the Genesee River in Rochester, New York, Genesee Brewery has been cranking out cold ones since 1878, making it one of the oldest continuously operating breweries in the U.S. These guys basically invented the “dad beer” category long before it was cool – we’re talking crisp, no-nonsense lagers that taste like summer cookouts and Friday nights on the porch. Their flagship Genesee Beer (or “Genny” to the locals) and the iconic Genny Light are still brewed with the same pride that turned Rochester into a beer town back when your great-grandpa was rocking handlebar mustaches and suspenders.

But the real party trick? The legendary Genesee Cream Ale – smooth, slightly sweet, and dangerously drinkable, it’s the beer that makes Buffalo wings taste even better and has been confusing beer nerds for decades because yes, it’s an ale that drinks like a lager. Swing by the brewhouse today and you can take a tour, crush a few samples, and snap a selfie with the famous “Genny horse” Clydesdales if they’re in town. Cheap, cheerful, and 100% Rochester – Genesee is proof that sometimes the best things in life come in a green can with a screaming horse on it. Cheers to 145+ years of keeping it real!  Website: https://www.geneseebeer.com/

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

The Lighting of the Genesee Keg Tree

December 4, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

Every December, the Genesee Brewery in Rochester, New York, transforms into a gloriously boozy holiday hotspot with the world-famous Genesee Keg Tree—a three-story spectacle built from 650 empty silver kegs stacked like a tipsy pine, wrapped in 25,000 twinkling lights that sync to festive tunes. This shiny aluminum behemoth, standing tall at about 29 feet, has been Rochester’s rowdiest holiday tradition since 2014, drawing thousands of selfie-snapping fans who brave the Genesee River chill to witness the lighting ceremony (just happened on December 5, 2025—talk about perfect timing!). Locals dub it the “Redneck Rockefeller Center Tree,” and with that faint whiff of fresh beer wafting off the recently drained 15.5-gallon beauties, it’s basically Christmas cheer in stainless-steel form. Only in Rochester, folks.

The geniuses stacking these sudsy sentinels? None other than the Genesee Brewery, America’s oldest continuously operating major brewery since 1878, perched on the banks of the Genesee River like a red-brick beer baron. They’re the proud parents of Genesee Cream Ale—that velvety, green-bottled icon that’s smoother than a snowball fight truce and de facto fuel for every Bills tailgate and backyard barbecue in upstate New York. Toss in Genny Light for the lightweights, the malty throwback of 12 Horse Ale, and seasonal stunners like the cinnamon-spiced Keg Tree Ale (proceeds often benefit local spots like the Open Door Mission), and you’ve got a lineup that keeps craft snobs honest while reminding everyone beer doesn’t need to be fancy to be fun.

So if you’re cruising through western New York this frosty season, detour to the Genesee Brew House for a free tour (ending in gloriously generous samples), snap your shot with the 650-keg colossus still glowing strong, and crack a Cream Ale in salute. It’s proof that the best holidays involve a little heavy lifting—150 pounds of empty keg per layer, to be exact—and a whole lot of Rochester weird. Cheers to the tree that outshines tinsel with recycled glory!

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

The Oldest Beer Movie – The Fatal Glass of Beer(1933)

November 27, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

The Oldest Beer Movie - The Fatal Glass of Beer(1933)

The oldest beer  movie known to man is “The Fatal Glass of Beer (1933)”. This film is a short comedy movie starring W.C. Fields, known for its absurdist humor and deadpan delivery. Set in the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush, the film follows the story of Mr. Snavely (Fields), a dour, long-suffering man living in a remote snow-covered cabin with his wife. Their son, Chester, left home to seek fortune in the city but was led astray by the temptations of alcohol—symbolized by the “fatal glass of beer.”

The film satirizes morality plays and melodramas of the time, with exaggeratedly tragic storytelling and intentionally clumsy staging. Fields frequently breaks the fourth wall, delivering the film’s most famous recurring gag: after dramatically declaring, “And it ain’t a fit night out for man nor beast!” he immediately gets a handful of fake snow tossed into his face.

With its surreal, anti-comedy sensibilities and relentless parody of melodramatic tropes, The Fatal Glass of Beer remains one of Fields’ most bizarre and memorable short films.

Story about W.C. Fields
W.C. Fields was the glorious grouch who turned misanthropy into an art form, a red-nosed virtuoso who hated children, dogs, and just about everything else that moved—except maybe a well-mixed martini and a stack of unpaid bills he could juggle like circus knives. With his bulbous schnozz glowing like a stoplight nobody obeyed and a voice that sounded like a busted bagpipe gargling gravel, he waddled through the 1930s and ’40s snarling lines that still make decent people snort their drinks: “I am free of all prejudice. I hate everyone equally.” Fields didn’t just play drunkards and con men; he elevated them into philosophers of glorious self-interest, forever scheming to swindle bankers, outwit temperance ladies, and keep one step ahead of any kid who might ask him for a nickel.

Off-screen, the myth and the man happily arm-wrestled each other. He kept dozens of bank accounts under fake names (his favorite pseudonym: “Mahatma Kane Jeeves”), hoarded cash in trunks because he trusted banks about as much as he trusted a teetotaler’s handshake, and once told a process server, “Tell ’em I’m out of town—permanently.” He claimed to have started juggling at age nine to fend off his abusive father, which explains why every apple he ever tossed in a movie looked personally offended. Fields died on Christmas Day 1946—a holiday he openly despised—just to get the last laugh, presumably while muttering, “On the whole, I’d rather be in Philadelphia,” the line carved on his tombstone as the ultimate raspberry to the universe. Somewhere right now he’s probably trying to return a cloud to Saint Peter, claiming it has a hole in it.

W.C. Fields Quotes:

  • “I am free of all prejudice. I hate everyone equally.”
  • “Never give a sucker an even break.”
  • “It ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to.”
  • “I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food.”
  • “Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people.”
  • “I never vote for anybody; I always vote against.”
  • “Anyone who hates children and dogs can’t be all bad.” (Actually said about Fields by someone else at a dinner, but he loved it so much he repeated it forever.)
  • “A woman drove me to drink and I never even had the courtesy to thank her.”
  • “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it.”
  • “I like children—fried.” (Apocryphal, but so perfectly in character that it stuck.)
  • “Some weasel took the cork out of my lunch!”
  • “Ah, the patter of little feet around the house—there’s nothing like having a midget for a butler.”
  • “I’d rather have two barrels of Yesterday’s Sauerkraut than all the flowers in the world.”
  • “On the whole, I’d rather be in Philadelphia.” (His self-penned epitaph)
  • “Christmas at my house is always at least six or seven times more pleasant than anywhere else. We start drinking early. And while everyone else is seeing only one Santa Claus, we’ll be seeing six or seven.”

 

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Filed Under: Uncategorized

McGuire’s Irish Pub in Pensacola, FL – Best Irish Brewpub in United States

November 22, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

McGuire's Irish Pub in Pensacola, FloridaMcGuire’s Irish Pub – Pensacola, FL
If you’re a beer enthusiast with a penchant for lively atmospheres and quirky traditions, McGuire’s Irish Pub in Pensacola, Florida, should be at the top of your must-visit list. This iconic establishment isn’t just a place to grab a pint—it’s a full-blown experience blending Irish charm, hearty eats, and an unforgettable visual spectacle of dollar bills adorning every inch of the walls and ceilings. Whether you’re chasing the perfect Irish ale or simply soaking in the vibes, McGuire’s delivers on all fronts. Let’s dive into what makes this pub a standout destination for beer lovers and adventurers alike.

The Rich History and Founders of McGuire’s Irish Pub
McGuire’s Irish Pub in Pensacola, Florida is the kind of place every craft beer lover needs to visit at least once. Step inside the historic 1927 Old Firehouse and you’ll find yourself under a ceiling covered with more than a million signed one-dollar bills (yes, really, over $2 million hanging above your head), a tradition that started in 1977 when co-founder Molly McGuire stapled her very first tip to the wall for good luck. What began as a small neighborhood pub opened by Molly and Mac McGuire has grown into a massive, rowdy Irish institution famous for its award-winning house-brewed beers, killer pub food, and non-stop good times.

The on-site brewery turns out some of the best beers in the Southeast, led by the flagship Irish Red Ale (smooth, malty, and perfectly balanced) and the roasty, creamy Irish Stout that rivals anything you’ll find in Dublin. If you’re feeling adventurous, grab the Raspberry Wheat on a hot Florida day or go big with the potent 8.1% Millennium Belgian Strong Ale. Seasonal IPAs, porters, and small-batch releases keep the taps rotating all year. Pair your pint with legendary dishes like Reuben Egg Rolls, Irish potato pancake boxtys, the famous 18-cent Senate Bean Soup, or a hearty Shepherd’s Pie, because everything here is made to go with beer.

With additional locations in Destin and a brand-new spot in Panama City Beach that opened on St. Patrick’s Day 2025, McGuire’s keeps getting bigger, but the original Pensacola firehouse remains the ultimate bucket-list stop for anyone who loves great craft beer, wild atmosphere, and a ceiling full of dollar-bill history. Grab a Sharpie, sign a buck, staple it up, and raise a glass, sláinte!

Year-Round Flagship Beers

  • McGuire’s Irish Red Ale (5.2% ABV) The house classic. Smooth, malty, and caramel-sweet with a beautiful deep amber color and a clean, balanced finish. Easy-drinking and the #1 seller for over 40 years.
  • McGuire’s Irish Stout (5.2% ABV, nitro pour) Dry Irish-style stout with roasted barley, dark chocolate and creamy with coffee-chocolate notes, and that signature velvety nitro head. Tastes like Dublin in a glass.
  • Light (4.2% ABV) Clean, crisp American light lager brewed for crushability on hot Florida days. Think “beach beer” that doesn’t skimp on flavor.
  • Raspberry Wheat (4.8% ABV) Light wheat beer finished with real raspberry puree. Refreshing, slightly tart, pinkish hue — huge with people who normally “don’t like beer.”
  • Piper’s Pale Ale (5.5% ABV) Classic American pale ale with Cascade and Centennial hops. Citrusy, piney, moderate bitterness — the everyday hoppy choice.
  • Millennium Belgian Strong Ale (8.1% ABV) Big, bold golden ale with spicy Belgian yeast character, candi sugar sweetness, and warming alcohol. Dangerously smooth for the strength.

Frequently Rotating / Seasonal Beers (always something new on tap)

  • I’ll Have What the Gentleman on the Floor is Having IPA (6.8% ABV) West Coast IPA, aggressively hopped, piney and grapefruit-forward with a dry bitter finish.
  • Hazy IPA (varies 6–7% ABV) Juicy New England-style IPA that changes hop combinations every few batches.
  • Oktoberfest (fall seasonal, ~6% ABV) Traditional Märzen — toasty, malty, clean lager.
  • Pumpkin Spice Ale (fall) Spiced with real pumpkin and pie spices, surprisingly balanced.
  • Christmas Ale / Winter Warmer (winter) Strong spiced ale with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
  • St. Patrick’s Day Irish Coffee Stout (March only) Irish Stout infused with cold-brew coffee and a hint of whiskey character.
  • Summer Shandy or Grapefruit Radler variants (summer)

McGuire’s Irish Pub’s  – Panama City Beach
McGuire’s Irish Pub’s brand-new Panama City Beach outpost, which swung open its doors on St. Patrick’s Day 2025 right on Front Beach Road across from the sparkling Gulf of Mexico, is already stealing the show as the Emerald Coast’s hottest spot for craft beer and Irish vibes. This sprawling 550-seat beast channels the same turn-of-the-century New York saloon charm as its Pensacola and Destin siblings, complete with walls and ceilings destined to drown in signed dollar bills—bring your Sharpie and a buck to kick off the tradition. Dive into the on-site brewery’s lineup of house-brewed gems like the malty Irish Red Ale or the creamy nitro-poured Stout, or snag a beer flight to sample seasonals alongside fresh Gulf seafood, USDA Prime steaks, and pub classics such as Reuben Egg Rolls or the legendary 18-cent Senate Bean Soup. With killer happy hour deals on half-price drafts from 4-6 PM daily, huge portions that won’t break the bank, and glowing reviews for its friendly service and sunset views, this spot’s perfect for beach bums chasing pints and good times—sláinte to your next Florida escape!

 

 

 

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Filed Under: Beer, breweries, Uncategorized

The Story of Ken Grossman Brewing and Sierra Nevada Stout

November 15, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

he Story of Ken Grossman Brewing Sierra Nevada Stout - The Brewery's First BeerThe Story of Ken Grossman Brewing and Sierra Nevada Stout – The Brewery’s First Beer
Ken Grossman, the founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, began his brewing journey as a teenager in the late 1960s, inspired by a neighbor’s father who was an avid homebrewer. By age 14, Grossman was experimenting with homebrewing kits, mixing ingredients in a bucket and hiding his batches from his mother. His fascination with the alchemy of fermentation grew, leading him to open The Home Brew Shop in Chico, California, in 1976, where he sold brewing and winemaking supplies while refining his craft.

In 1978, Grossman, along with Paul Camusi, founded Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, driven by a passion for crafting unique, hop-forward beers at a time when American beer was dominated by mass-market lagers. With limited resources—$50,000 in loans from friends and family—Grossman scoured junkyards and dairy farms for scrap stainless steel and repurposed dairy equipment to build a makeshift brewhouse in a converted warehouse in Chico. His mechanical ingenuity, honed through years of tinkering and studying chemistry and physics at Butte College and Cal State Chico, was critical to this DIY endeavor.

Sierra Nevada StoutOn November 15, 1980, at 5 a.m., Grossman brewed Sierra Nevada’s first test batch: five barrels (150 gallons) of stout. This choice was deliberate. Grossman and Camusi opted for a stout over their already-tested pale ale recipe because they believed the dark, robust style would mask any imperfections in their fledgling brewery’s process. As Grossman explained, “We thought that making a stronger, dark beer would cover some of our sins. We knew we weren’t going to sell it and we figured we had a pretty good shot at making a drinkable stout right off the bat.” They also enjoyed drinking stouts themselves. The brewing process was a 13-hour labor of love, and after one sip, Grossman knew it was a success, giving them the confidence to move forward.

While the stout was not intended for commercial sale, it marked a pivotal moment, proving their hand-built system could produce quality beer. This test batch paved the way for Sierra Nevada’s flagship Pale Ale, brewed shortly after, which would revolutionize American craft beer with its bold use of Cascade hops. The stout, though less celebrated than the Pale Ale, remains part of Sierra Nevada’s early portfolio, with the brewery continuing to produce a classic stout alongside other styles like porter and the seasonal Celebration IPA introduced in 1981.

Grossman’s story of brewing that first stout reflects his relentless curiosity, resourcefulness, and commitment to quality, traits that have defined Sierra Nevada’s rise from a scrappy startup to one of America’s largest craft breweries, producing over 1,000,000 barrels annually .

 

 

 

 

 

 

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British Columbia Beer Awards Announce Medal Winners and Brewery of the Year

October 20, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

British Columbia Beer Awards Announce Medal Winners and Brewery of the YearThe B.C. Beer Awards awarded Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s brewing program the “Brewery of the Year” on Saturday in Vancouver, BC.

Other big winners at the Croatian Cultural Centre in Vancouver included Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks of Richmond, which took best in show for its Pixel Pils, and Dageraad Brewing of Burnaby, which scored seven awards, including a sweep of the strong Belgian ale category.

It’s the second major award this year for the KPU brewing program, which also won the Grand National Championship at the U.S. Open College Beer Championship in May.

International Lager
1. Vidal, Townsite Brewing
2. Elementary – Lager, Four Winds Brewing Co.
3. Hashtag Basic, Electric Bicycle Brewing

Pale German Beer
1. Köl Story Bro Kölsch, Brewhall Beer Co.
2. Skyline Lager, Bomber Brewing Co.
3. The Adams Family Festbier, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

German Pils
1. Pixel Pils, Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks
2. Simple Things, Steel & Oak Brewing Co.
3. Beldame, Strange Fellows Brewing

Amber European Beer
1. Marzen, R&B Brewing Co
2. Red Pilsner, Steel & Oak Brewing Co.
3. Helles Lager, Trading Post Brewing

Dark & Strong European Beer
1. Hermannator Ice Bock, Vancouver Island Brewing
2. May the Schwarz Be With You, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
3. Dominion Dark Lager, Vancouver Island Brewing

German Wheat Beer
1. Heftechnik, Brassneck Brewery
2. Chefs Hef, R&B Brewing Co
3. 50/50 Hefeweizen, Kwantlen Polytechnic University

UK Pale Ale
1. Papa G’s ESB, The Noble Pig Brewhouse
2. Bomber Pale Ale, Bomber Brewing Co.
3. Backroads Brewing Pale Ale, Backroads Brewing Company

UK Brown Ale
1. Wee Angry Scotch Ale, Russell Brewing Company
2. Rail Ale Nut Brown, Howe Sound Brewing
3. Outboard Motor Oatmeal Porter, The 101 Brewhouse + Distillery

UK Stout
1. Sasquatch Stout, Old Yale Brewing
2. Tactical Turtleneck, Another Beer Company Inc.
3. Cold Steeped Irish Stout, The Bakery Brewing

Strong Ale
1. Woolly Bugger, Howe Sound Brewing
2. Melle Meo, Howe Sound Brewing
3. Wayfarer, Strange Fellows Brewing

Fruit Beer
1. Tropical Tart, Steamworks Brewing Co.
2. Corvus Lingonberry Lime Gose, Ravens Brewing Company
3. Moon Dance Mango Wheat, Old Yale Brewing

Specialty Fruit Beer
1. Late Bloomer Strawberry Hibiscus Sour, Twin City Brewing Company
2. Asking For A Friend, Backcountry Brewing
3. De Witte, Dageraad Brewing

Spice Beer
1. Yoga Pants Cucumber Basil Sour, Electric Bicycle Brewing
2. Flex Mex, Twin Sails Brewing
3. Nightwatch, Lighthouse Brewing Co.

Smoke- & Wood-Aged Beer
1. The Great Gratzer, Moody Ales
2. Ignis Lichtenhainer, House of Funk Brewing Company
3. Loral Brett Saison, Île Sauvage Brewing Company

Specialty Wood Aged Beer
1. Punch’s Farmhouse Ale, Mayne Island Brewing Company
2. Debauchery Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, House of Funk Brewing Company
3. Scarlet, Steamworks Brewing Co.

European Sour
1. Shiro Shiro, Île Sauvage Brewing Company
2. Troika, Parallel 49 Brewing Co.
3. Little Red One, Strange Fellows Brewing

Specialty Beer
1. Whiskey Sour Ale, Field House Brewing Co.
2. Pilsbo Baggins New Zealand Pilsner, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
3. Gulagubben, Whistle Buoy Brewing Co.

North American Light Beer
1. No Brainer, Brassneck Brewery
2. Red Racer Summer Crush Hopped Lager, Central City Brewers + Distillers
3. Cream Ale, Gladstone Brewing Company

North American Blonde Ale
1. Bastion Blonde Ale, White Sails Brewing
2. Ballpark Blonde, Red Arrow Brewing Company
3. Royal City Ale, Steel & Oak Brewing Co.

North American Pale Ale
1. Hazy Citra Pale Ale, 4 Mile Brewing Co.
2. Palida, Andina Brewing
3. Hazy Pale Ale, Steamworks Brewing Co.

North American Amber & Brown Ale
1. Birra Rossa, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
2. Easy Amber, Nelson Brewing Co
3. Midnight Umber, Red Arrow Brewing Company

North American Porter & Stout
1. Porter, Gladstone Brewing Company
2. Rye Stout, Doan’s Craft Beer Company
3. Bomber Russian Imperial Stout, Bomber Brewing Co.

North American IPA
1. Bomber IPA, Bomber Brewing Co.
2. Shipwreck, Lighthouse Brewing Co.
3. Play Dead IPA, Yellow Dog Brewing

Specialty IPA
1. Ferocious Wild IPA, Yellow Dog Brewing
2. Sipasaurus Rex, Backroads Brewing Company
3. Slingshot Session IPA, Fernie Brewing Co.

Hazy IPA
1. Exp.003.Mkvi – Fluffy Cloud IPA, 33 Brewing Experiment
2. Neon Lights Pale Ale, Brewhall Beer Co.
3. Dreamboat Hazy IPA, The Parkside Brewery

Imperial IPA
1. Psychosis 7 DIPA, Whitetooth Brewing Company Ltd.
2. Numbskull, Lighthouse Brewing Co.
3. One Trick Pony, Brassneck Brewery

Belgian Ale
1. Burnabarian, Dageraad Brewing
2. La Tenace Belgian Single, Whitetooth Brewing Company Ltd.
3. Icefields Pale Ale, Whitetooth Brewing Company Ltd.
Honorable Mention: Jongleur Strange, Fellows Brewing

Saison
1. Five, Dageraad Brewing
2. Small Wonder, Brassneck Brewery
3. The Pass (Collab W/ Blindman), Dageraad Brewing

Strong Belgian Ale
1. 10°, Dageraad Brewing
2. Rosetta, Dageraad Brewing
3. Blonde, Dageraad Brewing
Honorable Mention: 33 Acres of Euphoria, 33 Acres Brewing Co.

Wild Ale
1. Strange Resemblance, Strange Fellows Brewing
2. Mixtape Series: Dry Hopped Sour, Boombox Brewing
3. Pinkies Out Tropical Sour, Foamers’ Folly Brewing Co.

Specialty Wild Ale
1. Mountain View Black Currant Sour, Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks
2. Noble Blend Mixed Culture Saison, Yellow Dog Brewing
3. Rose Changeling, Brassneck Brewery

Dan Small Homebrew Award
Andrew Swanton – The Answers to Life, The Universe and Everything – Dark Mild

Brewery of the Year
Kwantlen Polytechnic University

Creative Industry Awards
Best Flight Paddle
Andina Brewing

Best Growler Design
Andina Brewing

Best Merch/Apparel
Mount Arrowsmith Brewing Company

Best Tasting Room Design
Electric Bicycle Brewing

Best Tap Handle Design
Boombox Brewing

Best Label Design – Can
Dageraad Brewing – Murder City

Best Label Design – Bottle
Dageraad Brewing – Antwerpen Tripel

Best Packaging Design
Vancouver Island Brewing – Pod Pack

Best Website Design
Brewhall Beer Co.

Best Social Media Presence
Backcountry Brewing

Rookie of the Year
Île Sauvage Brewing Company

People’s Choice
Brewhall — Azedo tropical sour

Brewers Challenge
Four Winds — Cherry Operis

Innovator of the Year
Twin Sails Brewing

Legend Awards
John Rowling & Gerry Hieter
Nancy More
Gerry Erith
Best in Show
Fuggles & Warlock Craftworks – Pixel Pils

The British Columbia Beer Awards
The British Columbia Beer Awards (BCBA) is Western Canada’s biggest and most prestigious craft beer celebration, held every October in Vancouver since 2010 and drawing over 1,500 entries from more than 130 breweries across the province in 2025. This isn’t just another competition—it’s where BC’s legendary hazy IPAs, barrel-aged sours, West Coast lagers, pastry stouts, and experimental wild ales go head-to-head across 30+ categories, judged blind by BJCP-certified pros and industry legends. Winning a BCBA medal (especially the coveted Best of Show or Brewery of the Year) is a golden ticket that sends beers flying off shelves and puts small-town breweries like Dageraad, Superflux, Twin Sails, Four Winds, and Steamworks in the national spotlight. The festival day wraps with a massive public tasting event at the Croatian Cultural Centre—think 100+ breweries pouring unlimited samples, live music, food trucks, and thousands of hopheads toasting BC’s world-class beer scene. If you’re planning a Vancouver beer trip, mark your calendar for mid-October; tickets sell out fast and it’s the single best day to drink your way through British Columbia’s finest in one spot. Sláinte from the Left Coast!

Fun Beer Facts, Breweries and More: Click Here

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2019 Great American Beer Festival Medal Winners

October 7, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

2019 Great American Beer Festival Medal Winners

The 2019 Great American Beer Festival (GABF), held October 3-5 in Denver, Colorado, was a landmark celebration of American craft brewing. This premier event drew approximately 60,000 attendees who sampled over 4,000 beers from around 800 breweries across the massive Colorado Convention Center floor.

As the nation’s largest beer festival, GABF showcased the diversity and innovation of U.S. craft beer, with enthusiastic crowds enjoying unlimited 1-ounce pours, interactive booths, and a vibrant atmosphere dedicated to hoppy IPAs, crisp lagers, sours, and more.

The competition side of the 2019 GABF was equally impressive, featuring a record 9,497 entries from 2,295 breweries judged blindly across 107 categories encompassing 174 beer styles.

A panel of 322 expert judges awarded 318 medals (gold, silver, and bronze) to 283 breweries, highlighting standout beers in highly competitive fields like Juicy or Hazy IPA (with 348 entries). Notable honors included Comrade Brewing Co. (Denver) as Small Brewing Company of the Year and Westbound & Down Brewing Co. (Idaho Springs) as Mid-Size Brewpub of the Year, underscoring the event’s role in recognizing excellence in American craft beer.

2019 Great American Beer Festival Medal Winners
Category 1: American-Style Wheat Beer
Silver: Cumberland Punch, East Nashville Beer Works, Nashville, TN
Bronze: Termes Beer, Spearfish Brewing Co., Spearfish, SD

Category 2: American-Style Fruit Beer  
Gold: Salt River, Historic Brewing Co., Flagstaff, AZ
Silver: Quat, Tampa Bay Brewing Co. – Ybor City, Tampa, FL
Bronze: Boom Dynamite, O.H.S.O. Brewery + Distillery, Phoenix, AZ

Category 3: Fruit Wheat Beer 
Gold: Bitchin’ Berry, Great Basin Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Reno, NV
Silver: Cherry Wheat, Sierra Blanca Brewing Co., Moriarty, NM
Bronze: Smash, 10 Barrel Brewing Co., Bend, OR

Category 4: Belgian-Style Fruit Beer
Gold: Foxy Lady, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Silver: All the Goodness, Gezellig Brewing Co., Newton, IA
Bronze: Cherry Valley Farmhouse, Heritage Hill Brewhouse & Kitchen, Pompey, NY

Category 5: Pumpkin/Squash Beer or Pumpkin Spice Beer 
Gold: Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale, Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, WI
Silver: Pumpkin Rumble, Mistress Brewing Co., Ankeny, IA
Bronze: Pumpkinator, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category 6: Field Beer
Gold: Scoring Discrepancies, Listermann Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Dessert Station: Cherry Almond Cookie, Corporate Ladder Brewing Co., Palmetto, FL
Bronze: Grandma’s Pecan, The Dudes’ Brewing Co., Somis, CA

Category 7: Chili Beer  
Gold: Jalapeno Pineapple Pils, Brickway Brewery & Distillery, Omaha, NE
Silver: Bringin’ Da Heat, Devil’s Creek Brewery, Collingswood, NJ
Bronze: Oyster Jalapeno Porter, Bull Island Brewing Co., Hampton, VA

Category 8: Herb and Spice Beer  
Gold: Kveik Thai Tom Kha, Shades Brewing, Park City, UT
Silver: One Night in Bangkok Smoothie IPA, Midland Brewing Co., Midland, MI
Bronze: Deck Daze, Vail Brewing Co. – Vail Village Pilot, Vail, CO

Category 9: Chocolate Beer – 68 Entries
Gold: Old Balltown Bulleit Bourbon Barrel Aged Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Brownie Milk
Stout, PIVO Brewery, Calmar, IA
Silver: **Contains Chocolate**, Corporate Ladder Brewing Co., Palmetto, FL
Bronze: Somebody Else’s Dream, Fort Myers Brewing Co., Fort Myers, FL

Category 10: Coffee Beer 
Gold: Duluth Coffee Pale Ale, Earth Rider Brewery, Superior, WI
Silver: Clear Sky Daybreak, Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, Columbus, OH
Bronze: Central Perk, Ambitious Ales, Long Beach, CA

Category 11: Coffee Stout or Porter  
Gold: There is No Cow Level, GameCraft Brewing, Laguna Hills, CA
Silver: Portola Breakfast Stout, Tustin Brewing Co., Tustin, CA
Bronze: White Russian, SunUp Brewing Co., Phoenix, AZ

Category 12: Specialty Beer
Gold: Rye Hipster Brunch Stout, Odd Side Ales, Grand Haven, MI
Silver: Agavemente, SouthNorte Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: I Did It All For The Cookie, FiftyFifty Brewing Co., Truckee, CA

Category 13: Rye Beer – 53 Entries
Gold: Rye Dawn, Breakwater Brewing Co., Oceanside, CA
Silver: Unite the Clans, Third Space Brewing, Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Suss it Out, Level Crossing Brewing Co., South Salt Lake, UT

Category 14: Honey Beer – 66 Entries
Gold: A&M Honey Bock, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery – Boulder, Boulder, CO
Silver: Honey Hole, SpindleTap Brewery, Houston, TX
Bronze: Jetty, Great South Bay Brewery, Bay Shore, NY

Category 15: Non-Alcohol Beer or Alcohol-Free Beer 
Gold: Enough Said N/A, Two Roots Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Bravus Oatmeal Stout, Bravus Brewing Co., Newport Beach, CA
Bronze: Bravus Barrel-Aged Bourbon Stout, Bravus Brewing Co., Newport Beach, CA

Category 16: Session Beer  
Gold: Texas Lager, Community Beer Co., Dallas, TX
Silver: Lite It!, Light the Lamp Brewery, Grayslake, IL
Bronze: Peacekeeper, Launch Pad Brewery, Aurora, CO

Category 17: Session India Pale Ale
Gold: Gravity Check, Kern River Brewing Co. – The Backyard, Kernville, CA
Silver: Trump Hands, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: That IPA, Community Beer Works, Buffalo, NY

Category 18: Other Strong Beer 
Gold: Northstar Imperial Porter, Twisted Pine Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Silver: False Hope, Spilled Grain Brewhouse, Annandale, MN
Bronze: Double Brown Ale, Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery, Santa Fe, NM

Category 19: Experimental Beer 
Gold: Fungus Shui, Meadowlark Brewing, Sidney, MT
Silver: Shibbleshabble, Primitive Beer, Longmont, CO
Bronze: Fluffernutter, Kings Brewing Co., Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Category 20: Fresh Hop Beer
Gold: Fresh Hop Green Battles, Pinthouse Pizza North, Austin, TX
Silver: Hop Stalker, Fat Head’s Brewery – Canton, Canton, OH
Bronze: Aqua Seafoam Shame, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA

Category 21: Historical Beer 
Silver: Afterburner Smoked Lager, Four Day Ray Brewing, Fishers, IN
Bronze: Decorah Nordic Gruit, PIVO Brewery, Calmar, IA

Category 22: Gluten-Free Beer
Gold: Boombastic Hazy IPA, Holidaily Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: Co-Conspirator Apricot Sour, Revelation Craft Brewing Co., Rehoboth Beach, DE
Bronze: Grandpa’s Nap, Evasion Brewing – Production Facility, McMinnville, OR

Category 23: American-Belgo-Style Ale 
Gold: Wit-Tington, Central District Brewing, Austin, TX
Silver: Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO
Bronze: White Rainbow, Red Rock Brewery – Production, Salt Lake City, UT

Category 24: American-Style Sour Ale
Gold: Low pHunk, MobCraft Beer, Milwaukee, WI
Silver: Alegria, Millersburg Brewing, Millersburg, OH
Bronze: Citra Acid Test, Triple C Brewing, Charlotte, NC

Category 25: Fruited American-Style Sour Ale
Gold: Roxanne, St. Elmo Brewing Co., Austin, TX
Silver: Hoochie Mama, Storm Peak Brewing Co., Steamboat Springs, CO
Bronze: Sour Blackberry Raspberry, Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co., Charleston, SC

Category 26: Brett Beer – 58 Entries
Gold: Who’s Brett?, The Hold By Revelry Brewing, Charleston, SC
Silver: St. Eldritch, Cellar Works Brewing Co., Sarver, PA
Bronze: C’Mon Sunshine, Birds Fly South Ale Project, Greenville, SC

Category 27: Mixed-Culture Brett Beer  
Gold: Standard Issue, Central Standard Brewing, Wichita, KS
Silver: Farmer’s Reserve No. 5, Almanac Beer Co., Alameda, CA
Bronze: Côte d’Or – Double Cerise, Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Santa Fe, NM

Category 28: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer  
Gold: Amburana Dream, Denver Beer Co. – Olde Town Arvada, Arvada, CO
Silver: Gran Muckle, Sun King Brewing, Indianapolis, IN
Bronze: Bourbon Barrel Aged Lady In Red, Bombshell Beer Co., Holly Springs, NC

Category 29: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer  
Gold: Knotty Dog, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Silver: Double Barrel Louie, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho Springs, CO
Bronze: Bourbon Legend, Great Heights Brewing Co., Houston, TX

Category 30: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout  
Gold: Barrel Aged Imperial Pajamas, Begyle Brewing, Chicago, IL
Silver: Ales from the Crypt: Te Quiero, O.H.S.O. Brewery – Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
Bronze: Señor Rhino, Alesong Brewing & Blending – Tasting Room, Eugene, OR

Category 31: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer  
Gold: Sour Brown Aged on Palo Santo, Hi-Wire Brewing – South Slope, Asheville, NC
Silver: Agent Orange – Apple Brandy Barrel, Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Santa Fe, NM
Bronze: Reserve Doree, The Chamber By Wooden Robot Brewery, Charlotte, NC

Category 32: Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer  
Gold: Midnight Choir, Sun King Brewing, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Crimson Cherry Variant, Upland Brewing Co. – Bloomington Brewpub, Bloomington, IN
Bronze: Rossano, Kings Brewing Co., Rancho Cucamonga, CA

Category 33: Aged Beer  
Gold: A Creator’s Calling, The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA
Silver: Belgian Quad, Green Mountain Beer Co., Lakewood, CO
Bronze: Mob Barley, Meadowlark Brewing, Sidney, MT

Category 34: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier 
Gold: German Pilsner, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA
Silver: Loral Zwickelbier, Haas Innovations Brewing, Yakima, WA
Bronze: Stand By, Rockwell Beer Co., St. Louis, MO

Category 35: Smoke Beer 
Gold: Red-Fish Rauchbock, Sockeye Brewing, Boise, ID
Silver: TF Brewing Rauch Bier, Templin Family Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Up In Smoke, Fat Head’s Brewery – Canton, Canton, OH

Category 36: American-Style Lager or American-Style Pilsener  
Gold: Lite Reading, Pollyanna Brewing Co., Lemont, IL
Silver: Valley Beer, Wren House Brewing Co., Phoenix, AZ
Bronze: Schaben’s, Thunderhead Brewing Co., Kearney, NE

Category 37: Contemporary American-Style Pilsener  
Gold: Lazy River Pils, New Trail Brewing Co., Williamsport, PA
Silver: Citra Pils, Saint Archer Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Citraveza, Alvarado Street Brewery, Salinas, CA

Category 38: International-Style Pilsener  
Gold: Torcido, Barebottle Brewing Co., San Francisco, CA
Silver: Upslope Craft Lager, Upslope Brewing Co. – Flatiron Park, Boulder, CO
Bronze: Party, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman, MT

Category 39: Light Lager 
Gold: Altitude Banquet, Altitude Chophouse and Brewery, Laramie, WY
Silver: Sif’s Light Lager, Odin Brewing Co., Tukwila, WA
Bronze: Lightner Creek Lager, Carver Brewing Co., Durango, CO

Category 40: India Pale Lager or Malt Liquor  
Gold: Timbo Pils, Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Silver: Go Kart Mozart, MotoSonora Brewing Co., Tucson, AZ
Bronze: Yeah Buoy IPL, Logboat Brewing Co., Columbia, MO

Category 41: American-Style Cream Ale  
Gold: Sea Señor! Mex Lager, SouthNorte Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Los Dudes’ Cerveza Lager Mexicana, The Dudes’ Brewing Co., Somis, CA
Bronze: Gold Style, Ballast Point Brewing Co. – Chicago, Chicago, IL

Category 42: American-Style Amber Lager  
Gold: Märzen, Sudwerk Brewing Co., Davis, CA
Silver: Oktoberfest, Huss Brewing Co., Tempe, AZ
Bronze: Grist Maerzen, Grist Brewing Co., Highlands Ranch, CO

Category 43: German-Style Pilsener 
Gold: Parliament Drive, Blind Owl Brewery, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Golden Age Pilsner, Family Business Beer Co., Dripping Springs, TX
Bronze: Pils, Hardywood West Creek, Richmond, VA

Category 44: Bohemian-Style Pilsener – 123 Entries
Gold: Bohemian Shine, Castle Island Brewing Co., Norwood, MA
Silver: Bo Pils, East Brother Beer Co., Richmond, CA
Bronze: The People’s Pilsner, Sudwerk Brewing Co., Davis, CA

Category 45: Munich-Style Helles  
Gold: Altstadt Lager, Altstadt Brewery, Fredericksburg, TX
Silver: Florida Sunshine, Crooked Can Brewing Co., Winter Garden, FL
Bronze: Wayfinder Hell, Wayfinder Beer, Portland, OR

Category 46: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest  
Gold: Schnitzengiggles, New England Brewing Co., Woodbridge, CT
Silver: Lindauer Lager, Wit’s End Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Chuckanut Fest Bier, Chuckanut Brewery – South Nut, Burlington, WA

Category 47: Vienna-Style Lager 
Gold: Jomo, Starr Hill Brewery, Crozet, VA
Silver: Vienna Lager, Grains of Wrath Brewing, Camas, WA
Bronze: Moonlight Sonata, Chilly Water Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN

Category 48: German-Style Maerzen  
Gold: Oktoberfest, Bear Chase Brewing Co., Bluemont, VA
Silver: Rocktoberfest, Hutton & Smith Brewing Co., Chattanooga, TN
Bronze: Festie, Starr Hill Pilot Brewery & Side Stage, Roanoke, VA

Category 49: German-Style Dark Lager  
Gold: Pious Monk Dunkel, Church Brew Works – Lawrenceville Brewery, Pittsburgh, PA
Silver: Black Lager, Bingo Beer Co., Richmond, VA
Bronze: Don’t Drop That Dun Dun Dunkel, TAPS Brewery & Barrel Room, Tustin, CA

Category 50: International-Style Dark Lager  
Gold: Dark Horse, Snake River Brewing Co., Jackson, WY
Silver: El Corn, The Post Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO
Bronze: Schwarzbier, Hofbräuhaus Cleveland, Cleveland, OH

Category 51: Bock 
Gold: Tackle Bock, Bobbing Bobber Brewing Co., Hutchinson, MN
Silver: Maibock, Dry Dock Brewing Co. – South Dock, Aurora, CO
Bronze: Dunkel Bock, Pilot Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC

Category 52: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock 
Gold: Eis Nine, Sun King Brewing – Fishers Small Batch, Fishers, IN
Silver: Doppelbock, Scorched Earth Brewing Co., Algonquin, IL
Bronze: Eis Vienne, Devils Backbone Brewing Co. – Basecamp, Roseland, VA

Category 53: Baltic-Style Porter 
Gold: Snap Yo’ Baltics, Freetail Brewing Co. – Brewpub, San Antonio, TX
Silver: Dark Reckoning, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Bronze: Murder Ballads, Noble Beast Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH

Category 54: Golden or Blonde Ale 
Gold: 1956 Golden Ale, Bootstrap Brewing, Longmont, CO
Silver: MadeWest Standard, MadeWest Brewing Co., Ventura, CA
Bronze: Luke’s Original, Lucky Luke Brewing Co., Palmdale, CA

Category 55: German-Style Koelsch 
Gold: Altstadt Kolsch, Altstadt Brewery, Fredericksburg, TX
Silver: Ice Cutter Kölsch, Joyride Brewing Co., Edgewater, CO
Bronze: Dry Creek Blonde Ale, Santa Clara Valley Brewing, San Jose, CA

Category 56: English-Style Summer Ale  
Gold: Organic California Blonde Ale, Eel River Brewing Co., Scotia, CA
Silver: Quid, Rhinegeist – Innovation Brewery, Cincinnati, OH
Bronze: Breakside Wentworth by the Sea, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR

Category 57: English-Style or International-Style Pale Ale 
Gold: Ferment Pale Ale, Ferment Brewing Co., Hood River, OR
Silver: Annadel Pale Ale, Third Street AleWorks, Santa Rosa, CA
Bronze: Endless Summer Nights, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA

Category 58: Australian-Style Pale Ale – 61 Entries
Gold: Australian For Pale, Green Cheek Beer Co., Orange, CA
Silver: Mountain Standard IPA, Odell Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Bronze: Pete’s Stash, Vail Brewing Co. – Vail Village Pilot, Vail, CO

Category 59: American-Style Pale Ale 
Gold: Johnny Utah, Georgetown Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: Acclimated APA, La Cumbre Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Breakside Woodlawn Pale Ale, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR

Category 60: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale 
Gold: Gulp, Tribus Beer Co., Milford, CT
Silver: Itsy Bits, WeldWerks Brewing Co., Greeley, CO
Bronze: Mo-Haze-Ic, Migration Brewing Co. – Wilkes, Portland, OR

Category 61: American-Style Strong Pale Ale 
Gold: Superpower IPA, Comrade Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: NoPac IPA, Crossbuck Brewing, Walla Walla, WA
Bronze: JAF IPA, JAFB Wooster Brewery, Wooster, OH

Category 62: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale 
Gold: Breakside What Rough Beast, Breakside Brewery – NW Slabtown, Portland, OR
Silver: Kaaterskill, West Kill Brewing, West Kill, NY
Bronze: Goofy Boots, Penrose Brewing Co., Geneva, IL

Category 63: American-Style India Pale Ale  
Gold: More Dodge Less RAM, Comrade Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Radiant Beauty, Green Cheek Beer Co., Orange, CA
Bronze: Weekend Vibes IPA, Coronado Brewing Co. – Production Facility, San Diego, CA

Category 64: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale  
Gold: Beezer, Old Irving Brewing Co., Chicago, IL
Silver: Hazy IPA, City Lights Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Devil’s Gulch, Pond Farm Brewing Co., San Rafael, CA

Category 65: Emerging India Pale Ale  
Gold: Pure Tropics, Parish Brewing Co., Broussard, LA
Silver: Vladimir Brutin, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO

Category 66: Imperial India Pale Ale 
Gold: Double Cone, Alvarado Street Brewery, Salinas, CA
Silver: Westbound Double IPA, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho Springs, CO
Bronze: Sharrow, Brew Hub, Lakeland, FL

Category 67: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale  
Gold: Extra Extra Juicy Bits, WeldWerks Brewing Co., Greeley, CO
Silver: Juice Jockey, Phantom Ales, Anaheim, CA
Bronze: Chaos Emeralds, Lone Pine Brewing Company – Gorham, Gorham, ME

Category 68: American-Style Amber/Red Ale  
Gold: Diablo Rojo, Boneyard Beer, Bend, OR
Silver: 1890 Founder’s Ale, Grayton Beer Co., Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Bronze: Red Alert, Aftershock Brewing Co., Temecula, CA

Category 69: Double Hoppy Red Ale  
Gold: Station 101, Claremont Craft Ales, Claremont, CA
Silver: Side Hike, Kern River Brewing Co., Kernville, CA
Bronze: Cannon Ball, Migration Brewing Co. – Glisan, Portland, OR

Category 70: Imperial Red Ale  
Gold: Bone Head Imperial Red, Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon, North Olmsted, OH
Silver: Frogs Like Possum, King’s Court Brewing Co., Poughkeepsie, NY
Bronze: Gifted Gunslinger, Big Sexy Brewing Co., Sacramento, CA

Category 71: English-Style Mild Ale 
Gold: Hold The Reins, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Sliding Rock, BearWaters Brewing Co., Canton, NC
Bronze: Saddle Bronc Brown, Black Tooth Brewing Co., Sheridan, WY

Category 72: Ordinary or Special Bitter 
Gold: Chronic Amber Ale, Pizza Port – Bressi Ranch, Carlsbad, CA
Silver: Cousin Jack, Dostal Alley Brewpub & Casino, Central City, CO
Bronze: Milford Pub Ale, River’s Edge Brewing Co., Milford, MI

Category 73: Extra Special Bitter 
Gold: ESB, Hillman Beer, Asheville, NC
Silver: Bridgeview, Henderson Brewing Co., Henderson, KY
Bronze: Red Ale, The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery, Hampton, VA

Category 74: English-Style India Pale Ale 
Gold: Hop’lin IPA, Southbound Brewing Co., Savannah, GA
Silver: Shanghai’d IPA, Old Town Brewing, Portland, OR
Bronze: Hoppy Poppy, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA

Category 75: Scottish-Style Ale 
Gold: Taildragger Clan-Destine, Saddle Mountain Brewing Co., Goodyear, AZ
Silver: Yarmouth, Arkane Aleworks, Largo, FL
Bronze: Thistle Dew, Ursa Minor Brewing, Duluth, MN

Category 76: Irish-Style Red Ale  
Gold: Outraged Daughters, Wise Man Brewing, Winston-Salem, NC
Silver: Balefire Irish Red, Mirror Image Brewing Co., Frederick, CO
Bronze: Red Molly Irish Red Ale, Pale Fire Brewing Co., Harrisonburg, VA

Category 77: English-Style Brown Ale 
Gold: Bobcat Brown Ale, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman, MT
Silver: Eclipse Brown Ale, Equinox Brewing, Fort Collins, CO
Bronze: Mischievous Brown, Helltown Brewing, Export, PA

Category 78: American-Style Brown Ale – 
Gold: Naked Sunbather, Mad Swede Brewing Co., Boise, ID
Silver: Bull Creek Brown Ale, Springfield Brewing Co., Springfield, MO
Bronze: Browner Than Ivan, Chula Vista Brewery, Chula Vista, CA

Category 79: American-Style Black Ale 
Gold: Alpha Force Double Tap, Überbrew, Billings, MT
Silver: Bowie Knife, Thunderhawk Alements, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Turmoil, Barley Brown’s Beer, Baker City, OR

Category 80: German-Style Sour Ale  
Gold: Meier, Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Santa Fe, NM
Silver: Meersalz, Narrow Gauge Brewing Co., Florissant, MO
Bronze: And the Award Gose to…, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV

Category 81: Specialty Berliner Weisse
Gold: Midwestern Exotic, Barrel Theory Beer Co., St. Paul, MN
Silver: Jungalow Juice, Arrow Lodge Brewing, Covina, CA
Bronze: Raspberry Vermonter Weiss, 14th Star Brewing Co., Saint Albans, VT

Category 82: Contemporary Gose 
Gold: Cruise to Nowhere, Town Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Silver: Mimosa Gose, Pilot Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Galactic Minotaurt, True Vine Brewing Co., Tyler, TX

Category 83: German-Style Altbier 
Gold: Rhine Heights ALT, Vintage Brewing Co. – Madison, Madison, WI
Silver: Howitzer Amber, Red Leg Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO
Bronze: Jeremy Altbier, The Royal Oak Brewery, Royal Oak, MI

Category 84: South German-Style Hefeweizen  
Gold: Prosperity Wheat, Market Garden Brewery – Production Brewery, Cleveland, OH
Silver: Hug Deal Gone Sideweiss, Gezellig Brewing Co., Newton, IA
Bronze: Leisel Weapon, Noon Whistle Brewing Co., Lombard, IL

Category 85: German-Style Wheat Ale  
Gold: Krystal Clear, TAPS Brewery & Barrel Room, Tustin, CA
Silver: Dunkelweisse, Swashbuckler Brewing Co., Manheim, PA
Bronze: HefeWeizen, Live Oak Brewing Co., Austin, TX

Category 86: Belgian-Style Blonde Ale or Pale Ale 
Gold: Nènette, Kern River Brewing Co. – The Backyard, Kernville, CA
Silver: Hell’s Keep, Squatters Craft Beers, Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Suddenly a Saint, Moonraker Brewing Co., Auburn, CA

Category 87: Belgian-Style Witbier 
Gold: Way West Wit, Zuni Street Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Boeman Belgian White, Ogopogo Brewing, San Gabriel, CA
Bronze: Under a Blood Orange Sky, Temblor Brewing Co., Bakersfield, CA

Category 88: Classic Saison – 106 Entries
Gold: Meadowlark, Metazoa Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Summer Opal, Firestone Walker – The Propagator, Marina Del Rey, CA
Bronze: Gray Matter, Aspetuck Brew Lab, Bridgeport, CT

Category 89: Specialty Saison 
Gold: Obeisance, Von Ebert Brewing – Glendoveer, Portland, OR
Silver: Westfield, Cellar West Artisan Ales, Lafayette, CO
Bronze: Palisade #2, Fortside Brewing Co., Vancouver, WA

Category 90: Belgian- and French-Style Ale
Gold: Junebug, Echo Brewing Co., Erie, CO
Silver: Swingin’ Single, Piece Brewery, Chicago, IL
Bronze: Industrial Gris, Resident Brewing Co., San Diego, CA

Category 91: Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale
Gold: Get The Funk Out, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, Denver, CO
Silver: Olly, Free Will Brewing Co., Perkasie, PA
Bronze: Saison Apothēca, Yeast of Eden, Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA

Category 92: Belgian-Style Dubbel  
Gold: Dedication, Vintage Brewing Co. – Madison, Madison, WI
Silver: Belgian Dubbel, Sugar Creek Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Bronze: OB Bubble Dubbel, Kilowatt Brewing, San Diego, CA

Category 93: Belgian-Style Tripel  
Gold: Princeps Pacis, Save The World Brewing Co., Marble Falls, TX
Silver: Marvella, Red Rock Brewery – Production, Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Triple-Whirl, 217 Brew Works, Wilson, NC

Category 94: Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale
Gold: Fu Fighter, Good River Beer, Denver, CO
Silver: Sandy Dunes Saison, River Bluff Brewing, St. Joseph, MO
Bronze: Stay Gold, Bluebird Brasserie, Sherman Oaks, CA

Category 95: Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale or Belgian-Style Quadrupel  
Gold: Quad Damn It, Chicago Brewing Co. – Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV
Silver: Séréneté Grand Cru, Bruz Beers, Denver, CO
Bronze: Sisters Quad, Bitter Sisters Brewing Co., Addison, TX

Category 96: Other Belgian-Style Ale
Gold: Very, Very Far, Off Color Brewing, Chicago, IL
Silver: Conquer Then Divide, Barrage Brewing Co., Farmingdale, NY
Bronze: Pentuple, Hoppin’ Frog Brewing, Akron, OH

Category 97: Brown Porter 
Gold: Maduro Brown Ale, Cigar City Brewing, Tampa, FL
Silver: Brown Claw, Kern River Brewing Co. – The Backyard, Kernville, CA
Bronze: Honey Porter, Cape May Brewing Co. – Rio Grande, Cape May, NJ

Category 98: Robust Porter
Gold: Tabula Rasa, Second Chance Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Powell Street Porter, Bartlett Hall, San Francisco, CA
Bronze: Shadowcaster Porter, Folklore Brewing & Meadery, Dothan, AL

Category 99: Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout  
Gold: SeaSide Stout, Pizza Port – Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA
Silver: Shooter McMunn’s, Lost Rhino Brewing Co., Ashburn, VA
Bronze: O’Dark Thirty, 6 Bears & A Goat Brewing Co., Fredericksburg, VA

Category 100: Export Stout  
Gold: Correspondent, Wander Brewing, Bellingham, WA
Silver: Thor’s Shadow Imperial Stout, Odin Brewing Co., Tukwila, WA
Bronze: Void of Light, Gun Hill Brewing Co., Bronx, NY

Category 101: American-Style Stout  
Gold: Black Cliffs, Boise Brewing, Boise, ID
Silver: Stone Liberty Station Cimmerian Portal, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty
Station, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Kilgore, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Long Beach, CA

Category 102: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout  
Gold: Moozie, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Emperor Norton’s Sweet Stout, 21st Amendment Brewery, San Leandro, CA
Bronze: Volcano Mudslide Sweet Stout, Feather Falls Brewing Co., Oroville, CA

Category 103: Oatmeal Stout  
Gold: 80 Chain Stout, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman, MT
Silver: Yonder Mountain Stout, Vine Street Pub & Brewery, Denver, CO
Bronze: Shaman Stout, Toltec Brewing Co., Albuquerque, NM

Category 104: Imperial Stout  
Gold: The Russian, 2SP Brewing Co., Aston, PA
Silver: Black Cauldron Imperial Stout, Grand Teton Brewing, Victor, ID
Bronze: Rescue Buoy Imperial Stout, Rip Current Brewing, San Marcos, CA

Category 105: Scotch Ale 
Gold: Knuckle Dragger, Dueces Wild Brewery, Colorado Springs, CO
Silver: Real Heavy, Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX
Bronze: Wee Heavy Metal, Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. – M. L. King, Chattanooga, TN

Category 106: Old Ale or Strong Ale
Gold: Private Stock Ale, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Old Scrooge, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Bronze: Last Will and Testament, Monday Night Brewing – Garage, Atlanta, GA

Category 107: Barley Wine-Style Ale 
Gold: Old Diablo, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Silver: Freebooter Barleywine, Coronado Brewing Co., Coronado, CA
Bronze: Three Ryes Men, Reuben’s Brews – The Taproom, Seattle, WA

Pro-Am Competition
Gold: Distemper, IMBĪB Custom Brews, Reno, NV
Brewmaster: IMBĪB Brew Crew
AHA Member: Lance Newlin
Silver: Leicht, Precarious Beer Project – Beer Hall, Williamsburg, VA
Brewmaster: Greg Fleehart
AHA Member: Joel Miller
Bronze: Chess with Checkers, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Brewmaster: The Employee Owners of New Belgium
AHA Member: Erich Purcell

Collaboration Competition 
Gold: Getting By on Central Time, Sun King Brewing, Indianapolis, IN
Indiana Brewers Guild Beer Brigadiers
Silver: Are You Pricklish?, Taft’s Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Against the Grain Brewing, Louisville, KY
Bronze: Willie Big Dog, Public Coast Brewing Co., Cannon Beach, OR
Big Dog’s Brewing CO., Las Vegas, NV

2019 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards
Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.
Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Santa Fe, NM
Rowley Farmhouse Ales

Mid-Size Brewpub and Mid-Size Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho Springs, CO
Westbound & Down Brewery Team

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by The Country Malt Group
Vintage Brewing Co. – Madison, Madison, WI
Drinking Fresh Thinking

Very Small Brewing Company and Very Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Brink Brew Crew

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by ABS Commercial
Comrade Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Marks Lanham & David Lin

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by MicroStar Logistics
Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Silver City Brew Team

Brewery Group and Brewery Group Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Live Oak Bank
Kern River Brewing Co., Kernville, CA
KRBC Brew Team

The Brewers Association

The Brewers Association (BA) is a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade association dedicated to promoting and protecting small and independent American craft brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. As an organization of brewers, for brewers, and by brewers, the BA represents over 9,700 operating craft breweries nationwide, supporting more than 443,000 jobs and contributing significantly to local economies. Through advocacy, education, events like the Craft Brewers Conference and Great American Beer Festival, and resources such as the independent craft brewer seal, the BA fosters innovation, sustainability, and growth within the dynamic U.S. craft beer industry.

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

Filed Under: craftbeer, great american beer festival, Uncategorized

Celebrating National Body Language Day: Unlock the Power of Nonverbal Communication

October 3, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

National Body Language Day

Every year on the first Friday of October, we celebrate National Body Language Day, a day dedicated to recognizing the silent yet powerful ways we communicate without words. In 2025, this special day falls on October 3, and it’s the perfect opportunity to dive into the fascinating world of nonverbal cues, from a confident handshake to a subtle eyebrow raise. Whether you’re a people-watcher, a professional looking to boost your communication skills, or just curious about what your crossed arms might be saying, this day is for you!

What Is National Body Language Day?
National Body Language Day was created to raise awareness about the importance of nonverbal communication in our daily lives. Founded by body language expert Blanca Cobb, this annual celebration highlights how gestures, facial expressions, posture, and eye contact shape our interactions. It’s a day to learn, observe, and maybe even laugh at the quirky ways we “talk” without saying a word.

Did you know that studies suggest up to 93% of communication is nonverbal? That’s right—your words might only be a small piece of the puzzle. Tone of voice, body posture, and facial expressions often speak louder than what you say. National Body Language Day encourages us to become more mindful of these cues and use them to connect more effectively.

Why Body Language Matters
Body language is like a secret superpower. It can help you:

  • Build stronger relationships: A warm smile or open posture can make others feel comfortable and valued.

  • Boost your confidence: Standing tall with shoulders back can make you feel more powerful and assertive.

  • Ace professional settings: From job interviews to presentations, mastering nonverbal cues can set you apart.

  • Understand others better: Reading body language can help you pick up on unspoken emotions or intentions.

On National Body Language Day, take a moment to reflect on how your nonverbal signals impact those around you. Are you sending the right message?

Fun Ways to Celebrate National Body Language Day
Ready to get in on the fun? Here are some engaging ways to celebrate this unique day:

  1. Play a Body Language Game
    Gather friends or family and try to communicate a message using only gestures—no words allowed! It’s like charades but with a focus on everyday nonverbal cues. You’ll be amazed at how much you can “say” without speaking.

  2. Observe and Learn
    Spend the day people-watching (respectfully, of course!). Notice how strangers use body language in conversations. Are they leaning in, mirroring each other, or maybe avoiding eye contact? Jot down your observations and see what patterns emerge.

  3. Practice Power Poses
    Channel your inner superhero with a power pose! Research by social psychologist Amy Cuddy suggests that standing in a confident pose (think hands on hips, chest out) for just two minutes can boost your confidence. Try it before a big meeting or just for fun!

  4. Read Up on Nonverbal Cues
    Pick up a book or watch a video by body language experts like Blanca Cobb or Joe Navarro. Learn how to decode crossed arms, fidgeting, or a quick smile. Bonus: You’ll feel like a detective in no time!

  5. Share on Social Media
    Spread the word about National Body Language Day using hashtags like #NationalBodyLanguageDay or #NonverbalCommunication. Share a fun fact or a photo of yourself striking a confident pose. Bonus points for a caption like, “My body language says I’m ready to celebrate! 💪”

Top Body Language Tips to Try Today
Want to up your nonverbal game? Here are some quick tips to practice on National Body Language Day:

  • Make Eye Contact: It shows confidence and interest, but don’t overdo it—staring can feel intense!

  • Smile Genuinely: A real smile (one that crinkles your eyes) makes you approachable and trustworthy.

  • Mirror Mindfully: Subtly mimicking someone’s posture or gestures can build rapport, but keep it natural.

  • Watch Your Posture: Stand or sit up straight to project confidence and engagement.

  • Be Aware of Personal Space: Respect others’ boundaries to make them feel comfortable.

Fun Facts About Body Language

  • It’s Universal (Sort Of): While some gestures, like smiling, are universal signs of happiness, others can vary by culture. For example, a thumbs-up is positive in many places but offensive in others.

  • Animals Use It Too: From a dog’s wagging tail to a cat’s arched back, animals rely heavily on body language to communicate.

  • It’s Hard to Fake: Your true emotions often leak through subtle cues, like a fleeting microexpression, even if you’re trying to hide them.

Wrap-Up: Let’s Talk Without Talking!
National Body Language Day is more than just a quirky holiday—it’s a chance to tune into the unspoken conversations happening all around us. On October 3, 2025, take a moment to celebrate the power of a nod, a wink, or a confident stance. Whether you’re decoding a friend’s crossed arms or practicing your own power pose, you’ll discover how much you can say without saying a word.

So, strike a pose, share a smile, and let’s celebrate the art of nonverbal communication! How will you mark National Body Language Day? Let us know in the comments or on social media with #NationalBodyLanguageDay!

For Fun Beer Facts, Trivia and more: Click Here

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Brink Brewing Recognized As Brewery Of The Year at 2018 GABF

September 26, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

Brink Brewing Recognized As Brewery Of The Year at 2018 GABFCincinnati’s College Hill powerhouse, Brink Brewing Co, just pulled off the ultimate craft beer underdog story at the 2018 Great American Beer Festival® (GABF®)! In only 19 months of operation, this neighborhood gem crushed the competition — and they did it with head brewer Kelly Montgomery fresh out of the hospital!

A great deal of effort goes into winning one let alone two GABF® medals, but rarely does that effort include a hospital stay. Kelly Montgomery, named Very Small Brewer of The Year, was in the hospital with a lung infection the weeks leading up to the dates scheduled to brew the batches submitted to this year’s competition. “We were honestly worried about making the deadline,” says Brink Brewing Co-Owner Sarah McGarry. “When he was released from the hospital Kelly jokingly said Eh, I think I’ve got just enough energy to squeeze out very small brewery of the year… “So, you can only imagine how stunned we were that it actually happened!”

Moozie is a rich Milk Stout. Like a chocolate milkshake without the straw, it features chocolate and coffee notes and is almost chewy thanks to the addition of lactose and flaked oats. This beer also boasts a bronze medal from the 2018 World Beer Cup®, silver at the inaugural Ohio Craft Brewers Cup earlier this year, a bronze from the 2017 Denver International Beer Competition and a gold medal from the 2017 U.S. Open Beer Championship after only being open for four months (one of the youngest breweries to place that year).

Hold the Reins is an English Mild, a classic “Session Ale” while still full flavored. Moderate sweetness, a bit nutty with a touch of caramel. Chocolate and roast notes give way to a dry finish. Last year Brink Brewing was awarded a gold medal for Hold The Reins in the same English Mild Ale category.

“Three GABF medals and Very Small Brewery of the Year in just 19 months of operation is even more than we ever could have hoped for, but tells us we are on the right track,” McGarry adds.

Moozie and Hold The Reins are available year-round on draft at Brink Brewing’s tasting room and at select craft-centric draft accounts in Cincinnati.

About Brink Brewing:
Discover Brink Brewing Co: Cincinnati’s Award-Winning Neighborhood Gem in College Hill!  Nestled in the heart of College Hill, Cincinnati, Brink Brewing Co is your go-to craft brewery serving up fresh, flavorful beers in a cozy, welcoming taproom perfect for locals and beer lovers alike. In just under two years, this rising star has racked up an impressive trophy case of national and international honors:
🏅 3 Medals – 2017 Great American Beer Festival®
🥉 Bronze Medal – 2018 World Beer Cup®
🏆 7 Medals – U.S. Open Beer Competition
🌟 3 Wins – Ohio Craft Brewer Cup
🍺 2 Awards – Denver International Beer Competition
From hoppy IPAs to smooth stouts, every pint is brewed with passion and precision. Whether you’re a craft beer newbie or a seasoned sipper, Brink’s friendly vibe and top-tier brews make it a must-visit Cincinnati hotspot. For more information visit brinkbrewing.com.

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

Filed Under: Uncategorized

21st Amendment Brewery to Close After 25 Years in the Bay Area

September 4, 2025 by Dow Scoggins

21st Amendment Brewery to Close After 25 Years in the Bay Area
After a remarkable 25-year journey, 21st Amendment Brewery, a staple in the Bay Area’s craft beer scene, is set to cease operations. Founders Shaun O’Sullivan and Nico Freccia announced plans to gradually wind down production at their San Leandro facility over the next two months, with a full closure expected by early November 2025. The brewery aims to keep its San Francisco brewpub on 2nd Street and taproom operational as long as staffing allows, according to industry outlet Brewbound.

A Surprising Turn of Events

The closure comes as a surprise, especially after O’Sullivan and Freccia revealed last week that they were stepping back from daily operations to welcome a new CEO. The leadership transition was part of a strategy to expand the brewery’s reach through new supplier partnerships and increased production capacity at the San Leandro facility. O’Sullivan shared his optimism on Instagram, stating, “I’ll be taking some time to recharge before exploring new ventures. The journey continues, and I’ll see you around the corner.”

However, Brewbound reports that a financial lender, crucial to these expansion plans, recently withdrew support, citing broader challenges in the craft beer industry and uncertainty about the brewery’s future. This decision disrupted plans that had been in motion since July, leaving the brewery in a precarious position.

A Legacy in Craft Beer

Founded in 2000, 21st Amendment Brewery quickly rose to prominence, thanks to its prime location near the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park. The brewery became a beloved destination for locals and visitors alike, known for its innovative brews and vibrant taproom. In 2015, the company opened a state-of-the-art production facility in San Leandro to meet growing demand, with sales soaring by 30–50% annually in its peak years.

However, growth stalled just before the COVID-19 pandemic. “We invested heavily in the San Leandro facility during a time of rapid industry expansion,” Freccia explained to Brewbound. “But that momentum slowed dramatically after we opened.” The pandemic brought additional challenges, including the acquisition of their local distributor, DBI Beverage Inc., by Reyes Holdings in 2019, forcing a shift to Anheuser-Busch networks. A dissolved partnership with Brooklyn Brewery also limited national distribution, while a dispute with a can supplier restricted beer availability.

Financial Struggles and an Uncertain Future

Freccia revealed that the brewery has not been profitable for several years, with the San Francisco brewpub operating at just 40% of its pre-COVID capacity. The withdrawal of financial backing further dimmed prospects for recovery. “We believed this partnership would provide a strong path forward,” Freccia told Brewbound. “The lenders saw potential in the brand, but they’re focused on the bottom line and recognized the industry’s challenges.”

Despite the closure, O’Sullivan and Freccia remain open to new opportunities, including potential buyers for the 21st Amendment brand. “The craft beer landscape has evolved tremendously since we started in 2000, and we’re proud to have been part of that transformation,” O’Sullivan said. “While this chapter is ending, we hope our legacy inspires future brewers to chase their dreams.”

Looking Ahead

As 21st Amendment prepares to close its production facility, the brewery’s founders are reflecting on their impact on the craft beer community. The San Francisco brewpub and taproom will continue to serve patrons for as long as possible, offering a final chance to enjoy their iconic brews. For now, the future of this Bay Area institution remains uncertain, but its influence on the craft beer world will not be forgotten.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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