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The 2019 Indiana Brewers’ Cup marked the 21st edition of the Hoosier State’s premier craft beer showdown, held in July at the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ Farmer’s Coliseum in Indianapolis and drawing a massive lineup of over 1,000 entries from pro and homebrewers across 33 categories like crisp Czech Pilsners, juicy American IPAs, roasty porters, and experimental sours—all blind-judged by BJCP pros for that unbiased hoppy justice. Standouts that year included Sun King Brewery’s Sunlight Cream Ale snagging Best of Show Gold in the Light Lager division, with Guggman Haus Brewing’s Winner’s Milk Jug Milk Stout taking top honors in the Stout category and Daredevil Brewing’s Beautiful Dreams claiming gold in English Brown Ale—medals that sent these Indiana gems flying off taps and into Untappd wishlists. It all wrapped with the electric Indiana Microbrewers Festival at Military Park, where unlimited pours from 100+ breweries, live tunes, and food trucks turned downtown Indy into a beer lover’s utopia for thousands of thirsty fans. If you’re plotting a Midwest beer road trip, dig into 2019’s winners for timeless Hoosier pours like those creamy stouts and balanced ales—cheers to a vintage year that proved Indiana brews punch way above their weight!

After a weekend full of tasting and judging, in the professional division, Flix Brewhouse in Carmel, Indiana was named both Grand Champion Brewery and Indiana Brewery of the year. Earlier in the week,  Flix Brewhouse won a Gold and two Bronze Medals at the 2019 U.S. Open Beer Championship.

Best of Show
Gold – Czech 2 – Gravely Brewing – Kentucky
Silver – Sunlight Cream Ale – Sun King Brewery – Indiana
Bronze – Corporate Cake – Third Rock Bottom Brewery – Indianapolis – Indiana

2019 Medal Winners
Light Lager
Gold – Law Grrr – Rock Bottom Brewery – Warrenville – Illinois
Silver – Butcher Holler – Gravely Brewing – Kentucky
Bronze – Itza – Centerpoint Brewing – Indiana

Pilsner
Gold – Czech 2 – Gravely Brewing – Kentucky
Silver – Square One – Off Square Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Bohemian Pilsner – Henderson Brewing – Kentucky

European Amber Lager
Gold – Das Umlaut – Flix Brewhouse – Indiana
Silver – Auburn Lager – Mad Anthony Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Back Roads Amber – Field Brewing – Indiana

Dark Lager
Gold – Witz – Backstep Brewing – Indiana
Silver – Schwarzer Elefant – Thieme & Wagner Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Dark Angel Black Lager – St. Joseph Brewery – Indiana

Bock
Gold – Marvelous Maibock – Brokerage Brewing – Indiana
Silver – Marvelous Maibock – Flix Brewhouse – Carmel – Indiana
Bronze – Daredevil Bock – Daredevil Brewing – Indiana

Light Hybrid Beer
Gold – Daredevil Vacation – Daredevil Brewing – Indiana
Silver – Beer A Whole New Wheat – Flix Brewhouse – Albuquerque – New Mexico
Bronze – Maize Runner – Wooden Bear Brewing – Indiana

Amber Hybrid Beer
Gold – Alt – Hop River Brewing Company – Indiana
Silver – By Necessity – Backstep Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Jack of Hearts – Big Lug Brewing – Indiana

English Pale Ale
Gold – Grand Junction Brewing Company – Indiana
Silver – Junk Ditch Brewing Company – Indiana
Bronze – 5 Speed – Auburn Brewing – Indiana

Scottish and Irish Ale
Gold Flix – Skrull Crusher – Brewhouse – Carmel – Indiana
Silver – Irish Red – Cedar Creek Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Wee So Heavy – Summit City Brewerks – Indiana

American Ale
Gold – Six 2 Midnight – Mad Anthony Brewing – Indiana
Silver – Diamond Daisy – Mind Over Mash Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Space Station Middle Finger – 3 Floyds Brewing – Indiana

Other American Ale
Gold – Sunlight Cream Ale – Sun King Brewery – Indiana
Silver – Luscious – Teays River Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Old Crown Ale – Summit City Brewerks – Indiana

English Brown Ale
Gold – Beautiful Dreams – Daredevil Brewing – Indiana
Silver – Warring Factions – Four Day Ray Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Properly – Rock Bottom Brewery – Warrenville – Illinois

Porter
Gold – Centerpoint Black – Centerpoint Brewing – Indiana
Silver – Busted Knuckle – Quaff On Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Fat Bob’s Porter – Hop River Brewing – Indiana

Stout
Gold – Winner’s Milk Jug Milk Stout – Guggman Haus Brewing Company – Indiana
Silver – Quinn – Backstep Brewing Company – Indiana
Bronze – Summit City Brewerks – Indiana

Strong Stout
Gold – Charlie – Brokerage Brewing Company – Indiana
Silver – Tsar Bomba – Junk Ditch Brewing Company – Indiana
Bronze – Curse of Malthaven – Brokerage Brewing Company – Indiana

American IPA
Gold – Confessional IPA – St. Joseph Brewery – Indiana
Silver – Lupulus – Flix Brewhouse – Carmel – Indiana
Bronze – Hazy Is Lazy – Haymarket Brewing – Michigan

India Pale Ale (IPA)
Gold – The Riverside – Guggman Haus Brewing – Indiana
Silver – Backcountry Session IPA – Bloomington Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Hazy Hopsicle – Urban Vines Winery and Brewery – Indiana

German Wheat and Rye Beer
Gold – Guggenweizen – Guggman Haus Brewing – Indiana
Silver – El Hefe – Rock Bottom Brewery – Orland Park – Illinois
Bronze – Harrison Street Wheat – Hop River Brewing – Indiana

Belgian and French Ale
Gold – Lost Season – Backstep Brewing – Indiana
Silver – Super Power Potion – Flix Brewhouse – Carmel – Indiana
Bronze – Luna Rosa – Flix Brewhouse – Carmel – Indiana

Sour Ale
Gold – Lambic Raspberry – Upland Brewing – Indiana
Silver – Red Legacy – Wolf’s Ridge Brewing – Ohio
Bronze – Phantom Gose – Triton Brewing – Indiana

Belgian Strong Ale
Gold – Nefarious Nectar – The Tap Brewery – Indiana
Silver – Touched by an Angel – Sun King Brewery – Indiana
Bronze – Delta Quadrant – The Tap Brewery – Indiana

Strong Ale
Gold – The Strong Ale – Cedar Creek Brewing Company – Indiana
Silver – Imperial Wheat – Crown Brewing – Indiana 2
Bronze – Grampa Z’big A$$ – Evil Horse Brewing – Illinois

Fruit Beer
Gold – Popping My Collar – Rock Bottom Brewery – Indianapolis – Indiana
Silver – Prickly Pear Gose – Backstep Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Grandma’s Strawberry Pie – Fortlandia Brewing – Indiana

Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer
Gold – Corporate Cake – Rock Bottom Brewery – Indianapolis – Indiana
Silver – Herald Jr. – Tin Man Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Breakfast Stout – Cedar Creek Brewing – Indiana

Smoke-Flavored
Gold – Buchenrauch – Wolf’s Ridge Brewing – Ohio
Silver – Litany Against Fear – Wolf’s Ridge Brewing – Ohio
Bronze – Stormcrow – MashCraft Brewing – Fishers – Indiana

Wood-Aged Beer
Gold – Mezcal Exemption – Taxman Brewing – Indiana
Silver – Type Set – 18th Street Brewery – Indiana
Bronze – Deduction – Taxman Brewing Company – Indiana

American Wild Ale
Gold – Small batch Mr. J – Sun King Fishers Tap Room & Small Batch Brewery – Indiana
Silver – Oak & White – Upland Brewing – Indiana
Bronze – Cache Flow: Apricot – Taxman Brewing – Indiana

Specialty Beer
Gold – Tiki Tango Kombucha Shandy – Centerpoint Brewing – Indiana
Silver – Colonial Ale – Rock Bottom Brewery – Orland Park – Illinois
Bronze – Imperial Amish Krack – HopLore Brewing – Indiana

Traditional Mead
Gold – lil buzz – McClure’s Orchard/Winer – Indiana
Silver – Oaked Wildflower Cuvee – Hive and Barrel Meadery – Kentucky
Bronze – OB Traditional – Hive and Barrel Meadery – Kentucky

Fruit Mead
Gold – Adult Apple Juice – Hive and Barrel Meadery – Kentucky
Silver – Pyment birdeye – McClure’s Orchard/Winery – Indiana

Spice & Specialty Mead
Gold- OBB, Yeah You Know Me! (Old Bourbon Barrel) – Hive and Barrel – Kentucky
Silver – Mango Chipotle – Hive and Barrel Meadery – Kentucky
Bronze – Hibiscus – Hive and Barrel Meadery – Kentucky

Standard Cider and Perry
Gold – Spy Candy – McClure’s Orchard/Winery – Indiana
Silver – Farmhouse – McClure’s Orchard/Winery – Indiana
Bronze – Bon-Bon – McClure’s Orchard/Winery – Indiana

Specialty Cider and Perry
Gold – Cherry Monster – Urban Vines Winery and Brewery – Indiana
Silver – La Glace – Ash & Elm Cider Co. – Indiana
Bronze – Paige’s Peach McClure’s Orchard/Winery – Indiana

 

 

 

 

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