October 12th 2024.
The Great American Beer Festival of this year was a huge success, with exciting new additions to the event. For the first time ever, cider and ready-to-drink cocktails were allowed to be served during the festival. This was a big change from previous years, where only beer was the main focus. Cider also made its debut in the prestigious competition, adding even more variety to the already diverse lineup.
Colorado, known for its thriving beer scene, made quite the impression at the festival. Before beer took center stage, Colorado cideries proudly claimed three medals, showcasing their skill and talent. But it was the local breweries that truly stole the show, solidifying Colorado's reputation as a top destination for beer enthusiasts. In total, Colorado beverage makers took home a whopping 41 awards, surpassing last year's impressive haul of 40 medals. Of those, an impressive 15 were gold.
Colorado breweries proved their excellence in a wide range of categories, from traditional lagers and sour beers to barrel-aged and specialty styles. Shawnee Adelson, executive director of the Colorado Brewers Guild, expressed her pride in the state's breweries, stating, "Colorado's breweries continue to shine with their high-quality beers in a variety of styles. Especially noteworthy this year is that five different breweries won medals in five different German-style lager categories."
One of the standout winners was Westbound & Down Brewing Co., taking home three medals for their Infinity Pils, Western Justice, and Don't Hassle the Hef. Local favorites Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co. and Station 26 Brewing Co. also made a spicy impact, winning gold and bronze respectively in the chili beer category. And it was a proud moment for Denver's Bull & Bush Brewery, earning both gold and silver in the wood- and barrel-aged beer category for their two rum barrel-aged recipes.
Breweries from all over the Front Range and even the mountains collected more than one medal, including popular spots like Denver Beer Co., Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Glenwood Canyon Brewpub, and River North Brewery. And it wasn't just beer that was making waves at the festival. Two Colorado cider makers also received recognition in the inaugural GABF cider competition. Haykin Family Cider from Aurora and Snow Capped Cider from Austin on the Western Slope both took home gold medals.
For a full list of award-winning local beers, check out the list below. And for all the competition results, head to the festival's official website at greatamericanbeerfestival.com.
Gold Medal Winners:
- American-Belgo-style Ale – Silver Medal Worthy, Launch Pad Brewery, Aurora
- Chili Beer – El Poblano Borracho, Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co., Lafayette
- Coffee Beer – Squirrels Just Want To Have Fun, River North Brewery, Denver
- Dortmunder or German-style Oktoberfest – Festbier, Glenwood Canyon Brewpub, Glenwood Springs
- Field Beer – Fennel Rye Ale, Denver Beer Co., Denver
- Gluten-Free Beer – Fat Randy, Holidaily Brewing Co., Golden
- Hoppy Lager – Infinity Pils, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Lafayette
- Irish-style Red Ale – Coppermind, Denver Beer Co., Denver
- New Zealand-style India Pale Ale – More Than A Zealand, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden
- No/Low-Tannin Cider – The Russets, Snow Capped Cider, Austin
- Single Varietal Cider – Mountain Rose, Haykin Family Cider, Aurora
- Smoke Beer – Smoke and Embers, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins
- Strong Red Ale – Wreak Havoc, Bootstrap Brewing, Longmont
- Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer – Ghoul Fuel – Rum Diaries Edition, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver
- Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout – Western Justice, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho Springs
Silver Medal Winners:
- American Amber Lager – Las Cruces, Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co., Castle Rock
- American-style Pale Ale – Featherweight Pale Ale, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden
- Fruit Wheat Beer – Enduro, Cheluna Brewing Co., Aurora
- German Wheat Ale – Kristal Moon, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Denver
- International Dark Lager – Czech-6, Eagle River Brewing Co., Gypsum
- Munich-style Helles – Crystal River, Glenwood Canyon Brewpub, Glenwood Springs
- No/Low-Tannin Cider – Graventein, Snow Capped Cider, Austin
- Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine – Grow Old With You, Verboten Brewing, Loveland
- Pumpkin Beer – Pumpkin Spice J. Marie, River North Brewery, Denver
- Scottish-style Ale – Scottish Ale, Stodgy Brewing Co., Fort Collins
- South German-style Hefeweizen – Don't Hassle the Hef, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Lafayette
- Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer – Temporary Paradise – Rum Diaries Edition, Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver
Bronze Medal Winners:
- American Sour Ale – Mirage, New Terrain Brewing Co., Golden
- American-style Strong Ale – Independence Pass Ale IPA, Aspen Brewing Co., Aspen
- Chili Beer – Palisade Peak, Station 26 Brewing Co., Denver
- Fruited American Sour Ale – Cactus Justice, 12Degrees Brewing, Louisville
- German-style Altbier – Altruism, Rock Cut Brewing Co., Estes Park
- German-style Doppelbock or Eisbock – Execrator, Resolute Brewing Co., Centennial
- German-style Maerzen – Oktoberfest, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont
- Honey Beer – Animals Strike Curious Poses, The Empourium Brewing Co., Denver
- Italian-style Pilsener – Wolf of the Woods, Second Dawn Brewing Co., Aurora
- Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale – Windows Up, Alpine Beer Co., Fort Collins
- Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine – Artemisia, Burns Family Artisan Ales, Denver
- Scotch Ale – Old Chub, Oskar Blues Brewery, Longmont
- South German-style Hefeweizen – Polterweiss Hefeweizen, Green Mountain Beer Co., Lakewood
- Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 5 On It, Long Table Brewhouse, Denver
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