During three days and four sessions of epic beer madness at the 31st Annual Great American Beer Festival, an excess of 48,000 gallons of beer awaited the discerning palate of 49,000 giddy beer aficionados. With 31,000 different brews available, from 624 breweries, the fest once again provided the largest selection of American suds ever served on the planet.
Lucky to Get Tickets
Obtaining tickets to this years beer extravaganza was almost certainly a crap-shoot, favoring chance and luck to effort and determination. Mere minutes after the digital flood-gates opened for ticket sales, each-and-every pass was expeditiously acquired. No time for lollygagging or last minute plan alterations. Even those who were focused and prepared, ready-to-buy in an instant, watched as 49,000 tickets vanished before there eyes, leaving a multitude of savvy hop kings and queens empty-handed and frustrated. Just five years ago, in 2007, tickets didn't sell-out until the week of the festival.
We Need to Judge How Much Beer?!
A heaping 4,809 beers from approximately 732 breweries and brewpubs were judged in the 2013 GABF competition. A record 201 judges from 11 countries awarded 252 medals spanning 84 beer categories and 138 beer styles. Talk about palate fatigue! Colorado anxiously accepted 46 of the coveted awards, with 19 golds, 10 silvers, and 17 bronzes - just over 18% of the total medals presented. Not too shabby!
Dry Dock Brewing walked away with five medals, including two golds, and Rock Bottom in Broomfield won four medals and the Brewpub Group and Brewpub Group Brewer of the Year award. Sandlot Brewing in Denver won Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year award, and walked away with three medals.
Congratulations to the award winners! All of the Colorado breweries who took home medals can be found below. A full listing can be found here.
Lucky to Get Tickets
Obtaining tickets to this years beer extravaganza was almost certainly a crap-shoot, favoring chance and luck to effort and determination. Mere minutes after the digital flood-gates opened for ticket sales, each-and-every pass was expeditiously acquired. No time for lollygagging or last minute plan alterations. Even those who were focused and prepared, ready-to-buy in an instant, watched as 49,000 tickets vanished before there eyes, leaving a multitude of savvy hop kings and queens empty-handed and frustrated. Just five years ago, in 2007, tickets didn't sell-out until the week of the festival.
We Need to Judge How Much Beer?!
A heaping 4,809 beers from approximately 732 breweries and brewpubs were judged in the 2013 GABF competition. A record 201 judges from 11 countries awarded 252 medals spanning 84 beer categories and 138 beer styles. Talk about palate fatigue! Colorado anxiously accepted 46 of the coveted awards, with 19 golds, 10 silvers, and 17 bronzes - just over 18% of the total medals presented. Not too shabby!
Dry Dock Brewing walked away with five medals, including two golds, and Rock Bottom in Broomfield won four medals and the Brewpub Group and Brewpub Group Brewer of the Year award. Sandlot Brewing in Denver won Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year award, and walked away with three medals.
Congratulations to the award winners! All of the Colorado breweries who took home medals can be found below. A full listing can be found here.
Gold
Fruit Beer
Golden Knot - Chardonnay
Golden Knot - Chardonnay
Blue Moon Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Fruit Wheat Beer
Peachy Peach
Peachy Peach
Pagosa Brewing & Grill
Pagosa Springs, CO
Field Beer or Pumpkin Beer
Elektrick Cukumbahh
Elektrick Cukumbahh
Trinity Brewing Co.
Colorado Springs, CO
Chocolate Beer
Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Kellerbier or Zwickelbier
Keller Pils
Keller Pils
Prost Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Smoke Beer
Second Hand Smoke
Second Hand Smoke
SandLot
Denver, CO
Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest
Move Back
Move Back
SandLot
Denver, CO
European-Style Dunkel
Munich Dunkel
Munich Dunkel
Carver Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
English-Style Summer Ale
True Blonde Ale
True Blonde Ale
Ska Brewing
Durango, CO
Classic English-Style Pale Ale
5 Barrel Pale Ale
5 Barrel Pale Ale
Odell Brewing Co.
Fort Collins, CO
English-Style Mild Ale
S.S. Minnow Mild
S.S. Minnow Mild
Dry Dock Brewing Co. - South Dock
Aurora, CO
Ordinary or Special Bitter
Sawtooth Ale
Sawtooth Ale
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO
English-Style Brown Ale
Bandit Brown
Bandit Brown
City Star Brewing
Berthoud, CO
South German-Style Hefeweizen
Big Horn Hefeweizen
Big Horn Hefeweizen
CB and Potts Restaurant and Brewery - Highlands Ranch
Highlands Ranch, CO
German-Style Wheat Ale
Slam Dunkel
Slam Dunkel
Steamworks Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
Robust Porter
Moonlight Porter
Moonlight Porter
Rock Bottom Brewery
Broomfield, CO
Foreign-Style Stout
Fade to Black Volume 1
Fade to Black Volume 1
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO
Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
Milk Stout
Milk Stout
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO
Scotch Ale
Wee Heavy
Wee Heavy
Dry Dock Brewing Co. - South Dock
Aurora, CO
Silver
Herb and Spice Beer
Chai Milk Stout
Chai Milk Stout
Yak & Yeti Restaurant & Brewpub
Arvada, CO
Bohemian-Style Pilsener
Czech Pilsner
Czech Pilsner
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant
Broomfield, CO
Baltic-Style Porter
The Hammer
The Hammer
Rock Bottom Brewery
Broomfield, CO
English-Style Summer Ale
Hanging Lake
Hanging Lake
Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co.
Glenwood Springs, CO
Classic English-Style Pale Ale
Extra Pale Summer Ale
Extra Pale Summer Ale
Dry Dock Brewing Co. - North Dock
Aurora, CO
American-Style Pale Ale
Featherweight Pale
Featherweight Pale
Cannonball Creek Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
Ordinary or Special Bitter
HMS Victory Amber
HMS Victory Amber
Dry Dock Brewing Co. - North Dock
Aurora, CO
Irish-Style Red Ale
Colorado Boy Irish Ale
Colorado Boy Irish Ale
Colorado Boy Brewing Co.
Ridgway, CO
American-Style Stout
Battlecat Stout
Battlecat Stout
Cannonball Creek Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
Bronze
American-Style Wheat Beer
Super 77 Wheat
Super 77 Wheat
Wiley Roots Brewing Co.
Greeley, CO
Fruit Wheat Beer
Lilikoi Kepolo
Lilikoi Kepolo
Avery Brewing Co.
Boulder, CO
Specialty Honey Beer
West Bound Braggot
West Bound Braggot
Twisted Pine Brewing Co.
Boulder, CO
Gluten-Free Beer
Gluten-Free Brown Ale
Gluten-Free Brown Ale
New Planet Beer Co.
Boulder, CO
American-Style Brett Beer
HopSavant
HopSavant
Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project
Denver, CO
European-Style Dunkel
The Fearless Youth
The Fearless Youth
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse
Loveland, CO
Bock
Goat Rancher
Goat Rancher
SandLot
Denver, CO
English-Style India Pale Ale
Enterprise IPA
Enterprise IPA
Dry Dock Brewing Co. - North Dock
Aurora, CO
International-Style Pale Ale
IPL
IPL
AC Golden
Golden, CO
Scottish-Style Ale
Redhawk Ale
Redhawk Ale
Rockyard Brewing Co.
Castle Rock, CO
Irish-Style Red Ale
Ragtop Red
Ragtop Red
Rock Bottom Brewery
Broomfield, CO
English-Style Brown Ale
Longboard Brown
Longboard Brown
Rock Bottom Brewery
Broomfield, CO
German-Style Altbier
Echo Amber
Echo Amber
Echo Brewing Co.
Frederick, CO
Imperial Stout
Hammer and Sickle
Hammer and Sickle
Renegade Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Old Ale or Strong Ale
Mule Kick
Mule Kick
City Star Brewing
Berthoud, CO
Barley Wine-Style Ale
Release the Hounds Barley Wine
Release the Hounds Barley Wine
Bull & Bush Brewery
Denver, CO
