It must be the water!
Or, the fact that Colorado still makes more beer than any other state â€" thus supporting the thriving, vibrant craft beer industry.
Or, maybe some bizarre cosmic alignment provided the beers of Colorado with better hops, fresher malts, and some sort of space-borne yeast cultivated on an ice-laden distant planet notorious for producing incredible intergalactic beer.
Maybe.
Or, maybe Colorado just has some damn good brewers in their midst.
I would presume the later.
Nonetheless, at this year's Great American Beer Fest Colorado breweries accumulated more awards than any other state! In fact, Colorado gathered six more awards than California, a state with thirty-one-million more people, and a slightly higher number of breweries. A rather gratifying accomplishment for the 38th state of the republic.
Recent up-starts such as Colorado Boy Pub and Brewery in Ridgeway, Colorado Brewing in Boulder, Upslope Brewing in Boulder, and Trinity Brewing in Colorado Springs all picked up awards for brews that have just begun to trickle onto the palates of Colorado beer aficionados.
Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora, hardly through celebrating an award rich showing at the Colorado State Fair, garnered three additional medals at the GABF. Dry Dock's Bismark Alt won gold, and along with two other silvers, the impressive, recently-expanded brewery walked away with the coveted “Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year” award. Apparently the dock's over at Dry Dock aren't so dry!
MillerCoors, the “super-macrobrewery-conglomerate” situated in Golden, and it's laundry list of acquired brands, absorbed fifteen awards spanning categories from American-style Lager to European-style Dunkel. Even the 144 year old brew responsible for the culturally-ingrained “beer bear” found recognition at the GABF. Hamm's, a beer that has passed through more hands than a crowded blackjack table, won a silver in the American-style Cream Ale or Lager category.
All of these award-winning breweries and brewpubs and hundreds of others served frothy libations to 46,000 thirsty attendees! 2,100 brews were served by 457 breweries and brewpubs in the festival hall. 495 breweries and brewpubs entered 3,308 beers for judging in 78 categories. 103 judges from 10 countries tasted, analyzed, discussed, and ultimately passed judgment upon the suds wrestling in competition. In the end, Colorado left the festival with 45 medals!
Congratulations to all those who won awards!
A list of all the Colorado brewery and brewpub winners can be found below. A full list can be found at the GABF website website.
2009 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards
Large Brewing Company & Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Coors Brewing Company, Golden, CO - Dr. David Ryder
Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Dry Dock Brewing Company, Aurora, CO - Dry Dock Brewing Team
Or, the fact that Colorado still makes more beer than any other state â€" thus supporting the thriving, vibrant craft beer industry.
Or, maybe some bizarre cosmic alignment provided the beers of Colorado with better hops, fresher malts, and some sort of space-borne yeast cultivated on an ice-laden distant planet notorious for producing incredible intergalactic beer.
Maybe.
Or, maybe Colorado just has some damn good brewers in their midst.
I would presume the later.
Nonetheless, at this year's Great American Beer Fest Colorado breweries accumulated more awards than any other state! In fact, Colorado gathered six more awards than California, a state with thirty-one-million more people, and a slightly higher number of breweries. A rather gratifying accomplishment for the 38th state of the republic.
Recent up-starts such as Colorado Boy Pub and Brewery in Ridgeway, Colorado Brewing in Boulder, Upslope Brewing in Boulder, and Trinity Brewing in Colorado Springs all picked up awards for brews that have just begun to trickle onto the palates of Colorado beer aficionados.
Dry Dock Brewing in Aurora, hardly through celebrating an award rich showing at the Colorado State Fair, garnered three additional medals at the GABF. Dry Dock's Bismark Alt won gold, and along with two other silvers, the impressive, recently-expanded brewery walked away with the coveted “Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year” award. Apparently the dock's over at Dry Dock aren't so dry!
MillerCoors, the “super-macrobrewery-conglomerate” situated in Golden, and it's laundry list of acquired brands, absorbed fifteen awards spanning categories from American-style Lager to European-style Dunkel. Even the 144 year old brew responsible for the culturally-ingrained “beer bear” found recognition at the GABF. Hamm's, a beer that has passed through more hands than a crowded blackjack table, won a silver in the American-style Cream Ale or Lager category.
All of these award-winning breweries and brewpubs and hundreds of others served frothy libations to 46,000 thirsty attendees! 2,100 brews were served by 457 breweries and brewpubs in the festival hall. 495 breweries and brewpubs entered 3,308 beers for judging in 78 categories. 103 judges from 10 countries tasted, analyzed, discussed, and ultimately passed judgment upon the suds wrestling in competition. In the end, Colorado left the festival with 45 medals!
Congratulations to all those who won awards!
A list of all the Colorado brewery and brewpub winners can be found below. A full list can be found at the GABF website website.
2009 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards
Large Brewing Company & Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Coors Brewing Company, Golden, CO - Dr. David Ryder
Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Dry Dock Brewing Company, Aurora, CO - Dry Dock Brewing Team
Gold
American-Style Cream Ale or Lager
Milwaukee?s Best
Milwaukee?s Best
Miller Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
Other Strong Beer
Cardiff
Cardiff
Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co.
Glenwood Springs, CO
Experimental Beer
TPS Report
TPS Report
Trinity Brewing Co
Colorado Springs, CO
Smoked Beer
Smokejumper
Smokejumper
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO
Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest
Move Back
Move Back
The SandLot
Denver, CO
American-Style Lager or Premium Lager
Coors Banquet
Coors Banquet
Coors Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
American Style Specialty Lager
Keystone Ice
Keystone Ice
Coors Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
American Style Amber Lager
Durango Colorfest
Durango Colorfest
Durango Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
German Style Doppelbock or Eisbock
The Kaiser
The Kaiser
Avery Brewing Co.
Boulder, CO
German Style Altbier
Bismarck Altbier
Bismarck Altbier
Dry Dock Brewing Co.
Aurora, CO
Silver
American-Style Cream Ale or Lager
Hamm?s
Hamm?s
Miller Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
International-Style Pilsener
OE800
OE800
Miller Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
Bohemian Style PilsenerSilver
Gordon Biersch Czech Pilsner
Gordon Biersch Czech Pilsner
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group
Broomfield, CO
Munich Style Helles
Where the Helles Bill?
Where the Helles Bill?
The SandLot
Denver, CO
Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest
Greenside Up
Greenside Up
The SandLot
Denver, CO
American Style Light Lager
Keystone Light
Keystone Light
Coors Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
American-Style Lager or Premium Lager
Miller High Life
Miller High Life
Miller Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
American Style Specialty Lager
Pre-Pro
Pre-Pro
Coors Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
German Style M?rzen
Reines Marzen
Reines Marzen
Dry Dock Brewing Co.
Aurora, CO
American Style Amber Lager
Killian?s Red
Killian?s Red
Coors Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
European Style Dunkel
Gordon Biersch Dunkles
Gordon Biersch Dunkles
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group
Broomfield, CO
Bock
May Bock
May Bock
Backcountry Brewery
Frisco, CO
American Style Pale Ale
44 Pale Ale
44 Pale Ale
Colorado Brewing Co./Draft House
Boulder, CO
Irish Style Red Ale
Colorado Boy Irish
Colorado Boy Irish
Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery
Ridgway, CO
English Style Brown Ale
Buster Nut Brown
Buster Nut Brown
Ska Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
American Style Brown Ale
Cheyenne Ca?on Ale
Cheyenne Ca?on Ale
Bristol Brewing Co.
Colorado Springs, CO
German-Style Sour Ale
NBB Love
NBB Love
New Belgium Brewing Co.
Fort Collins, CO
South German Style Hefeweizen
U-Boat Hefeweizen
U-Boat Hefeweizen
Dry Dock Brewing Co.
Aurora, CO
Imperial Stout
Yeti Imperial Stout
Yeti Imperial Stout
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Bronze
American-Style Cream Ale or Lager
Red Dog
Red Dog
Miller Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
American-Style Wheat Beer
Double Eagle Ale
Double Eagle Ale
Rockyard Brewing Co.
Castle Rock, CO
Rye Beer
Hoss
Hoss
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Experimental Beer
Brabant
Brabant
Avery Brewing Co.
Boulder, CO
American-Belgo-Style Ale
Temperance
Temperance
Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery
Boulder, CO
Munich Style Helles
Gordon Biersch Golden Export
Gordon Biersch Golden Export
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group
Broomfield, CO
American Style Specialty Lager
Steel Reserve
Steel Reserve
Miller Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
European Style Dunkel
Dunkel
Dunkel
AC Golden Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
German Style Doppelbock or Eisbock
Carbonator
Carbonator
Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co.
Glenwood Springs, CO
English-Style Summer Ale
True Blonde Ale
True Blonde Ale
Ska Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
Extra Special Bitter or Strong Bitter
Colorado Boy IPA
Colorado Boy IPA
Colorado Boy Pub & Brewery
Ridgway, CO
German Style Altbier
Gordon Biersch Alt Bier
Gordon Biersch Alt Bier
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant Group
Broomfield, CO
German-Style Wheat Ale
Upslope Dunkel Weizen
Upslope Dunkel Weizen
Upslope Brewing Co.
Boulder, CO
Sweet Stout
Steel Toe Stout
Steel Toe Stout
Ska Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
Barley Wine Style Ale
Old Ruffian Barley Wine
Old Ruffian Barley Wine
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am Competition
Time of the Season - Brewmaster: Daniel Pages - AH
Time of the Season - Brewmaster: Daniel Pages - AH
Upslope Brewing Co.
Boulder, CO
