It was hot.
98 degrees hot, even in the shade of a sleeping Brahma bull. But the heat didn’t quell the enthusiasm of a record crowd of over 600 craft beer lovers who attended the 8th annual Foam Fest at the Colorado State Fair on Saturday. This is a Colorado-only craft beer festival, and the only beer festival held at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo.
If you went early, you could check out the 4-H dog show or the Fine Art and Crafts exhibitions. You could test your fear of heights on the 131-feet-tall Power Booster, or feel the G forces suck your face inside-out on the “Freak Out” ride. There’s the rodeo and all kinds of livestock and cowboys and cowgirls to see, and who could resist all those tasty treats: funnel cakes, smoked turkey legs, deep-fried Oreo cookies and chicken-on-a-stick. Along come Foam Fest in the early evening, and everyone is primed for some delicious craft beer.
Did we mention the competition?
Kristin Taylor is the Foam Fest Director and Homebrew & Craft Beer Coordinator. This was her ‘decade year’ for organizing the competition. 10 years ago when she started, there were 48 homebrew entries and 52 craft beer entries. This year there were a record-busting 457 homebrew entries, and 230 commercial craft beer entries. Both those numbers were an increase from last year, with the homebrew entries up by 118. No wonder they were judging up until the last minute before Foam Fest started. Kristen’s feelings about this? “It’s fantastic. The festival ran perfect. The number of people attending was up by 25%. And I’m really excited about the competition. The number of homebrewers keeps growing. They’re out there, brewing beer, thinking about beer.” And from what we observed, (and participated in), drinking beer.
More breweries were pouring their beers this year at the festival too,19 of them in all, including some of our newest members of the Colorado craft beer community. Pikes Peak Brewing, just a few months old, was pouring beer, winning 4 medals in the process. And Arvada Beer, planning to open this fall in Arvada, walked away with 4 medals. Three craft breweries tied for most medals awarded, receiving 6 medals each: Pagosa Brewing, AC Golden, and Dry Dock Brewing. Dry Dock also won Best Of Show, with U boat Hefeweizen. For the complete list of craft beer winners check here.
The homebrewers were not to be outdone. Best Of Show went to Jason Reinhardt of Lakewood for his Helles Yes! in the light lager category. And Mike Formisano of Thornton walked away with a heavy load of medals around his neck, 9 in all. For the complete list of homebrew winners, check here.
98 degrees hot, even in the shade of a sleeping Brahma bull. But the heat didn’t quell the enthusiasm of a record crowd of over 600 craft beer lovers who attended the 8th annual Foam Fest at the Colorado State Fair on Saturday. This is a Colorado-only craft beer festival, and the only beer festival held at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo.
If you went early, you could check out the 4-H dog show or the Fine Art and Crafts exhibitions. You could test your fear of heights on the 131-feet-tall Power Booster, or feel the G forces suck your face inside-out on the “Freak Out” ride. There’s the rodeo and all kinds of livestock and cowboys and cowgirls to see, and who could resist all those tasty treats: funnel cakes, smoked turkey legs, deep-fried Oreo cookies and chicken-on-a-stick. Along come Foam Fest in the early evening, and everyone is primed for some delicious craft beer.
Did we mention the competition?
Kristin Taylor is the Foam Fest Director and Homebrew & Craft Beer Coordinator. This was her ‘decade year’ for organizing the competition. 10 years ago when she started, there were 48 homebrew entries and 52 craft beer entries. This year there were a record-busting 457 homebrew entries, and 230 commercial craft beer entries. Both those numbers were an increase from last year, with the homebrew entries up by 118. No wonder they were judging up until the last minute before Foam Fest started. Kristen’s feelings about this? “It’s fantastic. The festival ran perfect. The number of people attending was up by 25%. And I’m really excited about the competition. The number of homebrewers keeps growing. They’re out there, brewing beer, thinking about beer.” And from what we observed, (and participated in), drinking beer.
More breweries were pouring their beers this year at the festival too,19 of them in all, including some of our newest members of the Colorado craft beer community. Pikes Peak Brewing, just a few months old, was pouring beer, winning 4 medals in the process. And Arvada Beer, planning to open this fall in Arvada, walked away with 4 medals. Three craft breweries tied for most medals awarded, receiving 6 medals each: Pagosa Brewing, AC Golden, and Dry Dock Brewing. Dry Dock also won Best Of Show, with U boat Hefeweizen. For the complete list of craft beer winners check here.
The homebrewers were not to be outdone. Best Of Show went to Jason Reinhardt of Lakewood for his Helles Yes! in the light lager category. And Mike Formisano of Thornton walked away with a heavy load of medals around his neck, 9 in all. For the complete list of homebrew winners, check here.
Gold
German-Style Altbier
Little Red Cap
Little Red Cap
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse
Loveland, CO
Irish-Style Red Ale
O?Rion Irish Red
O?Rion Irish Red
Equinox Brewing
Fort Collins, CO
American-Style Dark Lager
Durango Dark
Durango Dark
Durango Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
European-Style Dunkel
Dunkel Lager
Dunkel Lager
Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co.
Glenwood Springs, CO
Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest
Move Back
Move Back
The SandLot
Denver, CO
German-Style Pilsener
Pavlov?s Pils
Pavlov?s Pils
C.B. & Potts Restaurant & Brewery
Fort Collins, CO
Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer
Friek
Friek
Odell Brewing Co.
Fort Collins, CO
American-Style Sour Ale
Le Terroir
Le Terroir
New Belgium Brewing Co.
Fort Collins, CO
Gluten-Free Beer
Gluten-Free Lemon Pale
Gluten-Free Lemon Pale
Strange Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Herb and Spice Beer
Mexican Chocolate Stout
Mexican Chocolate Stout
Copper Kettle Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Field Beer or Pumpkin Beer
Upslope Pumpkin Ale
Upslope Pumpkin Ale
Upslope Brewing Co.
Boulder, CO
German-Style Sour Ale
Berliner Weisse
Berliner Weisse
Crabtree Brewing Co.
Greeley, CO
South German-Style Hefeweizen
Hefeweizen
Hefeweizen
Dry Dock Brewing
Aurora, CO
Sweet Stout
Steel Toe Stout
Steel Toe Stout
Ska Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
2011 GABF Pro-Am
Before Capone - Brewmaster: Dennis O?Harrow - AHA
Before Capone - Brewmaster: Dennis O?Harrow - AHA
C.B. & Potts Restaurant & Brewery
Westminster, CO
Mike Laur © DG2C
Kristin Taylor, FoamFest organizer, does her best to keep the awards ceremony moving along.
Silver
Other Strong Beer
Saison du Summer
Saison du Summer
Backcountry Brewery
Frisco, CO
Aged Beer
Release the Hounds
Release the Hounds
Bull & Bush Brewery
Denver, CO
Bohemian-Style Pilsener
Mama?s Little Yella Pils
Mama?s Little Yella Pils
Oskar Blues Brewery
Longmont, CO
American-Style Amber Lager
Colorado Native
Colorado Native
AC Golden Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
Bock
PrePro Bock
PrePro Bock
Coors Archive Brewery
Golden, CO
American-Style India Pale Ale
Deviant Dale?s
Deviant Dale?s
Oskar Blues Brewery
Longmont, CO
Extra Special Bitter
Colorado Kind
Colorado Kind
Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery
Boulder, CO
South German-Style Hefeweizen
Wild Pitch Hefe Weizen
Wild Pitch Hefe Weizen
The SandLot
Denver, CO
French- and Belgian-Style Saison
Funkwerks Saison
Funkwerks Saison
Funkwerks
Fort Collins, CO
Oatmeal Stout
Oatmeal Stout
Oatmeal Stout
Crabtree Brewing Co.
Greeley, CO
Mike Laur © DG2C
Judging took place over two long days, right up until the opening of the Foam Fest to the public.
Bronze
Fruit Wheat Beer
Vintage Blonde Ale
Vintage Blonde Ale
Blue Moon Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
Field Beer or Pumpkin Beer
Turnip the Beets
Turnip the Beets
Bull & Bush Brewery
Denver, CO
Coffee Beer
Coffee Milk Stout
Coffee Milk Stout
Dry Dock Brewing
Aurora, CO
Specialty Beer
Graham Cracker Porter
Graham Cracker Porter
Denver Beer Co.
Denver, CO
Experimental Beer
Belgorado
Belgorado
Wynkoop Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Kellerbier or Zwickelbier
B3K Schwarzbier
B3K Schwarzbier
Wynkoop Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Munich-Style Helles
?rale
?rale
Del Norte Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
American-Style Dark Lager
Schwarzbier
Schwarzbier
AC Golden Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
American-Style Pale Ale
Ute Trail Pale Ale
Ute Trail Pale Ale
Amicas
Salida, CO
Irish-Style Red Ale
Colorado Boy Irish Ale
Colorado Boy Irish Ale
Colorado Boy Brewing Co.
Ridgway, CO
English-Style Brown Ale
Molly?s Titanic Brown
Molly?s Titanic Brown
Rock Bottom Brewery - Westminster
Louisville, CO
Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout
Shaft House Stout
Shaft House Stout
Dostal Alley Brewpub & Casino
Central City, CO
Scotch Ale
Old Chub Scotch Ale
Old Chub Scotch Ale
Oskar Blues Brewery
Longmont, CO
2011 GABF Pro-Am
Kriek - Brewmaster: Dry Dock Brewers - AHA Member:
Kriek - Brewmaster: Dry Dock Brewers - AHA Member:
Dry Dock Brewing
Aurora, CO
Mike Laur © DG2C
Tony Simmons of Pagosa Brewing Co. is thumbs-up after winning an award for his Honeymoon Mead entry.
Mike Laur © DG2C
Cary Floyd of Arvada Brewing is stoked after winning his first of 4 awards. Cary and wife Kelly say that Arvada Brewing is on-track to officially open sometime in September.
Mike Laur © DG2C
Walt Chleva of Dry Dock Brewing is pleased as pilsner to offer a sample to one of 600 who attended FoamFest at this year's Colorado State Fair.
