For the second year in a row, the state of Colorado improved its overall medal count at the Great American Beer Festival, posting a huge jump this year. This year, Independent breweries from the Centennial State took home 40 medals, the most since 2017 and an increase from 26 the previous year. And for the second year in a row, a Colorado brewery took top honors in one of the Brewery of the Year categories, and it was this brewery Wibby Brewing, which took home the “Brewery of the Year” award in the “5,001 – 15,000 barrels per year” category.
In addition to the main award, Wibby Brewing also won a gold medal in the American Pilsener category. For the second time in a row Westward and Down Brewing took home several medals, with three in tow this year, including a bronze for The Coloradoan in the American Cream Ale category, a silver for Spirit of the West in the New Zealand IPA category and a gold for “Westbound Select” in the “West Coast” category. Style IPA category.
“We value quality above all else, and our team embodies that,” said Jake Gardner, Director of Brewing Operations. “Winning multiple medals, multiple years in a row, is an incredible honor that for me reflects that commitment.”
Wibby Brewing wins at the 2023 GABF photo by Bryant Vander Weerd
Cannonball Creek continued his impressive winning streak with medals in eleven consecutive GABF competitions. This year, the Golden, CO-based brewery won a gold medal in the featherweight American-Style Pale Ale category, the fifth time the beer has medaled at the GABF.
Boulder’s is another brewery that has won several medals over the course of its existence Avery Brewing, which received a gold medal in the Belgian-style witbier category for White Rascal and a silver medal in the Belgian fruit beer category for Island Rascal. Denver-based Chelua Brewing won a silver medal in India Pale Lager/Cold IPA for Orizaba Cold IPA and a gold medal in the Collaboration category for Luna Mexican Export Lager in collaboration with Prost Brewing. And Prost picked up a second medal in today’s competition with a silver medal in the German-Style Pilsener for Prost Pilsner.
Bristol Brewing’s Laughter Lab won its 11th GABF medal today, making it the most awarded beer in Colorado history after winning a silver medal in the Scottish-Style Ale category, which follows a World Beer Cup medal earlier this year .
This year was a big year for Colorado at the Great American Beer Festival, not only because of the number of awards, but also the breadth of the awards,” said Shawnee Adelson, executive director of the Colorado Brewers Guild. “Colorado has really shined in some of the most popular categories and proven to the rest of the country that we brew great lagers and West Coast IPAs, among other things. I am so incredibly proud of all of our Colorado breweries who won medals in this year’s competition.”
The Ratio Beerworks team at GABF 2023, photo by Bryant Vander Weerd
This post was made possible with the support of On Tap Credit Union. Whether you’re serious about your personal finances or looking to finance brewery expansions, be sure to reach out to our friends at www.ontapcu.org
Colorado Breweries medalist at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival
Category 2: American Fruit Beer – 128 entries
Silver: Big Sippin’, Odell Brewing Co. – Five Points Brewhouse, Denver, CO
Category 4: Feldbier – 69 entries
Gold: King of Carrot Flowers, Ratio Beerworks, Denver, CO
Category 6: Chili Beer – 88 entries
Silver: Green Chile Honey Kölsch, Bent Barley Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
Category 8: Chocolate Beer – 43 entries
Silver: Midnight Hike, River North Brewery, Denver, CO
Category 9: Coffee Beer – 69 entries
Silver: Kurt’s Mile High Malt, Wynkoop Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Conditions of My Parole, The Empourium Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Category 18: Other strong beer – 33 entries
Silver: Skate Juice, Hideaway Park Brewery, Winter Park, CO
Category 19: Experimental India Pale Ale – 106 entries
Silver: Forager IPA, Pumphouse Brewery & Restaurant, Longmont, CO
Bronze: Pina Colada Milkshake IPA, 14er Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Category 25: American Sour Ale – 32 entries
Silver: The Sauer House Project: Ellie’s Version, Dostal Alley Brewpub & Casino, Central City, CO
Banded Oak in the 2023 GABF photo by Bryant Vander Weerd
Category 29: Wood and Barrel Aged Beer – 30 entries
Gold: Ye Olde Ale, Banded Oak Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Silver: Barrel-Aged Maibock, Blue Moon Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Category 36: Light Lager – 284 entries
Silver: Mexican Lager, Lone Tree Brewing Co., Lone Tree, CO
Fluid mechanics at GABF 2023, photo by Bryant Vander Weerd
Category 39: American Pilsener – 141 entries
Gold: Wibby Jibby, Wibby Brewing, Longmont, CO
Silver: Cerveza Mecanica, Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO
Category 41: American Cream Ale – 124 entries
Bronze: The Coloradan, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill, Lafayette, CO
Cheluna Brewing at GABF 2023
Category 43: India Pale Lager or Cold India Pale Ale – 134 entries
Silver: Orizaba Cold IPA, Cheluna Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
Category 45: German-Style Pilsener – 228 entries
Silver: Prost Pilsner, Prost Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Category 50: Märzen in German style – 162 entries
Gold: Seedstock Maerzen, Seedstock Brewery, Denver, CO
Category 51: German Dark Lager – 122 entries
Silver: Wunder Beer, Red Leg Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO
Category 54: German-style Doppelbock or Eisbock – 44 entries
Gold: Execrator, Resolute Brewing Co., Centennial, CO
New terrain at GABF 2023, photo by Bryant Vander Weerd
Category 56: German-style Kölsch – 195 entries
A Silver: Rise & Climb, New Terrain Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Category 59: New Zealand India Pale Ale – 104 entries
Silver: Spirit of the West, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill, Lafayette, CO
Category 60: American-Style Pale Ale – 149 entries
Gold: Featherweight, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Westward and downward 2023 GABF
Category 66: West Coast Style India Pale Ale – 301 entries
Gold: Westbound Select, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho Springs, CO
Category 69: American Amber/Red Ale – 130 entries
Gold: Burst Tire, Knuckle Puck Brewing, Longmont, CO
Category 70: Strong Red Ale – 50 entries
Gold: Wreak Havoc, Bootstrap Brewing, Longmont, CO
This post was made possible with the support of On Tap Credit Union. Whether you’re serious about your personal finances or looking to finance brewery expansions, be sure to reach out to our friends at www.ontapcu.org
Category 71: English Mild or Bitter – 66 entries
Gold: Sawtooth Ale, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
Category 73: Scottish Style Ale – 51 entries
Silver: Laughing Lab Scottish Ale, Bristol Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO
Category 85: Belgian Style Witbier – 68 entries
Gold: White Rascal, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Category 87: Specialty Season – 63 entries
Silver: Freedom Fries with Cherry, Call To Arms Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Category 91: Belgian fruit beer – 52 entries
Silver: Island Rascal, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Category 93: Robust Porter – 62 entries
Gold: Foggy London Town, Rock Bottom Brewery – Denver, Denver, CO
Category 98: Scotch Ale – 39 entries
Silver: Scottish Wildcat, Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co., Castle Rock, CO
Category 99: Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine – 53 entries
Silver: Populator, Diebolt Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Category: Pro-Am Competition – 50 entries
Gold: She Fances Herself A Little Bit French, CooperSmith’s Pub & Brewing – Mark Pennick, Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Rob’s Baltic Porter, New Belgium Brewing Co. – Rob Hardisty, Fort Collins, CO
Category: Collaborative Competition – 96 entries
Gold: Luna Mexican Export Lager, Cheluna Brewing Co. / Prost Brewing Co., Aurora, CO
5,001 – 15,000 Barrel Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Wibby Brewing – Longmont, CO