GABF 2015 Awards

Mike Laur - September 28, 2015

Do not judge, so that you will not be judged, lest ye judge the beer that is put before you as if it were your very own. Be true, be fair, and for God’s sake don’t get ‘em all mixed up. (The Beer Judges Creed)

For most of the 60,000 or so folks who attend the Great American Beer Festival, it represents one great big series of beer taps, cans and bottles, with more beers to taste in four hours than is physically possible in our normal time-space continuum. This year â€" according to the Boulder-based Brewers Association who has hosted the event since 1982 â€"the tasting side of GABF featured 3,800 brews, served up by 750 brewers from all 50 states and the D.of C.

Assuming you started promptly when your tasting session began, you’d have to drink almost 895 one-ounce samples every hour to taste them all before the session’s last pour. Of course, at this pace, you’d be passed out or most likely dead long before the first half hour was up. And, of course, that’s not the point to GABF. If it’s quantity you want, go to Oktoberfest. But if it’s quality, variety and great beer’s you seek, then GABF might be your kind of place.

His judgement cometh, and that right soon…

For brewers, GABF is something entirely different. It’s the Oscars, Tonys, Emmys, Olympics and Grand Slam for Beer - all rolled into one gigantic, mondo-blunt-sized, must-attend event. This year, the BA wrangled 6,738 beers for judging against one another in 92 different beer categories, plus the separate Pro-Am Competition. 242 beer judges from 15 countries bestowed gold, silver and bronze awards to those brews deemed most worthy. Make no mistake: winning at GABF is a big deal, and a gold, silver or bronze award speaks volumes in the brewing community.

It speaks REALLY LOUD in the American IPA category, where 336 entries duked it out for three awards. And there was some mumbling going on in Category 6: Pumpkin Beer, where none of the 56 entries was judged worthy of the gold.

You can check out the winners to your heart’s content here, but we’ve made it easy to ID all the winners from Colorado (the State of Craft Beer) in the handy list below.

Left Hand Brewing topped the Colorado list, with three total awards - one gold, and two bronze.

Odd13 brewers Ryan Scott and Randon Boldt in Lafayette teamed up with American Homebrewers Association member Mike Froelich to win Silver for their Pro-Am beer Atahsaisa (we triple-checked the spelling). Homebrewer Ryan Lotter brewed Citra IPA with the FATE Brewing Company team in Boulder, and took home a Bronze.

Congratulations to all the brewers who won awards at the 2015 GABF!

Be sure to check out the photo coverage, too, so that you can recognize the new awardees when you see them strolling happily down the street and give ‘em all a “Way To GO!� handshake, fist-bump, high-five, hug, or wet kiss full on the lips.

Now Get out there and drink some award-winning beer!

Staff Photo - DG2C

Awards presentation at the Bellco Theatre in the Colorado Convention Center.

Staff Photo - DG2C

Chalie Papazian waits to greet winners of a Brewery of the Year award.