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 " according to the Boulder-based Brewers Association who has hosted the event since 1982 "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!
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 " according to the Boulder-based Brewers Association who has hosted the event since 1982 "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.
Gold
American-Style Lager or Light Lager
Coors Banquet
Coors Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
American-Style Wheat Beer
Super 77 Wheat
Wiley Roots Brewing Co.
Greeley, CO
Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
Fort Collins Brewery & Tavern
Fort Collins, CO
Export Stout
Fade to Black, Volume 1
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO
Other Belgian-Style Ale
Spangalang Table Beer
Spangalang Brewery
Denver, CO
South German-Style Hefeweizen
Weissbier
Prost Brewing
Denver, CO
Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout
Ctayt
AC Golden Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
Staff Photo - DG2C
Avery wins a silver for White Rascal.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Black Bottle wins a bronze for their Friar Chuck.
Silver
Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale or Belgian-Style Quadrupel
Séréneté Grand Cru
Bruz Beers
Denver, CO
Emerging India Pale Ale
Vladimir Brutin
Cannonball Creek Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
Session India Pale Ale
Trump Hands
Cannonball Creek Brewing Co.
Golden, CO
Specialty Saison
Westfield
Cellar West Artisan Ales
Lafayette, CO
Ordinary or Special Bitter
Cousin Jack
Dostal Alley Brewpub & Casino
Central City, CO
Bock
Maibock
Dry Dock Brewing Co. - South Dock
Aurora, CO
English-Style Brown Ale
Eclipse Brown Ale
Equinox Brewing
Fort Collins, CO
Aged Beer
Belgian Quad
Green Mountain Beer Co.
Lakewood, CO
German-Style Koelsch
Ice Cutter Kölsch
Joyride Brewing Co.
Edgewater, CO
Irish-Style Red Ale
Balefire Irish Red
Mirror Image Brewing Co.
Frederick, CO
Australian-Style Pale Ale
Mountain Standard IPA
Odell Brewing Co.
Fort Collins, CO
Experimental Beer
Shibbleshabble
Primitive Beer
Longmont, CO
German-Style Altbier
Howitzer Amber
Red Leg Brewing Co.
Colorado Springs, CO
Fruited American-Style Sour Ale
Hoochie Mama
Storm Peak Brewing Co.
Steamboat Springs, CO
International-Style Dark Lager
El Corn
The Post Brewing Co.
Lafayette, CO
International-Style Pilsener
Upslope Craft Lager
Upslope Brewing Co. - Flatiron Park
Boulder, CO
Oatmeal Stout
Yonder Mountain Stout
Vine Street Pub & Brewery
Denver, CO
Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale
Itsy Bits
WeldWerks Brewing Co.
Greeley, CO
Imperial India Pale Ale
Westbound Double IPA
Westbound & Down Brewing Co.
Idaho Springs, CO
Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
Double Barrel Louie
Westbound & Down Brewing Co.
Idaho Springs, CO
Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest
Lindauer Lager
Wit's End Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Staff Photo - DG2C
Cannonball Creek scores bronze for their Featherweight Pale.
Staff Photo - DG2C
City Star in Golden wins bronze for the Night Watchman.
Bronze
Light Lager
Lightner Creek Lager
Carver Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
American-Style Amber Lager
Grist Maerzen
Grist Brewing Co.
Highlands Ranch, CO
Session Beer
Peacekeeper
Launch Pad Brewery
Aurora, CO
Pro-Am Comp
Chess with Checkers
New Belgium Brewing Co.
Fort Collins, CO
Australian-Style Pale Ale
Pete's Stash
Vail Brewing Co. - Vail Village Pilot
Vail, CO
Herb and Spice Beer
Deck Daze
Vail Brewing Co. - Vail Village Pilot
Vail, CO
Staff Photo - DG2C
Coda accepts a silver for their American-Style Strong Pale Via Chicago.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Sue Thompson of Coors accepts a gold for Coors Banquet.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Denver Beer Co. wins bronze for King Ink.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Dry Dock took home two bronze medals on Saturday. One for their Apricot Blonde, and another for their Pilsner.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Fort Collins won gold for their Oktoberfest.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Glenwood Canyon accepts a silver for their No Name English-Style Brown.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Grimm Brothers wins silver and bronze.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Grimm Brothers took home medals for their Fearless Youth and Snow Drop.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Lefthand won three medals at the 2015 GABF.
Staff Photo - DG2C
A gold for Fade to Black, Volume 1, a bronze for Black Jack Porter, and another bronze for Sawtooth.
Staff Photo - DG2C
And, the Lefthand contingent continued to grow for each medal accepted!
Staff Photo - DG2C
Liquid Mechanics wins bronze for their Altbier.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Lone Tree wins silver for their Mexican Lager.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Bridgett Geiger, the Lone Tree Sales Manager, receives a high-five for the medal win.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Prost wins gold for their Weissbier.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Brewery Rickoli accepts a silver for their Statik Barley Wine.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Ska accepts a silver for their Mexican Logger Pils. They also won a bronze for the Ska Face - a Barrel-Aged Strong.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Steamworks, in Durango, wins silver for their Colorado Kölsch.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Neil Fisher shows off a silver medal won for their Hefeweizen.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Beer Drinker's try Homebrewer-Brewery collaborations at the AHA Pro-Am pavilion.
Staff Photo - DG2C
Indeed!
