During three days and four sessions of epic beer madness at the 31st Annual Great American Beer Festival, an excess of 48,000 gallons of beer awaited the discerning palate of 49,000 giddy beer aficionados. With 31,000 different brews available, from 624 breweries, the fest once again provided the largest selection of American suds ever served on the planet.
Lucky to Get Tickets
Obtaining tickets to this years beer extravaganza was almost certainly a crap-shoot, favoring chance and luck to effort and determination. Mere minutes after the digital flood-gates opened for ticket sales, each-and-every pass was expeditiously acquired. No time for lollygagging or last minute plan alterations. Even those who were focused and prepared, ready-to-buy in an instant, watched as 49,000 tickets vanished before there eyes, leaving a multitude of savvy hop kings and queens empty-handed and frustrated. Just five years ago, in 2007, tickets didn't sell-out until the week of the festival.
We Need to Judge How Much Beer?!
A heaping 4,809 beers from approximately 732 breweries and brewpubs were judged in the 2013 GABF competition. A record 201 judges from 11 countries awarded 252 medals spanning 84 beer categories and 138 beer styles. Talk about palate fatigue! Colorado anxiously accepted 46 of the coveted awards, with 19 golds, 10 silvers, and 17 bronzes - just over 18% of the total medals presented. Not too shabby!
Dry Dock Brewing walked away with five medals, including two golds, and Rock Bottom in Broomfield won four medals and the Brewpub Group and Brewpub Group Brewer of the Year award. Sandlot Brewing in Denver won Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year award, and walked away with three medals.
Congratulations to the award winners! All of the Colorado breweries who took home medals can be found below. A full listing can be found here.
Lucky to Get Tickets
Obtaining tickets to this years beer extravaganza was almost certainly a crap-shoot, favoring chance and luck to effort and determination. Mere minutes after the digital flood-gates opened for ticket sales, each-and-every pass was expeditiously acquired. No time for lollygagging or last minute plan alterations. Even those who were focused and prepared, ready-to-buy in an instant, watched as 49,000 tickets vanished before there eyes, leaving a multitude of savvy hop kings and queens empty-handed and frustrated. Just five years ago, in 2007, tickets didn't sell-out until the week of the festival.
We Need to Judge How Much Beer?!
A heaping 4,809 beers from approximately 732 breweries and brewpubs were judged in the 2013 GABF competition. A record 201 judges from 11 countries awarded 252 medals spanning 84 beer categories and 138 beer styles. Talk about palate fatigue! Colorado anxiously accepted 46 of the coveted awards, with 19 golds, 10 silvers, and 17 bronzes - just over 18% of the total medals presented. Not too shabby!
Dry Dock Brewing walked away with five medals, including two golds, and Rock Bottom in Broomfield won four medals and the Brewpub Group and Brewpub Group Brewer of the Year award. Sandlot Brewing in Denver won Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year award, and walked away with three medals.
Congratulations to the award winners! All of the Colorado breweries who took home medals can be found below. A full listing can be found here.
Gold
Fruit Beer
Golden Knot - Chardonnay
Blue Moon Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Fruit Wheat Beer
Peachy Peach
Pagosa Brewing & Grill
Pagosa Springs, CO
Field Beer or Pumpkin Beer
Elektrick Cukumbahh
Trinity Brewing Co.
Colorado Springs, CO
Chocolate Beer
Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Kellerbier or Zwickelbier
Keller Pils
Prost Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
Smoke Beer
Second Hand Smoke
SandLot
Denver, CO
Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest
Move Back
SandLot
Denver, CO
European-Style Dunkel
Munich Dunkel
Carver Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
English-Style Summer Ale
True Blonde Ale
Ska Brewing
Durango, CO
Classic English-Style Pale Ale
5 Barrel Pale Ale
Odell Brewing Co.
Fort Collins, CO
English-Style Mild Ale
S.S. Minnow Mild
Dry Dock Brewing Co. - South Dock
Aurora, CO
Ordinary or Special Bitter
Sawtooth Ale
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO
English-Style Brown Ale
Bandit Brown
City Star Brewing
Berthoud, CO
South German-Style Hefeweizen
Big Horn Hefeweizen
CB and Potts Restaurant and Brewery - Highlands Ranch
Highlands Ranch, CO
German-Style Wheat Ale
Slam Dunkel
Steamworks Brewing Co.
Durango, CO
Robust Porter
Moonlight Porter
Rock Bottom Brewery
Broomfield, CO
Foreign-Style Stout
Fade to Black Volume 1
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO
Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
Milk Stout
Left Hand Brewing Co.
Longmont, CO
Scotch Ale
Wee Heavy
Dry Dock Brewing Co. - South Dock
Aurora, CO
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
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
