By Brittany Anas / NewsBreak Denver
(Denver, CO) Not only is the Great American Beer Festival a public tasting event with the largest collection of U.S. beer ever served, but behind the scenes, it’s also a privately judged competition.
More than 2,154 breweries from across the United States entered beers at this year’s competition. Judges evaluated 9,904 beers, the largest to date in the competition’s 40-year history. Amid the stiff competition, 23 Colorado craft breweries nabbed 28 medals.
Left Hand Brewing Company — the country’s leading nitro brewery — remains the most-awarded craft brewery in Colorado. With the two medals it earned over the weekend, the Longmont brewery has amassed 29 total wins. The brewery also won a brewery of the year award.
Another notable victory, Comrade Brewing Company earned its second gold medal for More Dodge and Less Ram, taking home top honors in the most competitive category this year, American-Style India Pale Ale. Also, Cannonball Creek in Golden is on a 10-year winning streak, with a bronze medal in the specialty saison category, which is a first for the brewery in this style.
Some first-time GABF winners in Colorado include Bierstadt Lagerhaus, River North Brewery, Rock Cut Brewing, and Resolute Brewing Company.
“Colorado proves that we are a leader in the craft beer industry and shows that our brewers continue to brew consistently excellent beers in all types of styles,” said Colorado Brewers Guild Executive Director Shawnee Adelson.
Did your favorite brewery take home an award? Here’s a list of the 2022 Colorado GABF winners:
Gold winners:
Our Mutual Friend (Denver): Gold medal for Trystero in the Brett Beer category and Silver medal for Biere Ovale in the Mixed-Culture Brett Beer category.
Jessup Farm Barrel House (Fort Collins): Gold medal for Barrel-Aged Soft Skills in the Wood-and Barrel-Aged Beer category
The Post Brewing Company (Lafayette): Gold medal for El Corn in the International Dark Lager category
Comrade Brewing Company (Denver): Gold medal for More Dodge Less Ram in the American-Style India Pale Ale category
Crooked Stave (Denver): Gold medal for Stay the Funk In in the Belgian-Style Sour Ale category
Silver winners:
Westbound & Down Brewing Company and Bierstadt Lagerhaus: Silver medal for Chicago Peaks Kolsch in Collaboration Competition
Left Hand Brewing Company (Longmont): silver medal for Milk Stout in the Oatmeal Stout category, and Brewery of the Year 15,000-100,000 barrels. Left Hand also won a bronze medal for St Vrain in the Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale category.
Coopersmith’s Pub & Brewing (Fort Collins): Silver medal for Sticky Fingers Saison (AHA Member Mark Pennick) in the Pro-Am competition
Joyride Brewing Company (Edgewater): Silver medal for Black Razz Blonde in the American Fruit Beer category
River North Brewery (Denver): Silver medal for Hello Darkness in the Other Strong Beer category
Holidaily Brewing Company (Golden): Silver medal for Buckwit Belgian in the Gluten-Free beer category
New Terrain Brewing Company (Golden): Silver medal for Mirage in the American Sour Ale category
Resolute Brewing Company (Centennial): Silver medal for Execrator in the German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock category
Launch Pad Brewery (Aurora): Silver medal for Citronaut in the English Ale category
Westbound & Down Brewing Company (Idaho Springs): Silver medal for Spirit of the West in the English India Pale Ale or New Zealand India Pale Ale category
Bristol Brewing Company (Colorado Springs): Silver medal for Laughing Lab Scottish Ale in the Scottish-Style Ale category
Baere Brewing Company (Denver): Silver medal for Saison in the Classic Saison category
Dry Dock Brewing Co. - North Dock (Aurora): Silver medal for Docktoberfest in the German-Style Märzen category
Twisted Pine Brewing Company (Boulder): Silver medal for Rockin’ Roggen in the Rye Beer category
Bronze Winners:
Cerebral Brewing (Denver): Bronze medal for Fuego Reserva in the Chili Beer category
Rock Cut Brewing Company (Estes Park): Bronze medal for Wooden Mayhem in the Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout category
Cannonball Creek Brewing Company (Golden): Bronze medal Rosemary Sourdough Saison in the Specialty Saison category
Odell Brewing Company - Sloan’s Lake (Denver): Bronze medal for Dark Helmet in the Imperial Stout category
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