Oregon Breweries Win 15 Medals as Washington Breweries Win 22 Medals at 2021 Great American Beer Festival
Last evening the 2021 Great American Beer Festival Awards Ceremony took place at Belco Theatre in Denver, Colorado. During the awards ceremony that was hosted by the Brewers Association, this year’s awards ceremony was the largest competition to date with 9,680 entries from 2,192 breweries.
Normally held during the annual Great American Beer Festival, this year’s awards ceremony was changed up a bit as it was held during the 2021 Craft Brewers Conference. For the second consecutive year, the Great American Beer Festival was cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic.
Judging took place in 34 sessions over 17 days with strict health and safety measures in place. A total of 170 judges evaluated 9,680 entries from 2,192 breweries from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The best beers in 97 beer categories covering 175 different beer styles (including all subcategories) were awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals during the 35th edition of the celebrated competition.
One category that has yet to be judged are the Fresh Hop beers. To allow for the fall hop harvest and beer production, and to include Fresh Hop beers in this prestigious competition, 78 Fresh Hop Beer category entries will compete in early October, with winners announced Friday, October 15.
“Despite being forced to cancel the festival portion of GABF, our brewing community rallied together to make this year’s GABF competition one for the books—our largest competition judged to date,” said Chris Swersey, competition director, Great American Beer Festival, in a statement. “Judges continue to be impressed with the quality and innovation of all entries they evaluated. The Brewers Association is proud to honor this year’s deserving winners. We look forward to celebrating in person together next year.”
Locally, Oregon and Washington breweries did well. Oregon Breweries were awarded 15 Medals – 7 Gold Medals, 6 Silver Medals, and 2 Bronze Medals. Washington Breweries fared better as they were awarded 22 Medals – 7 Gold Medals, 9 Silver Medals, and 6 Bronze Medals. In addition to these medals, Seattle’s Cloudburst Brewing was awarded Brewery of the Year (1,001 – 2,000 Barrels).
During the 2021 GABF ceremony, 290 total medals were awarded to 265 medal-winning breweries. This year’s competition saw 425 first-time GABF entrants and 30 first-time entrant GABF medal winners. The most medaled brewery was Moontown Brewing from Whitestown, Indiana as it was awarded three medals – one silver and two bronze. Additionally, 15 breweries won two medals.
Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale category saw the highest number of entries with 427 beers entered. This category was followed by American-Style India Pale Ale with 404 entries and Portland’s Von Ebert Brewing taking home the Gold Medal for its Volatile Substance.
Listed below are the 15 medal winners from Oregon and 22 medal winners from Washington.
Oregon 2021 Great American Beer Festival Medal Winners
Category 15: Session Beer – 24 Entries
Gold: Stonefly Session Ale, Three Creeks Brewing Co. – Production, Sisters, OR
Category 16: Session India Pale Ale – 90 Entries
Gold: Moxee Water, Barley Brown’s Beer, Baker City, OR
Category 17: Other Strong Beer – 68 Entries
Silver: Dee Wright Imperial Brown, Deschutes Brewery – Bend Public House, Bend, OR
Category 42: American Amber Lager – 115 Entries
Bronze: Breakside Disco Queen Lager, Breakside Brewery – NW Slabtown, Portland, OR
Category 56: Australian Pale Ale – 26 Entries
Silver: Strata IPA, Worthy Brewing Co., Bend, OR
Category 57: International Pale Ale or New Zealand Pale Ale – 71 Entries
Silver: Intergalactic Pale Reality, Ex Novo Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Category 60: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale – 133 Entries
Silver: Newport Daze Hazy Pale Ale, Rogue EastSide Pub & Pilot Brewery, Portland, OR
Category 61: American-Style Strong Pale Ale – 146 Entries
Silver: IPA, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR
Category 63: American-Style India Pale Ale – 404 Entries
Gold: Volatile Substance, Von Ebert Brewing – Pearl, Portland, OR
Category 67: American Amber/Red Ale – 120 Entries
Bronze: Paulie’s Not Irish, Old Town Brewing, Portland, OR
Category 70: Extra Special Bitter – 63 Entries
Gold: Velvet ESB, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR
Category 77: Specialty Berliner-Style Weisse – 79 Entries
Gold: Breakside Passionfruit Sour, Breakside Brewery – SE Taproom, Milwaukie, OR
Category 79: German-Style Altbier – 60 Entries
Gold: Altbier, Block 15 Brewery & Tap Room, Corvallis, OR
Category 85: Specialty Saison – 71 Entries
Silver: French Prairie, Crowing Hen, Carlton, OR
Category 89: Belgian Fruit Beer – 76 Entries
Gold: Stonefruit Symphony, Alesong Brewing & Tasting Room, Eugene, OR
Washington 2021 Great American Beer Festival Medal Winners
Category 4: Field Beer – 91 Entries
Silver: Versatile Solutions for Modern Living, Mirage Beer Co., Seattle, WA
Category 5: Pumpkin Beer – 39 Entries
Gold: Night Owl, Elysian Brewing, Seattle, WA
Category 16: Session India Pale Ale – 90 Entries
Bronze: Ticklish Warrior, Grains of Wrath Brewing, Camas, WA
Category 22: Gluten-Free Beer – 49 Entries
Gold: Watchstander Stout, Ghostfish Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Category 33: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier – 85 Entries
Gold: Entschuldigung!, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA
Category 38: American Pilsener – 130 Entries
Silver: Happy Little Clouds, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA
Category 44: Bohemian-Style Pilsener – 161 Entries
Silver: Polaris Pilsner, Chainline Brewing Co., Kirkland, WA
Category 45: Munich-Style Helles – 203 Entries
Gold: Frost Hammer Helles, Grains of Wrath Brewing, Camas, WA
Bronze: Helles, Kulshan Brewing Co., Bellingham, WA
Category 50: International Dark Lager – 54 Entries
Bronze: The Late Boat Czech-Style Dark Lager, San Juan Island Brewing Co., Friday Harbor, WA
Category 54: German-Style Koelsch – 187 Entries
Gold: Kolsch, Chuckanut Brewery – South Nut, Burlington, WA
Category 59: American-Style Pale Ale – 151 Entries
Silver: Mosaic Pale Ale, Stoup Brewing, Seattle, WA
Category 62: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale – 128 Entries
Silver: Sup Cuz IPA, Varietal Beer Co., Sunnyside, WA
Category 67: American Amber/Red Ale – 120 Entries
Silver: Stoup NW Red, Stoup Brewing, Seattle, WA
Category 73: English-Style Brown Ale – 56 Entries
Silver: Brown Ale, Lowercase Brewing, Seattle, WA
Category 76: German Sour Ale – 47 Entries
Gold: Disco Lemonade, Aslan Brewing Co., Bellingham, WA
Silver: Gose, Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2, Bellingham, WA
Category 81: Belgian-Style Table Beer or Belgian-Style Session Ale – 26 Entries
Gold: First To Fall, The Good Society, Seattle, WA
Category 83: Belgian-Style Witbier – 121 Entries
Bronze: Lilywhite Wit, Reuben’s Brews – Production Brewery, Seattle, WA
Category 91: Robust Porter – 77 Entries
Bronze: Grimlock, Loowit Brewing Co., Vancouver, WA
Category 97: Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine – 83 Entries
Silver: Brew 4000, Fremont Brewing – West, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Old Scrooge, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Here is a list of all the medal winners and brewery winners from the 2021 Great American Beer Festival.
2021 Great American Beer Festival Medal Winners;
Category 1: American Wheat Beer – 66 Entries
Gold: Sweet Peel, Stubborn Brothers Brewery, Shawano, WI
Silver: White Noise, Überbrew, Billings, MT
Bronze: Miner’s Gold, Lewis & Clark Brewing Co., Helena, MT
Category 2: American Fruit Beer – 133 Entries
Gold: Blood Orange Kölsch, Crystal Springs Brewing Co., Louisville, CO
Silver: Wild Raspberry Ale, Great Divide Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Lone Tree Peach Pale Ale, Lone Tree Brewing Co., Lone Tree, CO
Category 3: Fruit Wheat Beer – 123 Entries
Gold: Bamm Bamm Loves Pebbles, Will County Brewing Co., Shorewood, IL
Silver: Blood Orange Wheat, Peak View Brewing Co., Greenwood Village, CO
Bronze: Sunkissed Blonde, Tangled Roots Brewing Co., Ottawa, IL
Category 4: Field Beer – 91 Entries
Gold: The Moose, Tobacco Wood Brewing Co., Oxford, NC
Silver: Versatile Solutions for Modern Living, Mirage Beer Co., Seattle, WA
Bronze: Farmer’s Beat, Tennessee Brew Works, Nashville, TN
Category 5: Pumpkin Beer – 39 Entries
Gold: Night Owl, Elysian Brewing, Seattle, WA
Silver: Ale Wife’s Pumpkin Pie Marzen, Desert Monks Brewing Co., Gilbert, AZ
Bronze: Whole Hog Pumpkin Ale, Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, WI
Category 6: Chili Beer – 90 Entries
Gold: Humo y Espejos with Fuego!, Cerebral Brewing – Florence St., Aurora, CO
Silver: Prescribed Burn, Steamworks Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Bronze: Apricot Habanero, Eleven Lakes Brewing Co., Cornelius, NC
Category 7: Herb and Spice Beer – 115 Entries
Gold: Rosie the River Otter, Metazoa Brewing Co. – Stringtown Production Facility, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Sudoku, O.H.S.O. Brewery – Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
Bronze: Stranger in the Alps, Fair State Brewing Cooperative – Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN
Category 8: Chocolate Beer – 43 Entries
Gold: Hold the Waffle, Six Ten Brewing, Tampa, FL
Silver: Shuggah Daddi – Chocolate Cake Variant, Main & Six Brewing Co., Jacksonville, FL
Bronze: Chocolate Vanilla Oak Cream Ale, HUDL Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Category 9: Coffee Beer – 75 Entries
Gold: Trash Panda, Metazoa Brewing Co. – Stringtown Production Facility, Indianapolis, IN
Silver: Daybreak, Wolf’s Ridge Brewing – Production Operations, Columbus, OH
Bronze: Golden Stout, Karl Strauss Brewing Co. – Anaheim, Anaheim, CA
Category 10: Coffee Stout or Porter – 90 Entries
Gold: Vlad the Barista, Bearded Tang Brewing, Stanton, CA
Silver: Venti is Large, Hop Dogma Brewing Co., Half Moon Bay, CA
Bronze: Captain’s Coffee Stout, Galveston Bay Beer Co., Dickinson, TX
Category 11: Specialty Beer – 66 Entries
Gold: Maple Smoked Maibock, Kilowatt Brewing, San Diego, CA
Silver: Coco Burrito Porter, Shoe Tree Brewing Co. – Minden, Minden, NV
Bronze: Agavemente, SouthNorte Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Category 12: Rye Beer – 57 Entries
Gold: Crazy Jackass Ale, Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern Merrifield, Falls Church, VA
Silver: Dark and Down, Mickey Finn’s Brewery, Libertyville, IL
Bronze: Magic Carpet Rye’d, Model A Brewing Co., Tega Cay, SC
Category 13: Honey Beer – 70 Entries
Gold: Father G’s Bees, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Leaven To Rest, Precarious Beer Project, Williamsburg, VA
Bronze: Hooter Brown Ale, Oyster City Brewing Co., Apalachicola, FL
Category 14: Non-Alcohol Beer – 51 Entries
Gold: Enough Said N/A Helles, Two Roots Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Closer By The Mile, Athletic Brewing Co., Stratford, CT
Bronze: Downwinder Gose, Athletic Brewing Co., Stratford, CT
Category 15: Session Beer – 24 Entries
Gold: Stonefly Session Ale, Three Creeks Brewing Co. – Production, Sisters, OR
Silver: Natural Bridge: Vienna Lager, Eppig Brewing, Vista, CA
Bronze: Tip the Calf, SingleSpeed Brewing – Tap Room, Cedar Falls, IA
Category 16: Session India Pale Ale – 90 Entries
Gold: Moxee Water, Barley Brown’s Beer, Baker City, OR
Silver: Mini Separation Anxiety, Berryessa Brewing Co., Winters, CA
Bronze: Ticklish Warrior, Grains of Wrath Brewing, Camas, WA
Category 17: Other Strong Beer – 68 Entries
Gold: Kazimierz, Rockwell Beer Co., St. Louis, MO
Silver: Dee Wright Imperial Brown, Deschutes Brewery – Bend Public House, Bend, OR
Bronze: Party Penguin, Pollyanna Brewing Co., Lemont, IL
Category 18: Experimental Beer – 88 Entries
Gold: Japanese Dry Rice Lager, Hi-Wire Brewing – South Slope Specialty Brewery & Taproom, Asheville, NC
Silver: Vocal Jam, Short Fuse Brewing Co., Schiller Park, IL
Bronze: Skins, Amalgam Brewing., Denver, CO
Category 19: Experimental India Pale Ale – 120 Entries
Gold: Vladimir Brutin, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Silver: No Slaw Extra Toast, Parish Brewing Co., Broussard, LA
Bronze: Bromosa Tangerine IPA, Big Storm Brewing Co. – Cape Coral, Cape Coral, FL
Category 20: Experimental Wood-Aged Beer – 57 Entries
Gold: Category 5 Belgian Quintupel, Big Storm Brewing Co. – Cape Coral, Cape Coral, FL
Silver: House of Flying Barrels: Plumage, Melvin Brewing – Eureka, Eureka, MO
Bronze: Christmas Island, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Richmond, VA
Category 21: Historical Beer – 63 Entries
Gold: Decorah Nordic Gruit, PIVO Brewery, Calmar, IA
Silver: Silverbrick Norwegian Farmhouse, Strange Craft Beer Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Snow Drop, Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, Loveland, CO
Category 22: Gluten-Free Beer – 49 Entries
Gold: Watchstander Stout, Ghostfish Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Silver: None Shall PATH, Departed Soles Brewing Co., Jersey City, NJ
Bronze: Big Henry Hazy IPA, Holidaily Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Golden, CO
Category 23: American-Belgo-Style Ale – 37 Entries
Gold: Mischief, The Bruery, Placentia, CA
Silver: Low Country Belgo-American Pale Ale, Tribes Beer Co., Mokena, IL
Bronze: Siren’s Lure, Fair Winds Brewing Co., Lorton, VA
Category 24: American Sour Ale – 36 Entries
Gold: Vice Sans Fruit, Wild Barrel Brewing Co., San Marcos, CA
Silver: Funk Daddy, Greater Good Imperial Brewing Co., Worcester, MA
Bronze: Kveik 1, Shades Brewing, South Salt Lake, UT
Category 25: Fruited American Sour Ale – 249 Entries
Gold: Sherbet Drip, Fall River Brewing Co., Redding, CA
Silver: Tropical Hurt Locker, Short Fuse Brewing Co., Schiller Park, IL
Bronze: Rasmine, Lynnwood Brewing Concern, Raleigh, NC
Category 26: Brett Beer – 55 Entries
Gold: Gregg, Cinderlands Brewing Co. – Foederhouse, Pittsburgh, PA
Silver: Pearly Dewdrops, Grimm Artisanal Ales, Brooklyn, NY
Bronze: Matilda, Goose Island Beer Co. – Fulton St., Chicago, IL
Category 27: Mixed-Culture Brett Beer – 59 Entries
Gold: Oddities and Outliers Blend 2, Odd Breed Wild Ales, Pompano Beach, FL
Silver: Biere Ovale, Our Mutual Friend Brewing, Denver, CO
Bronze: Gemini Mind Trick, Almanac Beer Co., Alameda, CA
Category 28: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer – 53 Entries
Gold: Smokin’ Barrel, Ellis Island Casino, Hotel and Brewery, Las Vegas, NV
Silver: Porter Aged on Palo Santo, Spellbound Brewing, Mount Holly, NJ
Bronze: Cask Aged Rye Lagger, Transient Artisan Ales, Bridgman, MI
Category 29: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer – 151 Entries
Gold: BJ’s Barrel Aged Got Beer, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse – Boulder, Boulder, CO
Silver: 1314, Black Tooth Brewing Co., Sheridan, WY
Bronze: Old Marathon Barleywine, Keg Creek Brewing Co., Glenwood, IA
Category 30: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout – 186 Entries
Gold: Ruckus, Melvin Brewing, Alpine, WY
Silver: Oast House Reserve: Meet Your Maker, Twin Oast Brewing, Catawba Island, OH
Bronze: The Intrepid, 49th State Brewing Co. – Anchorage, Anchorage, AK
Category 31: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 66 Entries
Gold: Sea of Waves, True Anomaly Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Silver: Cirque Du Solera, River Dog Brewing Co., Ridgeland, SC
Bronze: French 75, Sonder Brewing, Mason, OH
Category 32: Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 101 Entries
Gold: Lavender Fields Forever, Marto Brewing Co., Sioux City, IA
Silver: Run Like An Apricot, Prison City Brewing, Auburn, NY
Bronze: Steep Ravine, The Rare Barrel, Berkeley, CA
Category 33: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier – 85 Entries
Gold: Entschuldigung!, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA
Silver: Fill Pils, Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Bronze: Granary Keller Bier, Templin Family Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT
Category 34: Smoke Beer – 73 Entries
Gold: Croydon Is Burning, Neshaminy Creek Brewing Co., Croydon, PA
Silver: Ashes From The Grave, TapRoom Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Cemetery Gates, Lower Left Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Category 35: Light Lager – 123 Entries
Gold: Tucker Lager, Tucker Brewing Co., Tucker, GA
Silver: 307 Lager, Black Tooth Brewing Co., Sheridan, WY
Bronze: Altitude Banquet, Altitude Chophouse & Brewery, Laramie, WY
Category 36: American-Style Lager – 103 Entries
Gold: Tremor California Light Lager, Seismic Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: Stampede, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Bronze: Midwest Royalty, Alarmist Brewing, Chicago, IL
Category 37: Contemporary American-Style Lager – 63 Entries
Gold: Backyard Hero American Lager, Sudwerk Brewing Co., Davis, CA
Silver: Frequency Lager, SingleCut Beersmiths, Astoria, NY
Bronze: Float, Swamp Head Brewery, Gainesville, FL
Category 38: American Pilsener – 130 Entries
Gold: King’s Gold, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant – Wilmington, Wilmington, DE
Silver: Happy Little Clouds, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Rocket 100, The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co., Austin, TX
Category 39: International Lager – 175 Entries
Gold: Uncle Tito Mexican Lager, Rip Van Winkle Brewing Co., Catskill, NY
Silver: Scout, True Anomaly Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: Tomamos, Blind Owl Brewery, Indianapolis, IN
Category 40: American Cream Ale – 147 Entries
Gold: Cerveza, True North Ale Co., Ipswich, MA
Silver: Moonlite, Moontown Brewing Co., Whitestown, IN
Bronze: Buckle Bunny, Eureka Heights Brew Co., Houston, TX
Category 41: Hoppy Lager – 127 Entries
Gold: Italian Pilsner, Ponderosa Brewing, Albuquerque, NM
Silver: Timbo Pils, Pinthouse Pizza North, Austin, TX
Bronze: Haole Island, WestBrew, Vista, CA
Category 42: American Amber Lager – 115 Entries
Gold: Meat Sweats, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Westlake Village, Westlake Village, CA
Silver: Amber Lager, Skipping Rock Beer Co., Staunton, VA
Bronze: Breakside Disco Queen Lager, Breakside Brewery – NW Slabtown, Portland, OR
Category 43: German-Style Pilsener – 210 Entries
Gold: Meanwhile Pilsner, Meanwhile Brewing Co., Austin, TX
Silver: Rail Pass, Bingo Beer Co., Richmond, VA
Bronze: Golem Czech Pils, Gemüt Biergarten, Columbus, OH
Category 44: Bohemian-Style Pilsener – 161 Entries
Gold: The People’s Pilsner, Sudwerk Brewing Co., Davis, CA
Silver: Polaris Pilsner, Chainline Brewing Co., Kirkland, WA
Bronze: 40th Parallel, Moontown Brewing Co., Whitestown, IN
Category 45: Munich-Style Helles – 203 Entries
Gold: Frost Hammer Helles, Grains of Wrath Brewing, Camas, WA
Silver: Park Pass, Vibrissa Beer, Front Royal, VA
Bronze: Helles, Kulshan Brewing Co., Bellingham, WA
Category 46: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest – 65 Entries
Gold: The Cushman, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Silver: High Brau, Cowtown Brewing Co., Fort Worth, TX
Bronze: Festbier, Zipline Brewing Co., Lincoln, NE
Category 47: Vienna-Style Lager – 113 Entries
Gold: Roselle Red, Pollyanna Brewing Co., Roselle, IL
Silver: Danish Red Lager, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Buellton, CA
Bronze: Vienna Lager, Level Crossing Brewing Co., South Salt Lake, UT
Category 48: German-Style Maerzen – 80 Entries
Gold: Oktoberfest, Bear Chase Brewing Co., Bluemont, VA
Silver: Octoberforest, Second Street Brewery – Rufina, Santa Fe, NM
Bronze: Oktoberfest, Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX
Category 49: German Dark Lager – 132 Entries
Gold: Schwartzbier, Forgotten Star Brewing Co., Fridley, MN
Silver: Schwarz is the New Black, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Arroyo Grande, Arroyo Grande, CA
Bronze: Schwarzenlager, Little Thistle Brewing Co., Rochester, MN
Category 50: International Dark Lager – 54 Entries
Gold: The Dark, Third Window Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA
Silver: Puesto Negra, Puesto Cervecería, San Diego, CA
Bronze: The Late Boat Czech-Style Dark Lager, San Juan Island Brewing Co., Friday Harbor, WA
Category 51: Bock – 88 Entries
Gold: Maibock, Natural State Beer Co., Rogers, AR
Silver: Unresolved, Attic Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA
Bronze: Skool House Bock, Moontown Brewing Co., Whitestown, IN
Category 52: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock – 60 Entries
Gold: Unfrozen Caveman Lager, Belching Beaver Brewery – Tavern & Grill, Vista, CA
Silver: Penetrator, Territorial Brewing Co., Springfield, MI
Bronze: Frogichlaus Swiss-style Celebration Lager, Hoppin’ Frog Brewing, Akron, OH
Category 53: Golden or Blonde Ale – 152 Entries
Gold: Domestica, Ratio Beerworks, Denver, CO
Silver: No, Yeah, Bell’s Brewery, Comstock, MI
Bronze: CAVU, NoDa Brewing Co. – The OG, Charlotte, NC
Category 54: German-Style Koelsch – 187 Entries
Gold: Kolsch, Chuckanut Brewery – South Nut, Burlington, WA
Silver: Della, Old Irving Brewing Co., Chicago, IL
Bronze: Too Much Cologne, Crystal Lake Brewing, Crystal Lake, IL
Category 55: English Ale – 39 Entries
Gold: Annadel Pale Ale, Third Street Aleworks, Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: True Blonde Ale, SKA Brewing, Durango, CO
Bronze: Organic California Blonde Ale, Eel River Brewing Co., Fortuna, CA
Category 56: Australian Pale Ale – 26 Entries
Gold: Inner Light, Our Mutual Friend Brewing, Denver, CO
Silver: Strata IPA, Worthy Brewing Co., Bend, OR
Bronze: Mo’ Diggity, Liquid Gravity Brewing Co., San Luis Obispo, CA
Category 57: International Pale Ale or New Zealand Pale Ale – 71 Entries
Gold: BONKEUR Mosaic Pale Ale, Rouleur Brewing Co., Carlsbad, CA
Silver: Intergalactic Pale Reality, Ex Novo Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Bronze: Field of Vision, Original Pattern Brewing Co., Oakland, CA
Category 58: English India Pale Ale or New Zealand India Pale Ale – 75 Entries
Gold: Palm Sway, Coronado Brewing Co. – Production Facility, San Diego, CA
Silver: Let it Out, Unsung Brewing Co. – Taproom, Anaheim, CA
Bronze: Flight of the Kiwis, My Yard Live Beer Co., San Marcos, CA
Category 59: American-Style Pale Ale – 151 Entries
Gold: Stick’s Pale Ale, Bootstrap Brewing, Longmont, CO
Silver: Mosaic Pale Ale, Stoup Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: South Forty, Corralitos Brewing Co., Watsonville, CA
Category 60: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale – 133 Entries
Gold: Second That Emotion, Radiant Beer Co., Anaheim, CA
Silver: Newport Daze Hazy Pale Ale, Rogue EastSide Pub & Pilot Brewery, Portland, OR
Bronze: Dank Meme, Triptych Brewing, Savoy, IL
Category 61: American-Style Strong Pale Ale – 146 Entries
Gold: Threat Level: Turquoise, Ex Novo Brewing Co – Corrales, Corrales, NM
Silver: IPA, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR
Bronze: Civil Disturbance, Escape Craft Brewery, Redlands, CA
Category 62: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale – 128 Entries
Gold: Get a Little Hazy, Peace Tree Brewing Co., Knoxville, IA
Silver: Sup Cuz IPA, Varietal Beer Co., Sunnyside, WA
Bronze: Northern Haze, True North Ale Co., Ipswich, MA
Category 63: American-Style India Pale Ale – 404 Entries
Gold: Volatile Substance, Von Ebert Brewing – Pearl, Portland, OR
Silver: JAF IPA, JAFB Wooster Brewery, Wooster, OH
Bronze: Bullitt, All Season Brewing Co., Los Angeles, CA
Category 64: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale – 427 Entries
Gold: DeadHead IPA Series: TourBus, DESTIHL Brewery, Normal, IL
Silver: Art is Hard, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Blissed, Attitude Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Category 65: Imperial India Pale Ale – 177 Entries
Gold: Nose Goblin, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA
Silver: Freak of Nature Double IPA, Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, NC
Bronze: Army of the Kinda Dead-ish, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Category 66: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale – 195 Entries
Gold: Cryo Chemistry, Barebottle Brewing Co., San Francisco, CA
Silver: Clouds, BKS Artisan Ales, Kansas City, MO
Bronze: DeadHead IPA Series: Haze of the Dead, DESTIHL Brewery, Normal, IL
Category 67: American Amber/Red Ale – 120 Entries
Gold: Wakes of Grain, Grove Roots Brewing Co., Winter Haven, FL
Silver: Stoup NW Red, Stoup Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Paulie’s Not Irish, Old Town Brewing, Portland, OR
Category 68: Strong Red Ale – 50 Entries
Gold: Robot Imperial Red, Stereo Brewing Co., Placentia, CA
Silver: Midwest Red IPA, Masthead Brewing Co., Cleveland, OH
Bronze: Happy Days, Claremont Craft Ales, Claremont, CA
Category 69: English Mild or Bitter – 62 Entries
Gold: Momentum, Mechanical Brewery, Cherry Hill, NJ
Silver: Sir Marcus, Protagonist Beer – Southend Brewery, Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Toasty, The Brew Brothers – Eldorado Scioto Downs Racino, Columbus, OH
Category 70: Extra Special Bitter – 63 Entries
Gold: Velvet ESB, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: Eastside Special Bitter, Marble Brewery – MavLab, Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Elleigh’s ESB, 1886 Brewing Co., Orange, CA
Category 71: Scottish-Style Ale – 39 Entries
Gold: Seven Gables, Mountain Rambler Brewery, Bishop, CA
Silver: Copper John Scotch Ale, Madison River Brewing Co., Belgrade, MT
Bronze: Bull Shark, Galveston Bay Beer Co., Dickinson, TX
Category 72: Irish-Style Red Ale – 78 Entries
Gold: Outraged Daughters, Wise Man Brewing, Winston-Salem, NC
Silver: Sandman, Third Wheel Brewing, St. Peters, MO
Bronze: Flying Axe, Laughing Sun Brewing Co., Bismarck, ND
Category 73: English-Style Brown Ale – 56 Entries
Gold: Pine Mountain Monolith, Wild Fields Brewhouse, Atascadero, CA
Silver: Brown Ale, Lowercase Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Beería, Craft Coast, Oceanside, CA
Category 74: American-Style Brown Ale – 82 Entries
Gold: Davy Brown Ale, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Buellton, CA
Silver: Docks Brown Ale, Naked River Brewing Co., Chattanooga, TN
Bronze: Face Down Brown, Telluride Brewing Co., Telluride, CO
Category 75: American Black Ale or American Stout – 67 Entries
Gold: Irish Channel Stout, NOLA Brewing Co., New Orleans, LA
Silver: Black the Riipper, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Bronze: Broad Blade, Shovel Town Brewery, North Easton, MA
Category 76: German Sour Ale – 47 Entries
Gold: Disco Lemonade, Aslan Brewing Co., Bellingham, WA
Silver: Gose, Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2, Bellingham, WA
Bronze: Gose Ale, Ponysaurus Brewing Co., Durham, NC
Category 77: Specialty Berliner-Style Weisse – 79 Entries
Gold: Breakside Passionfruit Sour, Breakside Brewery – SE Taproom, Milwaukie, OR
Silver: Berliner Nice!, Eighty-Three Brewery, Akron, OH
Bronze: Summer Crush, Arts District Brewing Co., Los Angeles, CA
Category 78: Contemporary Gose – 118 Entries
Gold: Ring Around the Gose, SingleSpeed Brewing, Waterloo, IA
Silver: Prickly Pear Margarita, Workhorse Brewing Co., King of Prussia, PA
Bronze: Sour Flower, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo, MI
Category 79: German-Style Altbier – 60 Entries
Gold: Altbier, Block 15 Brewery & Tap Room, Corvallis, OR
Silver: ALT 140, Sew Hop’d Brewery, Huntley, IL
Bronze: Düsseldorf Altbier, Redwood Curtain Brewing Co., Arcata, CA
Category 80: German Wheat Ale – 226 Entries
Gold: Hefeweizen, JAFB Wooster Brewery, Wooster, OH
Silver: Küsterer Original Weissbier, Cedar Springs Brewing Co., Cedar Springs, MI
Bronze: Hazy Skies Hefeweizen, Pilot Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Category 81: Belgian-Style Table Beer or Belgian-Style Session Ale – 26 Entries
Gold: First To Fall, The Good Society, Seattle, WA
Silver: Austere Abbot, Deft Brewing, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Table Beer, Lost Cabin Beer Co., Rapid City, SD
Category 82: Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale – 73 Entries
Gold: Celestis Thesauri, Save The World Brewing Co., Marble Falls, TX
Silver: Iron Lion: Blonde, Albion Malleable Brewing Co., Albion, MI
Bronze: Farm Girl, Lift Bridge Brewing Co., Stillwater, MN
Category 83: Belgian-Style Witbier – 121 Entries
Gold: Optimal Wit, Port City Brewing Co., Alexandria, VA
Silver: White, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Bronze: Lilywhite Wit, Reuben’s Brews – Production Brewery, Seattle, WA
Category 84: Classic Saison – 99 Entries
Gold: Saison, Waypost Brewing Co., Fennville, MI
Silver: Work-Life Balance, HenHouse Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Bronze: Ride Lots, Autumn Arch Beer Project, Newark, DE
Category 85: Specialty Saison – 71 Entries
Gold: Air is Beautiful, Protagonist Beer, Charlotte, NC
Silver: French Prairie, Crowing Hen, Carlton, OR
Bronze: Go Ape-ricot, Metazoa Brewing Co. – Taproom, Indianapolis, IN
Category 86: Belgian-Style Sour Ale – 73 Entries
Gold: Flanders Style Red Ale, Caboose Brewing Co., Vienna, VA
Silver: Stay the Funk In, Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project, Denver, CO
Bronze: TransAmLam, Wicked Weed Brewing, Asheville, NC
Category 87: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale – 101 Entries
Gold: Pentuple, Hoppin’ Frog Brewing, Akron, OH
Silver: Jan Quadrupel Vincent 16, Belching Beaver Brewery – Tavern & Grill, Vista, CA
Bronze: Treachery, 12Degree Brewing, Louisville, CO
Category 88: Belgian-Style Abbey Ale – 98 Entries
Gold: Trippel, New Belgium Brewing Co. – Asheville, Asheville, NC
Silver: Tripel, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Bronze: The Dutch!, Tenaya Creek Brewery, Las Vegas, NV
Category 89: Belgian Fruit Beer – 76 Entries
Gold: Stonefruit Symphony, Alesong Brewing & Tasting Room, Eugene, OR
Silver: Coolship Chaos Balaton Cherry, Beachwood Blendery, Long Beach, CA
Bronze: Wit-Ness Protection, Prison City Brewing, Auburn, NY
Category 90: Brown Porter – 57 Entries
Gold: Peter Porter, Westlake Brewing Co., Dallas, TX
Silver: The Disaster at Meux, Lion Bridge Brewing Co., Cedar Rapids, IA
Bronze: Man Full of Trouble, Dock Street Brewery, Philadelphia, PA
Category 91: Robust Porter – 77 Entries
Gold: Green Man Porter, Green Man Brewery, Asheville, NC
Silver: Pumphouse Porter, Lumberyard Brewing Co., Flagstaff, AZ
Bronze: Grimlock, Loowit Brewing Co., Vancouver, WA
Category 92: Stout – 76 Entries
Gold: Big Wall, Strike Brewing Co., San Jose, CA
Silver: Ziko’s Rage, 26 Degree Brewing Co., Pompano Beach, FL
Bronze: Hubbard St. Stout, Main & Six Brewing Co., Jacksonville, FL
Category 93: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout – 55 Entries
Gold: Higher Purpose, Third Eye Brewing Co., Sharonville, OH
Silver: Cocoa Coma, de Bine Brewing Co., Palm Harbor, FL
Bronze: Nitro Merlin Milk Stout, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Category 94: Oatmeal Stout – 36 Entries
Gold: Babycakes Oatmeal Stout, Walking Tree Brewery, Vero Beach, FL
Silver: No. 06 Oatmeal Stout, Gella’s Diner & Lb. Brewing Co., Hays, KS
Bronze: Breakfast for Supper, Thousand Lakes Brewing Co., Parkers Prairie, MN
Category 95: Imperial Stout – 83 Entries
Gold: Dark Seas, Mission Brewery, San Diego, CA
Silver: Barbarian, Warrior Brewing Co., Duluth, MN
Bronze: Bird Bones, Spearfish Brewing Co., Spearfish, SD
Category 96: Scotch Ale – 49 Entries
Silver: Real Heavy, Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX
Bronze: Kilt Chamberlain Scotch Ale, StillFire Brewing, Suwanee, GA
Category 97: Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine – 83 Entries
Gold: Chris Barley in a Little Coat, Wichita Brewing Co., Wichita, KS
Silver: Brew 4000, Fremont Brewing – West, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Old Scrooge, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
*Out of a possible 291 medals in 97 beer style categories, 290 were awarded. The gold medal was not awarded in category 96: Scotch Ale. The winners of the Fresh Hop Beer category will be awarded in mid-October.
2021 Brewery of the Year Awards:
(See criteria here)
0-250 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Radiant Beer Co., Anaheim, CA
Andrew Bell & Radiant Beer Co Team
251–500 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Main & Six Brewing Co., Jacksonville, FL Dennis Espinosa & Alex Leuthold
501–1,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Fermentis
Moontown Brewing Co., Whitestown, IN Cody Peczkowski
1,001–2,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by ABS Commercial
Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA Steve Luke & Zach Kornfeld
2,001–5,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Short Fuse Brewing Co., Schiller Park, IL Brian Lagro & Craig Kofod
5,001–15,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by MicroStar Logistics
Sudwerk Brewing Co., Davis, CA Team Sudwerk
15,001–100,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.
Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME Team Allagash
Brewery Group Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Live Oak Bank
Metazoa Brewing Co. – Taproom, Indianapolis, IN Metazoa Brewing Team
The Great American Beer Festival will celebrate its 40th anniversary October 6-8, 2022, at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.
About The Author
DJ
D.J. is a Portland, Oregon based writer that spent his formative years in the Midwest. With over 25 years under his belt of drinking beer at festivals across America and the world, he has developed a strong appreciation and understanding of craft beer and the industry that surrounds it. He can be found in any of the great breweries or beer bars that make Portland the best beer city in the world. His writing can also be found in the archives of Northwest Brewing News and can be followed on Twitter and Instagram at @hopapalooza.
So great to see other States getting into the medal count. Good indication that excellent beer is made throughout the Nation. Illinois received 16 medals I believe!