The Great American Beer Festival turned 40 this year.
There are beer festivals and then there’s the Great American Beer Festival. The largest beer festival in the world the event is part drunken festival, part serious beer competition with the nation’s best breweries battling it out for one of the events coveted gold, silver, and bronze medals.
The event is hosted by the Brewers Association and is celebrating both its 40th birthday this year and the festival’s return after two years away due to COVID.
This year 2154 breweries entered the competition with a mind blowing 9,904 beers. Over 177 different beer styles were judged this year (yes, there are that many), but 325 different judges. The average number of beers entered in each category is 99, with the highest number of entries happening, as always, in the American Style India Pale Ale category. 268 breweries walked away with medials this year, 18 of them for the first time. 301 breweries entered for the first time.
Here’s who walked away a winner:
MOST-ENTERED STYLE CATEGORIES
The winners of the top five most-entered categories were:
Category 64: American Style India Pale Ale (423 entries) – Sponsored by Micro Matic
GOLD: More Dodge Less RAM | Comrade Brewing Co. | Denver, CO
SILVER: Dankster Squad | Riip Beer Co. | Huntington Beach, CA
BRONZE: Hop-Fu! | North Park Beer Co. | San Diego, CA
Category 65: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale (375 entries) – Sponsored by Antigo Zeon
GOLD: Anhyzer Kush | Flatland Brewing Co. | Elk Grove, CA
SILVER: IPO IPA | White Rock Alehouse & Brewery | Dallas, TX
BRONZE: RAD AF | City Barrel Brewing Co. | Kansas City, MO
Category 45: German-Style Pilsener (233 entries)
GOLD: Industry | The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. | Austin, TX
SILVER: Pils | Von Ebert Brewing – Pearl | Portland, OR
BRONZE: German Pilsner | Shred Monk Brewery and Coffeehouse | Bozeman, MT
Category 81: German Wheat Ale (209 entries)
GOLD: Alpenglow | Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon | North Central, OH
SILVER: Kristal Weizen | Bearded Tang Brewing | Stanton, CA
BRONZE: Wild Pitch | SandLot Brewery | Denver, CO
Category 50: German-Style Maerzen (207 entries)
GOLD: Oktoberfest | Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co. | Waltham, MA
SILVER: Docktoberfest | Dry Dock Brewing Co. – North Dock | Aurora, CO
BRONZE: Great Dane Oktoberfest | Great Dane Pub and Brewing Co. – Downtown | Madison, WI
MOST-MEDALED BREWERYNorth Park Beer Co. | San Diego, CA
GOLD: English India Pale Ale or New Zealand India Pale Ale (Cat. 59)
SILVER: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale (Cat. 67)
BRONZE: American-Style India Pale Ale (Cat. 64)
BRONZE: Imperial India Pale Ale (Cat. 66)
COLLABORATION COMPETITION (94 entries)
GOLD: Templin Family Guava Coconut | Templin Family Brewing / Shades Brewing | Salt Lake City, UT
SILVER: Chicago Peaks Kölsch | Westbound & Down Brewing Co. / Bierstadt Lagerhaus | San Diego, CA
BRONZE: Guns Out For Grain Out | Pizza Port Ocean Beach / Chula Vista Brewery | Karl Strauss | Nickel Beer | San Diego, CA
PRO-AM COMPETITION (35 entries)
Sponsored by Country Malt Group, Briess Malt & Ingredients, and White Labs
GOLD: Kaltrauch | Confluence Brewing Co. | AHA members Randy Daniels & KC McKinney | Des Moines, IA
SILVER: Sticky Fingers Saison | CooperSmith’s Pub and Brewing | AHA Member Mark Pennick | Fort Collins, CO
BRONZE: Alt Ale | Shoe Tree Brewing Co. | AHA Member Eric Coffman |Carson City, NV
Here’s the full list:
Category 1: American Wheat Beer – 64 Entries
Gold: White Noise, Überbrew, Billings, MT Silver: Sweet As! Pacific Ale, GoodLife Brewing Co., Bend, OR Bronze: Agave Wheat, Breckenridge Brewery, Littleton, CO
Category 2: American Fruit Beer – 128 Entries
Gold: Berry, Berry, Quite Contrary, Territorial Brewing Co., Springfield, MI Silver: Black Razz Blonde, Joyride Brewing Co., Edgewater, CO Bronze: Raspberry Fields, Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Fort Worth, TX
Category 3: Fruit Wheat Beer – 118 Entries
Gold: Tropical Vibes, Swamp Head Brewery, Gainesville, FL Silver: Bear Bait, Schussboom Brewing Co., Reno, NV Bronze: Sunny Little Thing, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Mills River, Mills River, NC
Category 4: Field Beer – 80 Entries
Gold: Coconut Pie Face, Revision Brewing Co., Sparks, NV Silver: Calypso, Captain Fatty’s Brewery, Goleta, CA Bronze: Rachelle, Fair Isle Brewing, Seattle, WA
Category 5: Pumpkin Beer – 77 Entries
Gold: Night Owl, Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA Silver: 5 Phantoms, Philipsburg Brewing Co., Philipsburg, MT Bronze: Molasses Pumpkin Märzen, Whistle Hop Brewing Co., Fairview, NC
Category 6: Chili Beer – 88 Entries
Gold: Paloma Persona, Chicago Brewing Co. – NV, Las Vegas, NV Silver: Dosvidanya Mexican Chocolate, DESTIHL Brewery, Normal, IL Bronze: Fuego Reserva, Cerebral Brewing – Florence St., Aurora, CO
Category 7: Herb and Spice Beer – 107 Entries
Gold: Black Pearl, Lazarus Brewing Co., Austin, TX Silver: Peach Tea Blonde, Beale’s, Petersburg, VA Bronze: Spruce Tip Pale Ale, Matchwood Brewing Co., Sandpoint, ID
Category 8: Chocolate Beer – 48 Entries
Gold: Chocolate Stout, Fort Myers Brewing Co., Fort Myers, FL Silver: Devour Imperial Milk Stout: Mexican Chocolate, 3 Nations Brewing Co., Carrollton, TX Bronze: Thiccccest Nibs, Moksa Brewing Co., Rocklin, CA
Category 9: Coffee Beer – 84 Entries
Gold: Cafe Oro, Oro Brewing Co., Mesa, AZ Silver: Kato, Sonder Brewing, Mason, OH Bronze: Gusto Crema Coffee Ale, Georgetown Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Category 10: Coffee Stout or Porter – 76 Entries
Gold: Super Tonic, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA Silver: Zoomie, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH Bronze: Speargun Coffee Stout, Snake River Brewing Co., Jackson, WY
Category 11: Specialty Beer – 34 Entries
Gold: Breakside I Purple You, Breakside Brewery – NW Slabtown, Portland, OR Silver: Maple Smoked Maibock, Kilowatt Brewing, San Diego, CA Bronze: Peanut Butter Porter, Lake Time Brewery, Clear Lake, IA
Category 12: Rye Beers – 48 Entries
Gold: Pecan Street Rye Lager, Pecan Street Brewing, Johnson City, TX Silver: Rockin’ Roggen, Twisted Pine Brewing Co., Boulder, CO Bronze: The Old Man and Death, Mad Fritz, Saint Helena, CA
Category 13: Honey Beer – 74 Entries
Gold: Hachimitsu Mai, Deschutes Brewery – Portland Brewery & Public House Silver: The Beeginning, The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co., Austin, TX Bronze: Happy Days, Malibu Brewing Co., Malibu, CA
Category 14: Non-Alcohol Beer – 67 Entries
Gold: Just The Haze, Boston Beer Co. – Samuel Adams Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH Silver: Lemon Radler, Athletic Brewing Co. – Production Facility, San Diego, CA Bronze: Nada IPA, Community Beer Co., Dallas, TX
Category 15: Session Beer or Belgian-Style Table Beer – 84 Entries
Gold: Oblique and Bent, The Big Friendly, Oklahoma City, OK Silver: Guillaume, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA Bronze: First To Fall, The Good Society, Seattle, WA
Category 16: Session India Pale Ale – 89 Entries
Gold: The Next Chapter, Original Pattern Brewing Co., Oakland, CA Silver: The Coachman, Societe Brewing Co., San Diego, CA Bronze: Tectonic Session IPA, Hutton & Smith Brewing Co., Chattanooga, TN
Category 17: Other Strong Beer – 70 Entries
Gold: Dark Skies, Forgotten Star Brewing Co., Fridley, MN Silver: Hello Darkness, River North Brewery, Denver, CO Bronze: Doppelsticke Altbier, Giant Jones Brewing Co., Madison, WI
Category 18: Experimental Beer – 96 Entries
Gold: Southern Tee, New Realm Brewing, – Charleston, Charleston, SC Silver: Edgefield Coolship no. 5, McMenamins Breweries, Portland, OR Bronze: Great Wave Sake Lager, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman, MT
Category 19: Experimental India Pale Ale – 118 Entries
Gold: Polar Bears Toenails, Precarious Beer Project – Precarious Beer Hall, Williamsburg, VA Silver: Vacation Sam Pina Colada IPA, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA Bronze: SLURP, NoDa Brewing Co. – OG, Charlotte, NC
Category 20: Experimental Wood-Aged Beer – 41 Entries
Gold: Sugar Moon, Hobbs Tavern & Brewing Co., Ossipee, NH Silver: Soul Shakedown Party, Sun King Brewing – Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN Bronze: Shere Khan, Olde Hickory Brewery, Hickory, NC
Category 21: Historical Beer – 59 Entries
Gold: Feniks, Great Notion Brewing, Portland, OR Silver: Vitkus #3, Donner Creek Brewing Co., Truckee, CA Bronze: Churchill Browns, Flashpoint Brewing Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Category 22: Gluten-Free Beer – 49 Entries
Gold: Alpenglow Hazy IPA, Buck Wild Brewing, Oakland, CA Silver: BuckWit Belgian, Holidaily Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Golden, CO Bronze: Gosefish Hibiscus-Cranberry Gose, Ghostfish Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Category 23: American-Belgo-Style Ale – 34 Entries
Gold: Bizarro, Protagonist Beer – Southend Brewery, Charlotte, NC Silver: Oscar’s Pardon, Haymarket Beer Co., Chicago, IL Bronze: La Maison, Taxman Brewing Co., Bargersville, IN
Category 24: American Sour Ale – 25 Entries
Gold: Hot Break, Little Beast Brewing, Clackamas, OR Silver: Mirage, New Terrain Brewing Co., Golden, CO Bronze: Low pHunk, MobCraft Beer, Milwaukee, WI
Category 25: Fruited American Sour Ale – 184 Entries
Gold: Razz Sour, Revelation Craft Brewing Co., Rehoboth Beach, DE Silver: Sour Guava Tangerine, Edmund’s Oast Brewing Co., North Charleston, SC Bronze: Fight The Sour: Blackberry Cobbler, NOBO Brewing Co., Boynton Beach, FL
Category 26: Brett Beer – 42 Entries
Gold: Trystero, Our Mutual Friend Brewing Co., Denver, CO Silver: Saison, Black Dog Brewing Co., Mooresville, IN Bronze: Bretta Festbier, Odd Breed Wild Ales, Pompano Beach, FL
Category 27: Mixed-Culture Brett Beer – 61 Entries
Gold: Farmer’s Reserve Plum, Almanac Beer Co., Alameda, CA Silver: Biere Ovale, Our Mutual Friend Brewing Co., Denver, CO Bronze: Oregon Sunrise, Alesong Brewing & Tasting Room, Eugene, OR
Category 28: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer – 59 Entries
Gold: Barrel-Aged Soft Skills, Jessup Farm Barrel House, Fort Collins, CO Silver: Sensationator, Deschutes Brewery – Portland Brewery & Public House, Portland, OR Bronze: Hell Raiser Bourbon Barrel Brown, Old 290 Brewery, Johnson City, TX
Category 29: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer – 133 Entries
Gold: Flesh to Stone, Bottle Logic Brewing, Anaheim, CA Silver: Ivoire, The Bruery, Placentia, CA Bronze: 1314, Black Tooth Brewing Co., Sheridan, WY
Category 30: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout – 170 Entries
Gold: 8th Anniversary Reserve, Grist House Craft Brewery, Pittsburgh, PA Silver: Barrel Aged Blindfolded Stoutosaurus, de Bine Brewing Co., Palm Harbor, FL Bronze: Wooden Mayhem, Rock Cut Brewing Co., Estes Park, CO
Category 31: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 34 Entries
Gold: Apple Brandy Barrel Maker of Things, Little Fish Brewing Co., Athens, OH Silver: Genièvre, ColdFire Brewing Co., Eugene, OR Bronze: Tilling Time, Odd Breed Wild Ales, Pompano Beach, FL
Category 32: Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 93 Entries
Gold: Plumonary Groove, Lenny Boy Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC Silver: Intinction – Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Brewing Co. – Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa, CA Bronze: Peach Afternoon, Port Brewing Co. / The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA
Category 33: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier – 64 Entries
Gold: Waxing and Waning, MadeWest Brewing Co., Ventura, CA Silver: Templin Family Granary KellerBier, Templin Family Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT Bronze: Keller Pils, Triumph Brewing Co. – Red Bank, Red Bank, NJ
Category 34: Smoke Beer – 76 Entries
Gold: Smoke Follows Beauty, Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, Topeka, KS Silver: Helles Rauchbier, Double Clutch Brewing Co., Evanston, IL Bronze: Dreaming Of Bamberg, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Westlake Village, Westlake Village, CA
Category 35: Light Lager – 143 Entries
Gold: Chuckanut Chuck Light, Chuckanut Brewery, Burlington, WA Silver: Heights Light Lager, New Magnolia Brewing Co., Houston, TX Bronze: Wrath Premium American Lager, Grains of Wrath Brewing, Camas, WA
Category 36: American-Style Lager – 135 Entries
Gold: Bridge, Deadwords Brewing Co., Orlando, FL Silver: Mountain Marble, Precarious Beer Project – Precarious Beer Hall, Williamsburg, VA Bronze: Midwest Royalty, Alarmist Brewing, Chicago, IL
Category 37: Contemporary American-Style Lager – 94 Entries
Gold: Blackberry Smoke Lager, New Realm Brewing Co. – Atlanta, Atlanta, GA Silver: Toro y Oso, Xül Beer Co., Knoxville, TN Bronze: Las Vegas Lager, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Category 38: American Pilsener – 148 Entries
Gold: Classic City Lager, Creature Comforts Brewing Co. – Southern Mill, Athens, GA Silver: Lightning Will, On Tour Brewing Co., Chicago, IL Bronze: Bullpen, Atlas Brew Works, Washington, DC
Category 39: International-Style Pilsener – 123 Entries
Gold: Alright, Alright, Alright, Roadmap Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX Silver: Dos Topas, Topa Topa Brewing Co. – HQ, Ventura, CA Bronze: Holy Ghost, Laughing Monk Brewing, San Francisco, CA
Category 40: Australasian, Latin American or Tropical Light Lager – 69 Entries
Gold: Mexican Lager, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR Silver: Lucha Libre, Flix Brewhouse – ABQ, Albuquerque, NM Bronze: Taco Tuesday, Monday Night Brewing, Atlanta, GA
Category 41: American Cream Ale – 115 Entries
Gold: 1970s Lager, Faction Brewing, Alameda, CA Silver: Carlos Danger, Bearded Tang Brewing, Stanton, CA Bronze: Chanclaso, Arrow Lodge Brewing, Covina, CA
Category 42: Other Hoppy Lager – 97 Entries
Gold: Avant, Insight Brewing, Minneapolis, MN Silver: Crispy Boiz II Men, Brieux Carré Brewing Co., New Orleans, LA Bronze: Day Donkey, Tampa Bay Brewing Co. – Production Brewery, Tampa, FL
Category 43: India Pale Lager – 52 Entries
Gold: Cold IPA, Legion Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC Silver: Cave Dweller, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA Bronze: DDH Timbo, Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA
Category 44: American Amber Lager – 177 Entries
Gold: Sonidero, Windmills, The Colony, TX Silver: Seductive Mullet Amber Ale, Goose and the Monkey Brewhouse, Lexington, NC Bronze: Amberama, Elmhurst Brewing Co., Elmhurst, IL
Category 45: German-Style Pilsener – 233 Entries
Gold: Industry, The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co., Austin, TX Silver: Pils, Von Ebert Brewing – Pearl, Portland, OR Bronze: German Pilsner, Shred Monk Brewery and Coffeehouse, Bozeman, MT
Category 46: Bohemian-Style Pilsener – 186 Entries
Gold: The People’s Pilsner, Sudwerk Brewing Co., Davis, CA Silver: Pohick Bay Pilsener, Fair Winds Brewing Co., Lorton, VA Bronze: Battlesnakes, Brewery X, Anaheim, CA
Category 47: Munich-Style Helles – 158 Entries
Gold: Altstadt Lager, Altstadt Brewery, Fredericksburg, TX Silver: Helles Lager, Double Clutch Brewing Co., Evanston, IL Bronze: Roxboro Gold, New Ridge Brewing Co., Philadelphia, PA
Category 48: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest – 154 Entries
Gold: Festbier, Wren House Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Prescott, AZ Silver: Franz, Protagonist Beer – Southend Brewery, Charlotte, NC Bronze: Metalmark Marzen, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Category 49: Vienna-Style Lager – 119 Entries
Gold: Symphony, Big Ash Brewing, Cincinnati, OH Silver: Froh Hund, Secret Trail Brewing Co., Chico, CA Bronze: Lore, Gatlin Hall Brewing, Orlando, FL
Category 50: German-Style Maerzen – 207 Entries
Gold: Oktoberfest, Mighty Squirrel Brewing Co., Waltham, MA Silver: Docktoberfest, Dry Dock Brewing Co. – North Dock, Aurora, CO Bronze: Great Dane Oktoberfest, Great Dane Pub and Brewing Co. – Downtown, Madison, WI
Category 51: German Dark Lager – 146 Entries
Gold: Bent Paddle Dunkel Lager, Bent Paddle Brewing Co., Duluth, MN Silver: East Bay Nights Black Lager, Oakland United Beerworks, Oakland, CA Bronze: Schwarzbier, Rainy Daze Brewing Co., Poulsbo, WA
Category 52: International Dark Lager – 86 Entries
Gold: El Corn, The Post Brewing Co., Lafayette, CO Silver: Brother-Brother, River Bluff Brewing, St. Joseph, MO Bronze: Bowie Bock, Freetail Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX
Category 53: Bock – 55 Entries
Gold: Blind Tiger Bock, Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, Topeka, KS Silver: Bonspiel Bock, Forgotten Star Brewing Co., Fridley, MN Bronze: Big Bock Energy, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Category 54: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock – 47 Entries
Gold: Klosterade, Working Draft Beer Co., Madison, WI Silver: Execrator, Resolute Brewing Co., Centennial, CO Bronze: Danny Bräu, Danny Boy Beer Works, Carmel, IN
Category 55: Golden or Blonde Ale – 159 Entries
Gold: Firemans #4, Real Ale Brewing Co., Blanco, TX Silver: Blonde Ale, Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro, Bellingham, WA Bronze: THE FULL LEMONTY, Pollyanna Brewing Co., Lemont, IL
Category 56: German-Style Koelsch – 195 Entries
Gold: Northern Kolsch, The Royal Oak Brewery, Royal Oak, MI Silver: Kold Shoulder, Wooden Hill Brewing Co., Edina, MN Bronze: Hunting River, Bullfrog Creek Brewing Co., Valrico, FL
Category 57: English Ale – 47 Entries
Gold: Level Line, Topa Topa Brewing Co. – HQ, Ventura, CA Silver: Citronaut, Launch Pad Brewery, Aurora, CO Bronze: Otter Encounter, Deschutes Brewery – Bend Brewery & Public House, Bend, OR
Category 58: International-Style Pale Ale – 136 Entries
Gold: Nix, Ogopogo Brewing, San Gabriel, CA Silver: New Cleveland, Platform Beer Co. – Production Facility, Cleveland, OH Bronze: Pale 586, Faction Brewing, Alameda, CA
Category 59: English India Pale Ale or New Zealand India Pale Ale – 88 Entries
Gold: NZ-Fu!, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA Silver: Spirit of the West, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho Springs, CO Bronze: Hoppy Poppy IPA, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Buellton, CA
Category 60: American-Style Pale Ale – 160 Entries
Gold: Rippin, Sunriver Brewing Co., Sunriver, OR Silver: Breakside Woodlawn Pale Ale, Breakside Brewery, Portland, OR Bronze: Pale From The Crypt, Liquid Gravity Brewing Co., San Luis Obispo, CA
Category 61: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale – 132 Entries
Gold: Luminous Beings, Wye Hill Brewing, Raleigh, NC Silver: Alpenhaze, Icicle Brewing Co. – Production, Leavenworth, WA Bronze: Diversey Station, Ravinia Brewing Co., Chicago, IL
Category 62: American-Style Strong Pale Ale – 145 Entries
Gold: Mordant, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA Silver: Secret Beach, Meanwhile Brewing Co., Austin, TX Bronze: Eyes are Mosaic, Casa Agria Specialty Ales, Oxnard, CA
Category 63: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale – 153 Entries
Gold: Neon Lites, Slice Beer Co., Lincoln, CA Silver: So Into You, Radiant Beer Co., Anaheim, CA Bronze: Green New Zeal, Armistice Brewing Co., Richmond, CA
Category 64: American-Style India Pale Ale – 423 Entries
Gold: More Dodge Less RAM, Comrade Brewing Co., Denver, CO Silver: Dankster Squad, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA Bronze: Hop-Fu!, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Category 65: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale – 375 Entries
Gold: Anhyzer Kush, Flatland Brewing Co., Elk Grove, CA Silver: IPO IPA, White Rock Alehouse & Brewery, Dallas, TX Bronze: RAD AF, City Barrel Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO
Category 66: Imperial India Pale Ale – 156 Entries
Gold: Nose Goblin, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA Silver: Hop Diggity, Mother Earth Brew Co., Nampa, ID Bronze: Double-Fu!, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA Category
67: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale – 165 Entries
Gold: Pillow, Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA Silver: X-Raying Citra, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA Bronze: Citra Soaker, Corn Coast Brewing Co., Lincoln, NE Category
68: American Amber/Red Ale – 124 Entries
Gold: Argument Starter, Wicked Barley Brewing Co., Jacksonville, FL Silver: Railsplitter, Lincoln Beer Co., Burbank, CA Bronze: Frog King, King’s Court Brewing Co., Poughkeepsie, NY
Category 69: Strong Red Ale – 54 Entries
Gold: My Bloody Nightmare, BNS Brewing & Distilling Co., Santee, CA Silver: Local Shred Red, Alvarado Street Brewery & Grill, Monterey, CA Bronze: Bone Head, Fat Head’s Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Category 70: English Mild or Bitter – 68 Entries
Gold: Rockhill & Locust, BKS Artisan Ales, Kansas City, MO Silver: Brewer’s Best, Gravity Heights, San Diego, CA Bronze: Every Hop Is Sacred, Hop River Brewing Co., Fort Wayne, IN
Category 71: Extra Special Bitter – 65 Entries
Gold: Happy Amber, MadTree Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH Silver: Bitter Soul, Mad Pecker Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX Bronze: Whale’s Tale Pale Ale, Cisco Brewers Portsmouth, Portsmouth, NH
Category 72: Scottish-Style Ale – 49 Entries
Gold: Magic Swirling Sip, Wild Fields Brewhouse, Atascadero, CA Silver: Laughing Lab Scottish Ale, Bristol Brewing Co., Colorado Springs, CO Bronze: Taildragger Clan-Destine, Saddle Mountain Brewing Co., Goodyear, AZ Category
73: Irish-Style Red Ale – 80 Entries
Gold: Equanimity, Ursa Minor Brewing, Duluth, MN Silver: Rabbit Head Red, Canyon Creek Brewing, Billings, MT Bronze: Red Willie, Tradition Brewing Co., Newport News, VA
Category 74: English-Style Brown Ale – 61 Entries
Gold: Pine Mountain Monolith, Wild Fields Brewhouse, Atascadero, CA Silver: Three Beagles, Bagby Beer Co., Oceanside, CA Bronze: Brown Ale, Lowercase Brewing, Seattle, WA Category
75: American-Style Brown Ale – 69 Entries
Gold: Three Bridges Brown, Wild Fields Brewhouse, Atascadero, CA Silver: Burnt Mountain Brown, Zion Brewery, Springdale, UT Bronze: Brown Evolved, COLD Coast Brewing Co., Lompoc, CA
Category 76: American Black Ale or American Stout – 62 Entries
Gold: Hooked On Onyx, Ten Mile Brewing Co., Signal Hill, CA Silver: Stone Cimmerian Portal, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, San Diego, CA Bronze: Black the Riipper, Riip Beer Co., Huntington Beach, CA
Category 77: German Sour Ale – 33 Entries
Gold: Gose, Kulshan Brewing Co. – Trackside, Bellingham, WA Silver: Champagne Toast, Wander Brewing, Bellingham, WA Bronze: Riviera, 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub, Bend, OR
Category 78: Specialty Berliner-Style Weisse – 68 Entries
Gold: Gindulgence, 10 Barrel Brewing Co. – Bend Pub, Bend, OR Silver: Breakside Passionfruit Sour Ale, Breakside Brewery & Taproom, Milwaukie, OR Bronze: Coming to Fruition: Cherry, Oregon City Brewing Co., Oregon City, OR
Category 79: Contemporary Gose – 82 Entries
Gold: Blackberry Gose, Pilot Brewing, Charlotte, NC Silver: POG Gose, COVA Brewing Co., Norfolk, VA Bronze: Ginger Gose, Red Rock Brewing – Production, Salt Lake City, UT
Category 80: German-Style Altbier – 44 Entries
Gold: Lithium, Resonate Brewery + Pizzeria, Bellevue, WA Silver: Control ALT, Devil’s Logic Brewing, Charlotte, NC Bronze: Road Devil Amber, Pecan Street Brewing, Johnson City, TX
Category 81: German Wheat Ale – 209 Entries
Gold: Alpenglow, Fat Head’s Brewery & Saloon, North Olmsted, OH Silver: Kristal Weizen, Bearded Tang Brewing, Stanton, CA Bronze: Wild Pitch, SandLot Brewery, Denver, CO
Category 82: Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale – 55 Entries
Gold: DOMESTIQUE Blonde Ale, Rouleur Brewing Co., Carlsbad, CA Silver: Goin’ Stag, Cabin Boys Brewery, Tulsa, OK Bronze: Space Cadet, Apogee Brewing Co., Grover Beach, CA
Category 83: Belgian-Style Witbier – 96 Entries
Gold: White, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME Silver: Wit’s End Ale, Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern Centreville, Centreville, VA Bronze: Third Window White, Third Window Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA
Category 84: Classic Saison – 81 Entries
Gold: Wee Nibble, Moonlight Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA Silver: Saison, Baere Brewing Co., Denver, CO Bronze: Soigne Saison, Brewery at the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY
Category 85: Specialty Saison – 66 Entries
Gold: Summer Saison, Third Window Brewing Co., Santa Barbara, CA Silver: Textured Fabric, The Big Friendly, Oklahoma City, OK Bronze: Rosemary Sourdough Saison, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO Category
86: Belgian-Style Sour Ale – 50 Entries
Gold: Stay The Funk In, Crooked Stave, Denver, CO Silver: Foxy Lady, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA Bronze: Triad, IMBIB Custom Brews, Reno, NV
Category 87: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale – 76 Entries
Gold: Colts Abbey, Source Brewing, Colts Neck, NJ Silver: Bishop’s Pass Ale, Great American Restaurants – Sweetwater Tavern Sterling, Sterling, VA Bronze: St. Vrain, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
Category 88: Belgian-Style Abbey Ale – 88 Entries
Gold: Belgian Dubbel, Skipping Rock Beer Co., Staunton, VA Silver: Marvella, Red Rock Brewing – Production, Salt Lake City, UT Bronze: Wild West Tripel, Chicago Brewing Co. – NV, Las Vegas, NV
Category 89: Belgian Fruit Beer – 66 Entries
Gold: Grandissant – Montmorency Cherry, Rowley Farmhouse Ales, Santa Fe, NM Silver: Second Hand Lions, Platform Beer Co. – Phunkenship, Cleveland, OH Bronze: Atrial Rubicite, Jester King Brewery, Austin, TX
Category 90: Brown Porter – 56 Entries
Gold: Transporter, Kulshan Brewing Co., Bellingham, WA Silver: Live! At the RYEman, Orange Hat Brewing Co., Knoxville, TN Bronze: Maduro Brown Ale, Cigar City Brewing, Tampa, FL
Category 91: Robust Porter – 73 Entries
Gold: Powell Street Porter, Bartlett Hall, San Francisco, CA Silver: Porter, Big Timber Brewing Co., Elkins, WV Bronze: First of His Name, Edgewise Eight Brewing, Weatherford, TX
Category 92: Stout – 69 Entries
Gold: Blarney Sisters Dry Irish Stout, Third Street Aleworks, Santa Rosa, CA Silver: Big Bison, Thirsty Street Brewing Co., Billings, MT Bronze: Inside the Moon, Flix Brewhouse – Carmel, Carmel, IN
Category 93: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout – 44 Entries
Gold: Winner’s Milk Jug, Guggman Haus Brewing Co., Indianapolis, IN Silver: Drop Forge Milk Stout, Pantown Brewing Co., Saint Cloud, MN Bronze: Volcano Mudslide, Feather Falls Brewing Co., Oroville, CA
Category 94: Oatmeal Stout – 66 Entries
Gold: Fat Pug, Maplewood Brewing Co., Chicago, IL Silver: Milk Stout, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO Bronze: Keil’s Oatmeal Stout, Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. – M. L. King, Chattanooga, TN
Category 95: Imperial Stout – 73 Entries
Gold: Big Deluxe, Ritual Brewing Co., Redlands, CA Silver: Methuselah, Eureka Brewing Co., Gardena, CA Bronze: Dark Helmet, Odell Brewing – Sloan’s Lake Brewhouse, Denver, CO
Category 96: Scotch Ale – 44 Entries
Gold: Full Malted Jacket, Beachwood BBQ & Brewing, Huntington Beach, CA Silver: Sons of Scotland, Ex Novo Brewing Co. – Corrales, Corrales, NM Bronze: Kill or be Kilt, Quarter Celtic Brewpub, Albuquerque, NM
Category 97: Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine – 70 Entries
Gold: Three Ryes Men, Reuben’s Brews – Production Brewery, Seattle, WA Silver: Granny’s Tipple, Danville Brewing Co., Danville, CA Bronze: Hillcrest, Olde Hickory Brewery, Hickory, NC
Category 98: Fresh Hop Beer – 82 Entries
Gold: Mistadobalina, Perry Street Brewing, Spokane, WA Silver: Hyperion, Varietal Beer Co., Sunnyside, WA Bronze: Fresh Hop Training Bines, Pinthouse Pizza North, Austin, TX
Pro-Am Competition – 35 Entries
Gold: Kaltrauch, Confluence Brewing Co. & AHA Members: Randy Daniels & KC McKinney, Des Moines, IA Silver: Sticky Fingers Saison, CooperSmith’s Pub and Brewing & AHA Member: Mark Pennick, Fort Collins, CO Bronze: Alt Ale, Shoe Tree Brewing Co. & AHA Member: Eric Coffman, Carson City, NV
Collaboration Competition – 94 Entries
Gold: Templin Family Guava Coconut, Templin Family Brewing / Shades Brewing, Salt Lake City, UT Silver: Chicago Peaks Kölsch, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. / Bierstadt Lagerhaus, San Diego, CA Bronze: Guns Out For Grain Out, Pizza Port Ocean Beach / Chula Vista Brewery / Karl Strauss / Nickel Beer, San Diego, CA
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilyprice/2022/10/08/these-are-best-beers-in-america-according-to-the-great-american-beer-festival/