Overview

• The competition brought 1,555 breweries and cideries from all 50 states and D.C., yielding 347 medals to 273 producers after more than 8,300 entries and weeklong blind judging.
• The Brewers Association broadened the field with a one-time Vera Hop category and added new styles including Mexican-style pale lager.
• Juicy or Hazy IPA remained the largest class with 301 entries, where DESTIHL Brewery won gold for TourBus Double Dry Hopped Hazy IPA.
• Notable golds in classic and emerging styles included Helper Beer’s Schloss Tor (German-style pilsener), Glenwood Canyon’s Festbier (Dortmunder/Oktoberfest), Alma Mader’s Coral Crush (hoppy lager), and Gowan’s Heirloom Cider’s Honey Citron (fruited cider).
• Colorado tallied 40 medals and three brewery-of-the-year honors, with Westbound & Down taking a category title and multiple medals including West Coast IPA gold, while Fat Head’s and UPP Liquids each earned five medals overall.