Colorado Takes Home Fourteen Gold Medals at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival

Colorado breweries were well represented at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival, taking home fourteen gold medals and 39 total medals at the September 23 awards ceremony. In 2022’s competition, the Centennial State nabbed 27 medals.

Over 250 judges evaluated more than 9,000 beers from 2,000+ breweries over nine days to determine the top beers in the country.

“This year was a huge year for Colorado – not only for the number of awards, but also for the diversity of awards,” says Colorado Brewers Guild Executive Director Shawnee Adelson. “Colorado brewers proved that they can make anything from a traditional lager to the newest category of West Coast IPAs. We are truly the State of Craft.”

Highlights of the awards include Cannonball Creek extending its impressive medal-winning run to eleven years, with a gold for Featherweight in the American-Style Pale Ale category. Wibby Brewing won Brewery of the Year in the 5,001-15,000 Barrel category. Westbound & Down won the second-largest category, with a gold in West Coast-Style India Pale Ale, which had a whopping 301 entrants.

Many Colorado classics were represented as well, including Left Hand’s Sawtooth Ale, Avery’s White Rascal, Old Chub from Oskar Blues and Laughing Lab from Bristol.

Here’s the full breakdown of Colorado medals:

Gold

Westbound Select by Westbound & Down Brewing in the West Coast-Style India Pale Ale category
Foggy London Town by Rock Bottom Brewery – Denver in the Robust Porter category
White Rascal by Avery Brewing in the Belgian-Style Witbier category
Sawtooth Ale by Left Hand Brewing in the English Mild or Bitter category
Wreak Havoc by Bootstrap Brewing in the Strong Red Ale category
Blown Tire by Knuckle Puck Brewing in the American Amber or Red Ale category
Featherweight by Cannonball Creek Brewing in the American-Style Pale Ale category
Execrator by Resolute Brewing in the German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock category
Seedstock Maerzen by Seedstock Brewery in the German-Style Marzen category
Wibby Jibby by Wibby Brewing in the American Pilsener category
Ye Old Ale by Banded Oak Brewing in the Wood and Barrel Aged Beer category.
King of Carrot Flowers by Ratio Beerworks in the Field Beer category
She Fancies Herself a Little Bit French by CooperSmith’s Brewing and Pub and Mark Pennick in the Pro-Am competition category
Luna Mexican Export Lager by Cheluna Brewing and Prost Brewing in the Collaboration category

Silver

Populator by Diebolt Brewing in the Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barleywine category
Scottish Wildcat by Wild Blue Yonder Brewing in the Scotch Ale category
Island Rascal by Avery Brewing in the Belgian Fruit Beer category
Freedom Fries With Cherry by Call to Arms Brewing in the Specialty Saison category
Laughing Lab Scottish Ale by Bristol Brewing in the Scottish-Style Ale category
Spirit of the West by Westbound & Down Brewing in the New Zealand India Pale Ale category
Rise and Climb by New Terrain Brewing in the German-Style Koelsch category
Wunder Bier by Red Leg Brewing in the German Dark Lager category
Prost Pilsner by Prost Brewing in the German-Style Pilsener category
Orizaba Cold IPA by Cheluna Brewing in the India Pale Lager or Cold IPA category
Cerveza Mecanica by Liquid Mechanics Brewing in the American Pilsener category
Mexican Lager by Lone Tree Brewing in the Light Lager category
Barrel Aged Maibock by Blue Moon Brewing in the Wood and Barrel Aged Beer category
The Sauer House Project: Ellie’s Version by Dostal Alley Brewpub & Casino in the American Sour Ale category
Forager IPA by Pumphouse Brewery & Restaurant in the Experimental IPA category
Skate Juice by Hideaway Park Brewery in the Other Strong Beer category
Kurt’s Mile High Malt by Wynkoop Brewing in the Coffee Beer category
Midnight Hike by River North in the Chocolate Beer category
Green Chile Honey Kolsch by Bent Brewing in the Chili Beer category
Big Sippin’ by Odell Brewing – Five Points in the American Fruit Beer category
Rob’s Baltic Porter by New Belgium Brewing and Rob Hardisty in the Pro-Am Competition category

Bronze

Old Chub by Oskar Blues Brewery & Tasty Weasel Taproom in the Scotch Ale category
The Coloradan by Westbound & Down Brewing in the American Cream Ale category
Pina Colada Milkshake IPA by 14er Brewing in the Experimental IPA category
Conditions of My Parole by Empourium Brewing in Coffee Beer category