In a presentation before a group of journalists in town for the Great American Beer Festival last Friday, Tony Simmons, the owner of Pagosa Springs Brewing Company, pointed out that brewpubs often get short shrift. Since most don't package their beers in bottles and cans, beer writers -- and sometimes drinkers -- have a tendency to forget about them. That shouldn't be the case, he said, since brewpubs make beer that's every bit good as the breweries that make their product shiny and available in stores.

On Saturday, the GABF judges poured on exclamation points to that sentiment, especially when it came to the awards they handed out to Colorado breweries.