Each year, the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) gathers a mix of beer enthusiasts, industry professionals, and brewing experts in Denver, Colorado, for a weekend of tasting, competition, and celebration. Amid the growing number of breweries and the constant flow of new craft beers across the United States, the festival serves as a key event to recognize the best brews in the country.
The 38th edition of the festival, held at the Colorado Convention Center, saw 8,836 beers from breweries nationwide competing in various style categories. With an average of 85 beers judged in each category, the competition was fierce. Ultimately, 326 medals were awarded across the board, and Texas breweries managed to bring home 10 of them.
Texas Takes Home 10 Medals
Among the standout winners, Lone Man Mountain Brewing Co., located in Driftwood, about 33 miles southwest of Austin, claimed Texas’ only gold medal. The brewery earned the top prize for its Belgian-style abbey ale, LMM Dubbel II.
Silver medals were awarded to several Texas breweries:
Galveston Island Brewing in Galveston for its German-style märzen, Marchtoberfest.
Odd Muse Brewing Co. in Dallas for its international-style pilsener, 500 Pesos.
On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen in Dallas for its chili beer, Jalapeño Saison.
Red Horn Brewery and Roastery in Leander for its German dark lager, Flex Fiesta Munich-Style Dark Lager.
Three Wide Brewing Co. in Fort Worth for its American-style brown ale, Heart of Glass.
True Anomaly Brewing Co. in Houston for its fruited wood- and barrel-aged sour beer, White Dwarf.
Texas breweries also took home two bronze medals:
Bankhead Brewing Co. in Rowlett won for its bock, Hootenanny.
Bird Creek Brewing in Temple won for its American-style pale ale, Bare Bones Disco.
Additionally, Live Oak Brewing Co. in Del Valle earned a bronze in the collaboration competition for its beer, Spudweiser, which was made in partnership with Hold Out Brewing in Austin.
Challenges for Texas Breweries at GABF
While Texas breweries performed well, it’s important to note the logistical challenges they face at the Great American Beer Festival. The competition requires breweries to pay entry fees and ship their beer to Colorado for judging. This can put breweries located farther from Denver, like those in Texas, at a disadvantage due to potential delays and higher shipping costs, which may affect the freshness of their entries. Consequently, breweries closer to Colorado and the West Coast tend to have a stronger showing. For example, California breweries took home more than 60 medals this year.
In fact, most of GABF’s “Breweries of the Year” were from the West Coast, including Grand Fir Brewing from Portland, Oregon (501-1,000 barrels), Everywhere from Orange, California (1,001-2,000 barrels), Riip Beer Co. from Huntington Beach, California (2,001-5,000 barrels), Sunriver Brewing Co. from Sunriver, Oregon (5,001-15,000 barrels), and Highland Park Brewery from Los Angeles (brewery group). The only East Coast representative among the winners was von Trapp Brewing from Stowe, Vermont (15,001-100,000 barrels).
Texas Brewers Continue to Impress
Despite these hurdles, Texas breweries continue to make a mark on the national stage. Just last year, Houston’s Saint Arnold Brewing Co. was named Brewery of the Year in the 15,001-100,000-barrel category. The brewery also took home two gold medals for its Elissa IPA and Fancy Lawnmower beers.
With their strong performance at this year’s GABF, Texas breweries have once again demonstrated their skill and innovation in the competitive craft beer scene. As the craft beer industry continues to grow, it’s clear that Texas brewers will remain a key part of the conversation.
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