26th Great American Beer Festival Names Top Beers and Brewers

Denver, Colo. – October 13, 2007 – More than 100 judges labored for three days to evaluate 2,793 beers and pick the best entries and top breweries for this year’s Great American Beer Festival. A total of 222 medals were awarded in 75 beer style categories and top breweries and brewers were designated based on the total number of medals won. The five top awards recognize small, medium and large breweries and small and large brewpubs. The awards went to the following breweries:

Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year

Pabst Brewing Company, Woodridge, IL

Bob Newman

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year

Sponsored by HopUnion CBS, LLC

Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, California

Matt Brynildson

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year

Sponsored by Microstar Keg Management

Port Brewing & The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, California

Tomme Arthur

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year

Sponsored by Brewery Supply Group

Redrock Brewing Company, Salt Lake City, Utah

Kevin Templin

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year

Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.

Montana Brewing Co., Billings, Montana

Travis Zelstra

Bronze, silver and gold medals were awarded in each of the 75 style categories. 
Complete List of Winners: CLICK HERE
 

Brewers covet Great American Beer Festival (GABF) medals as the highest recognition of their brewing talents and beer quality. Each year brewers send their beers to Denver to be evaluated by the festival's Professional Judge Panel which looks to select the three beers that best represent each style. Winners tout their awards to customers and their communities to help build their sales and reputations.

This year 473 breweries entered 2,793 beers making 2007 the most competitive GABF on record. Only 8 percent of all beers entered earned a medal. Only one percent of the breweries entered were recognized with “Brewery of the Year” awards. In total 142 breweries—30 percent of all those participating—won at least one medal this year. Only 62 breweries—13 percent of all those participating—won at least one gold medal this

year.
 
As in recent years, American-style India Pale Ale drew the largest number of entries with 120 in total. This year the competition saw explosive growth in the Fruit and Vegetable Beer category from 46 entries in 2006 to 94 entries in 2007. The Wood- Barrel-Aged Beer category also grew, going from 58 entries in 2006 to 72 entries in 2007. The newest category of Gluten Free Beer had just 8 entries this year, and Judge Director Chris Swersey believes it will grow dramatically in the future.

Pro-Am Competition

Medals for the 2nd annual GABF Pro-Am Competition, sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients, Co. and HopUnion CBS, LLC, were also awarded. The GABF Pro-Am entries are brewed by professional craft brewers based on award winning homebrew recipes from American Homebrewers Association (AHA) members.

Homebrew recipes are scaled up and brewed at a craft brewery for submission into the competition. The winner of the GABF Pro-Am Bronze medal is Sculpin IPA brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Co., San Diego, CA with AHA member Doug Duffield.