Winners celebrate on stage at the 2024 Great American Beer Festival.
Don Tse
Brewers Association, the trade association representing America’s small and independent breweries, annually organizes and hosts the Great American Beer Festival. The event this year was held in Denver, Colorado from October 9 to 12, 2025.
On the final day of the festival, results of the largest beer competition in America, also dubbed the Great American Beer Festival, are announced. For the 2025 Great American Beer Festival, medals were awarded in 108 beer categories. Of those, seven new beer styles were awarded medals for the first time. Last year, medals were awarded in 102 beer styles; while beer styles are added from time-to-time, less popular ones are conversely sometimes retired.
The categories, particularly the newly-added ones, are indicative of trends in craft beer. When a beer style is added as a category to the awards list, it indicates interest by brewers and consumers in the style, which may be a newly invented one, or an historic one enjoying revived popularity.
The number of entries in the various categories are also seen as indicators of the waxing and waning of the popularity of beer styles. As usual, the number of entries in the numerous IPA variants remain popular. Category 107—Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale received 301 entries while Category 105—West Coast IPA received 300 entries.
And continuing a trend of recent years, lighter styles of lager were also very popular. Category 51—Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest received 186 entries while Category 47—German-Style Pilsner received 84 entries.
Medals are also awarded in six categories of cider. Also breweries of various sizes are awarded Brewery of the Year and a cidery is awarded Cidermaker of the Year.
The standard for medals is so high, that in some categories, a medal might not be awarded if, in the opinion of the judges, no entry is of sufficient quality to merit the medal.
Here are the winners of the 2025 Great American Beer Festival.
Category 1: American Wheat Beer – 40 Entries
Gold: Wetland Wheat, Formula Brewing, Issaquah, WA
Silver: Miner’s Gold, Lewis & Clark Brewing Co., Helena, MT
Bronze: Serengeti Wheat, Mac & Jacks Brewery, Redmond, WA
Category 2: American Fruit Beer – 100 Entries
Gold: Drink Me Potion, Von Ebert Brewing, Portland, OR
Silver: Featherweight Lime, Field Day Brewing Co., North Liberty, IA
Bronze: Black Razz Blonde, Joyride Brewing Co., Edgewater, CO
Category 3: Fruit Wheat Beer – 90 Entries
Gold: Key Lime Pie in the Sky, The Sandlot Brewery At Coors Field, Denver, CO
Silver: Guava Cart, Golden Road Brewing, Anaheim, CA
Bronze: Citrus Ave, Gladi8or Brews, Covina, CA
Category 4: Field Beer – 60 Entries
Gold: Rhubarbed, Karbach Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Silver: UPP Yours, UPP Liquids, Bend, OR
Bronze: Groovy, False Idol Brewing, North Richland Hills, TX
Category 5: Pumpkin Beer – 65 Entries
Gold: Gourd Darn It!, Third Eye Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Pumpkin Ale, Ahnapee Brewery, Suamico, WI
Bronze: Great Gourds of Fire, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR
Category 6: Chili Beer – 69 Entries
Gold: Hella Jalapeno, Barebottle Brewing Co., San Francisco, CA
Silver: Ay Dios Mio!, Silver Reef Brewing Co., Saint George, UT
Bronze: Keller Blaze, Sun King Brewing, Indianapolis, IN
Category 7: Herb and Spice Beer – 59 Entries
Gold: Red Nose Holiday Wassail, Great Basin Brewing Co., Sparks, NV
Silver: Hecho En Szechuan, Pinthouse Brewing, Austin, TX
Bronze: Sudoku, O.H.S.O. Brewery – Gilbert, Gilbert, AZ
Category 8: Chocolate Beer – 34 Entries
Gold: Tears of Our Enemies – Mayan Chocolate, Monday Night Brewing, Atlanta, GA
Silver: Mama Rosa, Solano Brewing Co., Vacaville, CA
Bronze: Ouija Heavy (Chocolate Edition), Sun King Brewing – Fishers, Fishers, IN
Category 9: Coffee Beer – 60 Entries
Gold: Squirrels Just Want to Have Fun, River North Brewery, Denver, CO
Silver: Polar Bear, Narrow Path Brewing Co., Loveland, OH
Bronze: Inappropriate Puns, Brewery 4 Two 4, Holland, MI
Category 10: Coffee Stout or Porter – 53 Entries
Gold: Lil Zoomie, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Wired Euphoria, Third Eye Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Bronze: Super Tonic, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Category 11: Dessert Stout or Pastry Stout – 28 Entries
Gold: Marble Lions, Side Project Brewing, Saint Louis, MO
Silver: Fluff Said, False Idol Brewing, North Richland Hills, TX
Bronze: Coconut Mafia, Parlay 6 Brewing Co., Reno, NV
Category 12: Rye Beers – 36 Entries
Gold: Westwood Pale, Grand Fir Brewing, Portland, OR
Silver: Howdyfest – Oktoberfest with Rye, Lago Vista Brewing Co., Lago Vista, TX
Bronze: Monocacy Riot Rye, Brewer’s Alley & Monocacy Brewing Co., Frederick, MD
Category 13: Honey Beer – 53 Entries
Gold: Buzz Box, UPP Liquids, Bend, OR
Silver: Animals Strike Curious Poses, The Empourium Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Bronze: Honey Brown Ale, Culture Brewing, Solana Beach, CA
Category 14: Classic Non-Alcohol Ale or Lager – 35 Entries
Gold: Super Stoked, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR
Silver: NA Dark, Fremont Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Ghost Pils, Rhinegeist Innovation Brewery, Cincinnati, OH
Category 15: Hoppy Non-Alcohol Beer – 41 Entries
Gold: Space Camper Zero Gravity, Boulevard Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO
Silver: Run Wild, Athletic Brewing Co. – Production Facility, San Diego, CA
Bronze: East Side of Sober, McCall Collective Brewing, Allentown, PA
Category 16: Specialty Non-Alcohol Beer – 27 Entries
Gold: Mango Dragonfruit Sour, Untitled Art, Madison, WI
Silver: NA Tangerine Cream, Denver Beer Co. – Canworks, Denver, CO
Bronze: Excursion Journeyman, Fat Head’s Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Category 17: Session Beer or Belgian-Style Table Beer – 27 Entries
Gold: Dark Mast, Pond Farm Brewing Co., San Rafael, CA
Silver: Frequency of Expansion, The Big Friendly, Oklahoma City, OK
Bronze: Bub Lite, BarrieHaus Beer Co., Tampa, FL
Category 18: Session India Pale Ale – 71 Entries
Gold: Oros, Offset Bier Co., Park City, UT
Silver: Scenic Route, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill, Lafayette, CO
Bronze: Trump Hands, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Category 19: Strong Porter – 28 Entries
Gold: Battle Axe, Fat Head’s Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Silver: Baltic Porter, Haymarket Brewery & Taproom, Bridgman, MI
Bronze: Made Me Say Underwear, Big Ugly Brewing, Chesapeake, VA
Category 20: Other Strong Beer – 31 Entries
Gold: O’Melveny Red Ale, San Fernando Brewing Co., San Fernando, CA
Silver: Agua Imperial, Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co., Buellton, CA
Bronze: Peppercorn Imperial Wit, Monkless Belgian Ales, Bend, OR
Category 21: Experimental India Pale Ale – 86 Entries
Gold: Hazy Crush, New York Beer Project – Beer Lodge, Orchard Park, NY
Silver: Pistol Peach IPA, McMenamins Breweries, Portland, OR
Bronze: Pepper & Peaches, Claremont Craft Ales, Claremont, CA
Category 22: Experimental Beer – 73 Entries
Gold: Doctor Love, Armored Cow Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Silver: Hot Loins, Short’s Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Elk Rapids, MI
Bronze: NaughTea, Avery Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Category 23: Historical Beer – 40 Entries
Gold: 1554, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Chuckanut Grodziskie, Chuckanut Brewery, Burlington, WA
Bronze: O.B. Brown, Canyon Lakes Golf Course & Brewery, San Ramon, CA
Category 24: Gluten-Free Beer – 64 Entries
Gold: Model X-331, NEFF Brewing, Tulsa, OK
Silver: The Remnant, Armored Cow Brewing Co., Charlotte, NC
Bronze: Ice Bucket, ALT Brew, Madison, WI
Category 25: American-Belgo-Style Ale – 23 Entries
Gold: Astronaut Sauce, Lake Time Brewing & Spirits, Bridgman, MI
Silver: Capitulation, Monkless Belgian Ales, Bend, OR
Bronze: Dear You, Ratio Beerworks, Denver, CO
Category 26: American Sour Ale – 36 Entries
Gold: Flor De Jamaica, Miel Brewery & Taproom, New Orleans, LA
Silver: Sea of Waves, True Anomaly Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Bronze: Margarita Sour, Dru Bru – Cle Elum, Cle Elum, WA
Category 27: Fruited American Sour Ale – 116 Entries
Gold: Urban Oasis: Raspberry & Lemon Verbena, Zeus Brewing Co., Poughkeepsie, NY
Silver: Funkberry Pie, Girdwood Brewing Co., Girdwood, AK
Bronze: No Rules Plum Sour, Antimony Brewing, Lenox, MA
Category 28: Brett Beer – 29 Entries
Gold: Galaxidion, The Big Friendly, Oklahoma City, OK
Silver: Saison de Banc Vert, Green Bench Brewing Co., Saint Petersburg, FL
Bronze: Thinking of You, Long Table Brewhouse, Denver, CO
Category 29: Mixed-Culture Brett Beer – 36 Entries
Gold: Keeping Beer, Barrique Brewing & Blending, Nashville, TN
Silver: The Knitting Circle Batch C, Fair Isle Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Liberty Bell, True Anomaly Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Category 30: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer – 20 Entries
Gold: Tepache Cowboy, Cruz Blanca Brewery, Chicago, IL
Silver: Tequila Barrel Aged Saison Blue, Dragoon Brewing Co., Tucson, AZ
Bronze: Swan Lake, Red Rock Brewing Co. – Production, Salt Lake City, UT
Category 31: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer – 88 Entries
Gold: In the Black, Taxman Brewing Co., Bargersville, IN
Silver: Perpetual Peace, No Label Brewing Co., Katy, TX
Bronze: Moroccan Christmas, Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co., Castle Rock, CO
Category 32: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout – 89 Entries
Gold: Vladislav, Diebolt Brewing, Denver, CO
Silver: Darkstar November, Bottle Logic Brewing, Anaheim, CA
Bronze: Breakside La Maison du Bang!, Breakside Brewery & Taproom, Milwaukie, OR
Category 33: Wood- and Barrel-Aged Dessert Stout – 43 Entries
Gold: Barrel Aged Kamoho, Riverlands Brewing Co., Saint Charles, IL
Silver: Magnetic Ribbon: Final Cut Edition, The Original 40 Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Bronze: Barrel Aged Das Cake, Xul Beer Co., Knoxville, TN
Category 34: Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer – 52 Entries
Gold: Mezcla, Alesong Brewing & Blending, Eugene, OR
Silver: Amburana Fruit Punch Sour, Diatribe Brewing Co., Asheville, NC
Bronze: A Host of Delights, Mieza Blendery, Alexandria, VA
Category 35: Kellerbier or Zwickelbier – 61 Entries
Gold: Palingenesis, Geisthaus Brewing Co., Sacramento, CA
Silver: Uncle Keller, Movement Brewing Co., Rancho Cordova, CA
Bronze: Treetop, Franklins Restaurant, Brewery & General Store, Hyattsville, MD
Category 36: Smoke Beer – 49 Entries
Gold: Hot Shot, Lazarus Brewing Co., Austin, TX
Silver: Mas Fuego, Silver Reef Brewing Co., Saint George, UT
Bronze: Smoke Follows Beauty, Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, Topeka, KS
Category 37: American-Style Light Lager – 142 Entries
Gold: Clubhaus Lager, Von Ebert Brewing, Portland, OR
Silver: Neon Lite, Cerebral Brewing – Aurora Arts, Aurora, CO
Bronze: Cape May Light, Cape May Brewery – Production Facility, Cape May, NJ
Category 38: International Light Lager – 146 Entries
Gold: Mexican Lager, Union Bear Brewing Co. – Denton, Denton, TX
Silver: Venice Cowboy, Firestone Walker Brewing Co. – Propagator, Marina del Rey, CA
Bronze: Olde Hollywood, Lawless Brewing, North Hollywood, CA
Category 39: American-Style Lager – 78 Entries
Gold: Modern Classic, Counter Weight Brewing Co., Cheshire, CT
Silver: Pal, Slow Body Beer Co., Tucson, AZ
Bronze: Lager at World’s End, Epidemic Ales, Concord, CA
Category 40: Contemporary American-Style Lager – 59 Entries
Gold: Free Kittens, Berryessa Brewing Co., Winters, CA
Silver: Gold Leaf Lager, Devils Backbone Brewing Co. – Basecamp, Roseland, VA
Bronze: Manny’s Way Mexican Lager, Banded Oak Brewing Co., Denver, CO
Category 41: American Pilsener – 101 Entries
Gold: Kaiser, Urbanrest Brewing Co., Ferndale, MI
Silver: Movement, Atomic Clock Brewing Co. – Production Facility, Durham, NC
Bronze: Pretty Pretty Pils, Cellarmaker Brewing Co., Berkeley, CA
Category 42: International-Style Pilsener – 79 Entries
Gold: Allagash Lager, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Silver: Darlin’, Meanwhile Brewing Co., Austin, TX
Bronze: Slopes, BlackStack Brewing, Saint Paul, MN
Category 43: Mexican-Style Pale Lager – 148 Entries
Gold: Casa Bonita, Aspen Brewing Co., Aspen, CO
Silver: Órale, Del Cielo Brewing Co., Martinez, CA
Bronze: Californios, Station Craft, Dana Point, CA
Category 44: American Cream Ale – 85 Entries
Gold: Was Angeles, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT
Silver: Dos Ojos, Bright Eye Beer Co., Long Beach, NY
Bronze: Chairman’s Mexican Lager, 29 Brews, Coachella, CA
Category 45: Hoppy Lager – 171 Entries
Gold: Coral Crush, Alma Mader Brewing, Kansas City, MO
Silver: Infinity Pils, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill, Lafayette, CO
Bronze: Sound Sail, MadeWest Brewing Co., Ventura, CA
Category 46: American Amber Lager – 105 Entries
Gold: Mr. Oktoberfest, The Mitten Brewing Co., Grand Rapids, MI
Silver: Oktoberfest, Transmission Brewing Co., Ventura, CA
Bronze: Full Steam Ahead, 1849 Brewing Co., Grass Valley, CA
Category 47: German-Style Pilsener – 184 Entries
Gold: Helper Beer Schloss Tor, Helper Beer, Helper, UT
Silver: Tiny Bomb, Wiseacre Brewing Co. – Downtown, Memphis, TN
Bronze: Second Rodeo, Starr Hill Beer Hall – Richmond, Richmond, VA
Category 48: Czech-Style Pale Lager – 126 Entries
Gold: Glass Castle, Silver Branch Brewing Co., Silver Spring, MD
Silver: Pena Smrti, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA
Bronze: Czech Pilsner, ColdFire Brewing – Production, Junction City, OR
Category 49: Italian-Style Pilsener – 102 Entries
Gold: Westbound Italian Pils, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill, Lafayette, CO
Silver: Shatterlight, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA
Bronze: M.O.E., LazyG Brewhouse, Prescott, AZ
Category 50: Munich-Style Helles – 149 Entries
Gold: Festhalle, Forbidden Root – Columbus, Columbus, OH
Silver: Helheim Helles, Gemüt Biergarten, Columbus, OH
Bronze: Helles, Cranky Sam Brewing, Missoula, MT
Category 51: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest – 186 Entries
Gold: Festbier, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co., Glenwood Springs, CO
Silver: Festbier, Northwoods Brewing Co., Northwood, NH
Bronze: Penn Oktoberfest, Pennsylvania Brewing Co., Pittsburgh, PA
Category 52: Vienna-Style Lager – 90 Entries
Gold: Prost Vienna Lager, Prost Brewing Co. – Northglenn, Northglenn, CO
Silver: Cloak & Dagger, Incendiary Brewing Co., Winston Salem, NC
Bronze: Red Baron Vienna Lager, Beech Mountain Brewing Co., Beech Mountain, NC
Category 53: German-Style Maerzen – 161 Entries
Gold: Oktoberfest, Lupulin Brewing Co., Big Lake, MN
Silver: Octoberfest Lager, Great American Restaurants, Sweetwater Tavern, Sterling, VA
Bronze: Ludwig, Pinnacle Brewing Co., Scottsdale, AZ
Category 54: International Amber Lager – 89 Entries
Gold: Sky Dog Amber, Wiseacre Brewing Co. – Downtown, Memphis, TN
Silver: Don’t Sweat the Czechnique, Vice Beer, Vancouver, WA
Bronze: Speciální 13 Czech-Style Amber Lager, Recluse Brew Works, Washougal, WA
Category 55: Munich-Style Dunkel – 59 Entries
Gold: The Dark, BarrieHaus Beer Co., Tampa, FL
Silver: Munich Dunkles, Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, Topeka, KS
Bronze: Woden’s Hunt Dunkel, Gemüt Biergarten, Columbus, OH
Category 56: German-Style Schwarzbier – 67 Entries
Gold: Prost Schwarzbier, Prost Brewing Co. – Northglenn, Northglenn, CO
Silver: No Mistakes, Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Midnight at Noon, True Symmetry Brewing Co., Suisun City, CA
Category 57: International Dark Lager – 98 Entries
Gold: Fleeting Shadows, Pinthouse Brewing, Austin, TX
Silver: Secret Secret, Wayfinder Beer, Portland, OR
Bronze: Burlingame, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Category 58: Bock – 54 Entries
Gold: Billy Goat Bock, Danny Boy Beer Works, Carmel, IN
Silver: Achtbier, Half Batch Brewing, Hendersonville, TN
Bronze: The Last Bockbuster, Flix Brewhouse – MAN, Mansfield, TX
Category 59: German-Style Doppelbock or Eisbock – 35 Entries
Gold: Eisbock, Northbound Smokehouse & Brewpub, Minneapolis, MN
Silver: Dunkelbock, Kansas City Bier Co., Kansas City, MO
Bronze: St. Charlie, Figurehead Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Category 60: German-Style Koelsch – 137 Entries
Gold: Kölsch, Kansas City Bier Co., Kansas City, MO
Silver: Hellraiser Kölsch, June Lake Brewing, June Lake, CA
Bronze: Corsair Kolsch, Loowit Brewing, Vancouver, WA
Category 61: German Sour Ale – 30 Entries
Gold: Disco Lemonade, Aslan Brewing Co., Bellingham, WA
Silver: Old Pro Gose, Union Craft Brewing, Baltimore, MD
Bronze: Cracking Weisse, Wallenpaupack Brewing Co., Hawley, PA
Category 62: Specialty Berliner-Style Weisse – 39 Entries
Gold: Moments Made, UPP Liquids, Bend, OR
Silver: Paloma, Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA
Bronze: Cracking Weisse w/Raspberry, Wallenpaupack Brewing Co., Hawley, PA
Category 63: Contemporary Gose – 43 Entries
Gold: Wild Pear, Blue Mountain Brewery, Afton, VA
Silver: Flower Child, UPP Liquids, Bend, OR
Bronze: Punk Fuzz, MachineHead Brewing Co., Clovis, CA
Category 64: German-Style Altbier – 38 Entries
Gold: Caboose Altbier, Caboose Brewing Co., Vienna, VA
Silver: Lithium, Resonate Brewery + Pizzeria, Bellevue, WA
Bronze: Archive: Allegheny Altbier, Cinderlands Warehouse, Pittsburgh, PA
Category 65: German Wheat Ale – 38 Entries
Gold: Weizenbock, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – Mills River, Mills River, NC
Silver: Southern Storm, Tucker Brewing Co., Tucker, GA
Bronze: Sixpoint Brewery Mimic Weisse, Brewers at 4001 Yancey, Charlotte, NC
Category 66: South German-Style Hefeweizen – 108 Entries
Gold: Goggle Fogger, Fat Head’s Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Silver: Abso-hefin’-lutely!, East Village Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Category 67: English Mild or Bitter – 50 Entries
Gold: Cottage, Tall Oaks Farm + Brewery, Farmingdale, NJ
Silver: DBA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Bronze: Habitude, Wayward Lane Brewing, Schoharie, NY
Category 68: Extra Special Bitter – 61 Entries
Gold: Windsurfing On The Thames, Corn Coast Brewing, Lincoln, NE
Silver: Velvet Organic ESB, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Portland, OR
Bronze: Rod’s Best Bitter, Second Street Brewery, Santa Fe, NM
Category 69: Golden or Blonde Ale – 102 Entries
Gold: Brig Blonde, Ketch Brewing, San Diego, CA
Silver: Toboggan Blonde Ale, Ivanhoe Park Lager House, Orlando, FL
Bronze: Salty Crew, Coronado Brewing Co. – Production Facility, San Diego, CA
Category 70: English Ale – 49 Entries
Gold: Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale, Oskar Blues, Longmont, CO
Silver: Prepare for Glory, Inside the Five – Toledo, Toledo, OH
Bronze: Mosaic, Institution Ale Co., Camarillo, CA
Category 71: Scottish-Style Ale – 31 Entries
Gold: Way Heavy, Pizza Port San Clemente, San Clemente, CA
Silver: Caber Tosser, Diamond X Beer Co., Billings, MT
Bronze: Clandestine, Saddle Mountain Brewing Co., Goodyear, AZ
Category 72: Irish-Style Red Ale – 54 Entries
Gold: O’Quinn’s Irish Red, Dakota Point Brewing, Rapid City, SD
Silver: Ring of Kerry, Rhinegeist Innovation Brewery, Cincinnati, OH
Bronze: Ridgetop Red, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Category 73: English-Style Brown Ale – 39 Entries
Gold: Splendid Defending, Strange Days Brewing Co., Kansas City, MO
Silver: British Bulldog, Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Fort Worth, TX
Bronze: Pine Mountain Monolith, Wild Fields Brewhouse, Atascadero, CA
Category 74: American-Style Brown Ale – 49 Entries
Gold: Trunk Box, Left Coast Brewing Co. Tasting Room, Smokehouse & Distillery, Irvine, CA
Silver: Boxcar Brown, Caboose Brewing Co., Vienna, VA
Bronze: Stone Lifeblood, Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, San Diego, CA
Category 75: American Black Ale or American Stout – 45 Entries
Silver: Doom Sludge, Green Cheek Beer Co. – Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa, CA
Bronze: A Dark in the Light, Radiant Beer Co., Anaheim, CA
Category 76: Belgian-Style or French-Style Specialty Ale – 18 Entries
Gold: River North White, River North Brewery, Denver, CO
Silver: Sabrina, Redwood Brewing Co., Flint, MI
Bronze: BierKraft Biere de Garde, BierKraft, McAlester, OK
Category 77: Belgian-Style Witbier – 51 Entries
Gold: White Goblin, Mathews Brewing Co., Lake Worth, FL
Silver: Belgian Wheat, Devils Backbone Brewing Co. – Basecamp, Roseland, VA
Bronze: Suntrip, New Terrain Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Category 78: Classic Saison – 44 Entries
Gold: Universal Beings, The Big Friendly, Oklahoma City, OK
Silver: Saison For Papa, Green Cheek Beer Co. – Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa, CA
Bronze: Dogwood Saison, Devils Backbone Brewing Co. – Basecamp, Roseland, VA
Category 79: Specialty Saison – 33 Entries
Gold: Goodbye Bread, The Big Friendly, Oklahoma City, OK
Silver: Petit MC, Monday Night Brewing, Atlanta, GA Bronze: Carpe Vinum, Urban Roots Brewing & Smokehouse, Sacramento, CA
Bronze: Hefewiezen, JAFB Wooster Brewery, Wooster, OH
Category 80: Belgian-Style Sour Ale – 34 Entries
Gold: Spontanée, pFriem Cascade Locks Barrelhouse, Cascade Locks, OR
Silver: Vintage 2025, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI
Bronze: Fruited Spontanée, pFriem Cascade Locks Barrelhouse, Cascade Locks, OR
Category 81: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale – 69 Entries
Gold: Just Friends, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Silver: Kroon, Wallenpaupack Brewing Co., Hawley, PA
Bronze: Qualified, Taxman Brewing Co., Bargersville, IN
Category 82: Belgian-Style Blonde Ale – 25 Entries
Gold: Rector 2025, Absolution Brewing Co., Torrance, CA
Silver: Feral Garden Gnome, Liability Brewing Co., Greenville, SC
Bronze: Aurora, Apogee Brewing Co., Grover Beach, CA
Category 83: Belgian-Style Dubbel – 25 Entries
Gold: Deduction, Taxman Brewing Co., Bargersville, IN
Silver: Chugboat Island, Buckstin Brewing Co. – Beaumont, Beaumont, TX
Bronze: Room for More, Peticolas Brewing Co., Dallas, TX
Category 84: Belgian-Style Tripel – 35 Entries
Gold: Allagash Tripel, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Silver: Tripel Dog Dare, Big Dog’s Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Bronze: Tripel Cork, Schussboom Brewing Co., Reno, NV
Category 85: Belgian Fruit Beer – 37 Entries
Gold: Cherry Oud Bruin, Creature Comforts Brewing Co., Athens, GA
Silver: Idyll Forest – Champs De Framboise, Pryes Brewing Co., Minneapolis, MN
Bronze: My Cerise Amour, Oregon City Brewing Co., Oregon City, OR
Category 86: Brown Porter – 36 Entries
Gold: Record Beer, 1886 Brewing Co., Orange, CA
Silver: Brown Claw, Kern River Brewing Co., Kernville, CA
Bronze: Don’t Feed the Bears, Gatlinburg Brewing Co., Sevierville, TN
Category 87: Robust Porter – 47 Entries
Gold: Peaklet, Mountain Rambler Brewery, Bishop, CA
Silver: Blimp Hangar Porter, Tustin Brewing Co., Tustin, CA
Bronze: Porter, Big Timber Brewing, Elkins, WV
Category 88: Stout – 49 Entries
Gold: Heartwood Stout, Grand Fir Brewing, Portland, OR
Silver: Tsunami Stout, Pelican Brewing Co. – Tillamook, Tillamook, OR
Bronze: Irish Hello, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Category 89: Sweet Stout or Cream Stout – 33 Entries
Gold: Moozie, Brink Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Moooving On, Beachwood Brewing – Huntington Beach, Huntington Beach, CA
Bronze: Irish Prenup, Barley Naked Brewing Co., Stafford, VA
Category 90: Oatmeal Stout – 32 Entries
Gold: Backside Stout, Steamworks Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Silver: OS Express, Drowned Valley Brewing Co., Cartersville, GA
Bronze: Scaredy Cat, Vintage Brewing Co. – Sauk Prairie, Sauk City, WI
Category 91: Imperial Stout – 58 Entries
Gold: Raven’s Home, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Silver: Romanov’s Revenge, Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Fort Worth, TX
Bronze: Reduction Ratio, UPP Liquids, Bend, OR
Category 92: Scotch Ale – 23 Entries
Gold: Higher Consciousness, Third Eye Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Kilt Switch, 903 Brewers, Sherman, TX
Bronze: Magnificent Scotch Ale, Silver City Brewery, Bremerton, WA
Category 93: Old Ale or Strong Ale or Barley Wine – 60 Entries
Gold: Breakfast in Brussels, Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, CO
Silver: Assume But Verify, Bankhead Brewing Co., Rowlett, TX
Bronze: Crouching Cougar, Feather Falls Brewing Co., Oroville, CA
Category 94: International-Style Pale Ale – 97 Entries
Gold: Gravity Bomb, Armistice Brewing Co., Richmond, CA
Silver: Pint of Soul, Docent Brewing, San Juan Capistrano, CA
Bronze: Deer Pallet, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Category 95: New Zealand India Pale Ale – 100 Entries
Gold: Chepedelic, ISM Brewing, Long Beach, CA
Silver: Muka Laka Hiki, Hop Dogma Brewing Co., Half Moon Bay, CA
Bronze: Perverse Inverse, Ghost Town Brewing, Oakland, CA
Category 96: American-Style Pale Ale – 115 Entries
Gold: Parallel Pale, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill, Lafayette, CO
Silver: Papermaker, Grains of Wrath Brewing, Camas, WA
Bronze: Daybreak Pale Ale, Bale Breaker Brewing Co., Yakima, WA
Category 97: Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale – 100 Entries
Gold: City of Dreams, Fort George Brewery – Waterfront, Astoria, OR
Silver: Gaining Momentum, Radiant Beer Co., Anaheim, CA
Bronze: Sneakbox, Kane Brewing Co., Ocean, NJ
Category 98: American-Style Strong Pale Ale – 120 Entries
Gold: Chaos Erupts, Unsung Brewing Co., Tustin, CA
Silver: Mindbender, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
Bronze: Westbound IPA, Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill, Lafayette, CO
Category 99: Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale – 143 Entries
Gold: Dank Dank Revolution, Barebottle Brewing Co., San Francisco, CA
Silver: Today Was a G’day, Crooked Culture Brewing, Cumming, GA
Bronze: Beer Gardner, Project 9 Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Category 100: American Amber/Red Ale – 90 Entries
Gold: Ash Cloud, Barrel Mountain Brewing, Battle Ground, WA
Silver: Summon Ifrit, BattleMage Brewing Co., Vista, CA
Bronze: Old Head Red, Cellarmaker Brewing Co., Berkeley, CA
Category 101: Strong Red Ale – 39 Entries
Gold: Sofa King, Streetside Brewery, Cincinnati, OH
Silver: Bone Head, Fat Head’s Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Bronze: Red Giant, Fast Friends Beer Co., Austin, TX
Category 102: Fresh Hop Beer – 136 Entries
Gold: Fresher than Fresh, Trap Door Brewing, Vancouver, WA
Silver: Six Sisters, Single Hill Brewing Co., Yakima, WA
Bronze: DAMP., TapRoom Beer Co., San Diego, CA
Category 103: Imperial India Pale Ale – 92 Entries
Gold: Dankish, Moonraker Brewing Co., Auburn, CA
Silver: HopTomic, Morgan Territory Brewing, Tracy, CA
Bronze: Hop JuJu, Fat Head’s Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH
Category 104: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale – 126 Entries
Gold: tracing the departed, everywhere, Orange, CA
Silver: King Fallen Flag, Narrow Gauge Brewing Co., Florissant, MO
Bronze: DDH The Other Brian, Green Cheek Beer Co. – Costa Mesa, Costa Mesa, CA
Category 105: West Coast IPA – 300 Entries
Gold: How the West Was One: Mosaic, Westbound & Down Brewing Co., Idaho Springs, CO
Silver: Coast Molinos, Los Molinos Beer Co., San Clemente, CA
Bronze: Cosmic Guava West Coast IPA, pFriem Family Brewers, Hood River, OR
Category 106: American-Style India Pale Ale – 166 Entries
Gold: Built for Speed, Grains of Wrath Brewing, Camas, WA
Silver: Time’s Arrow, Our Mutual Friend Brewing, Denver, CO
Bronze: Breakside IPA, Breakside Brewery & Taproom, Milwaukie, OR
Category 107: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale – 301 Entries
Gold: TourBus® Double Dry Hopped Hazy IPA, DESTIHL Brewery, Normal, IL
Silver: MadeWest Hazy, MadeWest Brewing Co., Ventura, CA
Bronze: Cloud Counter, Pollyanna Brewing Co., Lemont, IL
Category 108: Vera Hop Beer – 62 Entries
Gold: Gooding Farms, Offset Bier Co., Park City, UT
Silver: RnD West Coast Pils # 7, Russian River Brewing – Windsor, Windsor, CA
Bronze: Nothing to Fear, HopSaint Brewing Co., Torrance, CA
Category 201: Tannic Cider – 21 Entries
Gold: 1876 Heirloom, Gowan’s Heirloom Cider, Philo, CA
Silver: Classic Dry, Gowan’s Heirloom Cider, Philo, CA
Bronze: Kingston Black, Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO
Category 202: No/Low-Tannin Cider – 36 Entries
Gold: 14th Anniversary, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
Silver: Original Gold, Portland Cider Co., Clackamas, OR
Bronze: Local Legend, Schilling Cider, Auburn, WA
Category 203: Fruited Cider – 53 Entries
Gold: Honey Citron, Gowan’s Heirloom Cider, Philo, CA
Silver: Piper’s Pineapple, Gatlinburg Brewing Co., Sevierville, TN
Bronze: Huckleberry Cosmic Crisp, 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Corvallis, OR
Category 204: Botanical or Spiced Cider – 25 Entries
Gold: Spiced Apple, Gowan’s Heirloom Cider, Philo, CA
Silver: Plum & Lemongrass, Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO
Bronze: Cranberry Spice, Six Byrd Cider, Tempe, AZ
Category 205: Experimental, Barrel-Aged or Specialty Cider – 27 Entries
Gold: Calville Blanc d’Hiver Ice Cider, Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO
Silver: Apollo Palmer, Papa Moon Ciders, Scottsbluff, NE
Bronze: Santiam Cherry Apples in Garryana Oak, Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO
Category 206: Single Varietal Cider – 16 Entries
Gold: Mountain Rose, Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO
Silver: Gravenstien, Snow Capped Cider, Austin, CO
Bronze: Niedzwetzkyana, Haykin Family Cider, Aurora, CO
Category 500: Pro-Am Comp – 40 Entries
Gold: Christopher’s Bier, Fritz Family Brewers – Christopher Owens, Longmont, CO
Silver: Cool Uncle Dunkel, Hidden Wit Brewing Co. – Joel Miller, Moseley, VA
Bronze: Battles for Bavaria, San Diego Brewing Co. – Jeffery Battles, San Diego, CA
Category 501: Collab Comp – 68 Entries
Gold: Route 4 Revive-ALE, Third Eye Brewing Co. / Municipal Brew Works, Hamilton, OH
Silver: La Lumbre, Mayan Monkey Brewing Co. / Waredaca Brewing Co., Gaithersburg, MD
Bronze: Mounds of Importance, Narrow Path Brewing Co. / Third Eye Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH
2025 Brewery of the year awards:
0-250 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Zeus Brewing Co. Poughkeepsie, NY Harrison Forman
251–500 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
UPP Liquids, Bend, OR Team UPP
501–1,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO
1,001–2,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
River North Brewery, Denver, CO River North Brew Team
2,001–5,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Third Eye Brewing Co., Cincinnati, OH Third Eye Brew Crew
5,001–15,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Westbound & Down Brewing Co. – Westbound Mill, Lafayette, CO Westbound & Down Brewing Team
15,001–100,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Fat Head’s Brewery, Middleburg Heights, OH Hop Squad
Brewery Group Brewery and Brewer of the Year
Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME Team Allagash
Cidermaker of the Year
Gowan’s Heirloom Cider, Philo, CA Don & Sharon Gowan
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/dontse/2025/10/11/the-best-beers-in-america-winners-of-the-2025-great-american-beer-festival/
