Community Beer Co.'s Public Ale won a gold medal in the "Extra Special Bitter" category in 2013. (Courtesy of Community Beer Co.)
Great American Beer Festival, the grand daddy of all brew fests, took place in over the weekend drawing local brewers to Denver for the largest industry conference and beer competition in the country.
A gold medal from GABF is regarded as the one of the top honors a brewer could obtain — total validation of a brewer’s skill, according to Peticolas Brewing Co. founder and Craft Beer Insider Michael Peticolas.
In 2014, North Texas brought home six of the 16 medals awarded to Lone Star establishments, including four golds. The results are as follows:
Gold: Great Scot! by Peticolas Brewing Co. in “Aged Beer” category
Gold: Sir William’s English Brown Ale by Grapevine Craft Brewery in “English-style Brown Ale” category
Gold: Public Ale by Community Beer Co. in “Extra Special Bitter” category
Gold: Quakertown Stout by Armadillo Ale Works in “Imperial Stout” category
Bronze: Ascension by Community Beer Co. in “Coffee Beer” category
Bronze: The Regulator by Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. in “German-style Doppelbock or Eisbock” category
Other Texas breweries that garnered awards include Spoetzl Brewery (Shiner), Austin Beerworks (Austin), Thirsty Planet Brewing (Austin), Real Ale Brewing Co. (Blanco), Pedernales Brewing Co. (Fredricksburg), Saint Arnold Brewing Co. (Houston), 5 Stones Artisan Brewery (Cibolo), Oasis Texas Brewing Co. (Austin) and Pinthouse Pizza Craft Brewpub (Austin). For full results, click here.
In 2013, Texas breweries won 10 GABF medals.