Category: South Florida

Great American Beer Festival Awards medal

Congratulations to all the Florida breweries who brought home medals from the Great American Beer Festival

The Great American Beer Festival Awards were held this weekend in Dever, Colorado, and a few Florida craft breweries brought back medals from the festival competition.

Congratulations to:

Dade City Brew House for their GOLD MEDAL in Dessert Stout or Pastry Stout for Pure Nonsense.

Fort Myers Brewing for their SILVER MEDAL in Chocolate Beer for Chocolate Stout.

Green Bench Brewing / Webb’s City Cellar for their BRONZE MEDAL in Belgian Fruit Beer for Vordrassil.

 

Pitcher of beer at the Great American Beer FestivalAbout the Great American Beer Festival and the Competition:

Press Release: The Brewers Association (BA) revealed the top beers and ciders of 2024 at an awards ceremony during the Great American Beer Festival (GABF®). In partnership with the American Cider Association, the prestigious competition bestowed awards in five new cider categories. With more than 1,200 cider producers in the U.S., the GABF competition keeps consumer drinking preferences and trends at the forefront of the event.

This year, 273 breweries and cideries earned 326* medals. The Great American Beer Festival judge panel evaluated noteworthy brews and ciders across 102 beer categories (including 170 subcategories), five new cider categories, and the Pro-Am and Collaboration competitions.
The competition was made possible thanks to more than 250 volunteers who facilitated the multi-step judging process and 285 beer experts who evaluated 8,836 commercial beer entries, 233 commercial cider entries, 95 Collaboration entries, and 52 Pro-Am entries. Judging occurred in three phases over seven days and included brewery entries from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
“The Great American Beer Festival continues its commitment to recognizing exceptional beverages from across the country in the 2024 competition,” said Chris Williams, competition director for the Brewers Association. “With the addition of five new cider categories, we’re pleased to recognize the best of the best in beer and beyond. Congratulations to this year’s winners!”
The awards ceremony, live streamed on The Brewing Network on Saturday, October 12, 2024, was held at the Bellco Theatre in Denver as part of the Great American Beer Festival.
 
Great American Beer Festival Awards medal 
GABF COMPETITION STATISTICS
  • 38th edition of the GABF competition
  • 8,836 beers judged
  • 1,869 breweries & cideries in the competition from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico
  • 285 judges
  • 250+ volunteers
  • Average number of beers entered in each category: 85
  • Category with the highest number of entries: Category 102 – Juicy/Hazy IPA (349 entries)
  • 326 total medals awarded
  • 273 medal-winning breweries
  • 280 first-time GABF competition entrants
  • 25 first-time GABF competition winners
  • Five new cider categories
 
TOP 5 MOST-ENTERED BEER STYLE CATEGORY WINNERS
                                                                                                                        
Category 102 | Juicy/Hazy IPA (349 entries)
GOLD: Professional Human Being | Ambitious Ales | Long Beach, CA
SILVER: Groundswell | Single Hill Brewing Co. | Yakima, WA
BRONZE: Crash of Rhinos | Movement Brewing Co. | Rancho Cordova, CA
Category 100: West Coast IPA (292 entries)
GOLD: Codebreaker | Trademark Brewing | Long Beach, CA
SILVER: Pacific Portal | Alma Mader Brewing | Kansas City, MO
BRONZE: IPA for Aliens | Masthead Brewing Co. | Cleveland, OH
Category 101: American-Style IPA (217 entries)
GOLD: Competition | Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown | Los Angeles, CA
SILVER: One Way | Old Caz Beer | Rohnert Park, CA
BRONZE: Lexical Gap | Pollyanna Brewing Co. | Lemont, IL
 
Category 50: Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest (210 entries)
GOLD: Festbier | Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co. | Glenwood Springs, CO
SILVER: Festbier | Northwoods Brewing Co. | Northwood, NH
BRONZE: The Cushman | Morgan Territory Brewing | Tracy, CA
 
Category 52: German-Style Maerzen (195)
GOLD: Pleasantbräu Oktoberfest | Soul Brewing Co. | Pleasantville, NY
SILVER: Marchtoberfest | Galveston Island Brewing | Galveston, TX
BRONZE: Oktoberfest | Left Hand Brewing Co. | Longmont, CO
 
MOST-ENTERED CIDER CATEGORY WINNERS
                                                                                                                        
Category 203: Fruited & Botanical Cider (74 entries)
GOLD: Blackberry Cider | McMenamins Breweries | Portland, OR
SILVER: Ozark Strawberry Rhubarb Cider | Ozark Beer Co. | Rogers, AR
BRONZE: Pacific Pineapple | 2 Towns Ciderhouse | Corvallis, OR
 
MOST-MEDALED BREWERIES
Apogee Brewing Company | Grover Beach, CA
Gold, Lucy Loves Rye, Category 76: Specialty Saison
Bronze, Aurora, Category 73: Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale
Bronze, Monks on the Moon, Category 78: Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale
Bronze, Monks In Space, Category 79: Belgian-Style Abbey Ale
Highland Park Brewery – Chinatown | Los Angeles, CA
Gold, Competition, Category 101: American-Style India Pale Ale
Gold, Baseball, Category 40: Contemporary American-Style Lager
Gold, Timbo, Category 91: American-Style Pale Ale
Gold, DDH Pillow, Category 98: Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale
 
COLLABORATION COMPETITION (95 entries) See criteria here.
GOLD: Twenty-Fold Sword | New Zealand-Style IPA | No Boat Brewing Company and Obelisk Beer Co. | Snoqualmie, WA
SILVER: Stupid Sticky Fingers | Wood & Barrel Aged Imperial Stout | Werk Force Brewing Co. and Rocky Reef Brewing Co. | Plainfield, IL
BRONZE: Spudweiser | American Pilsner | Live Oak Brewing Company and Hold Out Brewing | Del Valle, TX
 
PRO-AM COMPETITION (52 entries) See criteria here. Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co. & White Labs
GOLD: Piwo Grodziskie | Kansas City Bier Co. and Mike & Stephanie
Butler | Kansas City, MO
SILVER: Rising Sun | Crooked Lane Brewing Co. and Matt Hall | Auburn, CA
BRONZE: South of Helles | Starr Hill Beer Hall & Rooftop – Richmond and Joel Miller | Richmond, VA
*Out of 327 possible awards, 326 were conferred. Bronze was not awarded in Category 15 for Amber to Dark Non-Alcohol Beer.
The 2024 Great American Beer Festival was made possible in part by the generous support of its sponsors and in partnership with the American Cider Association.
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About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 5,000-plus U.S. breweries and more than 30,000 homebrewers. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events, including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference™ & BrewExpo America®, Homebrew Con™, National Homebrew Competition, and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The New Brewer® and Zymurgy® magazines, and Brewers Publications® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com® and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association®. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 13672 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.
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RipTide Brewing condensing operations to one taproom

Craft brewers around the country are right-sizing their operations, and Florida continues to see the same trend among its breweries. Southwest Florida’s RipTide Brewing Company announced on September 2nd that it would be parting ways with its Naples Taproom and operating solely from its Bonita Springs location. While many times decisions like this are difficult, they are better than the alternative of closing operations altogether.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale 2024

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale Makes Autumnal Return with All-New Artwork

Press Release: With the official start of fall just around the corner, Dogfish Head unveils its list of seasonal drinks, beginning with the return of its iconic Punkin Ale! Back for the 30th consecutive year, Punkin Ale* (7.0% ABV) is a full-bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon. Bursting with notes of cinnamon spice and smooth pumpkin, this fall favorite is now available from coast to coast, both on draft and in 6pk/12oz cans.  Track some down using Dogfish Head’s Fish Finder.

Part of Dogfish Head’s Art Series, a yearly collection of four beers featuring artwork by a singular collaborating artist, this year’s Punkin Ale boasts illustrations by Methane Studios. Known for their hand-crafted, intensely detailed screen prints, Methane Studios is an Atlanta-based operation made up of beer-loving, Ohio native duo, Mark McDevitt and Robert Lee. Putting the “punk” back in “PUNKin,” Methane Studios’ interpretation of Punkin Ale’s label artwork centers on an edgy Jack O’Lantern-type character, complete with a full sleeve of tattoos and a black cat sidekick.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale 2024“It’s hard to believe that I first brewed Punkin Ale more than 30 years ago, when it claimed first prize in the recipe contest at southern Delaware’s yearly Punkin Chunkin Extravaganza,” said Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Founder & Brewer. “As our longest commercially distributed brew, it’s always heartwarming to see folks’ excitement for Punkin Ale’s annual return.”

The pumpkin-spiced goodness continues with Dogfish Head’s limited-edition Punkin Liqueur (30% ABV). Available in 375ml bottles, exclusively at Dogfish Head coastal Delaware locations, Punkin Liqueur starts its journey as Punkin Ale, which is then distilled and aged in used rum barrels to impart sweet notes of oak and molasses. The spirit is finished with a flush of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, vanilla, brown sugar and a touch of sage, for a seasonal liqueur perfect for sipping on its own or in your favorite fall cocktail.

For fans of fall, but not pumpkin flavors, there’s no need to fret … Dogfish Head has you covered, too!  Just in time for the chillier weather ahead, Dogfish Head excitedly introduces a brand-new variation of its highly sought-after World Wide Stout. Brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley, World Wide Stout is a dark, rich and roasty Imperial Stout. This year’s iteration, Affogato World Wide Stout* (15.0% ABV), takes Dogfish Head’s beloved beer to the next level, with added notes of espresso and sweet vanilla for a liquid version of the well-known Italian treat. Available in select markets, where legal, in 4pk/12oz bottles.

Seeking a bit more variety? If so, Dogfish Head’s 12pk/12oz can Fall Variety Pack is a perfect pick, and it’s complete with an all-new variety pack-exclusive brew, Tasty Traveler Jasmine Rice Lager* (5.0% ABV). Tasty Traveler Jasmine Rice Lager is brewed with jasmine rice, lemongrass, wildflower honey and makrut lime leaf for a light, citrusy and refreshingly crisp beer. In addition to Tasty Traveler Jasmine Rice Lager, Dogfish Head’s Fall Variety Pack, which is now available nationwide, features three (12oz) cans of each of the following beers.

Dogfish Head Fall Variety Pack 2024

  • 60 Minute IPA* (6.0% ABV): Fantastically hoppy and beautifully balanced, 60 Minute IPA is continually hopped for 60 minutes for an enticing hop-centric experience.
  • SeaQuench Ale* (4.9% ABV): Uniquely refreshing, SeaQuench Ale is a wheat beer brewed with lime juice, lime peel, black limes and sea salt for a beer bursting with notes of tart citrus.
  • Blue Hen Pilsner* (4.8% ABV): Refreshingly crisp and super approachable, Blue Hen Pilsner is a classic pilsner brewed with Delaware grown and malted barley to deliver the ultimate sessionable drinking experience.

 

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ABOUT DOGFISH HEAD
With quality, creativity and non-conformity at its core, Dogfish Head has been committed to brewing unique beers with high-caliber culinary ingredients outside the Reinheitsgebot since the day it opened nearly 30 years ago. Dedicated to exploring goodness of all kinds, Dogfish Head later expanded its beverage artistry beyond just craft beer to produce award-winning portfolios of full-proof spirits –whiskeys, gins, vodkas, rums and more – and spirits-based, ready-to-drink canned cocktails. A Boston Beer Company brand and proud supporter of the Independent Craft Brewing Seal, Dogfish Head is a Delaware-based entity consisting of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, a production brewery and tasting room; Dogfish Head Distilling Co., a production distillery; Brewings & Eats, a brewpub and live music venue; Chesapeake & Maine, a seafood and cocktail spot; and the Dogfish INN, a beer-themed, canal-front hotel. For more about Dogfish Head, please visit www.dogfish.com or follow the brand on social media.