Photo © Brewers Association
This year's Great American Beer Festival (otherwise known as GABF) competition saw a record 2,217 breweries from around the United States enter a staggering 7,923 brews. The competition saw another record with 276 judges from 13 countries brought together to evaluate the best of American ales, lagers, and specialty brews. Many Texas breweries have been recognized in for their efforts in past years, and 2017 was no different.
This year Texas brought in a record 21 total awards this year 9 gold, 6 silver, and 6 bronze medals with Large Brewpub and Mid-size Brewery winners.
Here are the lucky winning Texas breweries:
Saint Arnold Brewing Co, Houston: Gold medal for 'Pumpkinator' in the Pumpkin/Squashbeer category; Bronze for 'Amber' in the Ordinary or Special Bitter category; Bronze for 'Weedwacker' in the German-style Wheat Ale category; and Mid-size Brewery/brewer of the Year award.
Armadillo Ale Works, Denton: Bronze medal for "Honey Please" in the Honey beer category.
Big Bend Brewing, Alpine: Bronze medal for 'Barrel Aged Marfa Light' in the Wood and Barrel Aged Beer category
Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co, Austin: Gold for 'Rocket 100' in the American-Style Pilsner category; Gold for Velvet Revolution in the Bohemian-Style Pilsner category; and Large Brewpub/Brewer of the Year award.
Austin Beer Works, Austin: Gold Medal for 'Super Awesome Lager' in the Light Lager category.
Oasis Texas Brewing, Austin: Silver medal for 'Luchesa Lager' in the Kellerbier category.
Eureka Heights Brewing, Houston: Gold for 'Buckle Bunny' in the American-style Cream Ale category.
Spoetzel Brewing, Shiner: Silver for 'Shiner Bock' in the American-style Amber Ale category.
Rhar and Sons, Fort Worth: Silver for 'Oktoberfest' in the German-style Maerzen category.
Real Ale Brewing, Blanco: Gold for 'Real Heavy' in the Scotch Ale category; and Silver for 'Fireman's 4' in the Golden or Blonde category.
Holler Brewing, Houston: Bronze for 'Holler ESB' in the ESB, or Extra Special Bitter category.
Galveston Island Brewing Co, Galveston: Bronze for 'Blue Bridge' in the American-style Amer or Red Ale category.
Peticolas Brewing, Dallas: Silver for 'It's Always Something' in the Belgian Strong Specialty category.
Lazarus Brewing, Austin: Gold for 'Amandus' in the Belgian Strong Specialty category.
Save The World Brewing, Marble Falls: Silver for 'Lux Mundi' in the Other Belgian Style Ale category.
Pinthouse Pizza, Austin: Gold for 'Bearded Seal' in the Classic Irish Style Stout category.
and the cherry on top the medal count.....San Antonio's own Freetail Brewing Co: GOLD for '2014 La Muerta' in the Aged Beer, making this San Antonio proper's first GABF medal and the second for the San Antonio area (5-Stones Artisan Ales won Silver in 2015). Congratulations to Jason Davis ad the gang at Freetail for a job well done and well-deserved recognition!!
Though not a solo victory, Austin's Jester King Brewing shared in a Bronze for their collaboration with Boston's Cambridge Brewing Co for 'Cor Cordium' in the Mix Culture Brett category.
This was a gangbuster year for Texas breweries and clearly sends a message to the rest of the country and the world, that Texas can hold its own and is here to stay.