Local Breweries Take Home Awards From Great American Beer Festival

This weekend marked a milestone for many Texas breweries after a fierce craft beer competition judged by an international panel of 293 expert judges. The Great American Beer Festival hosted 8,496 entries, received from 2,404 U.S. breweries, plus 101 Pro-Am and 49 Collaboration entries, and these wins deserve enormous congratulations.

l-r: Charlie Papazian of the Brewers Association with the ABGB's Kim Mizner, Amos Lowe, and Brian "Swifty" Peters (Courtesy of 2018 Brewers Association)

Texas craft breweries won a total of 18 medals, and these local favorites bring five gold, one silver, and three bronze medals back home to Central Texas. Find the full list of local winners below. Why not celebrate with a pint of sweet, sweet victory?

Read our oral history of the ABGB and Austin Beerworks to get yourself in a sudsy mood. You might also be thirsty for Eric Puga’s list of the “Top 10 Breweries of 2018.” You’ll probably notice a few familiar names.

•Austin Beerworks’ Flavor Country wins bronze in Australian-Style Pale Ale and they also received third place for their Super Awesome Lager in the Light Lager category.

•Hazelnut Crunch, brewed by North by Northwest Restaurant and Brewery – Slaughter, wins silver for the Herb and Spice Beers.

•Circle Brewing’s Doppel BLUR wins Bronze for German-Style Wheat Ale.

•First place for American-Style Strong Pale Ale goes to Green Battles IPA Pinthouse Pizza North.

•Texas Beer Co. wins first place in American-Style Amber Lager for its Pecos Amber Lager.

•Real Ale Brewing Company’s Real Heavy takes the gold for Scotch Ale.

•For the third time, ABGB – the Austin Beer Garden Brewing Company – wins Large Brewpub of the Year & Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year. They also won their third gold medal for Rocket 100 in the American-Style Pilsener category and Hell Yes Helles wins gold in Munich-Style Helles.

“Winning the gold for Hell Yes is the ultimate prize. No style is more challenging to brew. And winning Large Brewpub of the Year because of it makes it extra sweet,” said Brian "Swifty" Peters, brewer and owner. “The Texas lager scene is strong!”