The Colorado Brewers Guild Announces Winners for State-Wide Craft Beer Competition

DENVER (Jan. 24, 2025) — The Colorado Brewers Guild (CBG) proudly presents the 78 medalists for the Colorado Brewers Cup, an inaugural craft beer competition that showcases the exceptional quality of craft beer in Colorado. The Colorado Brewers Cup, which includes only breweries operating in Colorado that are Colorado Brewers Guild members, was born out of member demand. While many brewers do participate in beer competitions on a national and international level, the Colorado Brewers Cup is accessible for any CBG member brewery—large or small.

The awards ceremony was this evening on the final day of the Colorado Craft Brewers Summit at the Hyatt Regency in Aurora, CO. The Colorado Brewers Cup winners were selected by a panel of 58 beer judges from six states that judged beer for 26 award categories. The beer competition drew 650 entries from 134 craft breweries from across the state. 

Tonight, the Guild also recognized individuals who exemplify leadership in Colorado’s craft beer scene, whether that’s a pioneering brewer or a passionate industry or community member.

“The Colorado Brewers Guild was founded in 1995 by a group of passionate individuals who saw the potential of working together. Oregon had just started a Guild to collectively promote their craft breweries and Colorado brewery owners were looking to do the same thing. They quickly realized that agreeing on a marketing strategy wasn't easy, however, they found that they could agree on being active at the state capitol to protect the interests of small breweries,” says CBG Executive Director Shawnee Adelson. “Shortly after they decided to create an association, a bill was introduced that would have put restrictions on the brewpub license. These dedicated individuals jumped right in and negotiated what are still the privileges brewpub licenses have today. This set the stage for the direction of the Guild and as we enter the 30th anniversary, we want to acknowledge their foresight and dedication to helping create the State of Craft Beer!”

The following individuals, who are the founding board members of the Colorado Brewers Guild, received the Ambassador of Craft Award:

• Jeff Mendel, Tabernash Brewing/Left Hand Brewing
• Tara Dunn, Great Divide Brewing Company
• Jeff Brown, Boulder Beer Co.
• Mike Bristol, Bristol Brewing Company
• Doug Odell, Odell Brewing Company
• Mark Youngquist, Rock Bottom Brewing/Boulder Beer/Walnut Brewery (now of Dolores River Brewing)

The Guild awarded 78 medals that were spread amongst 28 different cities in Colorado. Denver collected 18 medals, followed by Lafayette with nine, and Aurora with seven. Westbound & Down Brewing Company was the most awarded brewery with six total medals (two for the Idaho Springs location and four for the Lafayette location); the brewery, who also owns Aspen Brewing Co., collected a bronze medal for Aspen Brewing’s Excess in Moderation. Meanwhile, River North Brewery won four medals, and Carver Brewing, Cerebral Brewing, and Seedstock Brewery all collected three medals each.

Colorado Brewers Cup 2025 Award Winners:

American & International Pale Lagers - Third most competitive category (42)

• Gold: Cerveceria Colorado (Denver) - Venga
• Silver: Westbound & Down Brewing Co. (Idaho Springs) - Landing Gear Pils
• Bronze: Ratio Beerworks (Denver) - Cityscapes

Pale Bitter European Lagers

• Gold: New Image Brewing Co. (Wheat Ridge) - Classic Pilsner
• Silver: Hideaway Park Brewery (Winter Park) - Dortmunder
• Bronze: Seedstock Brewing Co. (Denver) - Seedstock German Pilsner

Hoppy Pale American & International Lagers

• Gold: Hideaway Park Brewery (Winter Park) - Publik Skool Pilsner
• Silver: Westbound & Down Brewing Co. (Idaho Springs) - Infinity Pils
• Bronze: WestFax Brewing Co. (Lakewood) - Pillieve 

Golden, Blonde, & Other Light Ales

• Gold: Westbound & Down Mill (Lafayette) - The Coloradan
• Silver: Bristol Brewing Co. (Colorado Springs) - Beehive Honey Wheat
• Bronze: LUKI Brewery (Arvada) - Tuba Cheer

Kölsch

• Gold: New Terrain Brewing Co. (Golden) - Rise and Climb
• Silver: Liquid Mechanics Brewing (Lafayette) - Kölsch
• Bronze: Joyride Brewing Co. (Edgewater) - Ice Cutter Kölsch

Pale Malty European Lagers

• Gold: Fritz Family Brewers (Niwot) - The Boss
• Silver: Carver Brewing Co. (Durango) - Lightner Creek Lager
• Bronze: Resolute Brewing Co. (Centennial) - Front Porch

Amber Lagers

• Gold: Eagle River Brewing (Eagle) - ERB Octoberfest
• Silver: Eagle River Brewing (Eagle) - Free Stone Lager
• Bronze: Seedstock Brewing Co. (Denver) - Seedstock Bohemian Dunkel

Dark Lagers

• Gold: Wibby Brewing (Longmont)- Moondoor Dunkel
• Silver: Seedstock Brewing Co. (Denver)- Seedstock Roggen Schwarzbier
• Bronze: Fritz Family Brewers (Niwot) - Niwot After Dark

Fruit & Field Beers

• Gold: Elevation Beer Co. (Poncha Springs) - Coconut Oil Man
• Silver: Strange Brewing Co. (Denver) - Cherry Kriek
• Bronze: Avant Garde Aleworks (Estes Park)- Harvest Saison

Session & Pale Ales

• Gold: Cannonball Creek Brewing Co. (Golden) - Featherweight
• Silver: Cannonball Creek Brewing Co. (Golden) - Trump Hands
• Bronze: Comrade Brewing Co. (Denver) - Honeyman 64

Standard American-Style IPAs - Most competitive category (46)

• Gold: Amalgam Brewing(Denver) - Modern West
• Silver: Westbound & Down Mill (Lafayette) - Westbound Select
• Bronze: Westbound & Down Mill (Lafayette) - Westbound IPA

Standard International & Experimental Hoppy Beers

• Gold: Silver: Westbound & Down Mill (Lafayette) - Spirit of the West
• Silver: Second Dawn (Aurora) - Tree Run
• Bronze: Cerebral Brewing - Aurora Arts (Aurora) - Gasoline Rainbows

Standard Hazy Pale Ales & IPAs - Second most competitive category (43)

• Gold: Living the Dream Brewing Co. (Highlands Ranch) - Trailhead Fog
• Silver: Beyond The Mountain Brewing (Boulder) - I Wish You More
• Bronze: Aspen Brewing Co. (Aspen) - Excess In Moderation

Strong & Imperial Hoppy Beers

• Gold: Station 26 Brewing Co. (Denver) - 11th Anniversary Double IPA
• Silver: Cerebral Brewing - Aurora Arts (Aurora) - Cheat Code
• Bronze: Odell Brewing Sloan's Lake Brewhouse (Denver) - Cloudship

Malty North American Beers

• Gold: Telluride Brewing Co. (Telluride) - Face Down Brown
• Silver: Carver Brewing Co. (Durango) - Old Oak Amber Ale
• Bronze: Odell Brewing (Fort Collins) - 90 Shilling

Classic UK Amber & Brown Ales

• Gold: Stodgy Brewing Co. (Fort Collins) - Scottish Ale
• Silver: Bristol Brewing Co. (Colorado Springs) - Draft Project London Brown
• Bronze: Carver Brewing Co. (Durango) - Colorado Trail Nut Brown Ale

Porters & Stouts

• Gold: Banded Oak Brewing (Denver) - Paramount Porter
• Silver: Stodgy Brewing Co. (Fort Collins) - English Porter
• Bronze: Bent Barley Brewing Co. (Aurora) - Dry Irish Stout

Strong Classic UK & North American Ales

• Gold: River North Brewery (Denver) - Mr. Sandman
• Silver: Verboten Brewing (Loveland) - Grow Old With You
• Bronze: River North Brewery (Denver) - Hello Darkness

Herb, Spice, & Smoked Beers

• Gold: Liquid Mechanics Brewing (Lafayette) - El Poblano Borracho
• Silver: Left Hand Brewing Co. (Longmont) - Mexican Hot Chocolate Milk Stout
• Bronze: Incantation Brewing (Aurora) - Signals

Continental Rye & Wheat Beers

• Gold: LUKI Brewery (Arvada) - Dunk On Em
• Silver: Tres Litros Beer Co. (Salida) - Hamer Time
• Bronze: New Terrain Brewing Co. (Golden) - Suntrip

Belgian and French Ales

• Gold: River North Brewery (Denver) - River North White
• Silver: Elevation Beer Co. (Poncha Springs) - Apis IV
• Bronze: Windfall Brewing Co. (Westminster) - Windfall Saison

Sour Ales

• Gold: Bruz Beers (Denver) - Ghost in the Wood
• Silver: Diebolt Brewing Co. (Denver) - David Frambowie
• Bronze: Berkeley Alley Beer Co (Arvada) - Pistachio Lemon Meringue

Coffee, Chocolate, & Dessert Beers

• Gold: River North Brewery (Denver) - Nightmare Fuel
• Silver: Verboten Brewing (Loveland) - Others in Darkness: Irish Coffee
• Bronze: 300 Suns Brewing (Longmont)- Psychotic Balaclava Horchata Stout

Brett & Wild Beers

• Gold: Crooked Stave Brewing Co. (Denver) - Spon
• Silver: Cellar West Brewery (Lafayette) - Green Spur
• Bronze: Primitive Beer (Lafayette) - Stable Of Stars

Wood & Aged Beers

• Gold: Launch Pad Brewery (Aurora) - Magnificent Desolation (Russell 8 Year)
• Silver: Cerebral Brewing - Aurora Arts (Aurora) - Here Be Monsters
• Bronze: Locavore Beer Works (Littleton) - Black Pearl 4x3

Experimental & Specialty Beers

• Gold: The Post Brewing Co. (Lafayette) - East County Fine Malt Liquor
• Silver: Bearded Brewer Artisan Ales (Longmont) - Cinnamon Roll Blonde Ale
• Bronze: Wonderland Brewing Co. (Broomfield) - Oily Oaf

Brewery of the Year: Small (0-600 barrels) - Carver Brewing Co. in Durango, which opened in 1983, collected three Colorado Brewers Cup medals (two silver medals, one for the Pale Malty European Lagers category and another for the Malty North American Beers category, and a bronze medal for the Classic UK Amber & Brown Ales category) 

Brewery of the Year: Mid-sized (600+ barrels) - River North Brewery in Denver collected four Colorado Brewers Cup medals (Gold and Bronze in the Strong Classic UK & North American Ales category, as well as Gold medals in the Belgian and French Ale category and Coffee, Chocolate, & Dessert Beers category)

For the full list of 2025 Colorado Brewers Cup medalists, visit the Colorado Brewers Cup competition website. 

About the Colorado Brewers Guild: 

The Colorado Brewers Guild (CBG) is a nonprofit trade association with the mission to promote, protect, and propel independent craft breweries in the State of Craft Beer through advocacy, community, education, and public awareness. The majority of the state’s 400+ licensed breweries are members. See a list of events that support membership, learn how to become a member, and more at coloradobeer.org.