### Colorado Breweries and Cideries Excel at Great American Beer Festival

In a significant milestone for the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) this year, the event opened its taps not just to the finest beers but also to ciders and ready-to-drink cocktails. For the first time, cider was included in the festival's prestigious competition, leading to impressive wins for Colorado cider makers.

Colorado’s beverage creators made an indelible mark, winning a total of 41 awards—one more than last year's record of 40. Out of these, 15 were golden victories. The festival saw Colorado breweries excelling across various categories, including traditional lagers, sour beers, barrel-aged brews, and specialty styles. Shawnee Adelson, Executive Director of the Colorado Brewers Guild, highlighted the state's prowess, noting that five different breweries clinched medals in five diverse German-style lager categories.

Leading the pack was Westbound & Down Brewing Co., which earned three medals. Their Infinity Pils secured gold in the hoppy lager category, and Western Justice took another gold in the wood- and barrel-aged strong stout category. The brewery also received a silver medal for Don't Hassle the Hef in the South-German-style Hefeweizen category.

In a spicy twist, Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co. from Aurora and Station 26 Brewing Co. stood out in the chili beer category, winning gold and bronze, respectively. Denver's Bull & Bush Brewery was another standout, securing gold and silver in the wood- and barrel-aged beer category with its recipes aged in rum barrels.

From the Front Range to the mountainous regions, numerous Colorado breweries celebrated multiple wins. Notable names included Denver Beer Co., Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Glenwood Canyon Brewpub, and River North Brewery.

Additionally, Colorado’s cider makers shone brightly in the GABF competition's first inclusion of cider. Aurora's Haykin Family Cider won gold in the single varietal category, while Snow Capped Cider from Austin earned gold and silver in the no/low-tannin cider category.

The complete list of award-winning local beers is testament to why enthusiasts nationwide flock to Colorado for its exceptional brews. The results of the competition can be found on the Great American Beer Festival’s official website.