Ohio breweries win big at Great American Beer Festival
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The Fat Head's crew. Photo: Ohio Craft Brewers Association
Ohio breweries cleaned up at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival competition in Denver this weekend, taking home 19 medals.
Why it matters: GABF is the most prestigious U.S. beer contest, and the medal haul for Ohio's independent brewers smashes their previous record of 15 in 2019.
Driving the news: Northeast Ohio's own Fat Head's was once again the most decorated brewery in the state, with three gold medals.
- Head Hunter IPA won gold in the American IPA category, topping a field of 206 entrants.
- Alpenglow, the brewery's dominant Weizenbock, took home gold in the German Wheat Ale category, and Goggle Fogger won gold in the German-style Hefeweizen category.
What they're saying: "Our independent breweries are proving without a doubt that Ohio is a top-tier destination for craft beer," said Mary MacDonald, executive director of the Ohio Craft Brewers Association.
- "From our perennial powerhouse breweries to our impressive young upstarts, you can find award winning, world-class beer all over the state."
Here are the winning Ohio brewers:
Fat Head's Brewery, Middleburg Heights
- Alpenglow – Gold – German Wheat Ale
- Goggle Fogger – Gold – South German-Style Hefeweizen
- Head Hunter – Gold – American-Style India Pale Ale
Third Eye Brewing, Cincinnati
- Chai Eye Captain – Gold – Herb and Spice Beer
- Double Astral – Gold – Chocolate Beer
- Gourd Darn-it – Silver – Pumpkin Beer
Brink Brewing, Cincinnati
- Lil Zoomie – Gold – Coffee Stout or Porter
- Moozie – Bronze – Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
Hoppin' Frog Brewery, Akron
- Smashing Honey Blonde – Gold – Honey Beer
Rhinegeist, Cincinnati
- Kiwi (The Bird) – Gold – New Zealand India Pale Ale
The Brew Brothers, Columbus
- Toasty – Silver – English Mild or Bitter
Eudora Brewing, Dayton
- Daytonian Rhapsody – Silver – Bohemian-Style Pilsener
Inside the Five Brewing, Sylvania
- Megaphone – Silver – Irish-Style Red Ale
Narrow Path Brewing, Loveland
- Restless Seas – Silver – German Sour Ale
Noble Creature Wild Ales & Lagers, Youngstown
- Earth & Aether – Silver – Belgian-Style Sour Ale
Seventh Son Brewing, Columbus
- Stone Fort – Silver – English-Style Brown Ale
MadTree Brewing, Cincinnati
- Legendary Lager – Bronze – Light Lager
Royal Docks Brewing, Canton
- Pumpkinslayer – Bronze – Pumpkin Beer
Narrow Path/Third Eye, Cincinnati
- Mounds of Importance – Silver – Collaboration Beer