Who makes the best IPA in Colorado
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
Colorado's best beers took home medals Friday in the inaugural Colorado Brewers Cup.
Why it matters: The competition is the first to feature only Colorado brewers and instantly qualifies as one of the top competitions in the nation given the level of talent in a state with the 5th-most breweries per capita.
State of play: Westbound & Down, with locations in Idaho Springs, Lafayette and Denver, won six medals, the most of any brewery, and dominated the hoppy beer categories.
- River North Brewery won four medals, while Carver Brewing, Cerebral Brewing, and Seedstock Brewery each collected three medals.
- The award for top breweries of the year went to Carver in Durango and River North in Denver
The intrigue: Amalgam Brewing won the best IPA for Modern West, while Living the Dream scored the best hazy IPA in the most competitive category for Trailhead.
By the numbers: The competition featured 650 entries from 134 breweries, awarding 78 medals. Only members of the Colorado Brewers Guild were eligible.
What they're saying: "This celebrates Colorado craft beer and acknowledges those who are making exceptional, high-quality craft beer," Colorado Brewers Guild executive director Shawnee Adelson said in an interview after the awards ceremony Friday in Aurora.
Zoom in: Here's the full list of winners from the inaugural competition.
American & International Pale Lagers
Third most competitive category (42 entries)
- 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: 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) - Hammer 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
Brewery of the Year: Mid-sized (600+ barrels) - River North Brewery in Denver