Colorado breweries and cideries win 41 medals at 2026 Great American Beer Festival
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Photo: Courtesy of the Brewers Association
Colorado brewers and cidermakers left the Great American Beer Festival with a buzz — 41 awards in the premier American beer competition.
Why it matters: The medals give beer lovers a judge-vetted list of standout pours — and recognize a state whose craft brewing industry generated more than $2.5 billion in economic impact in 2025.
By the numbers: 30 Colorado breweries and cideries took home medals at the competition, including seven first-time winners and more than a dozen gold medals.
In addition, Cannonball Creek in Golden won its second Brewery of the Year award in the 501 to 1,000 barrel category, and Snow Capped in Austin took home the award for Cidermaker of the Year.
The big picture: The awards were presented Sunday at Denver's Levitt Pavilion, where the festival took place for the first time outdoors.
- The competition drew 7,267 entries from 1,300 breweries and cidermakers, competing for one of the 336 medals.
The intrigue: Cannonball Creek extended its award streak to 14 consecutive festivals and its total medal count to 24 medals with 13 beers during that stretch, according to the Colorado Brewers Guild.
- Castle Rock claimed the top two spots in Mexican-style pale lager, a category with 146 entries. Wild Blue Yonder's Sereno Moreno won gold, while 105 West's Mexican Lager took silver.
- Boulder's Pattern Break Brewing made a splash in its debut year with a bronze medal for its Negroni Ale in the experimental beer category.
Zoom in: Here's the list of Colorado winners from the 2026 competition.
Gold medals
Bent Barley Brewing in Aurora: Dry Irish Stout in the porter or stout category
Bierstadt Lagerhaus: Infinite Hotel in the collaboration competition, brewed with Wayfinder Beer in Portland, Oregon
Bull & Bush Brewery in Denver: Pineapple 3 Way in the Belgian-style fruit beer category
Cannonball Creek Brewing Co. in Golden: Mindbender in the American-style strong pale ale category
Dostal Alley Brewpub & Casino in Central City: Jacob Mack Mild Ale in the craft malt beer category
The Empourium Brewing Co. in Denver: Honey Panda in the specialty beer category
Haykin Family Cider in Aurora: Newtown Ice Cider in the experimental, barrel-aged or specialty cider category
Los Dos Potrillos Cervecería in Parker: Agua Fresca in the American fruit beer category
The Sandlot Brewery at Coors Field in Denver: Calamansi Wheat in the fruit wheat beer category
Snow Capped Cider in Austin: Kingston Black 26 in the tannic cider category
Snow Capped Cider in Austin: The Russets in the no/low tannin cider category
Sweet Heart Brands in Loveland: Spiced Apple in the botanical or spiced cider category
Verboten Brewing in Loveland: Grow Old With You in the barley wine or wheat wine category
The Well in Wellington in Wellington: Altbier in the classic gluten-free ale or lager category
Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co. in Castle Rock: Sereno Moreno in the Mexican-style pale lager category
Wild Blue Yonder Brewing Co. in Castle Rock: The Burden of Being Wonderful in the Pro-Am competition
Silver medals
105 West Brewing Co. in Castle Rock: Mexican Lager in the Mexican-style pale lager category
Avery Brewing Co. in Boulder: White Rascal in the Belgian-style witbier category
Cannonball Creek Brewing Co. in Golden: Featherweight in the American pale ale category
Glenwood Canyon Brewing Company in Glenwood Springs: Endless Groove in the New Zealand-style pale ale category
Haykin Family Cider in Aurora: LUCY Ice Cider in the experimental, barrel-aged or specialty cider category
Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co. in Lafayette: Kolsch in the German-style koelsch category
New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins: Trippel in the Belgian-style tripel category
New Image Brewing: Neon Lady in the collaboration competition, brewed with Offset Bier Co. in Park City, Utah
Old 121 Brewhouse in Lakewood: Colt 121 in the other strong beer category
Second Dawn Brewing Co. in Aurora: Wolf of the Woods in the Italian-style pilsener category
Snow Capped Cider in Austin: Harrison Reserve in the no/low tannin cider category
Verboten Brewing in Loveland: Coconut GO in the field beer category
Bronze medals
Cannonball Creek Brewing Co. in Golden: Trump Hands in the session India pale ale category
Holidaily Brewing Co. in Golden: Fat Randy's IPA in the hoppy gluten-free beer category
Holidaily Brewing Co. in Golden: Favorite Blonde Ale in the classic gluten-free ale or lager category
Liquid Mechanics Brewing Co. in Lafayette: El Poblano Borracho in the chili beer category
Locavore Beer Works in Littleton: Friend of the Devil in the German-style schwarzbier category
MainStage Brewing Co. in Boulder: Oktoberfestfest in the German-style maerzen category
Pattern Break Brewing Co. in Boulder: Negroni Ale in the experimental beer category
Prost Brewing Co. in Northglenn: Prost Helles in the Munich-style helles category
River North Brewery in Denver: Quandary in the Belgian-style strong specialty ale category
SKA Brewing in Durango: WestSKAlle in the Belgian-style abbey ale category
Snow Capped Cider in Austin: Pink Pearl in the no/low tannin cider category
Snow Capped Cider in Austin: Spiced in the botanical or spiced cider category
Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub in Idaho Springs: Jack Whacker Hazy Wheat in the American wheat beer category