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Impressive GABF Streaks Ahead of This Year’s Competition

2019 GABF Award Ceremony

Tonight marks the 35th iteration of the competition portion of the Great American Beer Festival. And while there will be no commercial tasting event open to the public for a second straight year, tonight’s awards are still sure to usher in socially distanced causes for celebration among breweries across the entire country.

In normal years we’d be prepping guided routes for folks to enjoy at the festival, this year we are once again focusing on trends we’ve seen emerge from past award winners.

First, we’ve tallied up a historical look at breweries that have earned the most GABF medals since the competition started in 1987. Keep in mind, unlike the competition, we included breweries with multiple outposts like Pizza Port and Rock Bottom and grouped their medal counts together. Here’s the list of the top 20 breweries with the most GABF medals earned prior to this year’s competition.

This article was made possible through underwriting from Molly’s Spirits.

As a reminder, be sure to pick up or place your orders for some award-winning beers from our sponsors at Molly’s Spirits to enjoy while you watch this year’s Great American Beer Festival Awards Ceremony tomorrow night at 5pm Mountain.

Most GABF Medals Earned Through 2020

GABF MedalsBrewery NameCityState
98Pizza Port BreweryVariousCA
83Rock Bottom BreweriesVariousCO
76Anheuser-Busch, IncSaint LouisMO
73Pabst Brewing Co.Los AngelesCA
64Miller Brewing Co.MilwaukeeWI
54Firestone Walker Brewing Co.Paso RoblesCA
49Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Co.JuneauAK
45Boston Beer Co.BostonMA
43Coors Brewing Co.GoldenCO
43Deschutes BreweryBendOR
41Pelican Pub & BreweryPacific CityOR
39Snake River Brewing Co.JacksonWY
34Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.ChicoCA
33New Belgium Brewing Co.Fort CollinsCO
33New Glarus Brewing Co.New GlarusWI
32Rogue AlesNewportOR
31Marin Brewing Co.LarkspurCA
30Russian River Brewing Co.Santa RosaCA
30Stoudt's Brewing Co.AdamstownPA
29Goose Island Beer Co.ChicagoIL

Next, we took a look at individual beers that have won the most medals through 2020. That list hasn’t changed since last year’s roundup, however as PorchDrinking editor, David Nilsen (@davidnilsenbeer) notes, while Brink Brewing’s Moozie Milk Stout didn’t make THIS list, it is building an impressive streak having won three straight years in a row within its category. We’ll see if it goes for a fourth this year.

Most GABF Medals Earned by Individual Beers Through 2020

BreweryBeerTotal MedalsGoldSilverBronze
Alaskan Brewing and Bottling Co.Alaskan Smoked Porter12534
Boston Beer Co.Samuel Adams Double Bock10613
Bristol Brewing Co.Laughing Lab Scottish Ale9243
Coors Brewing Co.Coors Light8143
New Glarus Brewing Co.Raspberry Tart8314
Miller Brewing Co.Miller Genuine Draft8152
New Belgium Brewing Co.Abbey Belgian Style Ale8503
Pabst Brewing Co.Pabst Blue Ribbon8431
Anheuser-Busch, IncBudweiser7223
Miller Brewing Co.Miller High Life7052
Pabst Brewing Co.Old Milwaukee Light7421
Genesee/High Falls BrewingGenesee Cream Ale7241
Pelican Pub & BreweryKiwanda Cream Ale7421
Pabst Brewing Co.Old Style7043
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.Sierra Nevada Pale Ale6501
Anheuser-Busch, IncO'Doul's6042
Pete's Brewing Co.Pete's Wicked Ale6231
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.Leinenkugel's Creamy Dark6231
Saint Arnold Brewing Co.Saint Arnold Summer Pils6150
Pabst Brewing Co.Rainier5041
Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Co.Little Kings Cream Ale5311
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co.Hefeweizen5131
AleSmith Brewing Co.AleSmith Old Numbskull5320
Marin Brewing Co.Pt. Reyes Porter5221
New Belgium Brewing Co.La Folie5311
Dogfish Head Craft BreweryMidas Touch5122
Grimm Brothers BrewhouseLittle Red Cap5212
Snake River Brewing Co.Zonker Stout5230
Anheuser-Busch, IncBud Light5113
New Glarus Brewing Co.Belgian Red5410
Tröegs Brewing Co.Troegenator5410
Boston Beer Co.Samuel Adams Octoberfest5212
Pelican Pub & BreweryDoryman's Dark Ale5320
Coors Brewing Co.Keystone Light5113
Pelican Pub & BreweryTsunami Stout5212
Anheuser-Busch, IncO'Doul's Amber5311
Left Hand Brewing Co.Sawtooth Ale5203
Real Ale Brewing Co.Real Heavy5311
Millstream Brewing Co.Schild brau Amber5023
Seabright BrewerySeabright Oatmeal Stout5320
Miller Brewing Co.Red Dog5401

Finally, we took a look at breweries that currently have the longest active medal streaks across consecutive years at GABF. Pizza Port Brewing has strung together the most impressive streak, earning medals at GABF for 20 years in a row. Texas’ Real Ale had the unfortunate distinction of having the longest streak to end after getting shut out at last year’s competition. With Real Ale’s departure from the leader board, Cannonball Creek moves into the top five active streaks and more interesting to note is that not only has Cannonball Creek won medals at every GABF and World Beer Cup since opening in 2013, but they’re also the only brewery in the top 5 active streaks without multiple locations (meaning more entries). Last year the Golden, CO-based brewery earned a whopping three medals out of four entries submitted

Cannonball Creek Brewing GABF
Photo by Stacey McMahan

Breweries with the Longest Active GABF Medal Streaks

Brewery NameCurrent Streak
Pizza Port2020-2000
Firestone Walker Brewing2020-2002
Figueroa Mountain Brewery2020-2001
Fat Head's Brewery2020-2009
Cannonball Creek Brewing2020-2013
Chuckanut Brewery2020-2014
Denver Beer Co2020-2015
TAPS Fishhouse & Bewery2020-2015
Alvarado Street Brewery2020-2015
Uberbrew2020-2016
Alesong Brewing & Blending2020-2016
Save the World Brewing2020-2017
Claremont Craft Ales2020-2017
Brink Brewing2020-2017
Pinthouse Pizza2020-2017
Saddle Mountain Brewing2020-2017
Kern River Brewing Co.2020-2018
Lost Rhino Brewing Co.2020-2018
Comrade Brewing2020-2018
Triple C Brewing2020-2018
Moonraker Brewing2020-2018
Cloudburst Brewing2020-2018
Gun Hill Brewing Co.2020-2018
Great Basin Brewing Co.2020-2018
Santa Clara Valley Brewing2019-2018
BJ's Restaurant & Brewery2020-2018
The Post Brewing2020-2018
Port City Brewing2020-2018
Altitude Chophouse2020-2018
IMBIB Custom Brews2020-2018
New Belgium Brewing2020-2018
Grains of Wrath Brewing2020-2018

 

The 2021 GABF Awards Ceremony will take place on Friday, October 16 at 5pm Mountain. Tune in LIVE via The Brewing Network’s Live Stream


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Comments

  1. Town Brewing Company won back to back golds in 2019 and 2020 but is not listed (while 2018-2019 wins are). Cruise to Nowhere-Contemporary Gose.

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