Colorado Breweries Who Won Big at the 2021 GABF Competition

Colorado has long held a reputation for strong showings at the Great American Beer Festival, and while this year was no different, Colorado breweries had a solid showing after totaling 21 medals after tallying 25 the previous year.


However, even despite a slightly lower medal count, several Colorado breweries showed sustained dominance in 2020 by continuing impressive streaks. As noted in our general 2021 GABF Awards Recap, Cannonball Creek continued its impressive streak of winning medals at nine consecutive GABF competitions, this year earning a gold medal for Vladimir Brutin Brut IPA under the Experimental IPA category.

The interesting trend that prevailed this year for Colorado breweries was the re-emergence of several pioneers of the Colorado craft beer landscape. New Belgium Brewing, whose entry was technically listed under their Asheville location, returned to the podium with a gold medal for Trippel under the Belgian-Style Abbey Ale category. That beer also won gold in the Belgian-style Ale category in 2001. Great Divide one of Denver’s earliest breweries also earned hardware with silver for their Wild Raspberry Ale, a beer that had been retired in 2012, but will be returning to their year-round lineup in early 2022.

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Telluride Brewing‘s Face Down Brown earn its 4th GABF medal with a bronze in the American-style Brown Ale category. That medal was also Telluride Brewing’s 5th GABF medal all-time. Crooked Stave also added to their medal count with silver for Stay the Funk In in the Belgian-style Sour category, which becomes their fourth GABF medal. Avery Brewing and SKA Brewing were two other pioneers who tallied medals this year as well for Stampede in the American-style Lager, and True Blonde Ale in the English Ale categories respectively.

Our Mutual Friend Brewery won a pair of medals this year, the most by any single Colorado brewery in the competition. Their silver medal for Biere Ovale and gold for Inner Light, brings their all-time GABF medal total count to six.
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