Three Upstate NY Beers Win Awards at ‘Country’s Largest Beer Competition’
The 2024 Great American Beer Festival, dubbed the largest professional beer competition in America, took place in Denver, CO this past weekend. Countless beers and ciders from around the country were pitted against one another, competing for awards in over 100 beer and cider categories.
At the 2024 edition of the festival, multiple Upstate New York-based breweries took home prizes. Per New York Upstate, out of the six New York brews to won medals, three were from somewhere in Upstate.
And the winners are...
Gold Medal for Experimental India Pale Ale: New York Beer Project-Beer Lodge's Hazy Crush (Orchard Park, NY)
Silver Medal for Dessert Stout or Pastry Stout: Heritage Hill Brewhouse's Coconut Cluster (Pompey, NY)
Bronze Medal for American Fruit Beer: Strangebird Brewery's Bird Light Yuzu (Rochester, NY)
The other award winners from New York were Hudson Valley Brewery's Peach Silhoutette (Gold, Fruited American Sour Ale); Soul Brewing Company's Pleasantbrau Oktoberfest (Gold, German-Style Maerzen); and Brooklyn Brewery's Special Effects Grapefruit IPA (Bronze, Non-Alcoholic Beer).
As mentioned above, the Great American Beer Festival advertises itself as the country's largest professional beer competition, and some of the statistics associated with this event back that statement up.
READ MORE: Cheers! Upstate NY Brewery Wins Award for ‘Best Beer Label’ in America
Per New York Upstate, the 2024 event saw 8,836 commercial beer entries, 233 commercial cider entries, 95 collaboration entries, and 52 Pro-Am entries. The 285 judges reviewed beers from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
They also organize a two-night event called PAIRED, which unites independent craft breweries and acclaimed chefs from across the country for an unforgettable beer-and-food-pairing experience.
The 2025 Great American Beer Festival will take place from October 9th-11th at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO. Click the link here for tickets and more information.
These Ten Beers are the Highest Rated in New York State
Gallery Credit: Dan Bahl
The Best British Beers For The Bills Game On Sunday
Gallery Credit: Drizzly/Whole Foods/Canva
More From 104.5 THE TEAM
