Five Arizona brewers took home six medals at the Great American Beer Festival’s awards on Saturday in Denver, including two first-time winners.
For Flying Basset Brewing, one of the breweries taking home its first medal, the win is bittersweet. The brewery is set to close its doors in Gilbert at the end of the month.
Each year, breweries from around the country gather in Colorado for the colossal tasting event and awards, which are among the most coveted in the craft beer world. At the 2023 festival, thousands of beers were judged and 303 medals were awarded in 99 beer categories across 175 beer styles, according to the Brewers Association, which hosts the event.
Here are the winning beers and brewers from Arizona.
Gold: Citrus Snack (Contemporary Gose)
Flying Basset Brewing
720 W. Ray Road, GilbertPerhaps as one last hoorah before it permanently closes on Saturday, Flying Basset Brewing took home its first GABF medal – a gold in the category for contemporary gose. The gose-style ale is brewed with Himalayan sea salt and grapefruit, tangerine and blood orange are added for a citrusy flavor.
Silver: In Bloom (Contemporary Gose)
Basin + Range Brewing
Tucson Basin + Range Brewing hasn’t opened a taproom yet, but the Tucson-based company has already taken home its first award for In Bloom, a gose made with fig leaves and cactus fruit. The brewers told followers on Instagram to look for this brew and other seasonal beers on tap around Tucson in October.
Silver: Railhead Red (Extra Special Bitter)
Lumberyard Brewing Co.
5 S. San Francisco St., Flagstaff Lumberyard Brewing Co. has served craft beer up north since 2010. The brewer’s Railhead Red is one of its flagship beers which blends crystal and caramel malts and is moderately hopped, creating a balance of sweet malt and bitterness that is true to the style. This marks the brewery's sixth GABF medal but the first for its ESB.
Bronze: Fate Single Hop Sour (American Sour Ale)
Fate Brewing Co.
4445 N. Seventh St.
1312 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
201 E. Southern Ave., Suite 111 Fate Brewing Co., which earlier this year added a new brewpub on Seventh Street, took home bronze for its American sour ale. As the name implies, the brewer highlights just one hop in the ale, which is described as “tart, refreshing and a bit juicy” on Fate’s website. Currently in its Tempe taproom, an El Dorado-hopped version is available on tap. El Dorado hops can impart the flavor and aroma of tropical fruits like pineapple, watermelon or stone fruits. This is Fate's third medal, and first for this style.
Bronze: Hooks & Dun (Extra Special Bitter)
Wren House Brewing Co.
2125 N. 24th St. Local darling Wren House Brewing Co. added to its medal collection, taking home two bronze awards for its extra special bitter and imperial IPA. The ESB Hooks & Dun offers notes of caramelized honey balancing malty flavors, with a dry, slightly bitter finish. Blue Quad Roller Skates was brewed in collaboration with two hop companies, using Yakima Chief's Citra 702 Trial and NZ Hops Ltd Superdelic Hops, along with Mosaic and Mosaic Cryo to provide notes of mango and citrus.
The awards come on the heels of Wren House opening its Ahwatukee beer hall, Wren Südhalle. The company also has a third Valley taproom in the works at PV, the redevelopment of the Paradise Valley Mall, set to open in 2024. These medals bring Wren House's total haul to date to five and are the brewery's first nods in these two beer styles.
For Flying Basset Brewing, one of the breweries taking home its first medal, the win is bittersweet. The brewery is set to close its doors in Gilbert at the end of the month.
Each year, breweries from around the country gather in Colorado for the colossal tasting event and awards, which are among the most coveted in the craft beer world. At the 2023 festival, thousands of beers were judged and 303 medals were awarded in 99 beer categories across 175 beer styles, according to the Brewers Association, which hosts the event.
"The Arizona Craft Brewers Guild is thrilled to see our members being recognized on the national stage, for the amazing beer that our breweries produce," Arizona Craft Brewers Guild Deputy Director Andrew Bauman said via email. "Breweries take extraordinary steps for quality assurance, recipe development, the mechanics of brewing and packaging, all while being the example of community involvement in their hometowns."
Here are the winning beers and brewers from Arizona.
Gold: Citrus Snack (Contemporary Gose)
Flying Basset Brewing 720 W. Ray Road, GilbertPerhaps as one last hoorah before it permanently closes on Saturday, Flying Basset Brewing took home its first GABF medal – a gold in the category for contemporary gose. The gose-style ale is brewed with Himalayan sea salt and grapefruit, tangerine and blood orange are added for a citrusy flavor.
Tucson's Basin + Range Brewing isn't officially open yet, but won a silver medal for In Bloom, a gose made with fig leaves and cactus fruit.
Arizona Craft Brewers Guild
Silver: In Bloom (Contemporary Gose)
Basin + Range Brewing Tucson Basin + Range Brewing hasn’t opened a taproom yet, but the Tucson-based company has already taken home its first award for In Bloom, a gose made with fig leaves and cactus fruit. The brewers told followers on Instagram to look for this brew and other seasonal beers on tap around Tucson in October.
A silver medal from the Great American Beer Festival awards. Five Arizona breweries took home six medals in 2023.
Arizona Craft Brewers Guild
Silver: Railhead Red (Extra Special Bitter)
Lumberyard Brewing Co. 5 S. San Francisco St., Flagstaff Lumberyard Brewing Co. has served craft beer up north since 2010. The brewer’s Railhead Red is one of its flagship beers which blends crystal and caramel malts and is moderately hopped, creating a balance of sweet malt and bitterness that is true to the style. This marks the brewery's sixth GABF medal but the first for its ESB.
Bronze: Fate Single Hop Sour (American Sour Ale)
Fate Brewing Co. 4445 N. Seventh St.
1312 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale
201 E. Southern Ave., Suite 111 Fate Brewing Co., which earlier this year added a new brewpub on Seventh Street, took home bronze for its American sour ale. As the name implies, the brewer highlights just one hop in the ale, which is described as “tart, refreshing and a bit juicy” on Fate’s website. Currently in its Tempe taproom, an El Dorado-hopped version is available on tap. El Dorado hops can impart the flavor and aroma of tropical fruits like pineapple, watermelon or stone fruits. This is Fate's third medal, and first for this style.
Wren House Brewing Co. took home two bronze medals at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival awards.
Arizona Craft Brewers Guild
Bronze: Hooks & Dun (Extra Special Bitter)
Bronze: Blue Quad Roller Skates (Juicy or Hazy Imperial IPA)
Wren House Brewing Co. 2125 N. 24th St. Local darling Wren House Brewing Co. added to its medal collection, taking home two bronze awards for its extra special bitter and imperial IPA. The ESB Hooks & Dun offers notes of caramelized honey balancing malty flavors, with a dry, slightly bitter finish. Blue Quad Roller Skates was brewed in collaboration with two hop companies, using Yakima Chief's Citra 702 Trial and NZ Hops Ltd Superdelic Hops, along with Mosaic and Mosaic Cryo to provide notes of mango and citrus.
The awards come on the heels of Wren House opening its Ahwatukee beer hall, Wren Südhalle. The company also has a third Valley taproom in the works at PV, the redevelopment of the Paradise Valley Mall, set to open in 2024. These medals bring Wren House's total haul to date to five and are the brewery's first nods in these two beer styles.
