These IL Breweries Earned Medals At 2025 U.S. Open Beer Championship​

ILLINOIS — Multiple Illinois breweries took home awards at this year's U.S. Open Beer Championship.

The 2025 competition saw more than 8,000 beers submitted from breweries across the nation, and Illinois breweries walked away with 20 medals this year. Representing more than 170 diverse categories, the competition honors the creativity and craftsmanship of American brewers.

Some specific breweries earned more than one medal this year, including Brothership Brewing in Mokena and Werk Force Brewing Co. in Plainfield, which both earned three awards.

Brothership took home gold in the hazy/juicy strong pale ale category for its Antimatter beer; silver in the New England/juicy DIPA category for its Sauced in Space beer; and bronze in the Mexican lager/pilsener category for its El OVNI beer.

Werk Force earned Gold in the chili pepper beer category for its Barrel Aged Hell Bear beer; and silver in the barrel-aged strong stout/porter category for its 3-year barrel-aged family reserve sleepy bear beer. It also took home gold for its collaboration with Rocky Reef Brewing Co. from Wisconsin for their Stupid Sticky Fingers dark beer.

More Brewing Co, which has multiple locations throughout the state in Bartlett, Huntley and Villa Park, scored two awards. The brewery earned silver for its Milkshake IPA strawberry double marbles beer and its Muese Valley beer in the Barrel-Aged Quad/Belgian Dark Ale category.

Adams Street Brewery in Chicago also took home two accolades, earning gold in both the Foreign Stout category for its Der Reisende beer and the Historical Beer: Kentucky Common category for its steam engine beer.

Other Illinois winners at the 2025 U.S. Open Beer Championship include:

• New England/Juicy DIPA
  • Gold: Indistinguishable From Magic – Triptych Brewing
• Pastry Stout
  • Gold: Kodiak’s Revenge BBA – Raspberry Pâczki Ike & Oak Brewing Co
• English Summer Ale
  • Gold: Farmhouse – Crystal Lake Brewing
• Imperial Stout/Porter
  • Gold: Thick Thighs and Luscious Eyes – Hop District Community Brewing Co.
• Belgian and French Ale
  • Silver: If You Want Blond… – BBGB Brewery and Hop Farm
• Belgian Tripel
  • Gold: Bel Ringer – 9th Hour Brewing Company
• Italian Pilsener
  • Silver: Antonio – Brother Chimp Brewing
• Mexican Lager/Pilsener
  • Gold: San Carlos Especial – Riverlands Brewing Company
• Barrel-Aged Strong/Porter Extreme (12.5%+)
  • Silver: Sir Blends A-Lot #5 – Mikerphone Brewing
• Historical Beer – C: Grodziskie
  • Silver: Grodziskie – Goldfinger Brewing Company