Illinois Brewers Bring Home 9 Medals From Great American Beer Festival

CHICAGO — Nine Illinois beer makers left the 40th annual Great American Beer Festival with medals this year, with Greenstar Brewing in Chicago claiming gold in the American Amber Lager category for its Bateman Bier.

The nation’s largest beer festival has wrapped its 2024 competition, awarding 325 medals to 273 breweries and cideries across the country. This year also marked a first for the prestigious contest with the inclusion of cider and canned cocktails.

Illinois breweries earned recognition in several categories, including German-Style Altbier, Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer, and Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout, bringing home multiple silver and bronze medals alongside the coveted gold. (See all local winners below.)

The festival is held in Denver, Colorado every year, allowing thousands of people to try hundreds of competing beers ranging in flavor from hoppy to funky. This year, the festival hosted hundreds of breweries at the Colorado Convention Center from Oct. 10 through Oct. 12.

Breweries earned accolades across various categories, from American pilsners to sours, coffee beers, non-alcoholic brews and beyond.

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Gold

• Greenstar Brewing, Chicago — American Amber Lager — Bateman Bier

Silver

• Double Clutch Brewing Co., Evanston — German-Style Altbier — Altbier
• Piece Brewery, Chicago — German-Style Pilsener — Door Code
• Werk Force Brewing Co., Plainfield — Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout — Humongous Sleepy Chungus Bear

Bronze

• Pollyanna Brewing Co., Lemont — American-Style India Pale Ale — Lexical Gap
• Moody Tongue Brewing Co., Chicago — Fruited Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer — Cassis
• Hopewell Brewing Co., Chicago — Kellerbier or Zwickelbier — Tankbeer
• Cruz Blanca Brewery, Chicago — Specialty Saison — Wild Honey
• MORE Brewing Co., Huntley — Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer — Barrel Aged Dopplebock