Pollyanna Brewing Co. Takes Bronze At Great American Beer Festival

LEMONT, IL — Pollyanna Brewing Co. in Lemont, was one of nine Illinois beer makers which left the 40th annual Great American Beer Festival with medals this year. The Lemont brewery took home a bronze medal for its American-Style India Pale Ale — Lexical Gap.

Only one Illinois brewery claimed a gold medal, which was Greenstar Brewing in Chicago, 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.

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.

Here are all the Illinois winners:

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