For the second time in three years, Arizona breweries won just a single medal at the prestigious Great American Beer Festival in Denver over the weekend.
In total, 1,752 breweries, representing all 50 states, submitted 7,227 beers for judging in 96 categories in the world’s largest commercial beer competition.
Historic Brewing (whose crew is pictured above) from Flagstaff was the only Arizona brewery to earn a medal, picking up the silver in Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer category for its Avant-Chard.
Maybe it’s an even-year thing. Arizona also won just one medal in 2014. In comparison, Arizona breweries took four medals last year and five in 2013.
California topped all states with 68 medals this year. Colorado (28 medals), Oregon (21), and North Carolina (17) rounded out the top four.
The big surprise of the weekend was tiny Uberbrew from Billing, Mont., which won four medals – more than any other brewery – and was named Small Brewery of the Year.
Uberbrew took the gold in the Imperial IPA and American-Style Wheat Beer categories, the silver in Double Red Ale, and the bronze in American-Style Black Ale.
See the full list of 2016 GABF medal winners.
