Last night in SeaTac, Washington we learned about the winners of the 2024 Washington Beer Awards. I share the complete list of winning beers and breweries below, as well as the breweries that earned Brewery of the Year honors. It is a herculean task managed by Specialty Competitions LLC and the Washington Brewers Guild. The typical caveats apply: we know which breweries and beers won, but we do not know which breweries and beers were and were not submitted for judging. Pictured above, from left to right: Mike Hunsacker (Grains of Wrath Brewing), Jesse Brown (Formula Brewing), Greg Macaulay (Distant West Brewing), and Danny Bohm (Formula Brewing).
- Medals were awarded in more than 60 style categories.
- The competition saw 170 of Washington’s breweries submit beer for judging.
- In all, over 1,200 beers were submitted and evaluated by a panel of trained beer judges.
The Washington Beer Awards dinner and ceremony is part of the larger Washington Craft Beer Summit. While much of the Summit is of little interest to beer consumers, the Washington Beer Awards Dinner is a fun event for any beer lover. This year, for the first time, the event was open to the public.
A Few of My Takeaways
- It was great to see some of the state’s newer breweries win medals this year. Cheers to breweries like Distant West Brewing, Larrabee Lager Company, Recluse Brew Works, and the other freshman and sophomore breweries that earned medals this year.
- People often think of Single Hill Brewing as an IPA-focused operation, but two of its five medals were awarded in lager categories.
- Between its two breweries, Old Stove Brewing scored a total of six medals.
- Between its two breweries, Kulshan Brewing scored a total of seven medals.
- The awards really drove home the point that Bellingham and Vancouver are amazing beer towns. And I am way overdue for a visit to the latter.
Breweries of the Year
The Washington Beer Awards determines Breweries of the Year based on total medal count and other considerations, such as the number of beers entered into the categories in which those medals were won. The winners are determined in four different size categories based on total production volume.
Dwinell Country Ales won as the Very Small Brewery of the Year with four medals, including a sweep of a category. Larrabee Lager Company won on strength of victory in a three-way tie with three medals to become this year’s small brewery of the year. Grains of Wrath Brewing repeated as the Mid-Sized Brewery of the Year category with an astounding 5 gold medals. The Large Brewery of the Year was won by Single Hill Brewing Company with three golds, a silver, and a bronze.
sponsor
A few special awards recognized some unique Washington brewing excellence. Reuben’s Brews won a gold medal in the “Pro-Am” category for a Dortmunder Export that was developed by Washington homebrewer Drew Scoggins and scaled up for commercial production. Scuttlebutt Brewing Company and Sound to Summit again collaborated on a hefeweizen called “Bridging the Trestle” which won gold in this year’s “Collaboration Beer” category.
- Very Small Brewery of the Year: Dwinell County Ales (4 medals won, including a sweep in the Brett Beer category)
- Small Brewery of the Year: Larrabee Lager Company (4 medals won)
- Mid-Sized Brewery of the Year: Grains of Wrath Brewing (5 medals won)
- Large Brewery of the Year: Single Hill Brewing Company (5 medals won)
The Medal Winners
Light German-Style Lagers:
sponsor
- Gold: Larrabee Lager Company – Larrabee Original Lager
- Silver: Chuckanut Brewery – Chuckanut Fest Bier
- Bronze: Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2 – Helles
German-Style Pilsners:
- Gold: E9 Brewing Co – T-Dome Pilsner
- Silver: Fortside Brewing Company – Fortside Pilsner
- Bronze: Farmstrong Brewing Co. – Skagit Pilsner
German-Style Oktoberfests/Wiesns:
- Gold: Brick West Brewing – Festbier
- Silver: Brothers Cascadia Brewing – Festbier
- Bronze: Urban Family Brewing Co – Test Fest
German-Style Maerzens:
- Gold: Garland Brew Werks – Oktoberfest
- Silver: Heathen Brewing – Marzen Invaders
- Bronze: Formula Brewing – Jacob Two Tree’s
German-Style Schwarzbiers:
- Gold: The Good Society Brewery & Public House – Schwarzbier
- Silver: Flying Lion Brewing – Small But Tiny Dark Lager
- Bronze: Bellevue Brewing Co. – Bellevue Brewing Schwarzbier
Other European Amber & Dark Beers:
- Gold: Four Generals Brewing – Alt Bier
- Silver: San Juan Island Brewing Company – The Late Boat Czech Dark Lager
- Bronze: Obec Brewing – Czech Dark Lager
Bohemian-Style Pilsners:
- Gold: Chuckanut Brewery – Chuckanut Pilsner
- Silver: Wander Brewing – Czech Pils
- Bronze: Stemma Brewing – Stemma Pils
Vienna-Style Lagers:
- Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Vienna Lager
- Silver: Uprise Brewing Co – Vienna Lager
- Bronze: Obec Brewing – Granat
American-Style Light Lagers:
- Gold: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Boat Beer
- Silver: Varietal Beer Company – Moxee Light
- Bronze: Heathen Brewing – Heathen Light
American-Style Lagers:
- Gold: Western Red Brewing – Little Tugger Lager
- Silver: Distant West – American Lager
- Bronze: Recluse Brew Works, LLC – RBW LAGER BEER
Contemporary American-Style Lager:
- Gold: Hellbent Brewing – Tobogan Mexican Lager
- Silver: Here Today Brewery & Kitchen – Lightning Harp
- Bronze: Stoup Brewing – Cervecita
American-Style Pilsners:
- Gold: Single Hill Brewing Company – Adams Pils
- Silver: Reuben’s Brews – Pilsner
- Bronze: Bellevue Brewing Co. – Bellevue 1882 Lager
Contemporary American-Style Pilsners:
- Gold: Single Hill Brewing Company – Super Delicious
- Silver: Recluse Brew Works, LLC – Faceless Commodity
- Bronze: Farmstrong Brewing Co. – Skagit Pilsner
American-Style India Pale Lagers:
- Gold: Trap Door Brewing – Day Beer
- Silver: Old Stove Brewing Gardens – Neighborhood Chill
- Bronze: Stoup Brewing-Capitol Hill – Mixtape Romeo
Other American-Style Lagers:
- Gold: Halcyon Brewing Co. – Midnight Coterie
- Silver: Lucky Envelope Brewing – Yinz Jawn Pennsylvania Lager
- Bronze: Single Hill Brewing Company – Flight Cancelled
Australasian, Latin American or Tropical-Style Light Lagers:
- Gold: Diamond Knot Brewing Company – Cantina
- Silver: Boundary Bay Brewery – Van Zandt
- Bronze: Wander Brewing – See You Tomorrow
International-Style Pilseners:
- Gold: Maelstrom Brewing Company – Pilsner
- Silver: Recluse Brew Works, LLC – Ugly Mug
- Bronze: Project 9 Brewing – Floating Lotus
Strong Lagers:
- Gold: Airways Brewing – Bockbier
- Silver: DYSTOPIAN STATE BREWING CO – High Command
- Bronze: Formula Brewing – Daydream Stream
Kellerbiers or Zwickelbiers:
- Gold: Formula Brewing – Bootup Sequence
- Silver: Valholl Brewing – Zwickel Pilsner
- Bronze: Larrabee Lager Company – Keller Pils
German-Style Kölsches:
- Gold: Dru Bru – Kolsch
- Silver: Moment Brewing – Kolsch
- Bronze: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Kiteboard Kolsch
German-Style Wheat Beers:
- Gold: Brick West Brewing – Big Heart
- Silver: Larrabee Lager Company – White Duck
- Bronze: Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2 – Hefeweizen
Rye and American Wheat Beers:
- Gold: Barrel Mountain Brewing – Be Happy
- Silver: White Bluffs Brewing – Rock N Brown
- Bronze: Mac & Jack’s Brewing Company – Serengeti Wheat
Golden or Blonde Ales:
- Gold: Elliott Bay Brewing – Organic Boat Beer
- Silver: Valholl Brewing – Golden Warrior
- Bronze: Logan Brewing Company – Easy Mode
English-Style Bitters:
- Gold: Obec Brewing – English Bitter
- Silver: Rainy Daze Brewing – Test Drive Amber
- Bronze: Vice Beer – AT-AT ESB
English Ales:
- Gold: Kulshan Brewing Co. – Sunnyland – Transporter
- Silver: Georgetown Brewing Co – Manny’s
- Bronze: Loowit Brewing Company – Shadow Shinobi
Irish-Style Red Ales:
- Gold: Kulshan Brewing Co. – Sunnyland – Red Cap
- Silver: Silver City Brewery – Ridgetop Red
- Bronze: WHISTLE PUNK BREWING – Irish Red Ale
Scottish Ales:
- Gold: Silver City Brewery – The Magnificent Scotch Ale
- Silver: Outer Planet Brewing – Falcon Wee Heavy
- Bronze: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Sail Away Scotch Ale
Cream Ales:
- Gold: Lucky Envelope Brewing – Mexican Lager (Insert Snarky Style Comment Here)
- Silver: Varietal Beer Company – Two Wolves
- Bronze: Resonate Brewery – Mexican Radio
International & Australasian Ales:
- Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Wastelandia
- Silver: Scuttlebutt Brewing Company – Option 42 Pale Ale
- Bronze: Postdoc Brewing – Finest Decision XPA
British & American Strong Ales:
- Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Geezer’s Paradox
- Silver: San Juan Island Brewing Company – King Tide Barleywine
- Bronze: Brothers Cascadia Brewing – Barleywine
Robust Porters:
- Gold: White Bluffs Brewing – Shadows Of Temptation
- Silver: Reuben’s Brews – Robust Porter
- Bronze: Georgetown Brewing Co – 9 Pound
American-Style Stout:
- Gold: Top Rung Brewing Company – My Dog Scout Stout
- Silver: Old Stove Brewing – Dark Passage
- Bronze: Stoup Brewing-Capitol Hill – Stoup American Stout
British Stouts:
- Gold: Kulshan Brewing Co. – Sunnyland – Echoes In Time
- Silver: Rainy Daze Brewing – Haulin Oats Stout
- Bronze: Ten Pin Brewing – Snake Eye Stout
Irish Stouts:
- Gold: Barrel Mountain Brewing – Starway
- Silver: Elysian Brewing Co – Dragonstooth
- Bronze: Hat Trick Brewing – Stouty McStouterson
American-Style Imperial Porters & Imperial Stouts:
- Gold: Loowit Brewing Company – Shimmergloom
- Silver: Big Barn Brewing – Black Dog Stout
- Bronze: Ten Pin Brewing – Black Eyed Katy
American-Style Pale Ales:
- Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Papermaker
- Silver: Georgetown Brewing Co – Johnny Utah
- Bronze: Stoup Brewing – N Zed Pale
Juicy or Hazy Pale Ales:
- Gold: Humble Abode Brewing – Life Juice
- Silver: Old Stove Brewing Gardens – Fight The Good Fight
- Bronze: Icicle Brewing Company – Little Giant
American-Style Strong Pale Ales:
- Gold: Hellbent Brewing – Dang! Citra IPA
- Silver: Single Hill Brewing Company – Eastside
- Bronze: Resonate Brewery – Atomic Punk
Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ales:
- Gold: Irrelevant Beer – Psychedelic Therapy
- Silver: Trap Door Brewing – Glowed Up
- Bronze: Old Stove Brewing – No One Knows
American-Style Amber/Red Ales:
- Gold: Old Stove Brewing Gardens – Amber Waves
- Silver: Stemma Brewing – First Amber
- Bronze: Terramar Brewstillery – Amber On
Pumpkin Spice Beers:
- Gold: Elysian Brewing Co – Night Owl
- Silver: Elysian Brewing Co – Great Pumpkin
- Bronze: Elliott Bay Brewing – Organic Mashing Pumpkin
American-Style Brown & Black Ales:
- Gold: Ladd & Lass Brewing – The Night Is Dark And Full Of Terror
- Silver: Fortside Brewing Company – Couve A’licious
- Bronze: Ice Harbor Brewing Co. – Bruneau Brown
American-Style India Pale Ales:
- Gold: Victor 23 – Imitator
- Silver: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Apex IPA
- Bronze: Kulshan Brewing Co. – Sunnyland – Bastard Kat
West Coast-Style India Pale Ales:
- Gold: Barrel Mountain Brewing – Unplug
- Silver: Hellbent Brewing – Hop For Teacher IPA
- Bronze: Uprise Brewing Co – Lucid Portal
Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ales:
- Gold: Icicle Brewing Company – Enchantments
- Silver: Sound 2 Summit Brewing – Ice Axe
- Bronze: Wet Coast Brewing Co. – Mixtape For 1
Imperial or Double India Pale Ales:
- Gold: Single Hill Brewing Company – Mind Plant
- Silver: Bale Breaker Brewing Company – Bottomcutter IIPA
- Bronze: Taneum Creek Brewing – Never Lift
Juicy or Hazy Imperial or Double India Pale Ales:
- Gold: Trap Door Brewing – Juiced Up
- Silver: Reuben’s Brews Taproom – Supernova
- Bronze: White Bluffs Brewing – Super NOG
Belgian-Style Witbiers:
- Gold: Genus Brewing & Supply – “Erinaceus” (Genus Of The Hedgehog) V.4 Witbier
- Silver: Hellbent Brewing – Wit
- Bronze: Ghost Runners Brewery – Phantom Blanca
Belgian & Belgian Inspired Ales:
- Gold: The Good Society Brewery & Public House – First To Fall
- Silver: Dwinell Country Ales – Lookie Loo
- Bronze: Echoes Brewing Company – The Golden Blonde
Belgian Strong & Abbey Ales:
- Gold: Moment Brewing – Belgian Dark Strong
- Silver: White Bluffs Brewing – Monking Around
- Bronze: Hat Trick Brewing – Sup Nerds
Belgian & French Farmhouse Ales:
- Gold: Lucky Envelope Brewing – LE Saison
- Silver: E9 Brewing Co – Vital Transformation
- Bronze: Humble Abode Brewing – Rye Saison
Chili Pepper Beers:
- Gold: Haywire Brewing Co. – Lizzy Enfuego
- Silver: Icicle Brewing Company – Cot In The Heat
- Bronze: Old Stove Brewing – Ring Of Fire
Brett Beers:
- Gold: Dwinell Country Ales – Summer Blush
- Silver: Dwinell Country Ales – Fever Dream
- Bronze: Dwinell Country Ales – Fuzzword
German Style Sour Beers:
- Gold: Kulshan Brewing Co. – K2 – Gose
- Silver: Dru Bru – Peach Sour
- Bronze: Narrows Brewing – Good 2 Gose
American-Style Sour Ales:
- Gold: FrinGe Brewing – Project Stardust
- Silver: Ashtown Brewing Co. – Orange-Strawberry Smoothie Sour
- Bronze: Beach Cat Brewing – Raspberry Purree
Belgian Sour and Wild Ales:
- Gold: Elliott Bay Brewing Lake City Way – Ambrosia Kreik
- Silver: North Fork Brewery – Turbo Goes To Rocket
- Bronze: Elliott Bay Brewing Lake City Way – DeRode Duivels
American-Style Fruit Beers:
- Gold: SnowEater Brewing Co – Rylans Dandy Shandy
- Silver: Big Barn Brewing – Strawberry Blonde
- Bronze: Narrows Brewing – Peachy Voyage
Fruit Wheat Beers:
- Gold: Ice Harbor Brewing Co. – Ice Harbor Tangerine Hefeweizen
- Silver: Ten Pin Brewing – Groove Pineapple Wheat Ale
- Bronze: Resonate Brewery – Hysberia
Spiced, Field & Herb Beers:
- Gold: Machine House Brewery – Stinging Nettle Ale
- Silver: Beach Cat Brewing – Christmas In July
- Bronze: In The Shadow Brewing – ITS HBL
Pastry Stouts, Coffee & Chocolate Beers:
- Gold: Georgetown Brewing Co – Gusto Creme Coffee Ale
- Silver: Humble Abode Brewing – Peanut Butter Chocolate Porter
- Bronze: Farmstrong Brewing Co. – Mike In The Morning Coffee Porter
Smoke Beers:
- Gold: Here Today Brewery & Kitchen – Icarus Phase
- Silver: Ladd & Lass Brewing – Short Days, Dark Nights
- Bronze: Genus Brewing & Supply – “Clavaria Fumosa” (Genus Of The Smokey Spindles)
Specialty & Historical Beers:
- Gold: Taneum Creek Brewing – Wild Goose Chase
- Silver: Fremont Brewing – NA IPA
- Bronze: Ladd & Lass Brewing – WAtucky Corn Snacks
Session Beers:
- Gold: Grains Of Wrath Brewing – Ticklish Warrior
- Silver: Formula Brewing – I’ll Say It Once More
- Bronze: Logan Brewing Company – Alchemist’s Dilemma
Experimental Beers:
- Gold: Rainy Daze Brewing – Mr. Mustachio
- Silver: Dru Bru – Experimental IPA #3
- Bronze: Elysian Brewing Co – Punkuccino
Wood & Barrel Aged Strong Stouts:
- Gold: Matchless Brewing – Thurston County Stout 2023
- Silver: Fortside Brewing Company – Bourbon Barrel Aged Night King
- Bronze: Uprise Brewing Co – Phases Of The Moon
Other Wood & Barrel Aged Beers:
- Gold: Lumberbeard Brewing – Anniversary Year 4
- Silver: Echoes Brewing Company – Glutinous Prime
- Bronze: Postdoc Brewing – Hogus Maximus Extremis Amburana 2024
Wood & Barrel Aged Sour Beers:
- Gold: Dru Bru – Margarita Sour
- Silver: Urban Family Brewing Co – Rum Dawn
- Bronze: Jellyfish Brewing Company – Birra Chiara
Seltzers:
- Gold: Triceratops Brewing Co – Strawberry Lemonade Hard Seltzer
- Silver: Timber City Ginger Beer – Imperial Ginger Beer
- Bronze: Four Eyed Guys Brewing – Strawberry Basil Hard Seltzer
Pro-Am:
- Gold: Reuben’s Brews and Homebrewer Drew Scoggins – Dortmunder
- Silver: Beach Cat Brewing and Homebrewers Joe Murphy and Carolyn Macaulay Waldo – Joe’rchata Mexican Cream Ale
- Bronze: North 47 Brewing Co and Homebrewer Tristan McCoy – Diet Smoke
Collaboration Beers:
- Gold: Scuttlebutt Brewing Company & Sound to Summit Brewing – Bridging The Trestle
- Silver: Heathen Brewing & Brothers Cascadia Brewing – Marzen Invaders
- Bronze: Ladd & Lass Brewing, Big Time Brewery & Halcyon Brewing – WAtucky Corn Snacks
