California 2020 GABF Winners

Yes my two locals brought home 5 medals total. 3 to RiiP & 2 to Beachwood/Blendery. I’m gonna head over to RiiP a little later and have a Black the Riipper. And again, a big Shout Out to Harrison over at the Blendery doing good things for them. I’d like to see H move on and open up his own brewery. I know he likes to brew stouts and IPA’s as well as sours.
Nobody else really close to the awards California pulled off. Colorado and Oregon, 26 & 22 I believe. Washington looks to have more awards on the juicy/hazy & wet hop ipas/dipa’s category. Just coming from Seattle visit last weekend I concur. At least on the hazy & wet hop ipa’s I had were all spot on. Drinking everything WA beers with my bro-n-law up in Puyallup we agreed that all the WA beers were good to great, but overall our California beers are the best of the west.

 

The Highland Park and El Segundo wins were pleasant surprises

 

Not that it doesn't matter... cuz it's an honor to win, and it will make me venture out and try something I hadn't before...

But I don't put a huge amount of weight on GABF judging because I feel like they are crazy particular (and traditional?). Thankfully they have added new categories over the years, but judging "to style" when American craft brewing is anything-but just seems a little bit out of touch. But I know I'm in a very small minority, given the website in which I'm posting

 

I was happy to see Three Weavers win gold for Deep Roots. I’ve always enjoyed that beer. It seems to get overlooked. I always order a pint when I’m there.

 

Haven’t been in years. Overlooked? Yes. They are just down the street and around the block from lax. Went at least a half dozen times when they first opened. No need to risk the drive back to NOC after work these days. Before Covid that 405 crawl back to OC was dreadful. Plus these days there’s so many greatness to be had in OC/LA. 3W is one of the better breweries in the LA area. And there’s a lot.

 

Placed an order for the final cases of P4P and got a shipping notification today even though they're not supposed to be canned until 10/20ish? Hopefully it's just a placeholder and I didn't just get a case of some shelfies they had leftover from a previous batch.

 

Oops meant to post this in the RR thread. Sorry!

 

Great to see Riip win with Black the Riiper again, that beer is great. Last time I had it was 2018 a few months before it won Silver at that year's GABF. Keep meaning to grab that and Riizo (which also won) in crowlers.

Also great to see Beachwood win for BA Full Malted Jacket, just had that a month or so back. Wonderful beer.

 

Bootleggers getting a medal but not Bruery or Bottle Logic seems very 2020

 

^^^ that's what I'm wondering. I know The Bruery has entered (and medalled) in the past, but it's always surprising the ones that don't enter

 

I'd love to see a list that doesn't exist - that of notable California breweries who didn't enter. AFAIK, Fieldwork has never won a GABF medal so I'd imagine they aren't interested in entering. Sante Adairius, Bottle Logic? How about RRBC, recently?

 

The list is longer and more distinguished than you would think. Especially this year.

 

Is Wookie Jack still brewed regularly (at all)? SN took bronze in the same category with 1979 stout which I have never heard of (and I'm a huge SN fan). Interesting...

Nice to see Discretion Brewery Uncle Dave's win, but it won for English Ale and it's always sold as an IPA. Good beer either way. Just funny...

Found one brewery (Clandestine) in San Jose who won the Gold Model in the Dopplebock Category. Never heard of them. Will check them out as it's look they brew a lot of non-IPA styles.

Alvarado Street won a couple (IPA and Imperial IPA). I guess that I need to try them again because I wasn't impressed with my fist couple of beers from them.

 

couple in the Sacramento area.

Slice Beer Co, Tight Quarters - Hazy Strong Pale Ale - BRONZE

Moonraker, Yojo - Hazy IPA - SILVER

Urban Roots, Tomorrow's Verse - Classic Saison - SILVER

Moksa, Grasp of Oak - Wood BA Stout - BRONZE

Auburn Ale House, All-American Brown - American Style Brown Ale - BRONZE

 

It can kind of be a crapshoot. Unless you are Second Chance/Marty Mendoza who dominates the porter category.

 

Nothing beats Gold Road -Get Up Offa That Brown.