Ohio Breweries Win Big At 2023 Great American Beer Festival

Ohio ruled at this year’s Great American Beer Festival setting a new state record for the number of medals won at the prestigious event.

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Ohio’s independent craft breweries brought home an impressive number of the industry’s most prestigious awards at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival awards ceremony, held in Denver last weekend. The 19 medal haul smashes the previous Ohio record of 15, set in 2019.

Fat Head’s Brewery, Ohio’s most decorated brewery at the Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup competitions, led the state with three gold medals.

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Third Eye Brewing also made a strong showing, earning three solo medals, a medal in the collaboration beer category – shared with Narrow Path Brewing – and the award for Brewery of the Year (1,001-2,000 barrels).

Sharonville, Ohio’s Narrow Path Brewing earned their own solo medal at this year’s competition for in the German-style Sour category. Restless Seas has also earned a bronze award at the 2022 World Beer Cup.

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Akron’s Hoppin’ Frog Brewery continued the trend of winning awards on both of the country’s most prestigious stages with a Great American Beer Festival gold medal for its Smashing Honey Blonde. Hoppin’ Frog has earned a total of eight medals at the Festival dating back to 2008.

Cincinnati’s Brink Brewing continued their hot streak taking home a gold medal in the Coffee Stout or Porter category a bronze in the Sweet Stout or Cream Stout category. Brink has won at least one medal in each year of competition since the brewery’s founding in 2017.

Another Cincinnati powerhouse, Rhinegeist Brewery took home top honors in the New Zealand India Pale Ale category. This marks the brewery’s third Great American Beer Festival medal, and first gold, since 2015.

Also returning to the medal stand in 2023 were The Brew Brothers of Columbus and Royal Docks Brewing of North Canton. Breweries earning their first Great American Beer Festival awards include Eudora Brewing of Dayton, Inside the Five Brewing of Sylvania, Noble Creature Wild Ales & Lagers of Youngstown and Seventh Son Brewing of Columbus.

Since 1987, 60 Ohio craft breweries have combined to win 202 medals – 70 gold – at the Great American Beer Festival.

“Our independent breweries are proving without a doubt that Ohio is a top-tier destination for craft beer,” said Mary MacDonald, executive director of the Ohio Craft Brewers Association. “From our perennial powerhouse breweries to our impressive young upstarts, you can find award winning, world-class beer all over the state.”

2023 Medal-Winning Ohio Craft Beers

Fat Head’s Brewery

• Alpenglow – Gold – German Wheat Ale
• Goggle Fogger – Gold – South German-Style Hefeweizen
• Head Hunter – Gold – American-Style India Pale Ale

Third Eye Brewing

• Chai Eye Captain – Gold – Herb and Spice Beer
• Double Astral – Gold – Chocolate Beer
• Gourd Darn-it – Silver – Pumpkin Beer

Brink Brewing

• Lil Zoomie – Gold – Coffee Stout or Porter
• Moozie – Bronze – Sweet Stout or Cream Stout

Hoppin’ Frog Brewery

• Smashing Honey Blonde – Gold – Honey Beer

Rhinegeist

• Kiwi (The Bird) – Gold – New Zealand India Pale Ale

The Brew Brothers

• Toasty – Silver – English Mild or Bitter

Eudora Brewing

• Daytonian Rhapsody – Silver – Bohemian-Style Pilsener

Inside the Five Brewing

• Megaphone – Silver – Irish-Style Red Ale

Narrow Path Brewing

• Restless Seas – Silver – German Sour Ale