The Great American Beer Festival, a hub for both beer enthusiasts and brewers, has once again unveiled a dazzling array of breweries pushing the boundaries of both flavor and creativity. In this article, we’re shining a spotlight on the hottest breweries that stood out to The Tasting Alliance Team at this year’s festival. From eclectic concoctions to time-honored classics, join us as we raise a glass to the pioneers shaping the landscape of beer showcased at the Great American Beer Festival.
Estuary Beans and Barley
Estuary Beans and Barley is an artisan beverage company founded in 2020, on Johns Island SC. At Estuary, the team is inspired by their community to create both beer and coffee that pushes industry standards in terms of quality and creativity. They use the highest quality ingredients while paying homage to the time-honoring traditions of roasting coffee and brewing beer.
Beers to Explore:
25 Island Wide Hazy IPA: Hop forward with notes of passionfruit, citrus, and pine. Medium-bodied with a backbone of biscuit and wheat.
Cabrinha Drifter Coast to Coast Lager: A light, crisp yet flavorful lager. Malt presence is a touch of biscuit, toast, and honey followed by a honeydew melon and citrus hop presence.
CPT Tang Fruited Berliner Weisse: A kettle sour with raspberry and blackberry puree added during fermentation. Starts tart and acidic with notes of fresh fruit and a dry finish.
Odell Brewing
Founded in 1989, Odell Brewing was started by Doug Odell, his wife Wynne, and his sister Corkie. Over thirty years later, the culture of family and collaboration still thrives, fostering a brewery full of beer-centric people. It is this passion for beer that inspires Odell Brewing to create quality, hand-crafted, innovative brews.
Beers to Explore:
Big Sippin’ Imperial Sour Ale: Fruity, tart, and big.
Easy Street Wheat: Refreshing & unfiltered.
Sippin’ Lemonade Sour: Refreshing lemonade beer.
Left Hand Brewing
It all started with a humble homebrew kit and the drive to make better beer. Tired of the same bland and dated choices everywhere, Air Force friends Eric Wallace and Dick Doore set out to make the kind of beer that excited them; beer they wanted to drink. A hobby quickly became an obsession and it wasn’t long before Left Hand Brewing was born in Longmont, Colorado. Over 26 years later, the brewery is still forging its own path, building community around better beer.
Beers to Explore:
Milk Stout Nitro: Notes of roasted coffee, milk chocolate, brown sugar, and vanilla cream.
Galactic Cowboy Nitro: Notes of bittersweet chocolate and black coffee, this high-octane stout is the fuel you need to wrangle the universe.
Breezy Does It: Effortless flavors of tropical passion fruit supported by subtle malt and floral hops.
Blind Tiger
The Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant opened its doors on May 1, 1995, and is named for the Prohibition-era custom of illegal drinking establishments displaying stuffed tigers or china tigers to alert potential patrons to the availability of illicit alcohol after hours. In the southern dialect, a “tiger” was a roaring party. These “tigers” were “blind” because the authorities, at least officially, did not know they existed.
Beers to Explore:
Tiger Paw Porter: An English Style Robust Porter. Black with Ruby highlights. Soft roast notes up front with a chocolate finish. Medium-bodied, not too heavy. Moderate hops to balance.
Holy Grail Pale Ale: American Style Pale Ale. Smooth malt character with warm toasty notes. The color is like a Kansas sunset. Snappy American hops throughout. Big hop nose with a clean finish.
Our Mutual Friend
Our Mutual Friend is a small brewery and taproom in Denver, CO whose goal is to create world-class beer using local ingredients whenever possible and serve as a gathering place for the Five Points neighborhood.
Beers to Explore:
Gratitude Ten: Imperial stout aged in Leopold blackberry whiskey barrels.
Fixed Blade: Barleywine aged in Laws Whiskey barrels.
We invite all beer brewers to step into the league of exceptional brews at the upcoming 2023 Tasting Alliance World Beer Competition. With registration entries closing on November 3, you don’t want to miss the chance to ensure your brews are running for the recognition they deserve.
