A sold-out crowd turned out this weekend for the Great American Beer Festival in downtown Denver. Through Saturday, the last day of the festival, more than 40,000 people were expected to sample nearly 2,000 kinds of beer.
Craft beer has been a fast-growing segment of the overall beer industry, though it is still a small segment. The Brewers Association reports craft beer makes up roughly 5 percent of total beer sales in terms of dollars.
Judges chose winners in 75 categories. The top five awards:
Large brewing company and company brewer of the year, Pabst Brewing Company, Woodridge, Ill., Bob Newman;
Mid-size brewing company and company brewer of the year, Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, Calif., Matthew Brynildson;
Small brewing company and brewer of the year, Port Brewing & The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, Calif., Tomme Arthur;
Large brewpub and brewer of the year, Redrock Brewing Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, Kevin Templin;
Small brewpub and brewer of the year, Montana Brewing Company, Billings, Mont., Travis Zeilstra.
