Nation‘s largest professional beer competition adds cider categories to judging

Boulder, Colo. — Registration for the 2024 Great American Beer Festival® (GABF™) competition opens Tuesday, June 11, at 10:00 am MT and runs through July 12, or until capacity is reached.

Produced by the Brewers Association (BA)—the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American craft brewers—GABF is the nation’s largest professional beer competition. Its medals are globally acknowledged as an emblem of brewing excellence and among the most sought-after accolades within the brewing community.

In 2023, 9,298 entries spanning 99 beer categories across 175 styles were judged, and 263 breweries were awarded 303 medals.

Each year, the competition’s beer style guide is reviewed by a committee of industry peers and updated to reflect industry trends. Major updates for the 2024 edition include the addition of five new cider categories: Tannic Cider (Cat. 201), No/Low-Tannin Cider (Cat. 202), Fruited or Botanical Cider (Cat. 203), Experimental or Barrel-Aged Cider (Cat. 204), and Single Varietal Cider (Cat. 205).

“The Great American Beer Festival competition serves as a platform for the finest beers (and now ciders) from across the nation to undergo rigorous scrutiny from a highly-qualified sensory panel of their peers and vie for the title of ‘Best in Class,'” remarked Chris Williams, competition director for the Great American Beer Festival. “This year, we are pleased to invite the more than 1,300 commercial cider producers to compete for medals in the inaugural cider categories.”

Complete competition information can be found at the links below.

• Competition Information
• Dates and Deadlines
• Official Beer Styles
• Eligibility and Fees
• Brewery of the Year
• Shipping Competition Beers

The 2024 awards ceremony will be held at the Bellco Theatre in Denver on Saturday, October 12, as part of the Great American Beer Festival and livestreamed on The Brewing Network.

Contact: Meg Papanastassiou (on behalf of the Brewers Association) 970-963-4873 x1212.

About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade organization representing more than 9,300 small and independent American brewers, their beverages, and the community of craft beer enthusiasts. With over 5,600 U.S. brewery members, the BA champions the independent craft brewer seal—a trusted symbol that helps consumers identify beer brewed by small and independent producers.

The BA organizes some of the industry’s most influential events, including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, and American Craft Beer Week®. It also publishes The New Brewer® and through Brewers Publications®, remains the country’s leading publisher of brewing literature. Beer lovers can explore the world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com and follow the BA on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

The Brewers Association is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital/familial status. The BA complies with provisions of Executive Order 13672 and the rules, regulations, and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.