(The crowd was buzzing at the Great American Beer Festival. Photo courtesy of the Brewers Association.)
By Jeff Maisey
A caboose is normally last of a long chain of traveling railcars, but Caboose Brewing Company was driving the engine of success full-throttle during the 2025 Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado.
Caboose scored a gold and silver medal.
The national craft beer competition is the Super Bowl of events for the industry.
According to the Brewers Association, “a total of 273 breweries and cideries took home 347 medals in this year’s Great American Beer Festival competition. Over seven days and three judging phases, 250 expert judges evaluated 8,315 beer and cider entries—including 68 Collaboration and 40 Pro-Am submissions—from breweries spanning all 50 states and Washington, D.C.”
Following are the independent craft beer winners from Virginia.
GOLD
Caboose Brewing Co, Caboose Altbier, German-Style Altbier Category
Blue Mountain Brewery, Wild Pear, Contemporary Gose Category
SILVER
Caboose Brewing Co, Boxcar Brown, American-Style Brown Ale Category
Great American Restaurants Sweetwater Tavern, Octoberfest Lager, German-style Marzen Category
Hidden Wit Brewing Co/Joel Miller, Cool Uncle Dunkel, Pro/Am Category
BRONZE
Big Ugly Brewing, Made Me Say Underwear, Strong Porter Category
Barley Naked Brewing Co, Irish Prenup, Sweet Stout/Cream Stout Category
Meiza Blendery, A Host of Delights, Fruited Wood/Barrel-Aged Sour Beer Category
Starr Hill Beer Hall Richmond, Second Rodeo, German-Style Pilsener Category
Best In Show Package Design
Afterglow Brewing, All Rye, All Rye, All Rye IPA
