Villains Brewing won their first GABF medal at the 2023 Great American Beer Festival Awards. Photo Greg Nagel

250 judges took nine days to judge 9300 entries from 2,033 breweries at the 2023 GABF. Orange County brewers took home a dozen medals overall, up one from last year. At this year’s Alpha King hoppy beer challenge, BreweryX kept the coveted Yakima Chief hop-helmet in OC, last year won by Radiant and 3rd place Santa Ana River Brewing Co.

Here are the 2023 Great American Beer Festival Winners:

Gold

• Lost Winds – Huckleberry Phin Sour fruited American sour ale (1st GABF medal)
• Golden Road HB – Guava Cart fruit wheat beer

Silver

• Docent Brewing – Super Tonic coffee stout (3rd-time GABF winner for this beer)
• Unsung Brewing – Chaos Erupts American-style strong pale ale
• Stereo Brewing – Wall of Sound oatmeal stout (3rd-time GABF winner for this beer)

Bronze

• Laguna Beach Beer Co. – Tuava Guava RSM fruit wheat beer (1st GABF medal)
• The Bruery – Because You’re Mine chocolate beer
• Villains Brewing – Saca La Bolsita American-style lager (1st GABF medal)
• Beachwood Brewing – Glenlongbeach Scottish-style ale (made in HB)
• Docent Brewing – Trabuco American-style brown
• Tustin Brewing – Midnight Oil American black ale or stout 
• Docent Brewing – Double Nickles American style pale ale