These are the results of the 2017 Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers competition, the 15th installment of the event, held on November 10th and 11th, 2017. The event is run by the Illinois Craft Brewer’s Guild and held this year at the UIC Forum in Chicago. The National Wood Aged Beer Competition is judged by a panel of industry experts prior to the public sessions. Each beer is judged on the basis of how that underlying style reflects the expression of wood and/or barrel character. This year, Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals were awarded in 11 categories as well as “best of show.”

This year there were 374 entries from 206 different breweries.

In 2016 there were 419 entries from 179 different breweries, 2016 results here.
In 2015 there were 363 entries from 157 different breweries, 2015 results here.
In 2014 there were 275 entries from 112 different breweries, 2014 results here.
In 2013 there were 213 entries from 95 breweries, 2013 results here.
In 2012 there were 173 entries, 2012 results here.
in 2011 there were some entries, 2011 results here.

FOBAB 2017 Best Of Show
#1 – More Brewing  – BA Karma
#2 – Listermann/Triple Digit Brewing – Chickow! (Brandy) (Listermann won BOS in 2016 with a similar variant of this beer, and won a medal for the same in 2015.)

Category: Cider/Perry/Mead – 17 entries (2016 was 23, 2015 was 19, 2014 was 9, new category in 2013 with 9 entries)
#1 – Entry 003 – Angry Orchard – Understood In Motion #2 (Won gold in 2016 for Understood In Motion #1)
#2 – Entry 017 – Virtue Cider – Percheron
#3 – Entry 012 – Tin City Cider Co – Heartland Cider

Category: Fruit Beer – 12 Entries (2016 was 17 2015 was 13, 2014 was 26, 2013 was 11, 2012 was 14)

#1 – Shoreline Brewery – Imperial Raspberry
#2 – Werk Force Brewing Co. – Farmhouse Vultures (Won 1st place in this category in 2017)
#3 – Alter Brewing Company – Kings Blood (Won 2nd place in this category in 2016)

Category: Specialty Strong/Porter Stout (previously called Strong Porter/Stout) 61 entries (3016 was 45, 2015 was 36, 2014 was 36, 2013 was 33, 2012 was 21)

#1 – More Brewing Company – BA Karma
#2 – Haymarket Pub & Brewery – Clare’s Thirsty Ale
#3 – Mikkeller Brewing San Diego – Beer Geek Mid-Day Dessert

Category: Barleywine/Wheatwine – 29 entries (31 in 2016, 33 in 2015, 33 in 2014, 16 in 2013, 2012 was 16)

#1 – Fremont Brewing – Brew 2000
#2 – Short’s Brewing Company – Bourbon Wizard
#3 – Revolution Brewing – Very Special Old (Straight) Jacket (VSOj)

Category: Other Dark Beer – (New Category for 2017)

#1 – Zaftig Brewing Company – Zaftig Wee Heavy
#2 – Rhinegeist Brewery – Double Oaked Mastodon
#3 – Pollyanna Brewing Company – Orenda Volume 02

Category: Other Pale Beer

#1 – Warped Wing Brewing Company – Chardonnay Barn Gang
#2 – Mothers Brewing – Barrel Aged Asceticism
#3 – Nebraska Brewing Company – Blanc is The New White

Category: Strong Porter Stout (previously called Classic Porter/Stout) – 51 entries (2016 was 58,  2015 was 46, 2014 was 11, 2013 was 11 entries, 2012 was 12 entries)

#1 – Coppertail Brewing – Barrel Aged Supervoid
#2 – Weldwerks Brewing Co – Rum Double Barrel Medianoche
#3 – Surly Brewing Co – Barrel-aged Darkness

Category: Specialty/Experimental (previously called Experimental Beer) – 25 entries (2016 was, 2015 was 29, 2014 was 32, 2013 was 20, 2012 was 18)

#1 – Listermann/Triple Digit Brewing – Chickow! (brandy) (BOS in 2016, 2nd place in 2015)
#2 – Lakefront Brewery – Brandy Narrel-aged Imperial Pumpkin Ale (Lakefront also got 2nd place in this category in 2016)
#3 – Avery Brewing Company – Tangerine Quad

Category:  Wild Beer/Brett (previously called Wild Beer (Brett)) – 26 entries (2016 was 27, 2015 was 27, 2014 was 19 entries, 2013 was 12, 2012 was 9)

#1 – Wolf’s Ridge Brewing – Terre Du Sauvage Green
#2 – Blackberry Farm Brewery – Barrel Series 18
#3 – Hopewell Brewing Company – Extended Family (also got a 3rd place medal in this category in 2016)

Category: Wild Beer/Sours W/Fruit (previously called: Wild Beer (Acidic) Sours with Fruit) – 51 entries (49 in 2016, 2015 was 26)

#1 – Uprstream Brewing Company – Things! & Stuff
#2 – Jester King – Atrial Rubicite
#3 – Wicked Weed Brewing – Cerise Morte

Category; Wild Beer/Sours (Previously called Wild Beer (Acidic) Sours (previously called Wild Beer (Acidic))) – 50 entries (2016 was 51, 2015 was 45, 2014 was 30, 2013 was 35, 2012 was 27)

#1 – Upstream Brewing Company – Things!
#2 – Trve Brewing – Life’s Trade
#3 – Rivertown Brewing Company – Ville De Rivere Geuze

Previous Categories that didn’t exist in 2017:

Category 4: Classic Beer Style (previously called Classic Styles (not higher than 7% abv)) – 23 entries, (2015 was 26, 2014 was 32, 2013 was 16, 2012 was 11)

Category 5: Strong Pale Beer (previously called Strong/Double/Imperial Pale Beer) – 24 entries (2015 was 27, 2014 was 15, 2013 was 21, 2012 was 21)

Category 6: Strong Dark Beer (previously called Strong/Double/Imperial Dark Beer) – 37 entries (2015 was 35 entries, 2014 was 32, 2013 was 29, 2012 was 24)