These are the results of the 2013 Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers competition, the 11th anniversary of the event, held on November 16th, 2013. The event is run by the Illinois Craft Brewer’s Guild and held this year at the Bridgeport art Center – Skyline Loft 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. Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals are awarded in 11 categories as well as “best of show.”

This year there were 213 entries from 95 different breweries. (Last year in 2012 there were 173 entries, 2012 results here)

Category 1: Classic Porter/Stout – 11 entries (2012 was 12 entries)

#1 – Central Waters – Bourbon Barrel Stout
#2 – Perrin – Bourbon barrel Aged Stout
#3 – Wild Onion – Jack Stout

Category 2: Strong porter/Stout – 33 entries (2012 was 21 entries)

#1 – Goose Island Brewpubs – Cthulhu
#2 – Three Floyds – Barrel Aged Blot Out The Sun
#3 – Goose Island Beer Company – Bourbon County Brand Stout

Category 3: Barleywine/Wheatwine – 16 entries (2012 was 16 entries)

#1 – Unita – Cockeyed Cooper
#2 – Fitger’s – 1100 Wheatwine
#3 – Atlas – Erik

Category 4: Classic Styles (not higher than 7% abv) – 16 entries (2012 was 11 entries)

#1 – Sun King Brewery - Afternoon delight
#2 – Off Color – Scurried
#3 – Rock Bottom Chicago – Old Mouldy Toad

Category 5: Strong/Double/Imperial pale Beer – 21 entries (2012 was 21 entries)

#1 – Rock Bottom Chicago – Grand Cru
#2 – Widmer – Downward Spiral
#3 – Oskar Blues – Tequila Barrel-Aged Gubna Imperial IPA

Category 6: Strong/Double/Imperial Dark Beer – 29 entries (2012 was 24 entries)

#1 – Revolution Brewing – Working Mom
#2 – Revolution Brewing – Gravedigger Billy
#3 – The Lost Abbey – Track #13

Category 7: Fruit Beer – 11 entries (2012 was 14 entries)

#1 – Goose Island Beer Company – Backyard Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout
#2 – Off Color – Cherry trouble
#3 – Haymarket Pub & Brewery – Clare’s Thirsty Ale

Category 8: Experimental Beer – 20 entries (2012 was 18 entries)

#1 – Perennial - Barrel-Aged Abraxas
#2 – Avery – Ross’s’s’ Melange
#3 – Breakside Brewing – Bourbon Barrel-Aged Aztec

Category 9:  Wild Beer (Brett) – 12 entries (2012 was 9 entries)

#1 – Bell’s – Le Bretteur
#2 – Goose Island Brewpubs – Sour Wheat
#3 – Surly – Misanthrope

Category 10: Wild Beer (Acidic) – 35 entries (2012 was 27 entries)

#1 – Side Project – Fuzzy
#2 – New Belgium – Le Terroir Dry-Hopped Sour Ale
#3 – New Belgium – The Dark Side (Upland Collaboration)

Category 11: Cider/Perry/Mead – 9 entries (new category for this year)
#1 – Virtue Cider – The Mitten
#2 – Apple Knocker Hard Cider – Hard Knocks
#3 – Vander Mill – Cyser VanDoom

Best Of Show
#1 – Bell’s – Le Bretteur
#2 – Goose Island Beer Company – Backyard Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout