3 Local Breweries Medal At Great American Beer Festival

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — Three local breweries are among a handful in Illinois that won medals this past weekend at the Great American Beer Festival, which wrapped up Saturday in Denver.

The festival is the nation’s largest for professional brewers and hands out some of the industry’s most sought-after accolades. The festival ran over nine days, with 250 beer experts from 10 countries serving as judges.

Judges evaluated nearly 9,445 entries from 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, including collaborations between professional breweries and pro-am collaborations from professionals and amateurs. Among those, 303 medals were awarded to 263 breweries across 99 categories and 175 beer styles. Gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded.

Locally, Sew Hop'd Brewery, 1 Union Special Plaza, Suite 113, in Huntley, won a gold medal for its Alt 140 beer, which is a German-style Altbier. Also in Huntley, MORE Brewing Co., located at 13980 Automall Drive, Huntley, earned a bronze medal in the juicy or hazy pale ale category for its Lil's Space Booties.

A silver medal went to Crystal Lake Brewing's Boathouse Reserve Imperial Stout. The brewery, located at 150 N. Main St. in Crystal Lake, won the medal in the experimental wood-aged beer category.