From the inside, out: Notes from the first-ever open-air GABF

GABF took place outdoors for the first time at Levitt Pavilion in South Denver (Photo © Brewers Association).

If there's been one constant ever the past few years at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), it's been change. Put on annually by the Brewers Association, things started to feel different after the pandemic, when the event began getting a little smaller. Then came changes to the way things were organized, the addition of other alcoholic beverages (including liquor) and more. All of it driven in response to how the industry has had to pivot with recent shifts in the market.

This year, though, the most dramatic changes of all were instituted, as the event moved outside for the first time in history. Beer no longer had to share the stage with cocktail/liquor producers, but the number of breweries serving samples dropped dramatically to only 200 - the fewest since I first attended in 1993.

So, what of the new venue - Levitt Pavilion, an outdoor amphitheater in South Denver? Transportation to and from the park seemed fairly smooth, and while concerns were raised about the potential for bad weather when the location was announced, sunny skies and temperatures upwards of 80 degrees were a constant throughout the weekend.

On the layout, the grounds were cordoned off presumably to allow for plenty of open space to move around. That said, the terrain was uneven and quite elevated in spots, which meant traversing rolling hills as you explored the day's offerings, and then hoping you didn't overindulge to the point where a misstep had you taking a tumble and rolling down a hill yourself.

Many have also mentioned restroom access being at a premium, with lines a bit challenging by the middle of the first day. Additional facilities were added on day two, with lines noticeably shorter at least through the end of the awards ceremony.

Overall, what did I think? The festival is always a fun experience (I've been 17 times now), and I love the great outdoors - weather permitting, but I'd prefer a locale that's a little more navigable, especially considering the primary activity going on. Based on that and the bathroom thing, I found myself missing the friendly confines of the downtown convention center.

As for the breweries and their beers, some of the big names pouring samples included Dogfish Head, Firestone Walker, Russian River, Samuel Adams, Sierra Nevada, Stone, The Lost Abbey, Three Floyds, WeldWerks and others. North Texas had only one representative on site, that being Bankhead Brewing Co. of Rowlett (and Farmers Branch).

Stylistically, IPAs continued to reign as the primary imbibing option, with roughly 180 variants available to be sampled. Special tappings were still part of the program as well, with Firestone Walker's 30th Anniversary Ale, WeldWerks' Dubai Chocolate Medianoche and Samual Adams' Utopias being among the limited pours.

A few favorites (in case you ever find yourself in the neighborhood of one of the mentioned breweries):

• Captain Doug's Porter and Wee Heavy Wilson from MudHen Brewing Co. of New Jersey.
• Double Oaked Cognac Grow Old With You Barrel-Aged English Barleywine from Verboten Brewing & Barrel Project of Colorado.
• Drudenhaus Märzen-Style Rauchbier from Counter Weight Brewing Co. of Connecticut.
• Kurt's Mile High Malt Coffee Vienna Lager from Wynkoop Brewing Co. of Colorado.
• Primo Breakfast Stout from Fremont Brewing Co. of Washington.
• Scarlet Reserve American Amber Ale with Cherries and Cocoa from Dogfish Head Brewery of Delaware.
• Smoke & Dagger Black Lager from Jack's Abby Craft Lagers of Massachusetts.

With that, the competition summary follows, along with the regular roundup of taproom visits outside the festival.

Cheers! 

Competition results

North Texas followed up a record haul in 2025 with another strong showing at this year's competition. The region matched its second best ever total with six medals, a number previously attained three different times in the past.

Competition Statistics:

• 7,267 entries sent in from 1,300 breweries and cidermakers residing in 49 U.S. states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
• 336 total medals awarded across 112 style categories covering craft beer, cider and hop water.
• Most-entered categories in ranked order: West Coast IPA, Juicy or Hazy IPA, German-Style Maerzen, American IPA, German-Style Pilsener.

All five breweries who brought home medals this year represent repeat winners. In fact, four of the five breweries (False Idol, Flix Mansfield, Maple Branch, Peticolas) went back-to-back after posting wins at GABF last year. Not only that, both Flix Mansfield and Peticolas ran it back and upgraded with a second consecutive medal for The Last Bockbuster and Room for More, respectively, after winning bronze for those beers in 2025.

Also notable, Maple Branch and Peticolas have now been honored five times at GABF over the course of their histories. This ranks second-most among active breweries in North Texas.

Plus, for the first time, the competition committee recognized breweries who were among the final cuts in the five most-entered categories (listed above). Scanning those lists, Bankhead Brewing Co. of Rowlett made the "Final Table" with Aoogah in the German Pilsener category.

Gold

• False Idol Brewing, North Richland Hills: House of Zest - Saison.
• Flix Brewhouse, Mansfield: The Last Bockbuster - Bock.
• Maple Branch Craft Brewery, Fort Worth: Seventh Hill Robust Smoked Porter - Smoke Beer.

Silver

• Maple Branch Craft Brewery with Karl King, Fort Worth: Three Kings Dunkels Bock - Pro-Am.
• Odd Muse Brewing Co., Farmers Branch: Graveyard Ghosts - German-Style Schwarzbier.
• Peticolas Brewing Co., Dallas: Room for More - Belgian-Style Abbey Ale.

Representatives from False Idol Brewing, Flix Brewhouse - Mansfield, Maple Branch Craft Brewery,
and Odd Muse Brewing Co. accept their awards (Photos © Brewers Association).

Source: Individual research.

Taproom trips

• Having been to Denver numerous times over the years, I decided to kick-off this edition of taproom trips with a list of favorite haunts focused on traditional styles and with a location in proximity to the immediate downtown area. This is personal preference, mind you, so your mileage may vary.
  
  
• Bierstadt Lagerhaus: traditional German lagers.
• Bruz Beers: traditional Belgian ales.
• Cohesion Brewing: traditional Czech lagers.
• Hogshead Brewery: traditional English cask ales.
• Prost Brewing Co. (five metro locations): traditional German ales.
  
  
• As for other explorations, while I spent a good amount of time at a few of the above favorites this time around, I did get out for a couple of first-time visits in Loveland.
  
  Verboten Brewing & Barrel Project's booth at GABF has always been a must-visit for me because of their range of barrel-aged beers - evidenced again this year with the cognac barrel-aged barleywine listed in the festival favorites up top. In addition to Others in Darkness Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout, I picked up Angry Banjo Kentucky Common and Killer Boots Caramel Porter to bring back home. By the way, the Loveland spot sits downtown, while the company has a second location in Fort Collins.
  
  I also dropped by Grimm Brothers Brewing, the attraction there being a number of styles you don't see all that often around the Metroplex. There I enjoyed pours of Snow Drop German Köttbusser (a two-time GABF medal winner) and Big Bad Wolf Sticke Altbier.
  
  Regarding others in the area, Loveland is home to more than a half-dozen breweries and a meadery, so I hope to expand on my experience in the city next time I'm in town.
   

Images from Cohesion Brewing Co., Verboten Brewing & Barrel Project, Bruz Beers,
Hogshead Brewery, and Grimm Brothers Brewhouse (Photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

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For more on the 2025 GABF and the historical performance of breweries from North Texas, click the links below:

• Official press release from the Brewers Association, with a summary of 2026 festival statistics.
• Download a complete list of 2026 winners in PDF format.
• View a historical chronicle of awards won by North Texas breweries at GABF and the World Beer Cup.

Captain Keith receives honorary knighthood in Belgium

Knighthood of the Brewers’ Paddle – Photographer : Lander Loeckx.

Earlier this month, one of the area's longest and most ardent supporters of craft beer and the beer industry as a whole received special recognition during Belgium Beer Week in Brussels, a festival organized by the Belgian Brewers Guild.

Keith Schlabs, a.k.a. Captain Keith, is known to most as a partner in the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium and the former Meddlesome Moth, along with Shannon Wynne and Larry Richardson. If you go back to his beginnings, though, Schlabs' involvement in the local beer industry dates back to 1993 and his time working at Yegua Creek Brewing Co., the first brewpub to open in Dallas.

Regarding this recent honor, Schlabs was made an Honorary Knight in the Knighthood of the Brewers' Paddle. According to a recap provided by the Saucer, Schlabs was nominated for his 32-year relationship with craft beer and specifically because "Schlabs and the Flying Saucer brewpubs have been strong supporters of Belgian beer and brewing culture since 1995 when the first location opened in Fort Worth’s Sundance Square."

As part of the induction, Schlabs and his fellow inductees took part in a parade through the historic streets of Brussels, ultimately receiving their official enthronement with a mash staff shoulder tap inside the association's Brewers Guild House. Celebrations there pay tribute to Saint Arnold, the patron saint of brewers.

Mead, music and monks: On the 2026 Texas Mead & Music Festival

Scenes from the Texas Mead & Music Festival, with booths from Vinland Meads of Murchison
and Fox & Raven Mead of Carrollton (Photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

This weekend, more than 2000 patrons gathered on the grounds of Scarborough Faire in Waxahachie for the Texas Mead & Music Festival, presented by the Texas Mead Association. It was the thirteenth mead festival put on by the organization, but this was the first year the group partnered with those behind Scarborough Faire, the venue and the vibe seemingly a natural fit (to say the least) for an event of this type.

Of course, the locale drew the expected ren faire crowd, with a horde of lords and ladies, armor-clad knights, and fully-robed monks dressed to the nines and at the ready with their sample glasses, this despite the thermometer reading a pair of nines (or 99) at points during the day. Yes, it was hot...and there was a little bit of line waiting, but that didn't deter the medieval-adorned denizens in their quest for a drink.

On the afternoon's entertainment, more than fifteen Texas-based music acts provided continuous entertainment, while thirteen meaderies from around the Lone Star State pitched their tents, all of them joining resident artisans in Scarborough Hollow, a small section of the festival grounds which opens for fall activities.

Regarding the roster of mead-makers, all four from North Texas were in attendance at the event - Bee & Brew of Fort Worth, Breaking Brew Meadery of Dallas, Fox & Raven Mead of Carrollton, and Texas Longhouse Meadery of Wylie, with others coming from as far away as New Braunfels.

They brought with them a full array of mead styles for attendees to sample, from session to traditional meads, including melomels (blueberry, blackberry, cherry, cranberry, orange blossom, etc.), cysers (apple), spiced meads, barrel-aged offerings and more. Personal favorites were Rio Star (13.5% ABV), a grapefruit and cherry mead from Rohan Meadery of La Grange, and Pale Veil (6% ABV), a Citra dry-hopped session mead from Dancing Bee Winery of Rogers.

Most, if not all, of the meads being poured were available to purchase and take home in bottles (making beer festival goers everywhere jealous). Many meaderies also ship their wares across the state, with online stores to be found at their respective websites (something else on a beer lover's wishlist).

As for other North Texas notes, Rockwall Honey Bee Co. was on-hand selling honey products, while its owner presented an educational seminar entitled "From Hive to Honey: The Journey Behind Every Glass of Mead." Another learning session, "The History of Mead: From Ancient Civilizations to Modern Craft Culture" was headed by the folks from Breaking Brew Meadery of Dallas.

Oh, and if your preferences leaned more towards beer, barley and hop-based pours were supplied exclusively by none other than Odd Muse Brewing Co. of Farmers Branch.

Balanced Rock closes brewery in The Colony

Photo © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D

Balanced Rock Brewing has announced the closure of its brewery in The Colony, effective immediately.

Founded by Jim Dooley and James Wirz, Balanced Rock opened its doors to the public in February 2025 after taking over a space previously occupied by a food court destination. And while the venture only sustained for a little over a year, there is some hope of a re-opening at another location in the future.

From a social media post:

"When we opened a little over 1 year ago - the culmination of some 15 years of research and scouting for a location and drawing up plans - we were beyond excited to share our passion for craft beer with you.

It has been an honor to engage with our loyal patrons and guests, and we thank you from the very bottom of our hearts for all your support. We love the environs. We love our brewers and chefs. We love the awesome brews that [our production staff] brewed. However, the economic realities have made it difficult to carry on at this location and we have now closed the doors in The Colony.

We have been scouting a new location - one more suitable for a craft brewery. We will give some further updates in the days, weeks, and months ahead and hope that while this is the closing of one chapter, it leads to some fun pursuits in the very near future."