The 2018 Great American Beer Festival took place over the weekend, with over 8,500 beers entered into competition. Some of our local breweries, especially in Virgina, fared quite well. 

Centreville's Sweetwater Tavern, under the Great American Restaurants brand, won gold for "Iron Horse Lager" in the "Dark Lager" category. They're no stranger to medals, and given how much we like dark lager, we'll be stopping by soon.

Asburn's Lost Rhino Brewing Company also took gold, for "Shooter McMunn's" in the "Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout" category. So next time you're looking for a local Guinness replacement, look no further (though with a Guinness facility now open in Baltimore, perhaps they're local as well).

Alexandria's Port City Brewing Company's "Optimal Wit" won yet another medal, taking silver in "Belgian-Style Witbier" category. Note here that Port City beat out Allagash White, which earned bronze. Most impressive. 

If you need a reminder of how fortunate we are to have @PortCityBrew in the area, realize that Optimal Wit just beat out Allagash freaking White and brings home a silver. Congrats to both brewing teams. Well deserved. https://t.co/Fn438dHiSd

— Bill (@DCBeerBill) September 22, 2018

Sponsorship

Sterling newcomer Rocket Frog Brewing Company won bronze for "Wallops Island" in the "American-Style Brown Ale' category. Not too bad for a brewery that's about six months old. This award made one of their owners very excited. 

Was too excited and misspelled Wallops Island! Amazing to with a #GABF medal! https://t.co/VmsFHq4wyV

— David (@Dhartogs) September 22, 2018

Overall, the Commonwealth took home eight medals; the complete list of winners is available here. 

Maryland was not shut out this year, with Independent Brewing Company's (Bel Air) wittily named "New Kids on Maibock" earning silver in the "Bock" category. Alas, DC went home empty-handed. Again. 

A late update, the Tyson's Gordon Biersch location also took home a gold, for "Czech-style Pilsner," but the win is attributed to the corporate parent, thus does not appear as a Virginia beer in GABF releases. 

Also, GB Tysons won gold for Bohemian Pilsner (it doesn’t come up if you search VA, I guess because GB is headquartered elsewhere).

— Michael Billiel (@mbilliel6666) September 24, 2018