River North Takes Home Brewery of the Year & 2 Golds at GABF 2025

We did it.

We’re beyond excited (and honestly still buzzing from it) to share that River North Brewery was named Brewery of the Year (1,001 to 2,000 barrels) at the Great American Beer Festival 2025.

This recognition means the world to us. Not just because of the medals and the title, but because of what it represents: years of dedication, a team that works their hearts out, and a community that shows up to support us time and time again. To be recognized alongside our friends at Cannonball Creek Brewing Company and Westbound & Down Brewing Company is a true honor. Colorado’s craft beer scene is stronger than ever, and we’re proud to be part of a state that brought home 36 medals this year.

Oh, and did we mention the gold?

We brought home not one, but two gold medals:

• River North White | Belgian-Style or French-Style Specialty Ale

• Squirrels Just Want to Have Fun | Coffee Beer

These wins are extra special. As our founder Matt Hess shared, it’s an unbelievable honor to see River North White, one of the first beers we ever made at River North, earn recognition after all these years. This marks White’s first gold medal at GABF, adding to the three golds it’s earned at other competitions over the years. And seeing Squirrels Just Want to Have Fun bring home gold for the second year in a row at GABF made the moment even sweeter.

A Team Effort

None of this happens without the people behind the scenes. Our head brewer, Matt Malloy, summed it up perfectly: this was a moment years in the making. What once felt like a distant dream became reality through relentless hard work, teamwork, and passion.

Huge shoutout to the crew behind the beer. At the center of it all is Matt, who raises the bar with every brew. His vision and skill are a big reason we get to celebrate wins like this. Right there with him is Heath McNeil, whose creativity and dedication help bring every beer to life. Cheers to the dream team.

GABF Week Recap: One for the Books

This year’s GABF wasn’t just about the awards (though those are pretty sweet). It was a full-on celebration of craft beer, community, and all the weird, wonderful, and wild moments that make this week so special.

Brewery & Media Mixer Wednesday kicked off the week at Oskar Blues hanging with some of our favorite industry folks, enjoying exceptional beers, and of course ending it at Westbound & Down.

Rare Beer Tasting Thursday is always the highlight of our week. The incredible beers you get to experience from some of the best breweries of all time. We’re so sad to see it go as this was the final year, but so thankful we got to be a part of 12 incredible years.

The festival floor was jamming all weekend long. We poured Barrel Aged Father Time, Barrel Aged Dark Sorceress, Nightmare Fuel, Barrel Aged God Complex, Effed Up Tripel, and Shadowman, connecting with old friends and making new ones from across the country.

And to everyone who joined us for our daily beer releases in the taproom and our Hangover Party, thank you. You made it a blast and a half. Our GABF Hangover Party is officially a new favorite tradition. Hopefully you got to try Moya’s Tacos breakfast tacos… because it’s been three days and we’re still dreaming about them.

Thank You

To our community, beer family, industry friends, and everyone who raised a glass with us this week, thank you. We can’t wait to keep creating beers that excite and inspire, and to continue representing Colorado’s incredible craft beer scene on the biggest stages.

In case you missed the festivities, the celebrations aren’t over. Join us this Saturday for our Snowburn Reserve Beer Release, and next Saturday, October 25, for our first-ever dark beer festival, Bring The Darkness.

Cheers to you. Cheers to Colorado. And cheers to what’s ahead.

Your River North Crew