Maryland Breweries Win Big at 2025 Great American Beer Festival

DENVER, CO — Maryland’s craft breweries brought home a fresh round of national honors this October, earning five medals at the 2025 Great American Beer Festival (GABF), the largest and most prestigious beer competition in the United States.

Held annually in Denver, the festival draws the best brewers from across the country. This year’s event, running from October 10–12, saw 8,315 beer entries from 1,555 breweries across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Judges awarded a total of 347 medals across 99 beer categories, and Maryland’s breweries once again proved they could compete with the best from beer powerhouse states like Colorado, California, and Oregon.

“These wins are a testament to Maryland’s growing craft beer culture,” said a spokesperson for the Brewers Association of Maryland. “Our brewers continue to innovate while staying true to the craftsmanship that defines this community.”

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The 2025 Maryland Medalists

🥇 Gold – Czech-Style Pale Lager

Silver Branch Brewing Company (Silver Spring, MD) – Glass Castle

Silver Branch captured gold for Glass Castle, its Czech-style pale lager, in one of the festival’s most competitive categories with 125 entries. The brewery’s dedication to authentic European technique—using Czech malt and hops, reverse-osmosis-treated water to replicate Bohemian softness, and decoction mashing—produces a clean, bready balance that has made it a flagship favorite.

Co-founders Christian Layke and Jonathan Reeves are no strangers to the podium; both have earned prior GABF medals in similar categories. With expansion plans underway in Rockville, Silver Branch continues to strengthen its influence as one of Maryland’s premier lager producers.

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🥈 Silver – German Sour Ale

UNION Craft Brewing (Baltimore, MD) – Old Pro Gose

Baltimore’s UNION Craft Brewing took silver in the German Sour Ale category for its signature Old Pro Gose. The beer—a bright, tart, and lightly salted gose with coriander—has long been a staple across the DMV region, offering an approachable sour that’s both refreshing and true to style.

The award marks another national recognition for UNION, whose founders have built one of Baltimore’s most recognized brands on the pillars of quality, community, and creativity.

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🥈 Silver – Collaboration Competition

Waredaca Brewing Company (Gaithersburg, MD) – La Lumbre (with Mayan Monkey Brewing Co.)

Farm brewery Waredaca Brewing Company earned silver in the Collaboration Competition for La Lumbre, a smoked Helles-style lager brewed in partnership with Mayan Monkey Brewing Co. The beer’s delicate balance of smoke and malt showcased a refined interpretation of a difficult style, standing out among 68 entries.

Waredaca’s focus on local ingredients and partnerships exemplifies Maryland’s blend of agricultural roots and brewing innovation.

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🥉 Bronze – Rye Beer

Brewer’s Alley & Monocacy Brewing Company (Frederick, MD) – Riot Rye

Frederick’s Brewer’s Alley and Monocacy Brewing Company teamed up to produce Riot Rye, which earned bronze in the Rye Beer category. The beer highlights the spicy and earthy notes of rye malt, resulting in a robust yet drinkable ale that reflects both breweries’ shared tradition of craftsmanship and collaboration.

The win adds to Frederick’s long-standing reputation as one of Maryland’s most historic and vibrant beer hubs.

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🥉 Bronze – Kellerbier / Zwickelbier

Franklins Restaurant, Brewery and General Store (Hyattsville, MD) – Treetop

Rounding out Maryland’s medal count, Franklins Brewery in Hyattsville took bronze for Treetop, an unfiltered lager crafted with freshly harvested German Perle hops. Brewed using natural carbonation (spunding) and careful oxygen control, Treetop offers a clean, authentic profile rarely seen outside traditional German breweries.

Franklins—part brewpub, part general store, part local institution—has long been a cornerstone of Prince George’s County’s craft beer identity.

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Maryland’s Craft Renaissance

Maryland’s five medals at this year’s GABF showcase the state’s steady rise in national brewing circles. Though smaller in scale than neighboring craft powerhouses, Maryland’s breweries continue to punch above their weight, excelling in technically demanding styles like lagers, rye ales, and kettle sours.

Industry observers note that the shift toward traditional and nuanced beer styles marks a maturing phase for craft brewing nationwide—and Maryland is right in step.

“These awards aren’t just about the beer,” said one festival judge familiar with the region’s entries. “They’re about consistency, precision, and a willingness to master the fundamentals. Maryland’s brewers are doing exactly that.”

As the state’s brewing community expands, so does its reach: from the farm fields of Montgomery County to the taprooms of Baltimore and Frederick, Maryland beer continues to earn national respect while staying rooted in local character.

For anyone looking to taste a piece of the victory, all five medal-winning beers are currently available on draft at their respective breweries—proof that world-class craftsmanship is only a short drive away.