America’s Best Barrel-Aged Beers From Festival Wood Barrel-Aged Beers

Each year, Chicago plays host to the Festival of Wood Barrel-Aged Beer (FoBAB). Although it is organized as a fundraiser for the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild, it features barrel-aged beer from across America and has become North America’s largest and most prestigious barrel-aged beer festival and competition.

In addition to a festival that is open to the public, FoBAB awards gold, silver and bronze medals across 12 style categories. The winners of the FoBAB competition are crowned by a panel of 75 expert judges and industry stewards after judging about 400 barrel-aged beers, ciders, meads and perries from about 200 breweries.

Over its 21 years, FoBAB has earned a reputation as the beer festival professional brewers want to attend. Many of the beers are one-of-a-kind and showcase the artistry of beer.

Here are the winners of the 2023 edition of FoBAB:

Strong Porter & Stout

• Bronze – Double BA Temple Of Minerva from Jackie O’s Brewery (Ohio)
• Silver – Slappa Da Base from Mikerphone Brewing (Illinois)
• Gold – Mehndi 2023 from More Brewing Company (Illinois)

Specialty Strong Porter & Stout

• Bronze – BA Cuppa Stuffff from Maplewood Brewery & Distillery (Illinois)
• Silver – Veneration Of The Dead from Ever Grain Brewing (Pennsylvania)
• Gold – BBA Ego Death with Vanilla from Resident Culture Brewing (North Carolina)

Barley Wine/Wheat Wine

• Bronze – Two Faced Terror from False Idol Brewing (Texas)
• Silver – Owl Of Athena from Solemn Oath Brewery (Illinois)
• Gold – Moments Of Silent Banter from Taproom Beer Co. (California)

Other Pale Beer

• Bronze – Muon from Loose Ends Brewing (Ohio)
• Silver – Boost from HighGrain Brewing Company (Ohio)
• Gold – Tripel G from Sketchbook Brewing Co. (Illinois)

Lagers

• Bronze – Barrel-Aged Generator Doppelbock from Metropolitan Brewing (Illinois)
• Silver – Brewers’ Reserve Bourbon Barrel-Aged Honey Bock from Lakefront Brewery (Wisconsin)
• Gold – Dark Crator from Boulevard Brewing Company (Missouri)

Other Dark Beer

• Bronze – Skateboard Jesus from 10 Barrel Brewing (Oregon)
• Silver – Orin from Half Acre Beer (Illinois)
• Gold – Bravissimo from Firestone Walker Propagator (California)

Fruit Beer

• Bronze – Polynesian Passion from Sun King Brewery (Indiana)
• Silver – Tako Michu from 10 Barrel Brewing (Oregon)
• Gold – Icky Bob Thornton from Haymarket Pub and Brewery (Illinois)

Specialty & Experimental Beer

• Bronze – All That Was Promised from Magnanimous Brewing (Florida)
• Silver – Astral Predator from Cerebral Brewing (Colorado)
• Gold – Mezcal Barrel Aged Beer For Tacos from Off Color Brewing (Illinois)

Wild Beer Brett

• Bronze – Oak Rado from Penrose Brewing Company (Illinois)
• Silver – Palace Of Gold from Full Mile Beer Co. (Wisconsin)
• Gold – Oaked Val D’Or from Hidden Hand Brewery (Illinois)

Wild Beer Mixed Culture/Acidic

• Bronze – Polyflora from Brewery Bhavana (North Carolina)
• Silver – Cuvee De Josh from Pretentious Barrel House (Ohio)
• Gold – Oblivion from Wicked Weed Brewing (North Carolina)

Wild Beer Mixed Culture/Acidic With Fruit

• Bronze – Soiree from Idyll Forest Artisan Ales (Minnesota)
• Silver – Routes Du Cidre from Idyll Forest Artisan Ales (Minnesota)
• Gold – Peach Horizon from 10 Barrel Brewing (Oregon)

Cider/Perry/Mead

• Bronze – Wealthy Financier from Listermann Fermantorium (Ohio)
• Silver – Rye Barrel Aged Marion from Superstition Meadery (Arizona)
• Gold – Final Act from Garagiste Meadery (Florida)

Best of Show

• Runner Up – Mehndi 2023 from More Brewing Company (Illinois)
• Winner – Oaked Val D’Or from Hidden Hand Brewery (Illinois)