Duluth’s Hoops Brewing won its first Great American Beer Festival medal at the 2020 awards ceremony held Oct. 16. Hoops’ 325 Pineapple Chili was awarded the gold medal in the Chili Beer category. It’s the fourth year in a row that a Duluth or Superior brewery has won a gold medal at the festival.

Earth Rider Brewery in Superior took home two silver medals this year — Royal Bohemian Pilsner in the Kellerbier or Zwickelbier category and North Tower Stout in the Oatmeal Stout category.

The Brewers Association awarded 272 medals to 240 breweries across the United States during the virtual ceremony, hosted on the Brewing Network. Physically distanced judging took place in 35 sessions over 18 days with safety measures in place. Judges for the 34th edition of the competition evaluated 8,806 entries from 1,720 breweries from all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

Below is a full list of Great American Beer Festival winners from the Duluth area over the years.

Gold
2020 | Hoops Brewing | Pineapple Chili | Chili Beer category
2019 | Earth Rider Brewery | Duluth Coffee Pale Ale | Coffee Beer category
2018 | Bent Paddle Brewing | Saison | Classic Saison category
2017 | Bent Paddle Brewing | 14° ESB | Extra Special Bitter category

Silver
2020 | Earth Rider Brewery | Royal Bohemian Pilsner | Kellerbier or Zwickelbier category
2020 | Earth Rider Brewery | North Tower Stout | Oatmeal Stout category
2015 | Bent Paddle Brewing | 14° ESB | Extra Special Bitter category
2015 | Fitger’s Brewhouse | Procrastination Dopplebock | German-style Dopplebock or Eisbock

Bronze
2019 | Ursa Minor | Thistle Dew | Scottish-Style Ale category
2014 | Bent Paddle Brewing | 14° ESB | Extra Special Bitter category
2012 | Fitger’s Brewhouse | Fitger’s Framboise | American-Style Sour Ale category
2004 | Fitger’s Brewhouse | Farm House Reserve | French- and Belgian-Style Saison category