Two Indiana breweries placed in a national beer contest. Did your favorites make the cut?

Morgan Womack, Indianapolis Star
·3 min read

After more than 9,000 beers were cracked open at the annual U.S. Open Beer Championship, two Indiana breweries placed in the Top 10.

Close to topping off the competition, Flix Brewhouse of Carmel took second place overall and brought home a silver stein-shaped medal. The brewery that also doubles as a movie theatre won three gold and one silver medal for its craft beers:

  • GOLD: Inside the Moone

    • This dark beer placed first in the foreign stout category.

  • GOLD: Who is this Hans?

    • A wheat beer, this won first place over the other German Hefeweizens.

  • GOLD: Dunkel Dimension

    • In the Münchner Dunkel category, this dark lager took first.

  • SILVER: Ursula's Agreement

    • This tropical-tasting sour won second in the gose category.

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Indiana's Sun King Brewery tied for fifth place with four others, with its specialty beers awarded seven medals. These awards aren't its first — the company's website boasts that its beer has been award-winning since it opened in 2009. These are the beers that fared well this competition:

  • GOLD: Barrel Berry Smash

    • This sweet ale placed first in the barrel-aged fruit beer category.

  • GOLD: Diddy Muckle

    • A Scottish-style beer, this wee heavy won the barrel-aged quad/Belgian dark category.

  • SILVER: Sunlight Cream Ale

    • This smooth, creamy ale took second in the golden or blonde ale category.

  • SILVER: Pachanga

    • This Mexican-style lager won second in the international-style Pilsner category.

  • SILVER: Cherry Berry Cuvee

    • A fruity sour, this beer placed second of the Belgian-style fruit beers.

  • BRONZE: Lonesome Dove

    • This high-alcohol beer placed third in the barrel-aged pale beer category.

  • BRONZE: Brett Fusion

    • A funky, oak-fermented Pilsner, this beer won third in the barrel-aged Brett/wild beer category.

Beers were separated into 147 categories and judged by style. Some judges didn't even have to lift a tab. This year, the championship introduced a new label artwork category, awarding breweries for what's outside the can. Indy's Metazoa Brewing Company took sixth place for its "Trash Panda" beer: a latte-inspired blonde ale featuring a design of a raccoon on the label.

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Award-winning Indiana beers

A handful of Hoosier breweries were recognized for their beers. A full list of the 2023 championship winners and flavors can be found on usopenbeer.com.

Here's some more of Indiana's award-winning ales and lagers to add to your beer bucket list:

  • Metazoa Brewing Company

    • GOLD: Lagerhead Turtle

      • This punny, classic German-style lager won the Münchner Helles category.

    • GOLD: Ain't Afraid of No Goats

      • This bready, malty lager won against the other Heller Bock/Maibock beers.

    • SILVER: Good Boy

      • Taking second in the Kellerbier or Zwickelbier category was this bright American Pilsner.

  • Bier Brewery

    • GOLD: ESB

      • With a name meaning "extra-special bitter," this English pale ale won the ESB category.

    • SILVER: Roggenschnizzle

      • This dark German rye tied for second in the rye/Roggen beer category.

    • BRONZE: Pumpkin Ale

      • This seasonal beer took third in the pumpkin category.

  • Byway Brewing Company

    • GOLD: Rye Bob

      • This pale ale took first in the rye/Roggen beer category.

  • Grand Junction Brewing Company

    • SILVER: Belgian Spy Balloon

      • This blonde beer won the Belgian-style blonde ale category.

    • BRONZE: Westfield Underground ESB

      • An "extra-special bitter" beer, this brew took third in the ESB category.

  • Daredevil Brewing Company

    • SILVER: Indy Lager

      • This golden lager placed second of the American premium lagers.

  • Taxman Brewing Company

    • SILVER: Expat: Key Lime

      • This Italian-style lager took second place in the lime section of the American berry/fruit beer category.

  • Hop River Brewing Company

    • BRONZE: Express Elevator

      • This rich, traditional beer won third strong bock/doppelbock category.

  • New Oberpfalz Brewing

    • BRONZE: Helles Lager

      • Taking third place in the Münchner Helles category was this traditional Bavarian lager.

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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana breweries top off beer championship, place second, fifth