Trio of New Mexico breweries snag medals at GABF awards ceremony

A big thanks to Erin for being more attentive than Stoutmeister and taking a picture of the Quarter Celtic team when they accepted their gold medal.

Three breweries from Albuquerque claimed medals at the Great American Beer Festival on Saturday morning.

Quarter Celtic Brewpub and Meadery won their first gold medal, topping the Vienna Lager category with their Vienna Festbier. It beat out 122 entries for the top spot. Quarter Celtic had previously won two silvers in 2020 and a bronze in 2022.

Tractor Brewing won their first gold medal, and first GABF medal of any kind, for Mustachio Milk Stout in the Sweet or Cream Stout category. It topped a field of 36 other stouts.

“It’s all TJ (Frederich, head brewer) and the brewery team they are killing it!” wrote Tractor marketing director Jeremy Kinter in a text.

Two winners in the same category pretty much makes Albuquerque the sweet stout capital of the U.S., right?

One of those other entries in the Sweet or Cream Stout category was Boxing Bear Brewing’s Chocolate Milk Stout, which took silver. It’s the third medal overall for that year-round beer, following a gold in 2016 and a silver in 2015.

Both Tractor and Boxing Bear’s medal winners are available in cans and on draft throughout the year. When Quarter Celtic taps their winner, we will be sure to let everyone know.

The Crew will catch up with the winners next week. Congratulations to all three breweries!

— Stoutmeister