In a record year at the Great American Beer Festival, Illinois breweries captured 16 medals across a wide variety of styles. We ran all over Chicagoland to assemble six of the medal winning beers to sample while sharing a pretty comprehensive history of Illinois beers at GABF in the 21st century. Also, we pitch some ideas for Extreme Bingo, play a game of Stumptappd about beers with depressing movie names, and get stuck between a glitter bomb and a jamband. More lactose categories next year, please.

Beers Reviewed

Alarmist Brewing - Midwest Royalty (Bronze Medal in American-Style Lager)

Pollyanna Brewing Co. - Party Penguin (Bronze Medal in Other Strong Beer)

DESTIHL Brewery - DeadHead IPA Series: Haze of the Dead (Bronze Medal in Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale)

Old Irving Brewing Co. - Della (Silver Medal in German-Style Koelsch)

Short Fuse Brewing Co. - Tropical Hurt Locker (Silver Medal in Fruited American Sour Ale)

Will County Brewing Co. - Bamm Bamm Loves Pebbles (Gold Medal in Fruit Wheat Beer)

For the complete spreadsheet of Illinois' GABF Medal History, click here.