Award Winners

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Judges' Choice - a group of 12+ judges, individually "blind judge" each entry for the category they are judging.  

People's Choice -  Event attendees select their favorite in each category, then cast their ballot tab into the appropriate voting tubes, labeled with chili cook booth numbers and chili type.  Ballot tabs are then counted in each tube to determine each category winner. 

2024 JUDGES CHOICE WINNERS    

Red

1st   Colin Plumley/Golden Young Professionals – “Space Balls The Chili”

2nd  Oliver Greener – “Radical Red”

Green

1st   Brian Bennett – “Smokin' Mountain Top Green Chili”

2nd  Donald Rosier – “Kind Of A Pig Deal”

Other

1st   Christa Smith/Golden Young Professionals – “Papa’s Knockout Chili” 

Restaurant - Red

1st   Tommyknocker Brewery – “Big Red Bock”

Restaurant - Green

1st   Trailhead Taphouse & Kitchen – “Trailhead's Pork Green Chili”

2nd  Bridgewater Grill/Golden Hotel – “Rosa's Award-Winning Pork Green Chili”

Restaurant - Other

1st   Trailhead Taphouse & Kitchen – “Colorado Fall Chili”

2024 PEOPLES CHOICE WINNERS

Red – Colin Plumley/Golden Young Professionals – “Space Balls the Chili"

Green – Bridgewater Grill/Golden Hotel – “Rosa's Award-Winning Pork Green Chili”

Other – Christa Smith/Golden Young Professionals - “Papa’s Knockout Chili”

Showmanship – Vinny Lupo - "Pepper in Some Fun"

2024 BEER AWARD WINNERS

Beer/beverage awards are selected by a distinguished panel of certified Cicerones (professional certification for beer experts).

Juicy / Hazy IPA – Bells

IPA – Holidaily

Oktober Fest – Prost

Fruited Wheat - Bells

2023 JUDGES CHOICE WINNERS    

Red

1st   Laura Brockman – “Panama Red”

2nd  Ben Harris – “License to Chill”

Green

1st   Michael Hanak – “My Green Hog Haven”

2nd  Rhonda Yeager – “Gringa Momma’s Green Chili”

Other

1st   Christa Smith/Golden Young Professionals – “Papa’s Knockout Chili” 

2nd  Chris Hill – “Chills White Chicken Chili”

Restaurant - Red

1st   Tommyknocker Brewery – “Butte Head Red”

2nd Table Mountain Grill & Cantina – “Texas Terror – Spiced Up Beef Chili”

Restaurant - Green

1st   Table Mountain Grill & Cantina – “A Hatch Made in Heaven – Pork Chili”

2nd  Trailhead Taphouse & Kitchen – “Trailhead J-Hatch”

Restaurant - Other

1st   Trailhead Taphouse & Kitchen – “Smoked White Chicken”

2nd  Table Mountain Grill & Cantina – “Mmm Soo Good – Unami Bomb Mushroom Chili”

2023 PEOPLES CHOICE WINNERS

Red – Table Mountain Grill & Cantina – “Texas Terror – Spiced Up Beef Chili”

Green – Michael Hanak – “My Green Hog Haven”

Other – Chris Hill - “Chill’s White Chicken Chili”

Showmanship – Nate Ramirez & Team

2023 BEER AWARD WINNERS

Beer/beverage awards are selected by a distinguished panel of certified Cicerones (professional certification for beer experts).

IPA – Holidailly Fat Randy

Lager / Pils / Blonde – Grit & Glory 6666 Pilsner

Dunkel / Marzen / Amber / Brown – Sam Adam’s Oktoberfest

Fruit / Spice – Blue Moon Mango Wheat

Juicy / Hazy IPA – Hop Valley Stash Panda

Imperial – Oskar Blues Barrel Aged Ten Fidy

Seltzer – Topo Margarita

FMB (Flavored Malt Beverage) – New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Hardcharged Tea

Canned Cocktails – Dogfish Head Bar Cart Cranberry Mule

Ciders – Woodchuck Bluebeery

2022 JUDGES CHOICE WINNERS   

Red

1st   Oliver Greener – “Unruly Red”

2nd  Nick Casey – “Front Range Red”

Green

1st   Michael Hanak – “My Green Hog Haven – Gourmet CO Chili”

2nd  Rhonda Yeager – “Gringa Momma’s Green Chili”

Other

1st   Shane Flanagan – “Buckin’ Blanco” 

2nd  Golden Young Professionals – “Ty Ty’s Knockout Chili”

Restaurant - Red

1st   Tommyknocker Brewery – “Butt Head Red”

Restaurant - Green

1st   Bridgewater Grill – “Rosa’s Award Winning Pork Green Chili”

2nd  Buffalo Rose – “La Rosita Chili”

2022 PEOPLES CHOICE WINNERS

Red – John Condon – “Hog Wild”

Green – Buffalo Rose – “La Rosita Chili”

Other – Chris Hill - “Chill’s White Chicken Chili”

Showmanship – 

1st   Golden Young Professionals

2nd  Bridgewater Grill

2022 BEER AWARD WINNERS

Best Lager/Pilsner – New Belgium Mountain Time 

Best Stout/Dunkel/Amber/Marzen – Warsteiner Oktoberfest

Best IPA – New Belgium Voodoo Ranger 

Hazy IPA/Juicy IPA – Bootstrap Lush Puppy 

Imperial IPA – Sierra Nevada Atomic Torpedo

Pale Ale – Bootstrap Stick’s Pale Ale

Fruit/Herb/Spice – Sierra Nevada Sunny Little Thing

2021 JUDGES CHOICE WINNERS   

Red

1st     Mike Herman (Golden Ambassadors) - "Jackwagon Chili"

2nd    Cedric Kram - "Red Sus"

Green

1st     Rhonda Yeager - "Fantastic"

2nd   Jason Christian - "Blazing Hot Zombie Green"

Other

1st     Shane Flanagan - "Buckin' Blanco"

2nd    Chris Hill - "Chills White Chicken Chili"

Restaurant - Red

1st      Brett Wieber (Trailhead Taphouse & Kitchen) - "Red Cajun Chili"

2nd     Vincent Vigil (Bridgewater Grill - The Golden Hotel) - "Smoked Kudu Red Chili"

Restaurant - Green

1st      Brett Wieber (Trailhead Taphouse & Kitchen) - "Colorado Pork Green Chili"

2nd     Vincent Vigil (Bridgewater Grill - The Golden Hotel) - "Rosa's Pork Green Chili"

2021 PEOPLE'S CHOICE WINNERS

Red -  Esperanza Herrera - "Epsy's Mountain Road Red Chili" 

Green - Milford Brinkeroff - "Fuego Verde!"

Other - Shane Flanagan - "Buckin' Blanco"

Best Showmanship - 

1st      Golden Young Professionals

2nd     Bridgewater Grill - The Golden Hotel