Barrels & Bottles Hosts Biggest Krispy King Lager Competition Yet

Barrels and Bottles Brewery in Golden, Colo. is bringing the crispy back – bigger and better than ever. Its beloved Krispy King Lager Competition returns on Wednesday, Oct. 8, as a warmup to the Great American Beer Fest (GABF). It’s shaping up to be an epic showdown of clean, crushable brews.

Largest-ever Krispy King Lager Competition

Entries from 45 breweries spanning the US make this the largest-ever Krispy King. With dozens of brewers and industry insiders attending, the event provides a place to meet and reconnect while sampling fresh, clean brews on the Barrels and Bottles patio. Says brewery co-owner/manager Zach George, “We hope it’s a place where, even during the busiest week of the year, other brewers can step away from the industry hustle, grab a quality pint and simply recharge with friends who understand their craft.”

Making the 2025 Krispy King Lager Competition even better, Barrels & Bottles will feature a special lager made with ingredients from Briess Malt & Ingredients, Propagate Labs and Hopsteiner. The beer will be available exclusively in the event’s VIP area.

Open to All

You don’t need to be a brewer to enjoy the Krispy King Lager Competition. The event is open to the public and offers everyone a great way to grab a crispy golden lager, make connections and nerd-out to some fantastic brews with the pros. The afternoon includes large-format games, a cigar lounge, food trucks, trucker hats and of course live music. The brewery’s kitchen will also have food specials. Best of all – it’s free to get in.

The Krispy King Lager Competition kicks off at 2 p.m. and lasts until 8 p.m. Returning judges Ashleigh Carter and Bill Eye from Denver’s Bierstadt Lagerhaus will determine the best five beers and declare the 2025 Krispy King (or Queen) at 6 p.m.

Complement to the Great American Beer Festival

Barrels and Bottles co-owners Abby and Zach George look forward to this annual festival as a more intimate complement to GABF. Says Zach, “Our event offers a valuable chance to step away from the gigantic convention center, enjoy a relaxed setting and catch up with peers they may only see once a year. We feel it’s a low-pressure environment to share stories, talk shop and feel a sense of camaraderie.”

The Pour List

Pouring breweries represent a fantastic mix of Colorado favorites and well-respected national breweries:

• Barrels & Bottles Brewery
• Beachwood Brewing
• Benchtop Brewing Company
• Black Tooth Brewing Company
• Bow & Arrow Brewing Co.
• Breakside Brewery
• By All Means Brewing
• Call to Arms Brewing Company
• Cannonball Creek Brewing
• Casey Brewing & Blending
• Chuckanut Brewery
• Cloudburst Brewing
• Danico Brewing Company
• Downhill Brewing
• Dry Dock Brewing
• Elevation Beer Company
• Enegren Brewing
• Firestone Walker Brewing Company
• Formula Brewing
• Fritz Family Brewers
• Glenwood Canyon Brewing Company
• Heater Allen Brewing
• Gold Dot Beer
• Helper Beer
• Hideaway Park Brewery
• Jack’s Abby Craft Lager
• Joyride Brewing Company
• Kansas City Bier Company
• Launch Pad Brewery
• Live Oak Brewing Company
• Los Dos Potrillos Cevercería
• New Terrain Brewing Co.
• Odell Brewing Five Points Brewhouse
• pFriem Family Brewers
• Russian River Brewing Company
• Seedstock Brewery
• Storm Peak Brewing
• Strange Craft Beer Company
• The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co.
• The Empourium Brewing Company
• Varietal Beer Co.
• Wayfinder Beer
• Westbound & Down Brewing Company
• Wibby Brewing
• Wren House Brewing Company
• Zwei Brewing Co