Breweries across the country submitted 349 hazy IPAs to be blind-taste tested by an expert panel of more than 285 judges.

Tyler Thurman and Ross Connolly sort grapes at the Highland Park Brewery in Los Angeles on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. The brewery won four gold medals at the Great American Beer Festival and is now also producing wines. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Although the craft beer landscape has evolved dramatically since that first fateful GABF competition back in 1987, India Pale Ales remain the dominant force for independently-minded American consumers. Characterized by a heavily-hopped flavor profile, the style accounts for a staggering 46% share of the $29 billion craft industry.