Three Central Oregon brewers took home medals in more than three categories at the granddaddy of all beer competitions, the annual Great American Beer Festival in Colorado.

Oregon was the third biggest medal winner coming in behind California and Colorado in terms of awards, according to the contest organizers.

In all, Oregon brewers earned 38 medals, including four for cider, and five Oregon brewers won in three or more categories. They are: Portland brewers Breakside Brewery and Grand Fir Brewing and Bend brewers, Deschutes Brewery, Sunriver Brewing and 10 Barrel Brewing Co. In all, Central Oregon brewers earned 12 medals.

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Also earning recognition at the annual Great American Beer Festival in Colorado were:

Worthy Brewing Co. earned a silver medal for its Farm Out saison;

Terranaut Beer earned a silver medal for its Bucky coffee beer;

Bend Brewing Co. earned a bronze for its Oregon Summer Ale, English style ale;

Monkless Belgian Ales earned a silver for its Capitulation, American-Belgo style ale.

Source: Great American Beer Festival.

Sunriver Brewing Co. earned brewery of the year award in the production category of 5,000 to 15,000 barrels. The brewery could not be reached for comment.

Peter Skrbek, Deschutes Brewery CEO, said the team was elated, particularly because of the two gold medals in nontraditional categories. The brewery was recognized for its honey beer called Hachimitsu Mai and it’s new nonalcoholic beer Patagonia Provisions nonalcoholic Kernza Golden Brew. The brewery also earned a bronze award for its Fresh Hop King Crispy fresh hops beer, Skrbek said.

“It’s just amazing,” Skrbek said. “The beers are all unique. It’s a testament that our team is doing such a good job. I’m superproud of them.”

Earning recognition for the Patagonia partnership nonalcoholic beer was especially sweet for Deschutes as some in the industry had expressed doubt that beer made with Kernza would taste good. Kernza is a deeply rooted grain that regrows and doesn’t need replanting. Typically brewers source barley and hops from conventional farms, which use fertilizers and pesticides. The goal of the Patagonia partnership is to increase the number of certified organic growers in the United States.

Nearly 9,000 craft brewers and cider makers competed in the annual competition. Only 3.7% of those that entered earned a medal. The goal of the competition is to identify the three best beers to represent a beer-style category. A gold winner exemplifies the specific style, displaying proper balance of taste, aroma and appearance, according to the competition website.

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“It was a banner year for Oregon brewers,” said Ben Edmunds, Oregon Brewers Association president and brewmaster at Breakside Brewing. “This blows past the state’s previous best results of 25 medals in 2013.

“The winners represent the best of the best in the United States brewing today,” he said. “Oregon’s performance this year is a testament to our state’s level of quality, excellence and craft.”