Most breweries treat their flagship like a fixed recipe. We don’t.
Crikey IPA isn’t a static beer. It’s our North Star.
It was the first IPA we ever brewed, and more than a decade later, it’s still the one we measure everything else against. It’s also become Washington’s most awarded IPA—but that’s not why it matters.
It matters because we work to keep making it better.
Built “Glass-Backwards”
Crikey started long before we opened our doors in Ballard.
Back during our homebrewing days in the garage, Adam brewed with a simple idea: start with the glass. Not the recipe.
What should it taste like?
Bright citrus. Tropical background notes. Clean, balanced bitterness. A finish that makes you want another sip.
Then build the beer to match.
That’s Glass Backwards. And it’s how Crikey was born.
This obsessive iteration is what birthed the original Crikey recipe, a classic West Coast IPA built on a foundation of Citra, Amarillo, and Simcoe hops.
Glacial Change
We call it glacial change.
Thousands of tiny improvements over time. A tweak to fermentation here. A better hop product there. Small shifts you’d never notice batch to batch.
But they add up. Same Crikey. Just better.
Proven Over Time A Legacy of Excellence
That approach has earned Crikey recognition at the highest levels – including Best North American Beer at the Brussels Beer Challenge and multiple medals at the World Beer Awards.
We’re proud of that.
But we’re not brewing for trophies.
The Best Version Yet
Every time you crack a Crikey, you’re drinking the latest version of that original idea.
Refined. Dialed. Exactly how we think it should taste.
Same North Star.
Just better.
The Full List of Awards & Honors
2025 Australian International Beer Awards: Bronze
2025 The United States Beer Tasting Championship: Grand Champion
2025 USBTC/Awards Northwest/Pacific: Honorable Mention
2025 World Beer Awards: Gold
2024 Brussels Beer Challenge: Silver
2024 International Beer and Cider Awards: Bronze
2024 North American Brewers Awards: Bronze
2024 US Open Beer Championships: Bronze
2024 World Beer Awards: Bronze (country)
2023 Australian International Beer Awards: Silver
2023 Good Food Awards: Gold
2022 Australian International Beer Awards: Silver
2022 International Beer Cup: Silver
2022 World Beer Awards: Gold
2021 Brussels Beer Challenge: Silver
2020 Brussels Beer Challenge: Best North American Beer
2020 Brussels Beer Challenge: Gold
2019 AIBA – Australian Int. Beer Awards: Gold
2019 WA Beer Awards: Gold
2018 US Open Beer Championships: Bronze
2018 World Beer Championships: Gold
2017 AIBA – Australian Int. Beer Awards: Gold
2017 Brussels Beer Challenge: Gold
2017 Good Food Awards: Winner
2017 SIP Magazine Best of the NW: Judge’s Pick
2016 AIBA – Australian Int. Beer Awards: Silver
2016 Euro Beer Star: Gold
2016 WA Beer Awards: Bronze
2016 World Beer Championships: Gold
2015 Best of Craft Beer Awards: Silver
2015 USBTC: Best of the PNW
2015 World Beer Championships: Gold
2014 World Beer Championships: Silver