Member breweries of the Colorado Brewers Guild brought home 29 medals from the Great American Beer Festival held last weekend in Denver, a figure that represents 11.7 percent of the 248 total gold, silver and bronze medals awarded during the world’s largest commercial beer competition.

Not surprisingly, American-style India Pale Ale was again the most competitive category with 176 entries (Deviant Dale’s, a deliciously dry-hopped version of Dale’s Pale Ale from Oskar Blues Brewery, won silver). But perhaps most indicative of Colorado’s long-time standing as a hub of excellence and innovation in the craft-brewing industry is the recognition received in categories that fall outside of mainstream styles.

From Funkwerks in Fort Collins (silver for its Belgian-style Saison) and Crabtree Brewing Co. in Greeley (gold for its German-style Sour Ale) to Ska Brewing Co. in Durango (gold for its Steel Toe Stout in the Sweet Stout category) and Strange Brewing Co. in Denver (gold for its gluten-free Lemon Pale Ale), Colorado breweries are adept at carving out a niche for themselves in a crowded and competitive market and executing at the highest levels of their mission.

Especially along the Front Range and in beer-soaked Boulder County, which has one of the highest concentrations of breweries in the state, one might think that the market is already saturated. But new breweries continue to flourish in this robust brewing community. A high tide floats all boats.

“Boulder is a city where I can see more and more breweries opening, because it’s just so ingrained in its personality,” says Ed Sealover, author of the recently released book “Mountain Brew: A Guide to Colorado’s Breweries.” “Boulder breweries have a reputation for pushing the envelope a bit more than others and also for being environmentally friendly.”

Boulder’s Upslope Brewing Co. won top honors at this year’s GABF for its Pumpkin Ale in the Field Beer or Pumpkin Beer category. It’s the brewery’s third medal in three years and its first gold.

“Obviously, winning gold is huge for us,” says Henry Wood, Upslope’s director of sales and marketing. “We couldn’t be more thrilled.”

Upslope’s Pumpkin Ale is brewed using mostly local ingredients, including baby bear pumpkins from Munson Farms and spices from Savory Spices.

Mountain Sun Pub and Brewery, a Boulder-based brewpub, also won a silver medal for its Colorado Kind in the Extra Special Bitter category.

Further afield, Aurora’s Dry Dock Brewing won a bronze medal for its Coffee Milk Stout, a gold for its signature Hefeweizen and a bronze for its Kriek in the Pro-Am Competition; Denver’s Wynkoop Brewing Co. won bronze medals both for its Belgorado in the Experimental Beer category and for its B3K Schwarzbier; and, in addition to its silver for Deviant Dale’s, Oskar Blues also won a bronze for its Old Chub Scotch Ale and a silver for Mama’s Little Yella Pils.

Fort Collins was also well represented. In addition to Funkwerks’ win, New Belgium Brewing Co. won gold for its Le Terroir, an American-style sour ale; and Odell Brewing Co. won gold for Friek, which incorporates raspberries and cherries in an excellent Belgian-style barrel-aged sour beer.

“Colorado is the birthplace of the GABF, home of the Brewers Association as well as almost 130 breweries,” says Steve Kurowski, marketing manager for the Colorado Brewers Guild. “To me there is no other place in the country where brewing great beer — not just good beer — is essential to the success of any brewery. There are too many choices for the consumer and too much tradition to be average in this state. Colorado is the state of craft beer.”

Contact Tom Wilmes at boulderbeerguy@gmail.com.