In the heart of the Lone Star State, the 2023 Texas Craft Brewers Cup (the rowdy second-annual showdown) blasted off with 852 beers from 147 breweries duking it out across 27 categories—because everything’s bigger in Texas, even the blind tastings! Houston’s rocket-fueled True Anomaly Brewing (founded by ex-NASA geniuses) launched straight to Brewery of the Year glory, hauling in a massive five medals including three golds for cosmic stunners like Small Giant, Aurora 7, and Sea of Waves. North Texas cowboys rode high with 17 medals (a whopping 8 golds!), proving DFW knows how to wrangle hazy IPAs, smoky chilis, and barrel-aged beasts. From Austin’s pilsner perfection to wild sours and fruit bombs that could make a longhorn blush, this bolo-tie medal bash in Austin celebrated Texas craft beer’s bold, boundary-bustin’ spirit—here’s to even bigger boot-scootin’ victories ahead!
2023 Texas Craft Brewers Cup Medal Winners
Pilsner
Gold – Industry – Austin Beer Garden Brewing
Silver – Pilz – Live Oak Brewing Company
Bronze – Hans’ Pils – Real Ale Brewing Company
American & International Lager/Light Lager
Gold – La Beer – Zilker Brewing Company
Silver – 500 Pesos – ODD Muse Brewing
Bronze – Polymath – Celestial Beerworks
Golden, Blond, & Light Ales
Gold – Neato Bandito – Deep Ellum Brewing Company
Silver – Big Thicket Blonde – White Rock Alehouse & Brewery
Bronze – Easy Breesy – Buckstin Brewing Company
Kölsch
Gold – Kayaker’s Kolsch – Central District Brewing
Silver – Altstadt Kolsch – Altstadt Brewery
Bronze – Frost Bier – Frost Town Brewing
Session and Standard German & Czech Lagers
Gold – Freudian Slip N Slide – Roadmap Brewing Co.
Silver – Lettie – Dorćol Distilling and Brewing
Bronze – Das Boots with the Fur – Buckstin Brewing Company
Strong German & Czech Lagers
Gold – Saladobock – Barrow Brewing Company
Silver – Zilkerator – Zilker Brewing Company
Bronze – Dortschlager – Kuenstler Brewing
Classic UK Styles
Gold – Castle Pale Ale – Walking Stick Brewing Compan
Silver – House of Lords – Senate Avenue Brewing Company
Bronze – (512) Nut Brown – (512) Brewing Company
Stout & Porter
Gold – First of His Name – Edgewise Eight Brewing
Silver – Pecan Porter – (512) Brewing Company
Bronze – Oris Don – Lazarus Brewing Company
Session and Standard Hoppy Pale Ales and Lagers
Gold – Free Will – Lazarus Brewing Company
Silver – Open Rhythms – Vector Brewing
Bronze – Floating in Space – Good Line Beer Co
American IPA
Gold – Secret Beach – Meanwhile Brewing Company
Silver – Cold Night For Alligators – Oddwood Brewing
Bronze – 40 Days & 40 Nights – Lazarus Brewing Company
Hazy IPA
Gold – Juice Serum – Rollertown Beerworks – Hazy IPA
Silver – Leaf Peeper – Hold Out Brewing – Hazy IPA
Bronze – Heavenly Daze – Zilker Brewing Company
Strong Hoppy Beer
Gold – Imagine 14 Years – Freetail Brewing Company
Silver – Double Stars – Celestial Beerworks
Bronze – Nomura – Pinthouse Brewing
Specialty Hoppy
Gold – Lady Wood Spruce Tip – Bear King Brewing Co.
Silver – Dust Devil – Starbase Brewing
Bronze – Warrior Road – No Label Brewing Co.
Amber and Dark Beers
Gold – Karnstein – Acopon Brewing Company
Silver – Bowie Bock – Freetail Brewing Company
Bronze – Sunrise – Pondaseta Brewing Co.
Barleywine & Strong Ale
Gold – Battle of Britain – Maple Branch Craft Brewery
Silver – Sabotage – 8th Wonder Brewery
Bronze – Old Man Marley – Good Line Beer Co
Belgian & Farmhouse Ales
Gold – Small Giant – True Anomaly Brewing
Silver – The Divine Monk – Siren Rock Brewing Company
Bronze – Atrial Rubicite – Jester King Brewery
Belgian Abbey Ales
Gold – Patersbier – Lone Man Mountain Brewing Co.
Silver – Sixteen Suns – True Anomaly Brewing
Bronze – QUAD – Vallensons’ Brewing Company
Fruit & Field Beer
Gold – Pho Sho – Vector Brewing – Fruit & Field Beer
Silver – Royal Tannin – Meanwhile Brewing Company
Bronze – Raspberry Fields – Maple Branch Craft Brewery
Chocolate & Coffee
Gold – French Press – Saint Arnold Brewing Company
Silver – Mechanical Grizzly – Lakewood Brewing
Bronze – Coffee Porter – Last Stand Brewing Company
American & European Sour
Gold – Fruited Little Boss — Pomegranate – Blue Owl Brewing
Silver – Guava Goddess – Kuenstler Brewing – American & European Sour
Bronze – La Dame Rouge – The Brewtorium Brewery & Kitchen
Brett & Mixed Culture
Gold – Aurora 7 – True Anomaly Brewing
Silver – Moonbow – True Anomaly Brewing
Bronze – Tulle – Jester King Brewery
Wood & Barrel-Aged Sour & Brett Beer
Gold – Sea of Waves – True Anomaly Brewing
Silver – Bourbon Barrel Aged Moderne Dansk – Jester King Brewery
Bronze – Flanders Red – Grain Theory
Smoke & Chili Beer
Gold – 2023 Texas Craft Brewers CupBanjo! Banjoooo!!!! – Funky Picnic Brewery & Cafe
Silver – Lager Face – Hold Out Brewing
Bronze – Smoked Porter – Armor Brewing Co
Barrel & Wood Aged Beer
Gold – Lion Share X – Lakewood Brewing
Silver – Bourbon Barrel Aged Castle Black
Bronze – Bourbon Barrel Wee Heavy
Experimental, Hybrid & Specialty Beer
Gold – Moonsmoke – Vector Brewing
Silver – Aloha Pina – Five Stones Artisan Brewery
Bronze – Valkyrie – Fitzhugh Brewing
Wheat or Rye
Gold – SA Hefe – Dorćol Distilling and Brewing
Silver – Altstadt Hefe – Altstadt Brewery
Bronze – Dunkel – Grain Theory
Decadent Beer
Gold – Super Smoothie: Pear Blueberry Crumble – B52 Brewing Co.
Silver – Coconut Space – 11 Below Brewing Company
Bronze – Kokomo Royale – Blue Owl Brewing
2023 Texas Craft Brewers Cup Brewery of the Year Awards
Under 600 bbl Group
Vector Brewing
Dallas, TX
600+ bbl Group
True Anomaly Brewing
Houston, TX
Texas Craft Brewers Guild
In the heart of the Lone Star State, where big dreams and bold flavors collide, the Texas Craft Brewers Guild stands tall as the unstoppable champion of independent craft beer, uniting over 300 brewery members and allied partners to promote, propel, and protect the industry’s wild spirit of innovation! Founded in 2009 as a nonprofit powerhouse dedicated to advocacy and education, the Guild fights for game-changing legislation—like direct-to-consumer delivery and farmer-friendly spent grain laws—while hosting epic events such as the legendary Texas Craft Brewers Cup (with its iconic bolo-tie medals), the star-studded Texas Craft Brewers Festival, and the insider-favorite Annual Meeting & Trade Show. From powering the Texas Brewery Passport app that sends thousands of fans on foam-filled adventures to launching initiatives like Brew City, Texas for economic growth and tourism, this member-driven crew is pouring passion into every pint, proving that together, Texas craft brewers aren’t just making beer—they’re building a bigger, hoppier future! Here’s to raising a glass to the Guild and the unbeatable Texas craft beer revolution!