Sacramento, California – Hold onto your pint glasses! The 2025 Brewers Cup of California, hosted by the Sacramento Area Brewers Guild with a high-five from Craftmaster Stainless and California’s top brewers guilds, just dropped the mic on the state’s best beers at a rockin’ awards bash at Sacramento’s Crest Theatre. Get ready to toast the winners!
Record-Breaking Beer Bonanza
This year’s Brewers Cup was a hoppy extravaganza, with a jaw-dropping 1,360 entries from 203 independent California craft breweries—the biggest turnout yet! Over 60 expert judges sipped, swirled, and awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze across 64 style categories, shining a spotlight on the Golden State’s brewing brilliance.
Cheers to the Big Winners!
Admiral Maltings handed the coveted Best in Show to Sacramento’s Geisthaus Brewing Company for their crisp, aromatic Progenitor Kellerbier—a beer that’s basically a love letter to your taste buds. Meanwhile, Morgan Territory Brewing from Tracy snagged Brewery of the Year (their second crown after 2023), proving they’re a force to be reckoned with. The Los Angeles County Brewers Guild took home Guild of the Year for their members’ medal-hauling swagger.
Hoppy Highlights: Fan-Favorite Styles
The competition got fierce in the most-entered categories! For Hazy India Pale Ale, Eureka Brewing Company’s “Just a Phaze” nabbed Gold, followed by Ambitious Ales’ “Professional Human Being” (Silver) and TapRoom Brewing Company’s “North Park Haze” (Bronze). In American IPAs, Topa Topa Brewing Co.’s “We Love L.A.” scored Gold, with Trademark Brewing’s “Codebreaker” (Silver) and Auburn Alehouse’s “Cross Rut IPA” (Bronze) rounding out the podium.
A Toast to a Craft Beer Legend
The Brewers Cup honored Dr. Patrick Ting, PhD, as the 2025 Craft Beer Pioneer. The late hop scientist, who developed the iconic Citra hop at Miller Coors, forever changed craft beer. His legacy lives on in every juicy, citrusy sip!
Brewmaster’s High-Five
“We’re stoked to see so many beers in the ring this year—it’s our biggest yet!” says David Weiss, President of the Sacramento Area Brewers Guild and Head Brewer at Blue Note Brewing. “This competition is all about celebrating the passion, creativity, and hustle of California’s craft brewers. Cheers to them!”
Where to Sip the Winners
Craving a taste of the champs? Hunt down these award-winning brews at taprooms, bars, and retailers across California. For the full list of winners, check out brewerscupofca.com/2025-winners. Pro tip: Join the beer party during Sacramento Beer Week, running through May 4!
About the Brewers Cup of California
Launched in 2019 by the Sacramento Area Brewers Guild, the Brewers Cup of California is the ultimate showdown for the state’s independent craft breweries. With support from guilds like Bay Area, Central Coast, Inland Empire, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Diego, plus sponsors Craftmaster Stainless, Admiral Maltings, and Berkeley Yeast, this competition celebrates innovation and quality. Held in 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025, it’s a must-watch for beer lovers. Learn more at brewerscupofca.com.
Brewers Cup of California Medal Winners
Table 1: Altbier
1st – Cerveceria Del Pueblo – Antigua
2nd – Lodi Beer Company – Anniversary Alt Bier
3rd – Black Hammer Brewing Company – Ctrl Alt Repeat
Table 2: American IPAs (138 Entries)
1st – Auburn Alehouse – Cross Rut IPA
2nd – Trademark Brewing – Codebreaker
3rd – Topa Topa Brewing Co. – We Love LA
HM – Three Mile Brewing Company – Angry Goat
Table 3: American Wheat/Rye (9 Entries)
1st – Canyon Lakes Brewery – Walk Or Ryed?
2nd – Stone Church Brewing – Eucharist Wheat
3rd – Claremont Craft Ales – Jacaranda
HM – Trinity County Brewing Company – Hayfork Hefeweizen
Table 4: American-Style Amber Lagers (14 Entries)
1st – Wagon Wheel Brewing Company – Elbow Bender
2nd – Eureka Brewing Company – Tacos & Beer
3rd – June Lake Brewing – Chingona Amber Lager
Table 5: American-Style Amber/Red Ale (28 Entries)
1st – Lincoln Beer Company – Railsplitter
2nd – Far Field Brewing Company – INFRARED
3rd – Half Moon Bay Brewing Company – Mavericks Amber Ale
Table 6: American-Style Brown Ale (15 Entries)
1st – Hodad’s Brewing Company – Throwback
2nd – Three Mile Brewing Company – Barkada
3rd – Wild Fields Brewhouse – Three Bridges
Table 7: American-Style Cream Ale or Lager (21 Entries)
1st – Morgan Territory Brewing – Snap Shot
2nd – Del Cielo Brewing – Orale – American-Style
3rd – Malibu Brewing Company – Sand And Sea Mexican Lager
Table 8: American-Style Dark/Amber Lager (9 Entries)
1st – Bottle Logic Brewing – LageritHM
2nd – Porchlight Brewing – Oktoberbeast
3rd – Touchstone Brewing Company – Oktoberbeast
Table 9: American-Style Lagers (49 Entries)
1st – Epidemic Ales – Lager At World’s End
2nd – Creature Comforts Brewing Co. – Los Angeles – Pils, Baby!
3rd – Auburn Alehouse – Gold Country Pilsner
Table 10: American-Style Light Lager (28 Entries)
1st – San Fernando Brewing Company – Del Valle Lager
2nd – Bright Spark Brewing – Game Day Lager
3rd – Lucky Luke Brewing Co. – Lucky Light
Table 11: American-Style Pale Ales (47 Entries)
1st – Common Space Brewery – Good Signs
2nd – Fieldwork Brewing Company – Hellflower
3rd – Angel City Brewery – IPA
HM – Puesto Cerveceria – Puesto IPA
Table 12: American-Style Stout/Black Ales (12 Entries)
1st – Arts District Brewing Company – Norm
2nd – Riip Beer Company – Strategic Arrangement
3rd – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co – Big Cone
Table 13: American-Style Strong Ales (22 Entries)
1st – Lincoln Beer Company – Vanilla Carousel
2nd – Sutter Buttes Brewing Co. Inc. – Moon Sabbat
3rd – Five Point Five Brewing Co. – Tank Farm
Table 14: Belgian Style Pale Beers (17 Entries)
1st – Apogee Brewing Co. – Aurora
2nd – ISM Brewing – Stable Trestles
3rd – Paperback Brewing – Surrealist
Table 15: Belgian-Style Strong Ales (28 Entries)
1st – Trinity County Brewing Company – Anniversary 4
2nd – Strong Church – Trinity
3rd – Apogee Brewing Co. – Monks In Space
Table 16: Bocks (15 Entries)
1st – Feather Falls Brewing Company – Doppel Down
2nd – Morgan Territory Brewing – Lubricator
3rd – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Frozen Goat
Table 17: Bohemian-Style Pilsener (24 Entries)
1st – Jackrabbit Brewing Co. – Dun’ Workin’
2nd – Alaro Craft Brewery – La Boheme
3rd – FiftyFifty Brewing Company – Tahoe Pilz
Table 18: British Stouts (17 Entries)
1st – Morgan Territory Brewing – Grinding Stone
2nd – Bravery Brewing – Korova
3rd – Feather Falls Brewing Company – Volcano Mudslide
Table 19: British Strong Beers (18 Entries)
1st – Morgan Territory Brewing – Old Diablo
2nd – San Fernando Brewing Company – O’Melveny Red Ale
3rd – North Coast Brewing Co. – Old Stock Ale
Table 20: Chocolate Beers (10 Entries)
1st – Burning Barrel Brewing Company – Suffered From The Start
2nd – TapRoom Beer Company – The Chocolate Klub
3rd – Altar Society Brewing Company – Darkest Rituals
Table 21: Coffee-Flavored Beer (24 Entries)
1st – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Cafe Stagecoach
2nd – Etna Brewing Co. – Yakauccino Coffee Vanilla Stout
3rd – Pizza Port – San Clemente – Dusk Til Dawn
Table 22: Dessert Stout (11 Entries)
1st – Moksa Brewing Company – Happy Almonds
2nd – Moksa Brewing Company – Salutations
3rd – Chapman Crafted Beer Company – Crafted Campfire
Table 23: English-Style Brown Ale (9 Entries)
1st – Feather Falls Brewing Company – Sir Charles
2nd – Lodi Beer Company – School Street Brown Ale
3rd – Trinity County Brewing Company – Ol’ Snickelfritz
Table 24: English-Style Milds and Bitters/IPA (21 Entries)
1st – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Hoppy Poppy
2nd – Amador Brewing Company – Dirty Blonde
3rd – Bravery Brewing – Brighton ESB
Table 25: European-Style Dark/Munchner Dunkel (9 Entries)
1st – Movement Brewing Co. – Walter Sobczech
2nd – Pond Farm Brewing Co. – Daily Brot
3rd – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – I Dunkeled In My Pants
Table 26: Experimental Beer (6 Entries)
1st – Malibu Brewing Co. – Canyon Rose’ Rice Lager
2nd – Solorio Brewing Company – Cheeky Peach Crumble
Table 27: Experimental India Pale Ale (8 Entries)
1st – Berryessa Brewing Co. – Buddha’s Hand IPA
2nd – Fieldwork Brewing Company – Picked Last
3rd – Mike Hess Brewing Company – Lone Pine IPA
Table 28: Field Beer (6 Entries)
1st – Norco Brewing Co. – Pioneer
2nd – Hop Dogma Brewing Company – Cucumber Rocket Surgery
3rd – Lake Arrowhead Brewing Company – Srawberry Peak
Table 29: Fruit Beer (32 Entries)
1st – Angel City Brewery – Grenache Grisette
2nd – Cerveceria Del Pueblo – Melosa
3rd – Bravery Brewing – Lime Fatboys Cerveza
Table 30: German Helles/Export (19 Entries)
1st – Geisthaus Brewing Company – Hallowed
2nd – Morgan territory Brewing Company – The Cushman
3rd – Alvarado Street Brewery & Bistro – Carmel – Servus!
Table 31: German-Style Pilsener (31 Entries)
1st – Long Beach Beer Labs – Klassisch Pils
2nd – Transmission Brewing – Downshift
3rd – Two Ravens Brewery – Longship
Table 32: German-Style Wheat/Rye (15 Entries)
1st – Alvarado Street Brewery & Bistro – Carmel – Bistro Hef
2nd – standard deviant brewing – Hefeweizen
3rd – Alvarado Street Brewery & Bistro – Carmel – Dunkelweizen
Table 33: Golden or Blonde Ale (34 Entries)
1st – Crooked Lane Brewing Co. – Hammock Time
2nd – Aftershock Brewing Company – Love Wave
3rd – Long Beach Beer Labs – Blonde
Table 34: Gose (12 Entries)
1st – MachineHead Brewing Co. – Punk Fuzz
2nd – San Francisco Brewing Company – Golden Gate Gose
3rd – Old Stump Brewing Co. – Raspberry Lemonade Gose
Table 35: Hard Kombucha (3 Entries)
1st – Midscape Fermentations – Free Spirit
2nd – Midscape Fermentations – The Starman
3rd – Midscape Fermentations – Dream Big
Table 36: Hard Seltzer (34 Entries)
1st – Crow and Wolf Brewing – Dark Horse
2nd – Crow and Wolf Brewing – Cosmonaut
3rd – DarkHeart Brewing Citrus Heights – Krakens Klau Lavender Lemondrop Beverage
Table 37: Hazy IPA (67 Entries)
1st – Eureka Brewing Company – Just A Phaze
2nd – Ambitions Ales – Professional Human Being
3rd – TapRoom Beer Company – North Park Haze
HM – San Diego Brewing Company – San Diego Hazy IPA
Table 38: Hazy Pale Ales (34 Entries)
1st – CAPO Craft – Stanton Location – Hazy IPA
2nd – Tarantula Hill Brewing Co. – Liquid Candy
3rd – Flatland Brewing Company – Psychic Burden
Table 39: Herb and Spice Beer (15 Entries)
1st – Strike Brewing Company – Churro Beer
2nd – Unsung Brewing Company LLC – The Pickler
3rd – LogOff Brewing – Divide By Zero r
Table 40: Historical (15 Entries)
1st – Ten Mile Brewing – Hidden Hollow
2nd – Brewjeria Company – Californio
3rd – Fruition Brewing – Alpino A Maritima
Table 41: Honey Beer (10 Entries)
1st – TrustedGut – Blonde Ale With Notes of Honey
2nd – Old Stump Brewing Co. – Not Tonight Honey
3rd – Mike Hess Brewing Company – EZ Drankin
Table 42: Imperial Hazy IPA (21 Entries)
1st – Pure Project – Double Dust
2nd – Moksa Brewing Company – Light The Beam
3rd – Humble Sea Brewery – Hop Fusion 2.0
Table 43: Imperial IPA (38 Entries)
1st – Claremont Craft Ales – Triple IPA
2nd – Morgan Territory Brewing – HopTomic
3rd – Ghost Town Brewing – Nose Goblin
Table 44: India Pale Lagers (17 Entries)
1st – Riip Beer Company – Alt Aboard
2nd – Ghost Town Brewing – Cave Dweller
3rd – Topa Topa Brewing Co. – KQ Express
Table 45: International Lagers (28 Entries)
1st – Solorio Brewing Company – GOT SOL?
2nd – Ten Mile Brewing – Koji
3rd – Euryale Brewing Co. – Madre Medusa Mexican Lager
Table 46: International Pale Ales (34 Entries)
1st – Tustin Brewing Co. – Lolly Trolly
2nd – Tarantula Hill Brewing Co. – Call Day
3rd – ISM Brewing – Chepedelic
Table 47: International-Style Pilsener (26 Entries)
1st – Tarantula Hill Brewing Co. – Feel The Flow
2nd – LogOff Brewing – Birra Stallone
3rd – ROM Beer Company – When in ROM
Table 48: Irish Stouts (13 Entries)
1st – Feather Falls Brewing Co. – Celtic Dream
2nd – True Symmetry Brewing Co. – Tommy’s 34
3rd – Danville Brewing Company – Lucky Four Leaf
Table 49: Irish-Style Red Ale (20 Entries)
1st – Pizza Port Co. – Carlsbad Village – Irish Hello
2nd – CAPO Craft – Stanton Location – Irish Red
3rd – Promised Land Beer – Slainte Red
Table 50: Kellerbiers (6 Entries)
1st – Geisthaus Brewing Company – Progenitor
2nd – Fruition Brewing – Slip
3rd – Ketch Brewing – Dr. Billheimers Magic Pilsner
Table 51: Kolsch-Style Ales (21 Entries)
1st – BrewBilt Brewing – Party Eyes Kolsch
2nd – Half Moon Bay Brewing Company – Kolsch
3rd – Discretion Brewing – Ten Million Flowers
Table 52: Marzen/Oktoberfest (6 Entries)
1st – Norco Brewing Co. – Norctoberfest
2nd – Geisthaus Brewing Company – Stormbond
3rd – DarkHeart Brewing Citrus Heights – Marzen
Table 53: New Zealand-Style IPA (16 Entries)
1st – Fall Brewing Company – Sweet Resistance
2nd – Barebottle Brewing Company – NZ Envy
3rd – Evans Brewing Co. – Tanka Jahari
Table 54: Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage (6 Entries)
1st – Fieldwork Brewing Company – Day Money
2nd – Protector Brewery – Rancho West Non Alcoholic Beer
3rd – Touchstone Brewing Company – Off Belay
Table 55: Porters (29 Entries)
1st – Morgan Territory Brewing Company – Dark Reckoning
2nd – Tustin Brewing Co. – Blimp Hangar Porter
3rd – Pizza Port Brewing Co. – Carlsbad Village – Pine Park Porter
Table 56: Saison (9 Entries)
1st – Stone Church Brewing – Saison De Church
2nd – Apogee Brewing Co. – Lucy In The Rye
– French- & Belgian-Style Saison
Table 57: Schwarzbier (15 Entries)
1st – True Symmetry Brewing Co. – Midnight At Noon
2nd – Kairoa Brewing Company – Boots and Stubbies
3rd – Ogopogo Brewing – Nachtkrapp
Table 58: Scottish Ales (15 Entries)
1st – Fieldwork Brewing Company – Wrapt In Warm Flannel
2nd – Steel Bonnet Brewing – Numpty
3rd – LogOff Brewing – Dianasty
Table 59: Smoke Beers (7 Entries)
1st – Arts District Brewing Company – Kindling
2nd – Clandestine Brewing – Smoke And Mirrors
3rd – Black Hammer Brewing Company – Lillikoi Mezcalita
Table 60: Sour/Brett/Other Yeast (29 Entries)
1st – Burning Beard Brewing – In Praise of Bacchus
2nd – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co – Jam Jam BoysenBerry
3rd – Angel City Brewery – Apple Pomace Puncheonr
Table 61: Specialty Stouts (4 Entries)
1st – TapRoom Beer Company – True Dark
2nd – Black Plague Brewing – Medusa
3rd – Hop Secret Brewing Company – Tongue Butter
Table 62: Vienna-Style Lager (16 Entries)
1st – Arts District Brewing Company – The Lush
2nd – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. – Non Serviam
3rd – Alaro Craft Brewery – Adrianna
Table 63: Wit Beer (4 Entries)
1st – Ogopogo Brewing – Boeman
2nd – The Monk’s Cellar – Biere Blanche
3rd – Hop Dogma Brewing Company – Rocket Surgery
Table 64: Wood- And Barrel-Aged Beers (39 Entries)
1st – The Monk’s Cellar – Tradition
2nd – Two Ravens Brewery – Raven King
3rd – El Segundo Brewing Co. – Standard Crude