The 90 medals—gold, silver, and bronze—were awarded across 30 categories, recognizing 56 outstanding breweries. Medals were presented as custom, Texas-sized bolo ties during a celebratory closing ceremony at the Guild’s Annual Meeting on February 21, 2026, in Austin.
Texas Breweries of the Year
Brewery of the Year honors, determined by cumulative medal points (3 for gold, 2 for silver, 1 for bronze) and divided by production size, went to:
Under 620 bbl Group: Bird Creek Brewing Company (Temple, TX), which earned multiple medals including golds in Session and Standard Hoppy Pale Ales and Lagers.
620+ bbl Group: Altstadt Brewery (Fredericksburg, TX), a standout in traditional German styles with strong showings in lagers and wheat beers.
Texas Craft Brewers Cup Medal Winners
German Pilsner
Gold: Neu! Pils – Hold Out Brewing (Austin)
Silver: Altstadt Pils – Altstadt Brewery (Fredericksburg)
Bronze: Meanwhile Pilsner – Meanwhile Brewing Company (Austin)
American and International Pilsner
Gold: Darlin’ – Meanwhile Brewing Company (Austin)
Silver: 12 Degree – Pecan Street Brewing Co. (Johnson City)
Bronze: Magical Pils – Pinthouse Brewing (Austin)
American & International Light Lager
Gold: Hill Country Light – Roughhouse Brewing (San Marcos)
Silver: Icy Boys – Zilker Brewing Company (Austin)
Bronze: Cerveza TX – Save the World Brewing Co. (Marble Falls)
American & International Lager
Gold: Lucha Libre – Flix Brewhouse (San Antonio)
Silver: Kokuyoseki – Obsidian Brewery (Leander)
Bronze: American Lager – Central Machine Works Brewery (Austin)
Golden, Blond, & Light Ales
Gold: Hijack – Untraditional Cream Ale – Infamous Brewing Company (Austin)
Silver: Mardi Gras Blonde – Galveston Island Brewing (Galveston)
Bronze: Honey Blonde – Frontyard Brewing (Spicewood)
Kölsch
Gold: Fahlgelb – Bronson & Ryder Brewing (Llano)
Silver: Haygrazer – Hound Song Brewing Co. (Columbus)
Bronze: The Big German – Rollertown Beerworks (Frisco)
Session and Standard Lagers
Gold: Altstadt Lager – Altstadt Brewery (Fredericksburg)
Silver: DeadBeach Lager – Deadbeach Brewery (El Paso)
Bronze: Karnstein – Acopon Brewing Company (Dripping Springs)
Session and Standard Dark Lagers
Gold: Lettie – Dorćol Distilling and Brewing (San Antonio)
Silver: Shadow Cat – White Rock Brewing Company (Dallas)
Bronze: Hesky Czesky – Hold Out Brewing (Austin)
Strong Lagers
Gold: Buckstin Helles Export – Buckstin Brewing Company (Beaumont)
Silver: Decorator – Talyard Brewing Co (Sugar Land)
Bronze: Doppelbock – Denton County Brewing Company (Denton)
Classic UK Styles
Gold: Black Jack Brown – Four Bullets Brewery (Richardson)
Silver: Royal Scandal – Peticolas Brewing Company (Dallas)
Bronze: Cuffnells – Acopon Brewing Company (Dripping Springs)
Stout & Porter
Gold: Dark Side of the Moo – The Brewtorium Brewery & Kitchen (Austin)
Silver: Flat Penny – Bird Creek Brewing Company (Temple)
Bronze: Cape Fear – Bronson & Ryder Brewing (Llano)
Session and Standard Hoppy Pale Ales and Lagers
Gold: Bare Bones Disco – Bird Creek Brewing Company (Temple)
Silver: Galactic Grackle – Bird Creek Brewing Company (Temple)
Bronze: FIOR – Batch (Austin)
IPA
Gold: Nose Jelly – Pinthouse Brewing (Austin)
Silver: Waka Waka – Bird Creek Brewing Company (Temple)
Bronze: Scorpion Disco – Pinthouse Brewing (Austin)
Hazy IPA
Gold: Heavenly Daze – Zilker Brewing Company (Austin)
Silver: Electric Jellyfish – Pinthouse Brewing (Austin)
Bronze: Space Terrarium – Pinthouse Brewing (Austin)
Strong IPA
Gold: Sparkle & Ruin – Meanwhile Brewing Company (Austin)
Silver: Heavy Machinery Double IPA – Austin Beerworks (Austin)
Bronze: Magnets, How Do They Work? – Good Line Beer Co (Lubbock)
Specialty IPA
Gold: Misty Lady – Bear King Brewing Co. (Marble Falls)
Silver: Bloodwork Orange – Austin Beerworks (Austin)
Bronze: Billy Goat in Belgium – Back Unturned Brewing Co (San Antonio)
Amber and Dark Beers
Gold: Shovelhead Amber Ale – Belly Up Brew Pub (Fredericksburg)
Silver: Mean Girlz – Project Halo Brewing (Fulshear)
Bronze: Brown Chicken Brown Cow – Galveston Island Brewing (Galveston)
Barleywine & Strong Ale
Gold: Romanov’s Revenge – Maple Branch Craft Brewery (Fort Worth)
Silver: Id – St Elmo (Austin)
Bronze: Danger Noodle Island – Save the World Brewing Co. (Marble Falls)
Belgian & Farmhouse Ales
Gold: Passive Dissent – False Idol Brewing (North Richland Hills)
Silver: Le Saison – Vista Brewing (Driftwood)
Bronze: Jedburgh – Longtab Brewing Company (San Antonio)
Belgian Abbey Ales
Gold: 10 for 3 – Nolan Creek Brewery (Belton)
Silver: Chugboat Island – Buckstin Brewing Company (Beaumont)
Bronze: Triple Volunteer – Longtab Brewing Company (San Antonio)
Fruit & Field Beer
Gold: Sweeten The Pot – Four Bullets Brewery (Richardson)
Silver: Sticky Rice and Mango Lager – Obsidian Brewery (Leander)
Bronze: Altstadt Radler – Altstadt Brewery (Fredericksburg)
Chocolate & Coffee
Gold: Subtle Hustle – Grain Theory (Abilene)
Silver: Sludge Factory – Misfit Brewing (Cypress)
Bronze: Devour – Mexican Chocolate – 3 Nations Brewing (Carrollton)
American & European Sour
Gold: Heartbreaker – Deadbeach Brewery (El Paso)
Silver: Bogberry Boombox – The Brewtorium Brewery & Kitchen (Austin)
Bronze: Fruited Little Boss — Pomegranate – Blue Owl Brewing (Austin)
Brett & Mixed Culture
Gold: Montmorency vs. Balaton – Jester King Brewery (Austin)
Silver: Kashmir – Celestial Beerworks (Dallas)
Bronze: Atrial Rubicite – Jester King Brewery (Austin)
Smoke & Chili Beer
Gold: Harissa – Wild Barley Kitchen & Brewery (San Antonio)
Silver: Jalapeño Saison – On Rotation Brewery & Kitchen (Dallas)
Bronze: Schwarzer Rauch – Live Oak Brewing Company (Austin)
Barrel & Wood Aged Beer
Gold: Early Morning Shakes – Paradigm Brewing Company (Tomball)
Silver: Left Handed Hummingbird – Meanwhile Brewing Company (Austin)
Bronze: 40 Watt Reserve – Grain Theory (Abilene)
Experimental, Hybrid & Specialty Beer
Gold: Heritage Common – Old Sheepdog Brewery (El Paso)
Silver: Silver Lining – Talyard Brewing Co (Sugar Land)
Bronze: Blackberry Streussel – Künstler Brewing (San Antonio)
Wheat or Rye
Gold: Altstadt Hefe – Altstadt Brewery (Fredericksburg)
Silver: Hefeweizen – Live Oak Brewing Company (Austin)
Bronze: HighWheel Dunkelweizen – Dorćol Distilling and Brewing (San Antonio)
Decadent Beer
Gold: Suburban Ninja Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Coconut Vanilla and Maple Stout – Red Horn Brewing Co. (Cedar Park)
Silver: Playground Battles – ODD Muse Brewing (Farmer’s Branch)
Bronze: Snacks Ahoy – False Idol Brewing (North Richland Hills)
Legislative ProAm
Gold: Unified – ODD Muse Brewing (Farmer’s Branch)
Silver: Bumgarner Bock – 3 Nations Brewing (Carrollton)
Bronze: Rotunda Rose – Lago Vista Brewing Company (Lago Vista)
More about The Texas Craft Brewers Guild
The Texas Craft Brewers Guild is the hoppy heart and soul of the Lone Star State’s craft beer scene—a nonprofit trade association proudly championing over 300 small and independent breweries across Texas. Think of them as the ultimate beer advocates: they fight tooth and nail (with a side of cold ones) for smarter laws, fairer rules, and a brighter future for local brews through their CraftPAC political action committee and tireless lobbying efforts. From modernizing outdated beer regulations to helping breweries thrive in the massive Texas market, the Guild keeps the good vibes flowing by protecting what makes craft beer special—independence, creativity, and that unmistakable Texas spirit. Whether it’s pushing for taproom freedoms or educating folks on why supporting local matters, they’re the behind-the-scenes heroes ensuring every pint poured tells a story of Lone Star pride.
Beyond the serious stuff, the Guild knows how to throw a legendary party! They organize the wildly popular Texas Craft Brewers Cup (the state’s premier pro beer competition), the massive Texas Craft Brewers Festival featuring hundreds of local brews, and fun community perks like the Texas Brewery Passport™ app that turns beer road trips into an epic statewide adventure. With events, education sessions, networking shindigs, and even a snazzy online store full of merch, the Guild brings brewers and beer lovers together to celebrate the incredible variety—from crisp lagers to wild sours—coming out of Texas taps. If you’re raising a glass to independent craft beer in the biggest state in the Lower 48, you’re basically toasting with the Texas Craft Brewers Guild—cheers to that!
Website: https://texascraftbrewersguild.org/
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