ALBANY, NY – New York State Craft Beer Competition 2025 WINNERS presented by Ultimate Brew Service.
2025 Governor’s Excelsior Craft Beer Cup
Grimm Artisanal Ales (Brooklyn, NY)
“Grimm Weisse”
Category: Wheat Beer
2025 NYS Brewery of the Year
*It Was a Tie!
For the first time in the Competition’s history there was a tie for the “NYS Brewery of the Year Award”. The two winners are “Grimm Artisanal Ales (Brooklyn, NY) and Wayward Lane Brewing (Schoharie, NY) – both holding previous “Brewery of the Year Awards”.
The New York State Brewery of the Year Award is given to the brewery that earns the highest number of points in the competition. Points are determined by the number of medals won.
Point system: Gold = 3pts, Silver = 2pts, Bronze = 1pt
Grimm Artisanal Ales (Brooklyn, NY)
4th “NYS Brewery of the Year” win (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025)
3 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze (15 points total)
Gold: Imperial Stout and Porter – “Double Negative”
Gold: Kettle and Simple Sours – “Psychokinesis”
Gold: Wheat Beer – “Weisse”
Silver: Wild and Sour Ale – “Trellis”
Silver: Belgian Farmhouse – “Castling”
Bronze: Belgian Farmhouse – “Pearly Dewdrops”
Bronze: Hazy DIPA – “Psychedelic Gardener”
Wayward Lane Brewing (Schoharie, NY)
2nd“NYS Brewery of the Year” win (2023, 2025)
4 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze (15 points total)
Gold: Hazy DIPA – “Enzyme Detonator”
Gold: Barrel Aged (Non-Sour) – “Quercus Reserve”
Gold: Specialty Beers: Stouts & Porters – “Hunk: Sichuan”
Gold: Light Lager – Modern & Contemporary – “Momo”
Silver: Hazy IPA – “Here On Out”
Bronze: Amber Lager – “Veslo”
Best New York Farm Beer
“Barrel 16”
Category: Barrel Aged Sour
Kingston Standard (Kingston, NY)
*winner of the 2024 Governor’s Cup!
Best Collab Beer
“Veslo”
Category: Amber Lager
Wayward Lane Brewing & Marlowe Artisanal Ales
*winner of the 2024 Governor’s Cup!
Competition Highlights
Top 6 Style Categories Entered
Dark Lager (55 entries)
American IPA (55 entries)
Amber Lager (56 entries)
Amber/Red Ale (61 of entries)
Light Lager – Traditional (91 entries)
Hazy IPA (104 entries)
2025 Competition Summary
1320 beers were entered by 207 breweries
96 medals awarded
Beers were judged in 32 style categories by 75 industry professionals.
There was a tie for the “NYS Brewery of the Year Award”. The two winners are Grimm Artisanal Ales (Brooklyn, NY) and Wayward Lane Brewing (Schoharie, NY).
Grimm Artisanal Ales won their first Governor’s Cup award for the best-in-show beer, as well as their 4th “NYS Brewery of the Year” title (2021, 2022, 2024,2025).
Wayward Lane Brewing won their 2nd “NYS Brewery of the Year” title (2023, 2024).
Judging took place over 2-days March 1-2, 2025 in Rochester, NY
The industry-member-only Awards Celebration presented by Malteurop took place in-person at the Albany Capital Center and was the closing event of the NYS Brewers Conference.
Enthusiasts tuned into the awards ceremony via the New York State Craft Beer YouTube Channel. Breweries throughout the state hosted remote watch parties.
Winners by Category
Amber Lager – 56 Entries
Gold – Pleasantbrau Marzen – Soul Brewing Company LLC
Silver – 1903 New York Lager – Frog Alley Brewing Co
Bronze – Veslo – Wayward Lane Brewing
Amber/Red Ale – 61 Entries
Gold – Genesee Brew House Scotch Ale – Genesee Brew House
Silver – Opa’s Choice – Mill House Brewing Company
Bronze – Ol Fox – West Kill Brewing
American DIPA – 21 Entries
Gold – Saber’s Edge – Pearl Street Grill and Brewery
Silver – Hopnami – Greenport Harbor Brewing Co.
Bronze – Pacific Dawn – Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
American IPA – 55 Entries
Gold – Frisco Kid – Okay Beer Company
Silver – All or Nothing – Threes Brewing
Bronze – Cleaver IPA – Brewery at the CIA
American Lager – 42 Entries
Gold – The Bronx Brewery Well Earned – Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Silver – Crispy Boys – Prison City Brewing
Bronze – Home Slice – Finback Brewery
Barrel Aged (non-Sour) – 43 Entries
Gold – Quercus Reserve – Wayward Lane Brewing
Silver – Quad Rainbow – DESTINATION UNKNOWN BEER COMPANY
Bronze – Barrel Aged Murder – Keuka Brewing Company
Barrel Aged Sour – 16 Entries
Gold – Barrel 16 – Kingston Standard
Silver – White Label – Blackberry – Druthers Brewing Company
Bronze – DHFS: Motueka – Aurora Brewing Co.
Belgian Farmhouse – 19 Entries
Gold – Saison Blend One – ONCO Fermentations, Inc
Silver – Castling – Grimm Artisanal Ales
Bronze – Pearly Dewdrops – Grimm Artisanal Ales
Belgian Other (Trappist, Strong) – 44 Entries
Gold – Savior Vivire 10º – Strangebird
Silver – Tarrytown Dubbel – Duncan’s Abbey
Bronze – Soulstice – Soul Brewing Company LLC
Brown Ale – 23 Entries
Gold – Mild Return – UNDERGROUND BEER LAB
Silver – Honey Do List – DESTINATION UNKNOWN BEER COMPANY
Bronze – K Town Brown – Great Life Brewing
Cream Ale – 39 Entries
Gold – Dos Ojos – Bright Eye Beer Co.
Silver – Saint James Brewery Cream Ale – Saint James Brewery
Bronze – Honey Cream Ale – Birdhouse Brewing Company
Dark Lager – 55 Entries
Gold – The Phantom – Lower Lake Brewery
Silver – Soir – Drowned Lands
Bronze – Crispy Nights – Finback Brewery
Experimental – 17 Entries
Gold – Carrot Cake – Big Ditch Brewing Company
Silver – Another Caucasian Gary – Resurgence Brewing Company
Bronze – Chateau Tropicale – Eli Fish Brewing Company
Experimental IPA – 24 Entries
Gold – Twilight – Drowned Lands
Silver – Eleanor – DESTINATION UNKNOWN BEER COMPANY
Bronze – Quiet Riot – Prison City Brewing
Field Beer (sour) – 54 Entries
Gold – Oh My, Apple Pie – Heritage Hill Brewhouse
Silver – Peach Silhouette – Hudson Valley Brewery
Bronze – Bro-Mosa – Druthers Brewing Company
Field Beer (non-sour) – 37 Entries
Gold – Poet Marigold – Union Street Brewing
Silver – Blood Orange Kolsch – Lunkenheimer Craft Brewing Co.
Bronze – Blueberry Lager – Valcour Brewing Company
Golden/Blonde Ale – 38 Entries
Gold – From the Top Kolsch – Bright Eye Beer Co.
Silver – Skanny Dipper Blonde Ale – Skaneateles Brewery
Bronze – OCTO BRAU – KCBC
Hazy DIPA – 50 Entries
Gold – Enzyme Detonator – Wayward Lane Brewing
Silver – Cats Are People Too – Finback Brewery
Bronze – Psychedelic Gardener – Grimm Artisanal Ales
Hazy IPA – 104 Entries
Gold – Blue Cheese – Other Half
Silver – Here On Out – Wayward Lane Brewing
Bronze – Wish I May – Grow Brewing Co.
Bronze – Green Yield – Drowned Lands
Hazy Pale Ale – 49 Entries
Gold – Particle – UNDERGROUND BEER LAB
Silver – Vast Expanse – UNDERGROUND BEER LAB
Bronze – Cosmic Juice – Great South Bay Brewery
Imperial Stout and Porter – 21 Entries
Gold – Double Negative – Grimm Artisanal Ales
Silver – Collusion – Seneca St. Brew Pub
Bronze – Baltic Porter – Old Klaverack Brewery
Kettle and Simple Sours – 17 Entries
Gold – Psychokinesis – Grimm Artisanal Ales
Silver – Leipzig Gose – Big Slide Brewery & Public House
Bronze – Surf Guitar Gose – Liquid State Brewing Company
Light Lager – Modern & Contemporary – 54 Entries
Gold – Momo – Wayward Lane Brewing
Silver – Petrini – Strong Rope Brewery
Bronze – Knee Deep – Druthers Brewing Company
Light Lager – Traditional – 90 Entries
Gold – Paradox Helles – Paradox Brewery
Silver – Montauk Pilsner – Montauk Brewing Co.
Bronze – Killsner – Kills Boro Brewing Company
Pale Ale – 31 Entries
Gold – Paleozoic – Gentle Giant Brewing Company
Silver – Ordinary Brooklyn Bitter – 18th Ward Brewing
Bronze – Fresh Coast – TALEA Beer
Porter (Non Imperial) – 28 Entries
Gold – Mudd Brooke Porter – Ausable Brewing Company
Silver – Burnt Knob Porter – Mountain King Brewing
Bronze – Visual Sounds – Threes Brewing
Specialty Beers: Light & Amber Ales and Lagers – 33 Entries
Gold – Burn Ban – West Kill Brewing
Silver – Pumpkin Cream Ale – Keuka Brewing Company
Bronze – Genesee Brew House Chocolate Scotch Ale – Genesee Brew House
Specialty Beers: Stouts & Porters – 48 Entries
Gold – Hunk: Sichuan – Wayward Lane Brewing
Silver – A Dark Bloom – Grow Brewing Co.
Bronze – Irish Coffee Stout – New York Beer Project
Stout (Non Imperial) – 40 Entries
Gold – OMS – Hamburg Brewing Company
Silver – First in First Stout – Brewery at the CIA
Bronze – Delightfully Ominous – Riseform Brewing Co.
Strong Ale (non-Belgian) – 33 Entries
Gold – Bear, Ninja, Cowboy 2024: Lunar Outlaw – Willow Rock Brewing Company
Silver – Kinsfolk – Drowned Lands
Bronze – Winter Warmer – Local 315 Brewing Company
Wheat Beer – 36 Entries
Gold – Weisse – Grimm Artisanal Ales
Silver – Resurgence White Ale – Resurgence Brewing Company
Bronze – Gather House – Drowned Lands
Wild and Sour Ale – 26 Entries
Gold – Trellis – Grimm Artisanal Ales
Silver – Contour Interval – Wild East Brewing Co.
Bronze – no award
For more information on this year’s NYS Craft Beer Competition, go to https://www.nyscbc.com/2025-winners
For Brewing fun facts, trivia, movies and more, Click Here.