It was a truly banner year – one of the best ever – for Western New York breweries at the 2026 New York State Craft Beer Competition as craft beer from the region once again showed up and showed out at this year’s awards, which took place Friday night (March 20) at the Albany Capital Center as part of the New York State Brewers Conference.
In total, 1,142 beers were entered by 178 breweries across 32 categories and 101 medals were awarded.
New York Beer Project and Eli Fish Brewing led the way with three and two medals each, respectively. NYBP won gold for Hazy Train (Hazy IPA) and silver for Righteous Day Drinker (Hazy DIPA) and Hazy Crush (Experimental IPA). Eli Fish grabbed gold for The Red Ale (Strong Ales & Lagers) and a silver for Tiga Spon (Experimental).
Rusty Nickel Brewing won gold for Pumpernickel Porter (Porters – Non-Imperial), Resurgence Brewing won silver for Bridge Pilsner (American Lager), Pearl Street Grill & Brewery won silver for Mangia, Mangia! Italian Pilsner (Light Lager – Modern and Contemporary), Brickyard Brewing won silver for Magnetic North (Belgian Farmhouse) and Griffon Brewing grabbed bronze for Oregon High Five (Pale Ale).
In what has become quite the common occurrence over the last handful of years, the NYS Brewery of the Year Award was presented to Grimm Artisanal Ales (Brooklyn, NY), marking their fifth win of the title (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026).
The 2025 Governor’s Craft Beer Cup given out each year to the beer that is deemed the best in the state, was awarded to Wild East Brewing out of Brooklyn for their Hexenkessel in the Dark Lager Category.
Last year, Resurgence Brewing won a silver medal for their White Ale (Wheat Beers), Pearl Street Grill & Brewery won gold for Saber’s Edge DIPA (one of my all-time favorite local beers) in the American DIPA category, Hamburg Brewing scored gold for OMS in Stout (Non-Imperial) and New York Beer Project Irish Coffee Stout took bronze in Specialty Beers (Stouts & Porters). WNY breweries swept the Experimental category, with Eli Fish Brewing scoring bronze for Chateau Tropicale, Resurgence’s Another Caucasian, Gary nabbing silver and Big Ditch Brewing going gold with their Carrot Cake Winter Ale.
There is remarkable beer being brewed on the daily right here in our backyard – all you have to do is look. These awards are simply further proof of that.
Brian Campbell is co-founder and Brand Manager of the Buffalo Beer League, and writes the weekly Buffalo Beer Buzz column. If you have beer news that should be included in the Beer Buzz, Brian can be reached at brian@buffalobeerleague.com, on Twitter (@buffbeerleague), Instagram (@buffalobeerleague), and Facebook (@thebuffalobeerleague).
