6 Medals Won By Breakside Brewery At 2026 Great American Beer Festival

The 2026 Great American Beer Festival, the largest commercial beer competition in the United States, announced its winners on October 11, 2026. Breakside Brewery & Taproom emerged as the top winner, taking home six medals, including three golds.

Breakside Brewery & Taproom's wins included gold medals for Breakside IPA in American IPA and Summer Classic. The brewery's performance demonstrates its technical excellence in producing high-quality beers across different categories.

Altstadt Brewery also had a notable win, taking gold in German-style märzen against a competitive field of 184 entries. This achievement showcases the brewery's skill in crafting traditional German-style beers.

The 2026 Great American Beer Festival was held in Denver, Colorado, and featured a blind judging process, where beers were scored against style guidelines. This approach ensures that the winning beers are selected based on their quality and adherence to style guidelines, rather than their branding or marketing.

## What it means for the winners The wins at the 2026 Great American Beer Festival are significant for the breweries, as they demonstrate their expertise and commitment to quality. The festival's blind judging process adds credibility to the awards, as the winners are selected solely based on the quality of their beers.

## Why it matters The Great American Beer Festival is a premier event in the US beer industry, and the winners of the competition can expect to gain recognition and credibility among beer enthusiasts and industry professionals. The festival's focus on quality and style guidelines also promotes excellence and innovation in the brewing industry.

The 2026 Great American Beer Festival had 12 US breweries that topped the medal count, with winners spread across different regions, including Oregon, Washington state, and Colorado. This diversity of winners reflects the growing popularity and quality of craft beer across the US.