Four Southern Tier Breweries Win Medals at 2026 New York State Craft Beer Competition

The Southern Tier punched well above its geographic weight at the 2026 New York State Craft Beer Competition, with four regional breweries earning hardware when results were announced March 20 at the Albany Capital Center during the New York State Brewers Conference.

The tenth edition of the statewide event drew 1,142 entries from 178 breweries and brought 72 judges to Rochester for two days of tasting and deliberation. A total of 101 medals were awarded, along with the titles of NYS Brewery of the Year, Best NYS Farm Beer, Best Collaboration Beer, and the coveted Governor's Cup for best-in-show.

Liquid State Brewing Co., at 620 W. Green St. in Ithaca, took silver in the Amber & Red Ales category for their Upside Down Alt, finishing in the medals out of 47 entries in that category. Silver awards also went to two Ithaca breweries, with both Liquid State Brewing Company and Ithaca Beer Company recognized. Horseheads Brewing earned bronze in that same Amber & Red Ales category for Brickyard Red, also competing against those 47 entries. Beer Tree Brew, based in Johnson City, took silver in the Stout (Non-Imperial) category for Dry Irish Goodbye.

Liquid State didn't hold back on social media after the results dropped. In a March 22 Facebook post, the brewery said they were "proud to share" the silver for their Upside Down Alt, adding, "Even better, it's still on tap and in cans, so stop in and raise a glass with us."

The statewide top honors went to a pair of Brooklyn heavy-hitters. The Governor's Craft Beer Cup for best beer in the competition went to Wild East Brewing for Hexenkessel, a German-style dark lager. Grimm Artisanal Ales repeated as New York State Brewery of the Year, the fifth time it has taken the title since 2021. Grimm racked up eight medals this year, three gold, two silver, and three bronze, for a total of 16 points under the competition's scoring system.

Rochester's Strangebird Beer & Barrel House provided the competition's most decorated regional showing. Strangebird picked up five medals, including gold for Unfettered Soul in the Hazy DIPA category, silver for Savoir-Vivre 10° in the Belgian Other category, bronze for barrel-fermented cream ale Whale Herder in Light Lagers: Modern and Contemporary, bronze for Portuguese Squeeze in the Barrel-Aged (Non-sour) category, and a silver in the Hazy Pale Ale category. Micah Krichinsky, founder and brewer at the Rochester brewery and brewpub, called it "an extraordinary honor for the entire team."

For Paul Leone, executive director of the New York State Brewers Association, the depth of the results tells a larger story. "While the craft brewing industry continues to evolve, one thing remains certain, the quality of the beer being produced across New York State continues to improve year after year," he said. "This year's list of winners is a clear reflection of that continued commitment to excellence."

Beginning in 2026, organizers will implement a new digital system to streamline entries and judging. "This new system will provide our brewers with an updated entry system, our judges with a paperless judging platform, and keep our competition the best state competition in the country," said Hutch Kugeman of the Brewers Association. For a region that consistently produces medal-caliber beer, the digital upgrade only makes the next submission cycle easier to navigate.