2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship Winners and Top Breweries Revealed

The 2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship has recognized some of the best beers and breweries from across the United States and beyond, highlighting excellence in hundreds of beer styles. This year’s competition also reflected changing trends in craft brewing, introduced expanded judging categories – and continued initiatives supporting diversity within the industry. The results offer a snapshot of the breweries, beer styles, and innovations shaping today’s craft beer landscape.

According to a press release from the organizers of the 2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship, Third Eye Brewing of Hamilton, Ohio, was named the 2026 Grand National Champion, taking home five gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.

The brewery’s nine total medals ties the record for most medals won in a single year, a mark set by Maui Brewing in 1990. Third Eye’s five gold medals also set a new record for most golds won by a single brewery in one year.

Third Eye Brewing’s gold medal winners were:

• Mocha Operandi (Breakfast Stout)
• Double Astral (Chocolate Beer)
• Unleashed Potential (Coffee Beer)
• Kelly’s Private Stash Barley Wine (two gold medals, for two different versions)

This marks the second time Third Eye Brewing has claimed the Grand National Champion title in the 18-year history of the U.S. Open Beer Championship.

River North Brewery of Denver, Colorado, placed second overall with four gold medals plus a silver and a bronze. Its gold medal winners were Bucket of Bolts (Strong Ale), Nightmare Fuel (Dark Coffee Beer), Single Cast Adrift on the Baltic (Porter), and Matt’s Secret Stache (Extreme Beer). Known for mastering bold, high-gravity recipes, River North frequently barrel-ages its imperial stouts and saisons for exceptional complexity and drinkability.

Feather Falls Brewing of Oroville, California, rounded out the top three, winning four gold medals and a bronze. Its gold medal winners were Volcano Mudslide (Sweet Stout), Angry Mama Bear (Imperial Porter), Crouching Cougar (Barley Wine Ale), and Charging Buffalo (Strong Ale). Feather Falls is a full-service brewery and restaurant located at the Feather Falls Casino, known for its award-winning craft ales alongside a menu ranging from hand-tossed pizzas to sushi.

2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship – Top 10 Breweries

1. Third Eye Brewing, OH

2. River North Brewery, CO

3. Feather Falls Brewing Co, CA

4. Forgotten Road Ales, NC

5. Alvarado Street Brewery, CA

6. Rhinegeist Brewery, OH

7. Toppling Goliath Brewing Co, IA

8. Altstadt Brewery, TX

9. Fabled Brew Works, KY

10.Sunriver Brewing Co, OR

View the 2025 U.S. Open Beer Championship medal winners and Breweries of the Year – CLICK HERE

Pink Boots Category: Project Halo Brewing Takes Home the Gold

The U.S. Open Beer Championship again partnered with the Pink Boots Society — an organization supporting women and non-binary professionals in the fermented and alcoholic beverage industry — to present the Pink Boots Blend Category. Beers brewed with the special hop blend developed by Pink Boots Society and Yakima Chief Hops were eligible to enter. This year’s gold medal went to Maverick IPA, brewed by Project Halo Brewing of Fulshear, Texas. All entry fees from the category are matched by the U.S. Open Beer Championship and donated to the Pink Boots Society Scholarship Fund, which has now received more than $12,000 in total contributions from the category since its inception.

New for 2026: Mexican Lager Category Explodes

Mexican lager has become one of the fastest-rising styles in American craft beer, and this year’s results made that clear. Now split into Light, Pale, Amber, and Dark subcategories, the style drew well over 100 entries — a sharp jump from just a few years ago, when Mexican-style lager wasn’t judged as its own category in most competitions. Brewers point to growing demand for crisp, sessionable beers, the style’s food-and-patio appeal, and renewed interest in its roots: Austrian and German lager traditions brought to Mexico in the 19th century and adapted with corn in the grain bill. The trend has reached industry education as well, with the Brewers Association recently adding four official Mexican Lager styles and the 2026 Craft Brewers Conference hosting a panel dedicated to the category. What was once a niche style is now firmly mainstream, with breweries nationwide competing hard for medals.

What’s in a Name?

U.S. Open judges always enjoy the creativity behind the beer names entered each year, and — judged subjectively by laughter volume — this year’s Top 10 funniest names were:

1. Middle Finger to Monday IPA — Bright Penny Brewing (North Carolina)

2. Beaver on a Big Wheel IPA — Southern Ohio Brewing (Ohio)

3. Tarty to the Party Marion Sour Ale — Wild Ride Brew (Oregon)

4. Yaba Daba Brew! — Three Blondes Brewing (Michigan)

5. The Spanish Word for Mango is Mango – Flix Brewhouse – OK City(Oklahoma)

6. Effed Up Quad – River North Brewery(Colorado)

7. Hop Drop n’ Roll IPA — NoDa Brewing Company (North Carolina)

8. Creamy Fookin’ Pints – Liquid Mechanics Brewing(Colorado)

9. Mermaid Milk Stout — Marker 48 Brewing (Florida)

10. Skool House Bock — Moontown Brewing (Indiana)

10. George Sloshington Pilsner – Mutation Brewing(Georgia)

Honorable Mention

Ghost Railroad IPA — Narrow Path Brewing (Ohio)(Cam’s favorite)

Cheers and congrats