Originally introduced as a companion event to the California Craft Brewers Association’s annual California Craft Beer Summit, the Brewers Cup of California competition is now prestigious enough to stand all on its own. Organized by the Sacramento Area Brewers Guild with the assistance of regional trade organizations across the state, it considers entries from Golden State breweries spanning every conceivable beer style, plus hard seltzer and hard kombucha.
This year’s Brewers Cup of California awards ceremony took place this evening at Sacramento’s Crest Theatre. While San Diego County brewers came out on top in six style categories and amassed a total of 15 medals (in addition to five medals earned by non-local operations with San Diego ties, see below) plus a pair of honorable mentions, it was L.A. brewers’ night to shine.
For the second straight year, the Guild of the Year award went to the Los Angeles County Brewers Guild, behind an outstanding performance from its region’s beermakers. Brewery of the Year went to Morgan Territory Brewing from Tracy, which also won that award in 2023, while the Best of Show winner was a kellerbier called Progenitor from Sacramento’s own Geisthaus Brewing.
Eleven San Diego County businesses brought home hardware this year. North Park’s TapRoom Beer Co. led the pack with three medals (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze), while Pizza Port Brewing’s Carlsbad Village brewpub (1 gold, 1 bronze) and North Park-based Mike Hess Brewing (1 silver, 1 bronze) nabbed a pair apiece. Other gold-medal winners included Burning Beard Brewing, Fall Brewing, Hodad’s Brewing and Pure Project Brewing. Also notable was Black Plague Brewing taking a silver for its imperial milk stout, Medusa, which also medaled last year, earning a gold in the Specialty Stouts category.
The following is a complete list of local winners from the Brewers Cup of California competition…
GOLD MEDALS (7)
American-style Brown Ale: Throwback, Hodad’s Brewing (Serra Mesa)
Imperial Hazy IPA: Double Dust, Pure Project Brewing (Vista)
International-style Pilsener: Feel the Flow, Tarantula Hill Brewing (Thousand Oaks) *
Irish-style Red Ale: Irish Hello, Pizza Port Carlsbad Village (Carlsbad)
New Zealand-style IPA: Sweet Resistance, Fall Brewing (Miramar)
Sour / Brett / Other Yeast: In Praise of Bacchus, Burning Beard Brewing (El Cajon)
Specialty Stouts: True Dark, TapRoom Beer Co. (North Park)
SILVER MEDALS (7)
Chocolate Beers: The Chocolate Klub, TapRoom Beer Co. (North Park)
Hazy Pale Ales: Liquid Candy, Tarantula Hill Brewing (Thousand Oaks) *
Historical Beer: Californio, Brewjería Company (Pico Rivera) **
International Pale Ales: Cali Day, Tarantula Hill Brewing (Thousand Oaks) *
Non-Alcoholic Malt Beverage: Rancho West Non Alcoholic Beer, Protector Brewery (Miramar)
Schwarzbier: Boots and Stubbies, Kairoa Brewing (University Heights)
Specialty Stouts: Medusa, Black Plague Brewing (Oceanside)
BRONZE MEDALS (6)
Coffee-Flavored Beer: Dusk Til Dawn, Pizza Port (San Clemente) ***
Experimental India Pale Ale: Lone Pine IPA, Mike Hess Brewing (North Park)
Hazy IPA: North Park Haze, TapRoom Beer Co. (North Park)
Honey Beer: EZ Drankin, Mike Hess Brewing (North Park)
Kellerbiers: Dr. Billheimer’s Magic Pilsner, Ketch Brewing (Kearny Mesa)
Porters: Pine Park Porter, Pizza Port Carlsbad Village (Carlsbad)
HONORABLE MENTIONS (2)
American-style Pale Ales: Puesto IPA, Puesto Cervecería (Mission Valley)
Hazy IPA: San Diego Hazy IPA, San Diego Brewing Co. (Mission Valley)
* Non-locally based company that operates a brewhouse in San Marcos
** Non-locally based company that operates a non-brewing venue in Chula Vista
*** Non-local brewpub’s parent company is based in Carlsbad