Two Montgomery County breweries were among three Maryland breweries recognized at the 2026 Great American Beer Festival competition, one of the nation’s largest and most competitive beer competitions.
The Brewers Association announced the winners last month, with Silver Branch Brewing Co. in Rockville/Silver Spring and BabyCat Brewery in Bethesda/Kensington each earning medals. Eden Town Brewing Co. in Denton, located on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, also received recognition.
Silver Branch Brewing Co. earned a silver medal for its Mundo Especial in the Rice Lager category, which featured 110 entries. The category was among several new additions to this year’s competition. BabyCat Brewery received a bronze medal for its Spruce Goose in the Herb and Spice Beer category, which included 67 entries. Eden Town Brewing Co. earned Maryland’s third medal, taking silver for its Tiki Pontoon in the Gose category, which featured 36 entries.
The 2026 competition featured 7,267 beer and cider entries from 1,300 breweries and cideries representing 49 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Over three days, 225 expert judges evaluated submissions across numerous categories, ultimately awarding 336 medals to 243 breweries and cideries.
This year’s competition also introduced several new categories, including Rice Lager, Hop Water, and a one-time Craft Malt category, along with expanded specialty beer and gluten-free classifications. “The submissions from this year’s competition continue to reflect just how far American brewing and cidermaking have come,” said Chris Williams, competition director for the Brewers Association.
Williams also highlighted the increasingly competitive nature of the event, noting that the new categories gave producers additional opportunities to showcase their creativity and brewing techniques.
The Great American Beer Festival remains one of the country’s most prominent brewing competitions, with an average of 67 entries per category in 2026. The most competitive category by number of submissions was West Coast-Style India Pale Ale, which received 277 entries.
