Craft Malt Beer Category Sees Competitive Entries at 2026 Great American Beer Festival

NATIONAL— Last week, the Great American Beer Festival (GABF)® Awards named the top three craft beers that showcased craft malt from Craft Maltsters Guild member malthouses. This Craft Malt Beer category was highlighted as a specialty category for 2026.

Chris Williams, Brewers Association Competition Director noted during the awards ceremony that the Craft Malt Beer category had an impressively competitive 132 entries. This category, he said, carries “that small independent spirit of craft beer back to the grain.” With judging based on how they showcased malt characteristics, he added “these beers celebrate the connection between farmer, maltster, and brewer.”

Bronze in the Craft Malt Beer category went to Admiral Chiperton Sausageton III by Hop Dogma Brewing Co. with Admiral Maltings. Silver in the Craft Malt Beer category went to Two Track ESB by Free State Brewing Co. with Two Track Malting. Gold went to Jacob Mack Mild Ale by Dostal Alley Brewpub & Casino with Root Shoot Malting and Troubadour Maltings.

“Nineteen years ago, we wanted to brew a lighter, drinkable malt-based British ale, which our local pub customers now insist that we never run out of,” says Dave Thomas, Brewer Emeritus at Dostal Alley Brewpub, of the gold-winning beer. “It was always challenging to decide which GABF category we should enter into (Brown, Mild, English ale, etc.) because it's a true British-style—meaning malt, not hop, focused.”

Thomas was one of the Craft Maltsters Guild’s earliest board members and the former Director of Malting & Brewing R&D and Traveling Brewmaster for Coors Brewing Company. He was the 2020 recipient of the Soles of Malt shovel, an honor given for selfless and philanthropic stewardship of craft malt.

Beyond the Craft Malt Beer category, beers made with craft malt from the Craft Maltsters Guild’s member malthouses all over the country won awards across style categories. Some of them included Allagash White, the gold medal winner in the Belgian-Style Witbier category, made with malt from Blue Ox Malthouse and Maine Malt; Wishful Thinking Brewing Co.’s On Any Given Day, made with PA grain and malted at Double Eagle Malting malt, earned a gold medal in the Brett Beer category; Riverside Rhapsody scored two medals for beers made with malt from Riverbend Malt House: silver for Weather Re-Porter in the Robust Porter category and bronze for Baltic Porter in the Strong Porter category; and The Well In Wellington, the gluten-free, sister brewery to Grouse Malt House, earned a gold medal in the Classic Gluten-Free Ale or Lager category for their Altbier. Mieza Blendery, named 2026 0-250 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year, won both bronze and silver in the Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer category for Sulking in The Brush and Minotaurs & Matadors made with malt from Murphy & Rude Malting Co.

The Guild would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Admiral Maltings, who announced their closure earlier this month, on their achievements and industry leadership over the past decade. Five of Admiral’s other customers— Smog City Brewing, Highland Park Brewery, Geisthaus Brewing Co., Drake's Brewing Company/Bear Republic, and Discretion Brewing— also won GABF medals this year with their malt.

“The depth of competition in the Craft Malt Beer category, along with medals for craft malt beers across so many other styles, illustrates the impact craft malt has on award-winning beers– and how brewers are choosing it to give their beers distinct character,” says Steve Clark, President of the Craft Maltsters Guild Board of Directors. “We’re proud to celebrate every malthouse and brewery recognized this year.”

Contact Emily Hutto at hutto at radcraftbeer dot com with media inquiries about the Craft Maltsters Guild.

ABOUT THE CRAFT MALTSTERS GUILD

Formed in 2013, the Craft Maltsters Guild’s mission is to promote and sustain the tradition of craft malting in North America, provide services and resources to the Association’s members, and uphold the highest quality and safety standards for Craft Maltsters. Learn more about the Craft Maltsters Guild at craftmalting.com.

Photo © Brewers Association