Arizona Breweries Won Eight Medals at National Festival
State breweries secured three gold medals at the 2026 Great American Beer Festival.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Beer
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Arizona breweries earned eight total medals at the 2026 Great American Beer Festival. The haul included three gold medals across various categories.
Why it matters
The performance underscores the growing recognition of Arizona's craft brewing scene on a national stage. This year's results show a slight increase in participation compared to the seven state breweries that won awards in 2025.
Arizona brewers secured three gold medals, including a victory for Wren House Brewing Co. in a competitive category with 161 entries. Phoenix-based Wren House took home two of those gold medals.
The players
Wren House Brewing Co.
This Phoenix-based brewery achieved two gold medals at the 2026 competition.
Saddle Mountain Brewing Co.
Located in Goodyear, this brewery earned a gold medal in the experimental beer category.
Rickety Cricket Brewing
This Kingman brewery secured a silver medal for its entry in the barley wine or wheat wine category.
Corbett Brewing
This Tucson-based operation earned a silver medal in the smoke beer category.
Barrio Brewing Co.
This Tucson brewery was one of the three establishments awarded a bronze medal.
The details
Wren House Brewing Co. captured gold in both the Dortmunder or German-style festbier and wood- and barrel-aged beer categories. Additionally, Goodyear's Saddle Mountain Brewing Co. won gold for an experimental dill pickle-infused sour, while Corbett Brewing and Rickety Cricket Brewing earned silver medals.
Timeline
2022: Wren House Brewing Co. previously won gold for its festbier.
2025: Rickety Cricket Brewing produced the Barrel Aged Bee's Knees.
2025: Seven Arizona breweries won awards at the national competition.
2026: Arizona breweries won eight medals at the Great American Beer Festival.
Culture Shift
The 2026 medal haul follows the competitive trajectory established by the 2025 Great American Beer Festival results. This success reflects a broader trend of regional craft breweries consistently challenging established markets for top national honors.
Beer enthusiasts across Arizona can now sample award-winning varieties directly from the winning local taprooms. This recognition may lead to higher demand and potential sell-out times for the specific medal-winning batches.
The takeaway
The diverse range of winning styles, from traditional lagers to experimental pickle-infused sours, highlights the innovation within the state's brewing community. Residents are encouraged to visit local award-winning breweries to support the industry's continued growth.
Further reading
For more on the local craft industry, visit Arizona Beer.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KTAR.
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