Bellingham Brewers Won Great American Beer Festival Medals

Beach Cat Brewing and Kulshan Brewing secured national honors at the annual competition in Denver.

Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Beer

Bellingham Brewers Won Great American Beer Festival Medals

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Do you prioritize buying beers that have won national awards at your local brewery?

Two Bellingham-based breweries earned recognition at the Great American Beer Festival held in Denver over the past weekend. Beach Cat Brewing took home gold while Kulshan Brewing secured a bronze medal.

Why it matters

The Great American Beer Festival represents one of the most prestigious national competitions for craft breweries. Recognition at this event validates the quality and technical expertise of regional beer producers.

Beach Cat Brewing earned gold in the Rye Beer category for its Red Cat Rye Lager, now renamed Catastrophe Red Lager and available across five counties. Kulshan Brewing received bronze in the Coffee Beer category for Cuppa Joe, which remains available at their Roosevelt and Sunnyland taprooms.

The players

Beach Cat Brewing

This brewery maintains its headquarters in Birch Bay and opened a second location in Bellingham in 2026.

Kulshan Brewing

This Bellingham-based craft brewery operates taprooms in the Roosevelt and Sunnyland neighborhoods.

The details

The national competition featured various categories where judges evaluated submissions from breweries across the country. While Beach Cat Brewing has expanded its reach with its award-winning lager, Kulshan Brewing currently has no plans to distribute Cuppa Joe in cans.

Beach Cat Brewing opened its second location in May 2026.
The Great American Beer Festival took place from October 9-11, 2026.

Culture Shift

The rise of regional breweries earning national accolades reflects a broader shift toward decentralized craft beverage excellence. These honors signal that local producers are increasingly competitive with established national brands in terms of flavor and technical execution.

Fans of the award-winning lagers can find Catastrophe Red Lager in cans and on tap throughout five local counties. Those looking to try the bronze-medal winning Cuppa Joe can visit the Roosevelt or Sunnyland taprooms, though cans remain unavailable for that specific brew.

The takeaway

Local craft beer enthusiasts can support regional winners by visiting taprooms to sample award-winning brews on draft. Keeping an eye on national competition results is a great way to discover high-quality products available in your own neighborhood.