New York State Craft Beer Competition

New York State Craft Beer Competition

2025 WINNERS

presented by Ultimate Brew Service

2025 Governor’s Excelsior Craft Beer Cup

Grimm Artisanal Ales (Brooklyn, NY)
“Grimm Weisse”

Category: Wheat Beer

2025 NYS Brewery of the Year
*It Was a Tie!

For the second time in the Competition's history there was a tie for the "NYS Brewery of the Year Award". The two winners are "Grimm Artisanal Ales (Brooklyn, NY) and Wayward Lane Brewing (Schoharie, NY) - both holding previous "Brewery of the Year Awards".

The New York State Brewery of the Year Award is given to the brewery who earns the highest number of points in the competition. Points are determined by number of medals won.

Point system: Gold = 3pts, Silver = 2pts, Bronze = 1pt

Grimm Artisanal Ales (Brooklyn, NY)

4th “NYS Brewery of the Year” win (2021, 2022, 2024, 2025)
3 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze (15 points total)

Gold: Imperial Stout and Porter - “Double Negative”
Gold: Kettle and Simple Sours - “Psychokinesis”
Gold: Wheat Beer - “Weisse”
Silver: Wild and Sour Ale - “Trellis”
Silver: Belgian Farmhouse - “Castling”
Bronze: Belgian Farmhouse - “Pearly Dewdrops”
Bronze: Hazy DIPA - “Psychedelic Gardener”

Wayward Lane Brewing (Schoharie, NY)

2nd“NYS Brewery of the Year” win (2023, 2025)
4 Gold, 1 Silver, 1 Bronze (15 points total)

Gold: Hazy DIPA - “Enzyme Detonator”
Gold: Barrel Aged (Non-Sour) - “Quercus Reserve”
Gold: Specialty Beers: Stouts & Porters - “Hunk: Sichuan”
Gold: Light Lager - Modern & Contemporary - “Momo”
Silver: Hazy IPA - “Here On Out”

Bronze: Amber Lager - “Veslo”

points

Best New York Farm Beer

“Barrel 16”

Category: Barrel Aged Sour

Kingston Standard (Kingston, NY)

*winner of the 2024 Governor's Cup!

Best Collab Beer

“Veslo”

Category: Amber Lager

Wayward Lane Brewing & Marlowe Artisanal Ales

*winner of the 2024 Governor's Cup!

Competition Highlights

Top 6 Style Categories Entered

Dark Lager (55 entries)
American IPA (55 entries)
Amber Lager (56 entries)
Amber/Red Ale (61 of entries)
Light Lager - Traditional (91 entries)
Hazy IPA (104 entries)

2025 Competition Summary

1320 beers were entered by 207 breweries
96 medals awarded
Beers were judged in 32 style categories by 75 industry professionals.
There was a tie for the "NYS Brewery of the Year Award". The two winners are Grimm Artisanal Ales (Brooklyn, NY) and Wayward Lane Brewing (Schoharie, NY).
Grimm Artisanal Ales won their first Governor's Cup award for the best-in-show beer, as well as their 4th “NYS Brewery of the Year” title (2021, 2022, 2024,2025).
Wayward Lane Brewing won their 2nd "NYS Brewery of the Year" title (2023, 2024).
Judging took place over 2-days March 1-2, 2025 in Rochester, NY
The industry-member-only Awards Celebration presented by Malteurop took place in-person at the Albany Capital Center and was the closing event of the NYS Brewers Conference.
Enthusiasts tuned-into the awards ceremony via the New York State Craft Beer YouTube Channel. Breweries throughout the state hosted remote watch parties.