2 Upstate Craft Beers Crowned at New York Competition

The 2025 New York State Craft Beer Competition crowned numerous winners on Friday March 21st during the New York State Craft Brewers Conference at the Albany Capital Center in Albany, New York.

One Upstate New York beer and one Upstate New York brewery took home top honors at the largest state-level competition in the United States which was presented by Ultimate Brew Service.

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The 2025 craft beer competition was open to more than 500 craft breweries and more than 1300 entries were judged in 32 style categories by qualified industry professionals.

Some of the categories include Barrel Aged, American DIPA, Pale Ale, Specialty Beers and Brown Ales. Some of the top honors are awarded to "Best Collab Beer", "Best New York Farm Beer", "New York State Brewery of the Year" and of course the "Governor's Excelsior Craft Beer Cup".

Photo by Josh Olalde on Unsplash

For the first time in competition history, there was a tie for New York State Brewery of the Year! Each of these breweries have won this category individually in the past. This time they both take the championship. Congratulations to:

Wayward Lane Brewing of Schoharie, NY (also won in 2023)
Grimm Artisanal Ales - Brooklyn, NY (also win in 2021, 2022 and 2024)

Photo by Roberta keiko Kitahara Santana on

The Best New York Farm Beer goes to "Barrel 16" in the category "Barrel Aged Stout" from Kingston Standard of Kingston, NY. Kingston Standard won the New York Governor's Cup in 2024.

Best Collab Beer was earned by Wayward Lane Brewing of Schoharie and Marlowe Artisanal Ale of Mamaroneck, NY in the category Amber Lager. The 2025 Governor's Cup goes to Grimm Artisanal Ales in Brooklyn for "Grimm Weisse" in the Wheat Beer category.

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