SACRAMENTO, CA) – Year after year, California brewmasters continue to show why they are the best when it comes to craft beer. The winners of the 2026 Commercial Craft Beer Competition hail from Southern California and Sacramento: Malibu Brewing Company in Malibu and Urban Roots Brewing in Sacramento.
The Best of Show title was awarded to Malibu Brewing Company of Malibu for its Hatch. It’s a crisp Mexican-style lager brewed with authentic Hatch green chiles, known for their distinctive New Mexico flavor. It is rare for a chili beer to capture top honors, and judges were pleasantly surprised to see the style take the competition’s highest award.
Urban Roots Brewing of Sacramento earned Brewery of the Year honors with an impressive seven medals: four Gold, one Silver, and two Bronze. For founding brewmaster and co-founder Peter Hoey, winning Brewery of the Year affirms the hard work the brewing team puts into ensuring every beer is of the highest possible quality.
“Each year, this competition highlights the innovation, craftsmanship, and passion that define California’s brewing industry,” said Tom Martinez, CEO of California Exposition & State Fair. “As the state’s longest-running craft beer competition, we’re proud to continue celebrating both the legacy breweries that helped shape the industry and the new generation of brewers bringing fresh ideas and exceptional quality to the table. This year’s winners represent the very best of California brewing, and we’re honored to showcase their achievements.”
Featuring only California-brewed, commercially available beers, the competition offers an in-depth evaluation across a wide range of categories. Beers are judged based on flavor, appearance, aroma, and overall quality, highlighting the creativity and technical skill behind each brew. A hallmark of excellence in California’s craft beer industry, the competition celebrates the ingenuity, quality, and passion of the state’s top brewmasters.
David Teckam, a Grand Master Judge, the highest-ranking designation in the U.S., has served as the competition’s lead judge since 2019. Under his leadership, 38 certified beer judges evaluated craft beers ranging from IPAs and lagers to stouts submitted by breweries statewide during a four-day judging period held April 30 through May 3, 2026.
For a full list of winners, visit calexpostatefair.com.
The California State Fair runs from July 17 to August 2 at the Cal Expo fairgrounds. Gates open at 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and at 10 a.m. Friday through Sunday.
