8 Best Hudson Valley Beers Earn Medals at Craft Beer Competition

The Hudson Valley was well-represented at this year's New York State Craft Beer Competition, with local breweries earning several gold, silver and bronze medals.

Local beer lovers already know the Mid-Hudson region has some of the best brews in New York. Whether it's a hoppy IPA, a sour that makes your cheeks pucker or a creamy stout, breweries in Dutchess, Orange, Ulster and other surrounding counties are making delicious beer. So it's no surprise that so many of these breweries were recognized as the very best at this year's New York State Craft Beer Competition.

Craft Beer Competition Names Top Beers in New York State

Over 500 breweries from across New York were eligible to submit beers to this year's statewide competition. 1,320 beers were judged by 75 industry professionals, ranking the ales and lagers from worst to first. The top brews were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals in each of the 32 different style categories.

At the end of the competition, Grimm Artisanal Ales in Brooklyn and Wayward Lane Brewing in Schoharie were tied for Brewery of the Year, earning multiple gold, silver and bronze medals in several categories.

The Hudson Valley's own Kingston Standard earned a special award for Best Farm Beer after winning the gold for the brewery's 16 Barrel, a barrel-aged sour. Brewer Tate Simpson isn't new to the NYS Craft Beer Competition, taking the Governor's Cup in 2024 for brewing the best beer in the state.

Hudson Valley Breweries Named Best in New York

In addition to Kingston Standard's gold medal, several other Hudson Valley breweries also walked away from the award ceremony with some serious hardware.

Captain Lawrence Brewery in Elmsford and the Brewery at the CIA in Hyde Park won two medals each. Captain Lawrence received a bronze for its Pacific Dawn Double IPA and a gold medal for brewing The Bronx Brewery Well Earned, an American Lager. Brewer Hutch Kugeman won a silver for the Culinary Institute of America's First in First Stout and a bronze for the Hyde Park school's Cleaver IPA.

Poughkeepsie's Mll House Brewing Company received a silver medal in the Amber/Red Ale category for Opas Choice. The Hudson Valley Brewery in Beacon also received a silver medal for Peach Silhouette in the Sour Field Beer category. Duncan's Abbey, a small brewery in Tarrytown that concentrates on authentic Belgian Trappist-style beers also won a Silver Medal for the Tarrytown Dubbel.