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The Best Beers in New Jersey Revealed: 2026 NJ Brewers Cup Winners Announced!

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Brewers Guild of New Jersey Announces 2026 New Jersey Brewers Cup Winners

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hasbrouck Heights NJ, The Brewers Guild of New Jersey (BGNJ) officially crowned the state’s top craft beers at the 2026 New Jersey Brewers Cup award ceremony on August 26 at the Hilton Hasbrouck Heights, capping off the 2nd Annual New Jersey Brewers Conference.

Sponsored by Fox Rothschild, this BJCP-sanctioned, blind-judged competition brought together over 25 expert judges across two days of evaluation at Screamin’ Hill Farm & Brewery in Cream Ridge. A impressive field of 245 entries across 15 style categories represented more than 50 local breweries. The event also raised $15,000 to support the Guild’s mission of propelling New Jersey’s craft beer industry.

Five standout craft breweries tied for top honors with three medals each:

  • Cape May Brewing Co.

  • Tall Oaks Farm & Brewery

  • Czig Meister Brewing

  • Twin Lights Brewing

  • Diamond Spring Brewing


2026 New Jersey Brewers Cup: Complete Winners List

American IPA

  • Gold: Vaya Con Dios (American Style IPA) — Alternate Ending Beer Co., Aberdeen Twp.

  • Silver: Typhon (West Coast IPA) — Oakflower Brewing, Millington

  • Bronze: Cape May IPA (American Style IPA) — Cape May Brewing, Cape May

Hazy IPA

  • Gold: Summer Krush (New England IPA) — Vernon Brewing, Vernon Twp.

  • Silver: Hazy Dawn (Hazy IPA) — Cape May Brewing, Cape May

  • Bronze: Influencing Hope (Hazy/Juicy IPA) — Tall Oaks Farm & Brewery, Farmingdale

Imperial Hazy IPA

  • Gold: 4th Anniversary (DIPA) — Farmers & Bankers Brewing, Woodstown

  • Silver: Abyss Series: Dragged to the Depths — Czig Meister Brewing, Hackettstown

  • Bronze: Something Obscure (DIPA) — Obscura Brewing, Cape May Courthouse

German Pils/Pale Lager

  • Gold: Fahrvergnugen (German Style Pilsner) — Gearblock Brewing, Waldwick

  • Silver: Feuerhaus Pils (German Style Pilsner) — Brotherton Brewing, Atco

  • Bronze: Petticoat Pils (German Style Pilsner) — Subculture Artisan Ales, Florence

Light/Rice Lager

  • Gold: El Tiburón (Mexican Light Lager) — Asbury Park Brewing, Asbury Park

  • Silver: Whispering Flowers (Rice Lager) — Skinny Flowers Brewing, Oceanport

  • Bronze: Amity Beer (Craft Light Lager) — Alternate Ending Beer Co., Aberdeen Twp.

European Amber/Dark Lager

  • Gold: Chin Wag — Farmers & Bankers Brewing, Woodstown

  • Silver: Oktoberfest — Cape May Brewing, Cape May

  • Bronze: Cottage — Tall Oaks Farm & Brewery, Farmingdale

Dark Lager

  • Gold: Death Bossa Nova (Schwarzbier) — Sunken Silo Brew Works, Lebanon

  • Silver: GNAW (Czech Dark Lager) — Oakflower Brewing Co., Millington

  • Bronze: Darth Vladar (Czech Dark Lager) — Manafirkin Brewing, Manahawkin

Pale American Ale

  • Gold: Huntsman (Kölsch) — Czig Meister Brewing, Hackettstown

  • Silver: 16oz to Freedom (American Pale Ale) — Twin Lights Brewing, Tinton Falls

  • Bronze: Wasting Time (American Pale Ale) — Manafirkin Brewing, Manahawkin

Amber/Brown Ale

  • Gold: Rusty Farmer (American Amber) — Screamin’ Hill Farm & Brewery, Cream Ridge

  • Silver: Scarlet Red Ale (American Amber) — Flounder Brewing, Hillsborough

  • Bronze: Mother Leeds (Irish Red Ale) — Twin Lights Brewing, Tinton Falls

Porter & Stout

  • Gold: Wild Rover (Irish Dry Stout) — Twin Lights Brewing, Tinton Falls

  • Silver: Picnic Porter (Robust Porter) — Anglesea Ale Works, Wildwood

  • Bronze: Overboard (American Stout) — Diamond Spring Brewing, Denville

Imperial/Specialty Porter & Stout

  • Gold: Hostile Gingerbread Takeover (Pastry Stout) — Vernon Brewing, Vernon Twp.

  • Silver: Hazelnut Banana Bread Born Day (Imperial Stout) — Magnify Brewing, Medford

  • Bronze: 24-Hour Diner (Imperial Stout) — Subculture Artisan Ales, Florence

Barrel Aged Beer

  • Gold: Barrel Aged Stout — Wet Ticket Brewing, Rahway

  • Silver: Stew’s Reserve (Barrel Aged Stout) — Gearblock Brewing, Waldwick

  • Bronze: Seonaidh (Bourbon Barrel Aged Strong Ale) — Czig Meister Brewing, Hackettstown

Wheat Beer

  • Gold: Field Trials (Hefeweizen) — Tall Oaks Farm & Brewery, Farmingdale

  • Silver: Magnify Wheat (Hefeweizen) — Magnify Brewing, Medford

  • Bronze: Solara (Hefeweizen) — Lokal Brewing, Point Pleasant

Saison/Farmhouse Ale

  • Gold: Stache Strong (French Style Saison) — Lions Roar Brewing, Westfield

  • Silver: Sacred Soil (Farmhouse Ale) — Lost Elephant Brewing, Elmer

  • Bronze: Summer Harvest — Diamond Spring Brewing, Denville

Fruit/Spice Beer

  • Gold: Soju Like Sours? (Experimental Beer) — Fort Nonsense Brewing, Randolph

  • Silver: Beauregarde (American Style Fruit Beer) — Readington Hop Farm & Brewery, Readington Twp.

  • Bronze: Island Hibiscus (American Style Fruit Beer) — Diamond Spring Brewing, Denville


About the Brewers Guild of New Jersey

The Brewers Guild of New Jersey is a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization dedicated to protecting, promoting, and propelling craft breweries across the Garden State. For more information, visit brewersguildnj.com.

Blog Tags: #NJCraftBeer #NJBrewersCup #BrewersGuildNJ #NJBeer #CraftBeer #NJNews #HasbrouckHeights

 

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