Full List: 2026 Montana Beer Award Winners

Here's to having a cold one on a Friday night after a long, strenuous work week.

Here's to having a cold one on a beautiful, Montana Saturday afternoon after surviving another winter (albeit a very light winter with no snow).

Here's to having a cold one just for the sake of having a cold one.

And here's to all of Montana's best beers and breweries, and a big "thank you" for providing those cold ones for us to appreciate.

via GIPHY

(Just picture that as a beer, not a glass of champagne)

Montana Brewers Association's 2026 Montana Beer Awards

The 3rd Annual Montana Brewers Association Beer Awards were handed out on Tuesday, March 30. There were three brewery-of-the-year awards, a community-impact award, and 26 style awards.

Here are the breweries of the year.

Small Brewery of the Year: Imagine Nation Brewing, Missoula

Medium Brewery of the Year: Cranky Sam Brewing, Missoula

Large Brewery of the Year: Bridger Brewing, Bozeman

Community Impact Award: Lewis and Clark Brewing (Helena)

The Montana Beer Champion award was bestowed upon Loy Maierhauser of Map Brewing.

READ MORE: Missoula Named Montana's Healthiest City

Here were the rest of this year's awards.

Alternative Products

GOLD: Bootpack Hard Tea, Après Brewing, Bozeman

SILVER: Miner’s Silver, Lewis and Clark Brewing, Helena

BRONZE: Root Beer, Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co., Great Falls

Amber Ales & Hybrid Styles

GOLD: Bring ‘Em Out, Imagine Nation Brewing Co., Missoula

SILVER: Sticke Shift, MAP Brewing Company, Bozeman

BRONZE: Forbidden City Amber, Ronan Cooperative Brewing, Ronan

Amber & Dark Lagers

GOLD: Heck’s Czech, Bias Brewing, Kalispell

SILVER: Stormbound, Bitter Root Brewing, Hamilton

BRONZE: Dark Helmet, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman

American & International Pale Lagers

GOLD: Sonny’s Delight, Outlaw Brewing, Bozeman

SILVER: Mexican Lager, Lewis and Clark Brewing, Helena

BRONZE: Wildlands Mexican Lager, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman

Belgian & French-Style Ales

GOLD: Last Best, Old Bull Brewing, Frenchtown

SILVER: The Gorgons, 406 Brewing Company, Manhattan

BRONZE: Belgian Dark Strong, Copper Furrow Brewing, Helena

Brown Ales & Porters

GOLD: Brandon’s Brown, Copper Furrow Brewing, Helena

SILVER: Backcountry, Lewis and Clark Brewing, Helena

BRONZE: Plum St. Porter, Bozeman Brewing Company, Bozeman

READ MORE: Here's What's Happening in Missoula This April

Experimental Beers

GOLD: Great Wave, MAP Brewing Co., Bozeman

SILVER: Funky Fugitive, Bozeman Brewing in collaboration with Outlaw Brewing, Bozeman

BRONZE: Honor, Patriotic American Brewery, Kalispell

Fruit Beers

GOLD: Lemonade Stand Lager, Smelter City Brewing, Anaconda

SILVER: Mountain Man Mack, Blacksmith Brewing, Stevensville

BRONZE: Raspberry Hefe, KettleHouse Brewery, Bonner

Golden Ales & Hybrid Styles

GOLD: Thirsty’s Light, Thirsty Street Brewing, Billings

SILVER: Fresh Tracks, Philipsburg Brewing Company, Philipsburg

BRONZE: Sky River, Sacred Waters Brewing Company, Kalispell

Hazy Pale Ales

GOLD: Lupujus 7 – 10th Anniversary, Imagine Nation Brewing Co., Missoula

SILVER: Sunny Motueka, Cranky Sam Brewing, Missoula

BRONZE: Chasin’ Haze, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman

Hop-Forward Pale Lagers

GOLD: Pacific Pilsner, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman

SILVER: Premo Pilsner, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman

BRONZE: WC Pils, Cranky Sam Brewing, Missoula

India Pale Ales

GOLD: Vigilante IPA, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman 

SILVER: End of Haze, Sacred Waters, Kalispell

BRONZE: Back to the Drawing Board, Bar 3 Brewing, Belgrade

Malt-Forward European Pale Lagers

GOLD: Helles, Cranky Sam Brewing, Missoula

SILVER: False Idols, Philipsburg Brewing Company, Philipsburg

BRONZE: Larch Lager, Sacred Waters Brewing Company, Kalispell

Pale Ales

GOLD: Lee Metcalf, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman

SILVER: Muley Buck IPA, KettleHouse Brewing, Bonner

BRONZE: High Hole Hazy Pale, Katabatic Brewing Co., Livingston

Peaks to Prairie

GOLD: Peaks to Peach, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman

SILVER: Lozar’s Porter, MAP Brewing Company, Bozeman

BRONZE: Peaks to Prairie Hazy IPA, Lolo Peak Brewery & Grill, Lolo

Pink Boots Beers

GOLD: Antilogy, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman

SILVER: Well Heeled Blueberry Lemon Mint Sour, Bozeman Brewing, Bozeman

BRONZE: Mizuchi, Mighty Mo Brewing Co., Great Falls

Scottish-Style Ales

GOLD: Burnt Fork, Blacksmith Brewing, Stevensville

SILVER: Scottish Ale, Neptune’s Brewery, Livingston

BRONZE: Katabatic Scotch Ale, Katabatic Brewing Company, Livingston

Smoke & Wood Flavored Beer

GOLD: Old Stache Porter, Tamarack Brewing Co., Lakeside

SILVER: Organic Spirituous Smoke Lager, Wildwood Brewing, Stevensville

BRONZE: Badfinger, Philipsburg Brewing Company, Philipsburg

Sour Ales, Wild Ales, & Fruited Sour Ales

GOLD: Lemon Meringue Sour, Mighty Mo Brewing Co., Great Falls

SILVER: Berried Alive, Burnt Tree Brewing, Ennis

BRONZE: 2025 Vieux Bois Lambic Inspired w/Passionfruit, Bozeman Brewing Company, Bozeman

Strong Ales

GOLD: Winter Sippa Porter, 1889 Brewing Company, Billings

SILVER: Tourmaline, Thirsty Street Brewing Co., Billings

BRONZE: Winter Warmer, Copper Furrow Brewing, Helena

Stouts

GOLD: Howling Moon, Sacred Waters Brewing Company, Kalispell

SILVER: Muzzleloader Chocolate Stout, Katabatic Brewing Co., Livingston

BRONZE: Black Hop, 406 Brewing Company, Manhattan

Strong Lagers

GOLD: Night Cap, Old Bull Brewing, Frenchtown

SILVER: Sintillator, Cranky Sam Brewing, Missoula

BRONZE: A Love Supreme, Burnt Tree Brewing, Ennis

Vegetable & Spiced Beers

GOLD: Biere de Garde, Backslope Brewing, Columbia Falls

SILVER: Kind of a Big Dill, Old Bull, Frenchtown

BRONZE: Lil’ Salmon Fire, Sacred Waters Brewing Co., Kalispell

Wheat Ales

GOLD: St. Walter Hefeweizen, Bayern Brewing, Missoula

SILVER: Miner’s Gold, Lewis and Clark Brewing, Helena

BRONZE: Night Harvest, Bridger Brewing, Bozeman