San Francisco, August 12, 2026 — The 2026 USA Beer Ratings have announced its top winners, recognizing beers that deliver excellence across Quality, Value and Packaging. Mystic Dawn by Bubba Brews Brewing Company earned the competition’s highest overall score of 94 points and was named 2026 Beer of the Year.

Mystic Dawn, a wood beer produced in Arkansas, received 98 points for Quality, 95 points for Value and 84 points for Packaging. In addition to Beer of the Year, it was awarded Best Beer by Value and Beer of the Year – United States.

Clocktown Brewing Company of Thomaston, Connecticut, was named Brewery of the Year. Its Thomaston Lager earned 93 points, including an outstanding Quality score of 97. The lager competed in the Pale Bitter European Beer category.

Bubba Brews Brewing Company also received Best Beer by Quality for MVPumpkin. The spiced beer achieved the competition’s highest Quality score of 99 points and finished with an overall score of 94.

MAKA Di Bavarian Style Keller Beer, produced in India by Latambarcem Brewers Ltd., was named Best Beer by Packaging after receiving an exceptional Packaging score of 97 points. The beer also received Beer of the Year – India and earned an overall score of 87 points.

2026 USA Beer Ratings Top Winners

Beer of the Year:
Mystic Dawn by Bubba Brews Brewing Company, United States — 94 points

Brewery of the Year:
Clocktown Brewing Company, United States

Best Beer by Quality:
MVPumpkin by Bubba Brews Brewing Company, United States — 99 Quality points

Best Beer by Value:
Mystic Dawn by Bubba Brews Brewing Company, United States — 95 Value points

Best Beer by Packaging:
MAKA Di Bavarian Style Keller Beer by Latambarcem Brewers Ltd., India — 97 Packaging points

Beer of the Year – United States:
Mystic Dawn by Bubba Brews Brewing Company — 94 points

Beer of the Year – India:
MAKA Di Bavarian Style Keller Beer by Latambarcem Brewers Ltd. — 87 points

Judged for Quality, Value and Packaging

Organized by Beverage Trade Network, the USA Beer Ratings evaluates beers through the lens of the U.S. marketplace. Every entry is assessed on three commercially important criteria: Quality, Value and Packaging.

Quality accounts for 50% of the final score, while Value and Packaging each account for 25%. Beers are evaluated by experienced beer buyers and trade professionals who understand what consumers want to drink and what retailers, distributors and hospitality businesses are looking to stock.

The judging process considers aroma, appearance, body, taste, balance and finish, along with the beer’s value at its retail price and the effectiveness of its packaging and shelf presentation.

“The USA Beer Ratings recognizes beers that combine brewing excellence with genuine commercial potential,” said Sid Patel, CEO and Founder of Beverage Trade Network. “The 2026 winners have demonstrated that they can deliver a strong drinking experience while also offering the value and presentation needed to succeed with buyers and consumers.”

Medal Levels

The USA Beer Ratings awards medals according to the following scoring system:

Double Gold: 96 points and above
Gold: 90–95 points
Silver: 85–89 points
Bronze: 80–84 points

About the USA Beer Ratings

The USA Beer Ratings was created to recognize, reward and promote beer brands that are built for today’s consumer and trade marketplace. Unlike competitions that evaluate beer solely on taste, the USA Beer Ratings considers the complete commercial proposition of each entry.

By judging Quality, Value and Packaging, the competition identifies beers that not only taste excellent but also offer the right price positioning and visual appeal to perform successfully on retail shelves, in bars and across hospitality channels.

The USA Beer Ratings is organized by Beverage Trade Network, a global drinks industry media, events and business services company that helps beverage producers and brand owners connect with buyers, distributors and retailers.

View the complete list of 2026 USA Beer Ratings winners here.