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Austin's craft beer community has another reason to celebrate after two local favorites, Meanwhile Brewing Co. and Pinthouse Pizza, earned a combined three medals at the 2026 Great American Beer Festival (GABF). The national competition, which brought together thousands of beers from across the country, recognized both Austin breweries for their work in categories ranging from traditional American IPAs to experimental brewing.

Meanwhile Brewing Co. led the local winners with two silver medals, while Pinthouse Pizza's North Austin location earned bronze in a particularly competitive American India Pale Ale category. For Austin beer lovers, the awards offer another reminder that some of the country's best craft beer is being brewed right here in Central Texas.

The winners were announced Sunday, October 11, 2026, by the Brewers Association, the national trade organization representing small and independent American craft brewers.

Meanwhile Brewing Co. Earns Two Silver Medals at 2026 Great American Beer Festival

Meanwhile Brewing Co., a South Austin brewery known for its spacious outdoor beer garden, live music, food trucks and wide-ranging beer selection, had an especially successful showing at this year's competition.

The brewery earned silver for two distinctly different beers:

• Picnic Party #4: Silver medal in the Experimental Beer category, which featured 26 entries.
• Dream Logic: Silver medal in the New Zealand-Style India Pale Ale category, which featured 89 entries.

The two wins are especially noteworthy because the beers were recognized in very different categories, showing the range of what Meanwhile's brewing team can do.

New Zealand-style IPAs generally emphasize hop varieties associated with New Zealand, often bringing fruit-forward, citrus and tropical characteristics to the beer. Experimental beer categories, meanwhile, give brewers room to explore approaches that fall outside more established styles.

Located at 3901 Promontory Point Drive in South Austin, Meanwhile Brewing Co. opened in 2020 and has become a gathering place for families, friends and craft beer enthusiasts. Its large outdoor space, community events, food offerings and live entertainment have helped make the brewery a destination beyond its taproom.

The two silver medals add to Meanwhile's growing reputation among Austin craft breweries, recognizing the brewing work behind a business that many residents already know as a place to spend an afternoon or evening with friends.

Pinthouse Pizza's Green Battles IPA Wins Bronze Against 165 Entries

North Austin's Pinthouse Pizza also made the 2026 Great American Beer Festival winners list, earning a bronze medal for Green Battles in the American India Pale Ale category.

The category attracted 165 entries, making it one of the five most-entered beer styles in this year's competition. Green Battles finished behind gold medal winner Breakside IPA from Breakside Brewery & Taproom in Milwaukie, Oregon, and silver medal winner Built for Speed from Grains of Wrath Brewing in Camas, Washington.

For Pinthouse, the award is another national recognition for a brewery that has helped shape Austin's local craft beer scene.

Founded in Austin in 2012, Pinthouse began with a neighborhood brewpub concept pairing house-brewed craft beer with pizza. Over the years, the company expanded its presence in the Austin area, developing a following for its hop-focused beers, including its well-known Electric Jellyfish IPA.

The winning North Austin location, at 4729 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX 78756, remains part of that original brewpub tradition, where customers can enjoy locally brewed beer alongside freshly made pizza.

Green Battles' bronze medal is particularly notable given the popularity and competitiveness of American IPAs. The style is known for its prominent hop character, and with 165 entries competing for just three medals, earning a place among the winners is a significant achievement for the Pinthouse brewing team.

What Is the Great American Beer Festival, and Why Do These Awards Matter?

The Great American Beer Festival is one of the nation's best-known craft beer events, bringing together breweries, industry professionals and beer enthusiasts to celebrate American brewing.

Organized by the Brewers Association, the festival's annual competition recognizes outstanding beers across a wide range of styles. Entries are evaluated by expert judges, with gold, silver and bronze medals awarded based on established criteria for each category.

The 2026 competition drew 7,267 beer, cider and hop water entries from 1,300 breweries and cideries across 49 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Over three days, 225 judges evaluated the submissions, ultimately awarding 336 medals to 243 breweries and cideries.

This year's competition also introduced several new categories, including Rice Lager, Hop Water and Craft Malt Beer, along with additional specialty beer and gluten-free categories. The changes reflect the growing variety of products being developed by American brewers.

The awards ceremony took place October 11 at Levitt Pavilion and was livestreamed through The Brewing Network.

Chris Williams, competition director for the Brewers Association, spoke about the level of competition and the creativity demonstrated by this year's participants.

“The submissions from this year’s competition continue to reflect just how far American brewing and cidermaking have come,” Williams said. “The addition of multiple new styles and unique concepts like the ‘Craft Malt Beer’ and ‘Hop Water’ categories gave producers fresh ground to explore.”

With an average of 67 entries per category, earning a medal required standing out among breweries from across the country. The West Coast-Style India Pale Ale category alone attracted 277 entries, making it the largest category in the competition.

For Austin's winners, the recognition carries particular meaning because both breweries compete in a city with an established and continually evolving craft beer community.

A National Spotlight on Austin's Craft Beer Scene

Austin has long been a destination for independent breweries, with neighborhood taprooms and brewpubs offering residents places to gather, enjoy locally made beer and support small businesses.

Meanwhile Brewing Co. and Pinthouse Pizza represent different parts of that local brewing tradition.

Meanwhile, which opened in October 2020, was founded by Will Jaquiss, who previously worked at Oregon's Breakside Brewery. Its South Austin property combines a working brewery with outdoor recreation, live entertainment and community gathering spaces.

Pinthouse, founded by six friends in 2012, helped introduce more Austin residents to locally brewed, hop-forward beers through its combination of craft brewing and neighborhood dining. The company has since expanded beyond its original Burnet Road location, with additional Texas brewpubs and a growing reputation for award-winning IPAs.

Both breweries have built businesses around more than the beer itself. Their locations have become familiar gathering places for Austin residents, and their latest awards recognize the work of the brewing teams behind those experiences.

For those interested in exploring Austin's award-winning craft beer, Meanwhile Brewing Co. is located at 3901 Promontory Point Drive, while the original Pinthouse Pizza is located at 4729 Burnet Road. Visitors interested in trying the medal-winning beers should check with each brewery about current availability, as not every beer is offered year-round.

The complete list of national medalists is available through the 2026 Great American Beer Festival winners.

With three medals between them, Meanwhile Brewing Co. and Pinthouse Pizza have given Austin beer enthusiasts another reason to appreciate the talent working in local brewhouses. For the people who regularly visit these neighborhood establishments, it is especially rewarding to see familiar Austin names recognized on a national stage.

Stay tuned to My Neighborhood News for more Austin brewery news, local business updates and community stories from across Central Texas.

By Tiffany Krenek, My Neighborhood News 

Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.

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