San Diego breweries win Sacramento

San Diego breweries picked up a small set of wins in the 2026 California State Fair Commercial Craft Brew Competition, according to results posted by the California State Fair and a roundup published by San Diego Beer News on May 12. The Sacramento competition said 431 participants, judges and stewards were involved this year, and winners were announced online on May 11. San Diego Beer News said breweries with local ties earned seven medals in all, including four for beers brewed in San Diego County and three for Pizza Port’s San Clemente brewpub. The results added another stop to a crowded spring awards calendar for California brewers. ### Which San Diego brewery took the top local result? Kairoa Brewing in San Diego’s University Heights neighborhood won the county’s only gold medal, San Diego Beer News reported. The beer was “Boots & Stubbies,” a schwarzbier that finished first in the German Dark Lagers category. San Diego Beer News identified that result as the lone gold for a San Diego County brewery in the Sacramento competition. (castatefair.com) The publication’s list of local winners matched its broader account of San Diego’s showing. ### Which other San Diego County beers medaled? Hodad’s Brewing won a silver medal for “Throwback Brown” in the American Amber & Brown Ales category, San Diego Beer News reported. (sandiegobeer.news) Barley & Sword Brewing of Escondido took bronze in Historical Beers, and Pizza Port’s Imperial Beach brewpub took bronze in Imperial Stout. San Diego Beer News said those three medals, together with Kairoa’s gold, accounted for the four medals won by beers brewed in San Diego County. (sandiegobeer.news) The same report said the county’s total was lower than its recent hauls in other 2026 competitions. ### Why does Pizza Port show up in both San Diego and Orange County? Pizza Port added three more medals through its San Clemente location, which San Diego Beer News included because the brewpub is operated by the Carlsbad-based company. (sandiegobeer.news) The San Clemente site won gold in British Strong Ales for “Way Heavy,” silver in Wild / Sour Ales and bronze in Coffee Beer, according to the publication’s results list. Carlsbad-based Pizza Port is a frequent name in California beer competitions. In the 2026 San Diego County Fair Craft Brew Competition, San Diego Beer News reported that Pizza Port’s local brewpubs combined for 15 medals, while the Imperial Beach location’s schwarzbier won Best of Show. ### How big was the Sacramento competition? The California State Fair’s commercial beer page says judging for the 2026 competition ran from April 30 through May 3, with winners announced and scoresheets posted online on May 11. (sandiegobeer.news) The competition is open to commercially brewed California craft beer and is judged by beer-industry professionals, according to the fair. (sandiegobeer.news) The competition website said there were 431 registered participants, judges and stewards. San Diego Beer News compared that field with the 2026 San Diego County Fair Craft Brew Competition, which it said drew 565 entries. ### Who were the statewide winners beyond San Diego? Urban Roots Brewing of Sacramento was named Brewery of the Year, San Diego Beer News reported. (castatefair.com) The same report said Malibu Brewing won Best of Show for its Hatch Green Chili Lager, and Morgan Territory swept the European Strong category. California State Fair materials say top award winners are featured in the fair’s Best of California magazine and that the Best of Show beer is purchased for service in the beer garden during the fair’s run. (castatefair.brewingcompetitions.com) ### Where do these results go from here? The 2026 California State Fair is scheduled to run from July 17 through Aug. 2 at Cal Expo in Sacramento, according to the fair’s website. (sandiegobeer.news) The fair says its commercial craft beer competition winners are part of its “Best of California” programming, and award-winning beer is featured during the event. (castatefair.com 1) (castatefair.com 2)