California's Best Beer Named at State Fair

Ten local breweries brought home first-place honors from the state fair's beer competition

Breweries in Santa Barbara and El Dorado Hills made the best beer in California for 2018, according to officials with the California State Fair.

Judges sampled more than 1,500 entries from 230 breweries this year in the competition considered the third largest in the U.S., state fair officials said.

Only those beers that are brewed and available for sale in the state of California were eligible.

Captain Fatty’s Brewery in Goleta earned the “Best in Show” honor for a Berliner-Style Weisse called "Kalliope."

Brewery of Year was awarded to the Mraz Brewing Company in El Dorado Hills.

Beer aficionados can sample the best of the best at a special Best of California Brewfest on Saturday, July 21 at the California State Fair. 

Several San Diego breweries were awarded first place ribbons in various categories.

Eppig Brewing was honored as top International Lager for its Natural Bridge: Special Lager.

Rip Current Brewing earned top marks for its Bock category entry of Breakline Bock and first place in the Dopplebock category with Delaminator Doppelbock.

Karl Strauss Brewing Company was recognized for the best German-Style Wheat Ale with its Windansea Wheat.

Vista’s Owl Farm Unique was named the best Herb & Spice Beer for its entry Ginger Bloom.

Temecula’s Garage Brewing Company was honored with the first-place finish in the Honey Beer category for its Green Tea-Bird beer and first in Sweet Stouts for Marshmallow Milk Stout. 

Burgeon Beer Company in Carlsbad beat out 32 entries in the Coffee Beer category to earn first place for Dutchman’s Pipe. 

Inland Wharf Brewing Company in Murrieta won first in the British Strong Ales category for its Barley’s Revenge beer.

Pizza Port – Ocean Beach won first place for Athena’s Beer in the American Porter & Stout category.

Carlsbad’s Culver Beer Company finished first in the Belgian Strong Ale category with Tiger Ride.

Burning Beard Brewing Company in El Cajon was recognized for its Klausbier session beer.

See the entire list of results for the state fair's beer competition here.

Contact Us