2026 Best of the West National IPA Throwdown Winners

Winners Announced for 

Best of The West National IPA Throwdown 2026!

Winners Announced for Best of The West Coast IPA National Throwdown 2026!

Auburn, California’s Moonraker Brewing named Grand Champion IPA and Runner-up Grand Champion IPA. Oregon breweries top the leaderboard with 19 medals, with California following closely with 17 medals. Overall, breweries from 11 states took home medals. 

Breweries from around the country entered 330 West Coast IPAs into the fourth annual Best of the West Coast National IPA Throwdown, and results were announced Friday, July 31st at TopWire Hop Project.

Thirty-six judges from 7 states evaluated the 330 entries in triplicate, making Best of the West one of the most thorough and intensive beer competitions in the world. When all was said and done, 91 beers from 62 breweries met the criteria to enter into medal contention, and 64 beers walked away with awards.

The Best of the West is a national competition dedicated to a single style of beer: West Coast IPA. Unlike other competitions, it awards multiple gold and silver medals, recognizing the quality, breadth, and depth of world-class IPA being produced in the country. The winning beers represent genre-leading examples from some of the world's top producers of hoppy beer.

Moonraker Brewing won the Grand Champion IPA award for their West Coast IPA above 6.7%, Spinal Sap. Additionally, Moonraker’s Flagship IPA, Outrigger, was named runner-up Grand Champion IPA. Finally, Moonraker’s third beer, Wild West, won a gold medal, allowing Moonraker to go three for three. This is the first time in the Best of the West history that a single brewery was named both Grand and Runner-Up Grand Champion. Hop lovers around the world better be planning their trip to Auburn, CA! Other notable winners include Alma Mader Brewing, Meanwhile Brewing, Breakside Brewery, Grains of Wrath Brewing, and Riip Beer Co. for taking home medals for all three of their competition entries. 

Breweries from 26 states participated in this year's competition, with heavy representation coming from Oregon, California, and Washington. Medal-winning beers came from 11 states – proving that West Coast IPA doesn’t have to be coastal. Oregon breweries led the medal count with 19 awards, followed by California at 17. Breweries were limited to 3 entries regardless of size or number of locations.  

The full list of results is available here in slideshow form or here as a sheet, which includes additional competition statistics. Proceeds from Best of the West go to support the Oregon Brewers Guild and aid in our mission of promoting and protecting Oregon beer.

Questions about this year's event can be directed to the Oregon Brewers Guild at info@oregonbeer.org