Altstadt Oktoberfest and Altstadt Pils earn top honors in two highly competitive categories.

FREDERICKSBURG, Texas, October 12, 2026 — Altstadt Brewery earned two gold medals at the 2026 Great American Beer Festival competition, with Altstadt Oktoberfest and Altstadt Pils each receiving the highest honor in their respective categories.

Altstadt earned gold in two of the competition’s most heavily entered German beer categories:

• Altstadt Oktoberfest: Gold, German-Style Maerzen, 184 entries
• Altstadt Pils: Gold, German-Style Pilsener, 161 entries

The two victories bring Altstadt Brewery’s total to five Great American Beer Festival gold medals. Altstadt Lager and Altstadt Kölsch each won gold in 2019, and Altstadt Lager earned another gold medal in 2022.

“These medals mean a lot to us,” said Craig Rowan, head brewer at Altstadt Brewery. “Oktoberfest is our most popular seasonal, and we have always believed it could stand with the best examples of the style in the country. Pils is one of the most demanding beers we make and one we have worked hard to refine. Winning gold with both of them, especially in categories this large, says a lot about the work and the passion our team puts into every batch, every day.”

The Gold Medal Beers

Altstadt Oktoberfest

Altstadt Oktoberfest is a traditional German-style Maerzen brewed with Pilsner, Vienna and Munich malts. Mild hopping complements its rich malt character, smooth body and light copper color. The beer has become Altstadt’s most popular seasonal release and is available throughout Texas during the Oktoberfest season.

Altstadt Pils

Altstadt Pils is a crisp German-style pilsner brewed with 100% German Pilsner malt. Hallertau Mittelfrüh and Saaz hops provide floral aromas, light spice and firm but approachable bitterness, followed by a dry, clean finish. The GABF gold continues a successful year for Altstadt Pils, which also earned silver medals at the 2026 Texas Craft Brewers Cup and 2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship.

The 2026 Great American Beer Festival

The 2026 Great American Beer Festival competition evaluated 7,267 entries from 1,300 breweries and cideries representing 49 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. A panel of 225 professional judges evaluated entries across 105 beer categories, five cider categories and 131 total subcategories.

The awards were announced October 11 at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado. GABF medals are recognized throughout the brewing industry as symbols of brewing excellence and accurate representation of beer style.

For the complete list of 2026 winners, visit GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com.

About Altstadt Brewery

Founded in Fredericksburg, Texas, Altstadt Brewery produces traditional German-style beers for drinkers across the state. Altstadt combines Old World brewing practices with modern technology to create clean, balanced and highly drinkable beers using German ingredients and pure Texas water.

Altstadt’s Bavarian-inspired Hill Country destination features a full-service restaurant, brewery tours, live music, private-event spaces and outdoor seating in the Biergarten. Altstadt beer is available at the brewery and through retailers, bars and restaurants across Texas.