Strangebird Wins Five Medals at the 2026 New York State Craft Beer Competition
Rochester, NY-based brewery wins multiple awards, including a Gold, two Silver, and two Bronze medals
Rochester, NY • March 20, 2026—Strangebird won five medals at the 2026 New York State Craft Beer Competition. The award ceremony took place on March 20, 2026, in Albany, New York, where breweries from New York State were awarded 101 medals in 32 beer-style categories.
The New York State Craft Beer Competition is the largest state-level beer competition in the U.S—1,142 beers were entered by 178 breweries—judging took place over two days from February 28 to March 1, 2026, in Rochester, New York.
Strangebird was recognized in multiple categories, including:
- Gold – Unfettered Soul (Hazy DIPA)
- Silver – Savoir-Vivre 10° (Belgian Other)
- Silver – Sly Move (Hazy Pale Ale)
- Bronze - Portuguese Squeeze (Barrel Aged, Non-Sour)
- Bronze – Whale Herder (Light Lagers - Modern and Contemporary)
“Winning five awards at the New York State Craft Beer Competition is an extraordinary honor for our entire team,” said Micah Krichinsky, Founder and Brewer at Strangebird. “Each medal reflects our commitment to quality and creativity, and the dedication that goes into all of our beers. New York’s craft beer community is one of the most passionate and competitive in the country, so this recognition means so much to us.”
Strangebird’s 2026 New York State Craft Beer Competition awards continue the recognition for this Rochester brewery. In March 2026, USA Today 10Best Reader’s Choice recognized Strangebird as one of the best Brewpubs in the United States. In addition, City Newspaper crowned Strangebird Best of Rochester in five categories, including Best Craft Brewery and Best Chef. Savior-Vivre won Gold at the 2025 New York State Craft Brewers Conference.
About Strangebird
Opened in 2021, Strangebird is an award-winning brewery and restaurant in Rochester, New York, brewing 800 bbls of beer per year. Micah Krichinsky, Founder and Brewer, has 15 years’ experience, previously working at Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and is a graduate of U.C. Davis’ Master Brewer’s program. Eric Salazar, Director of Wood Aged Beers, has 25 years of experience creating award winning beer aged in oak barrels, and helped pioneer the Wood Aged Beer program at New Belgium Brewing Company. Strangebird is a place to bring folks of all feathers together in a modern, approachable, comfortable, and accepting environment. A place where you can drink award-winning, hand-crafted beers and eat made-from-scratch food.