Hi-Wire Brewing Wins Silver at 2026 GABF

Hi-Wire Brewing Lager Wins GABF Silver:

Hi-Wire Brewing has another reason to celebrate in Asheville, North Carolina, after its flagship Hi-Wire Lager earned a silver medal at the 2026 Great American Beer Festival (GABF), taking home national recognition in the International-Style Pilsener category. For a brewery that built much of its reputation around making approachable craft beer without sacrificing quality, this particular award carries some weight, especially considering that Lager traces its roots all the way back to 2013, when two college roommates started brewing in a modest 2,700-square-foot space in Asheville’s South Slope neighborhood.

Lagers aren’t easy. There is nowhere for brewing mistakes to hide when you’re making a clean, crisp, golden lager, and Hi-Wire Brewing has spent years dialing in a beer that balances light Pilsen malt, German hops, and extended cold conditioning to deliver something refreshing without becoming forgettable. The silver medal at the 2026 GABF puts Hi-Wire Lager among the recognized beers in one of the country’s most respected professional brewing competitions, and it’s a pretty good reminder that an everyday drinking beer can require just as much technical skill as the biggest, boldest imperial stout or aggressively hopped double IPA.

The competition was no small affair either, with 7,267 entries submitted by 1,300 breweries and cideries, evaluated by 225 professional judges across three days. A crowded field. The 2026 Great American Beer Festival also introduced several new competition categories, including Rice Lager, Hop Water, Craft-Malt, and additional gluten-free beer styles, giving breweries more opportunities to demonstrate what they can do while making the competition that much broader. For Hi-Wire Brewing, earning a silver medal for Hi-Wire Lager reinforces the Asheville brewery’s long-standing focus on consistency, drinkability, and producing award-winning craft beer that people actually want to keep in their refrigerators.

And there’s something fitting about the beer that helped start Hi-Wire receiving national recognition more than a decade later, particularly when the brewery has grown from its original South Slope operation into a regional craft beer brand with taprooms across North Carolina and Tennessee. Hi-Wire Lager remains a straightforward American lager at heart, bright gold, crisp, lightly hopped, and equally comfortable alongside pizza, salty fries, or an afternoon with friends. The brewery shared the following announcement detailing its silver medal win at the 2026 Great American Beer Festival, the competition results, and what this recognition means for Hi-Wire Brewing.

Hi-Wire Lager awarded recognition at the nation’s most sought-after craft beer competition

Asheville, NC • 10.12.2026 — Hi-Wire Brewing earned a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition, hosted and presented by the Brewers Association®. 

As part of the 2026 competition, craft beverages spanning 105 beer categories and five cider categories, including 131 subcategories, were carefully judged by a panel of competition judges from around the world. New for this year, the GABF competition added new categories such as Rice Lager, Hop Water, a one-time Craft-Malt category, plus two Specialty beer subcategories, in addition to three new standalone categories for Gluten-Free Styles. Winning a medal at the Great American Beer Festival competition is one of the most important designations a brewery can receive signifying brewing excellence and mastery in the quality and style accuracy of the beer or cider.

Hi-Wire was recognized in the International-Style Pilsener beer-style category for its Hi-Wire Lager, a true American lager that is as approachable as it is delicious. Pouring a crisp, bright gold, it strikes a perfect balance of light Pilsen malt and German hops after being extensively lagered to peak maturity. It actually happens to be the very first beer two college roommates brewed back in 2013 in our original 2,700 sq. ft. South Slope spot.

It is your handcrafted option when only a refreshing, light beer will do, making it the absolute perfect palate cleanser for a hot slice of pizza or a mountain of salty fries. Hi-Wire Brewing is a 30-barrel production brewery located in Asheville, NC that prides itself on brewing seriously approachable beers and creating inclusive spaces built for moments of joyful belonging.

Hi-Wire Lager 16oz 6-Pack Cans With Hi-Wire Lager Pint Pour

“Making clean, approachable, technically outstanding, delicious Pilsener Lagers is just about the hallmark for excellence in craft-beer-making,” said Adam Charnack,  Co-Founder at Hi-Wire Brewing.

The Great American Beer Festival competition analyzed 7,267 entries over three days thanks to a panel of 225 professional judges and over 200 volunteers. The 2026 competition received entries from 1,300 breweries & cideries from 49 states, including Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.

“The submissions from this year’s competition continue to reflect just how far American brewing and cidermaking have come,” said Chris Williams, competition director for the Brewers Association. “The addition of multiple new styles and unique concepts like the ‘Craft Malt Beer’ and ‘Hop Water’ categories gave producers fresh ground to explore. The overarching quality presented by so many of the contenders underlines how intensive the judging process is and how competitively these contenders rise to the occasion with entries that pushed each category forward. GABF remains one of the most competitive stages in craft beer, and these winners represent the very best our industry has to offer. Congratulations to this year’s medalists.”

The awards ceremony, live streamed on The Brewing Network on Sunday, October 11, 2026, was held at Levitt Pavilion in Denver, Colorado, as part of the Great American Beer Festival Sunday session. For more information on the Great American Beer Festival competition, including a complete 2026 winners list and photos, visit GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com. 

Related news on mybeerbuzz.com:
Hi-Wire Brewing’s 2026 Great American Beer Festival silver medal adds another chapter to the Asheville brewery’s award-winning history, and MyBeerBuzz has been following its progress through new beer releases, collaborations, production expansion, and national brewing competitions. Readers can explore our coverage of Hi-Wire Brewing’s bronze medal at the 2026 World Beer Cup, the Hi-Wire Brewing and Appalachian Mountain Brewery partnership, and the brewery’s Hop Circus Super Dry IPA and Peach White Tea Gose releases.

We’ve also covered Hi-Wire Brewing’s River Arts District Beer Garden reopening following Hurricane Helene. For more national competition results, see our complete 2026 Great American Beer Festival winners list, including Hi-Wire Lager’s silver medal in the International-Style Pilsener category.

About Hi-Wire Brewing

Founded in Asheville, North Carolina, in 2013, Hi-Wire Brewing’s mission is to create what brings people together. The company crafts approachable, award-winning beers across a wide range of styles and expanded its beverage portfolio with the recent launch of a THC-infused seltzer called Happy Medium.

Hi-Wire beers are available across eight states and served at seven taprooms, including six in North Carolina and one in Knoxville, Tennessee. The company also offers contract brewing services to support other beverage brands and operates The Tiki Easy Bar and The Event Space in Asheville.

With a team of more than 100 employees, Hi-Wire is committed to quality, community, and inclusivity. Learn more at hiwirebrewing.com.

Hi-Wire Brewing is an independent craft brewery founded in Asheville, North Carolina, in 2013 by Adam Charnack and Chris Frosaker, two former college roommates who turned a shared interest in craft beer into one of Asheville’s recognizable brewing companies. Known for approachable, balanced, award-winning craft beers, Hi-Wire Brewing has developed a diverse portfolio of American lagers, India pale ales, specialty stouts, sour beers, and seasonal releases while maintaining its original mission of creating products and experiences that bring people together.

The brewery’s story began in Asheville’s South Slope Brewery District, where Charnack and Frosaker acquired the equipment and lease of a former brewery and opened their original 2,700-square-foot production space. Hi-Wire Brewing entered the North Carolina craft beer market with an emphasis on producing beers that were flavorful without becoming unnecessarily complicated. Its early brewing philosophy helped establish a foundation for continued growth, additional production capacity, and an expanding regional distribution network.

Among the brewery’s most recognizable offerings is Hi-Wire Lager, a crisp, golden American lager brewed with light Pilsen malt and German hops. Extensively lagered for maturity and balance, Hi-Wire Lager represents the brewery’s dedication to traditional brewing techniques and approachable beer styles. The beer earned a silver medal in the International-Style Pilsener category at the 2026 Great American Beer Festival, adding another national brewing award to the Asheville brewery’s growing collection.

Hi-Wire Lager also received silver recognition in the same category at the 2025 World Beer Cup, demonstrating the brewery’s consistency in producing technically accomplished lager beers. Other national honors include recognition for its Japanese Dry Rice Lager and specialty beer offerings, reinforcing Hi-Wire Brewing’s ability to compete across multiple craft beer styles.

Beyond its flagship lager, Hi-Wire Brewing produces an extensive selection of craft beers designed for different drinking occasions and preferences. Its lineup includes the popular Hi-Pitch Mosaic IPA, Hazy Pitch IPA, specialty releases, and the established 10W-40 imperial stout series. The 10W-40 collection has become particularly recognizable for its dessert-inspired variations, featuring combinations of coffee, chocolate, vanilla, coconut, and other complementary ingredients.

Hi-Wire Brewing has also developed a reputation for collaboration, working with fellow independent breweries and beverage producers on specialty releases and production partnerships. Its expanded Asheville production capabilities support contract brewing services for other beverage brands, allowing the company to apply its brewing expertise and manufacturing resources beyond its own portfolio.

The company’s regional footprint includes distribution across eight states and seven taprooms, with six locations in North Carolina and one in Knoxville, Tennessee. These taprooms provide opportunities for customers to experience Hi-Wire Brewing beers directly while participating in community events, recreational activities, and local gatherings.

In Asheville, the company also operates The Tiki Easy Bar and The Event Space, extending its hospitality offerings beyond traditional brewery taprooms. Its River Arts District presence reflects an ongoing commitment to Asheville’s creative community and the neighborhood where the brewery continues to maintain an important local connection.

Hi-Wire Brewing has expanded its beverage portfolio beyond traditional craft beer with Happy Medium, a THC-infused seltzer, reflecting the company’s interest in emerging beverage categories and changing consumer preferences.

With more than 100 employees, Hi-Wire Brewing continues to emphasize quality, community involvement, and inclusive hospitality while producing craft beer for customers throughout the southeastern United States.

From its original Asheville brewery to its national brewing competition success, Hi-Wire Brewing remains focused on making approachable beers that combine drinkability, consistency, and brewing craftsmanship.

For additional information about Hi-Wire Brewing, its award-winning beers, brewery taprooms, distribution, and upcoming releases, visit HiWireBrewing.com.

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