A small brewery just south of Charlotte is once again proving it can compete with the biggest names in craft beer. Model A Brewing Company in Tega Cay brought home three medals at one of the nation’s largest beer competitions, beating out thousands of entries from around the world.
More than 8,000 beers were entered into the 2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship, one of the country’s largest brewing competitions, featuring breweries from across the United States and internationally.
Model A Brewing earned one gold medal and two silver medals, adding to an impressive list of more than 30 major brewing awards since opening its doors in December 2020.
The Tega Cay brewery captured gold for UK Crusher in the Ordinary Bitter category. It also won silver for Dolcita IPA in the Single Hop Pale Ale category and silver for Amber Hearth in the Barrel Aged Dark Beer category.
Model A wasn’t the only local brewery to earn national recognition.
Several breweries from the greater Charlotte region also claimed medals during this year’s competition, including:
- Primal Brewery in Huntersville, which won gold for Wheat Without Worry in the Non-Alcoholic Wheat category and bronze for Hops Mirage IPA in the Non-Alcoholic IPA category.
- Forgotten Road Ales in North Carolina was also named Brewery of the Year in the 251-500 barrel production category.
The U.S. Open Beer Championship is considered the third-largest beer competition in the United States, with entries spanning more than 180 beer categories and subcategories. Judges evaluate beers based on style accuracy, aroma, flavor, appearance and overall quality.
For Model A Brewing, the latest awards continue a remarkable run of national success. Despite competing from a small lakeside brewery in Tega Cay, the company continues to earn recognition alongside some of the largest and most established breweries in the country.
