We're Award-Winning: Windermere Brewing Company Takes Home 3 Medals at the 2026 Best Florida Beer Championship
We'll be honest, there's something pretty special about getting to do what you love and have the craft beer community recognize you for it. The 2026 Best Florida Beer Championship results are in, and we are absolutely thrilled to share that Windermere Brewing Company walked away with three medals - including one very shiny gold.
Whether you've been sipping with us since the beginning or you just discovered us tucked into the heart of Windermere, Florida, this one's for you. Grab a pint, settle into your favorite spot by the tap, and let us tell you all about it.
🥇 GOLD - Lake Walking Irish Style Red Ale
Let's lead with the big one, shall we?
Our Lake Walking Irish Style Red Ale took home the Gold Medal at the 2026 Best Florida Beer Championship — and honestly, we couldn't think of a more fitting win. If you've ever spent a golden Florida afternoon strolling the shores of one of Windermere's breathtaking lakes, you already know the feeling we were chasing when we brewed this one.
Lake Walking is our year-round flagship red ale, and it's always on tap here at the taproom. Smooth, approachable, and beautifully balanced — with a rich malt backbone, subtle caramel notes, and just enough hop character to keep things interesting — it's the kind of beer that feels like home. The kind you come back to, session after session, because it never lets you down.
This gold medal is a validation of everything we pour into our craft: the quality, the consistency, and the passion behind every small batch we produce. Irish red ales don't always get the spotlight in Florida's craft beer scene, but we've always believed that this style, done right, is one of the most satisfying pours out there. Apparently, the judges agree. 🙌
→ Lake Walking Irish Style Red Ale is on tap year-round. Come in and taste a Gold Medal winner for yourself.
🥉 BRONZE - Centennial Barleywine (Limited Collaboration)
This one holds a very special place in our hearts, and in the history books of our town.
The Centennial Barleywine was brewed in direct collaboration with the Town of Windermere to honor their 100th anniversary. A century of lakeside living, community pride, and the kind of small-town charm that makes Windermere unlike anywhere else in Central Florida. When the town asked us to help commemorate that milestone, we knew we had to craft something worthy of the occasion. And a barleywine that’s bold, complex, and built to be remembered. It felt like exactly the right choice.
Big malt presence, warming alcohol, and layers of toffee, dark fruit, and oak-forward character make this a beer that commands your attention and rewards your patience. The Centennial Barleywine was never designed to be overlooked, it was designed to be celebrated.
Earning a Bronze Medal at the Best Florida Beer Championship for this beer is the perfect capstone to a collaboration we're incredibly proud of. Windermere has given us so much as a community, and being able to give something back, in the form of a liquid tribute to 100 years, is something we'll always be grateful for.
→ The Centennial Barleywine was a limited release. Stay tuned to our social channels and join our mailing list so you never miss a special release like this one.
🥉 BRONZE - Towering Oak Belgian Style Quad (Seasonal, Q4)
Deep. Rich. Utterly indulgent. There's a reason the Towering Oak Belgian Style Quad has become one of our most anticipated seasonal releases each year.
Available exclusively in Q4, just in time for the cooler months and the holidays, Towering Oak is our love letter to the classic Belgian quadrupel style. Think dark dried fruits, warming spice, rich caramel malt, and a complexity that unfolds with every sip. It's the beer you pour when the conversation slows down, the night gets quiet, and you just want to savor something extraordinary.
Named for the towering oaks that canopy the streets of Windermere, those magnificent old trees that have watched over this town for generations, this beer carries the same sense of depth, history, and staying power. Earning a Bronze Medal at the 2026 Best Florida Beer Championship is a testament to what this seasonal release has become: a true craft beer experience that Central Florida beer lovers look forward to every single year.
→ Towering Oak Belgian Quad returns in Q4. Follow us on Instagram or sign up for our newsletter to be first to know when it's back on tap.
Three Medals. One Championship. One Very Proud Hometown Brewery. 🏡
When we say we're born from the lakes, we mean it. And these three medals represent exactly what that means to us. Every beer we brew is rooted in this place: in the water, the oaks, the sunsets over Lake Butler, and the community that has supported us from day one.
The Best Florida Beer Championship is one of the most respected craft beer competitions in the state, and competing alongside some of Florida's most talented breweries is always an honor. Coming home with a Gold and two Bronzes? That's something we'll be talking about for a long time.
But here's the thing: none of this means anything without you. Without every person who has pulled up a stool at our taproom, ordered a pint, brought their friends, or tagged us in a post on a Saturday afternoon. This is your win too.
So come celebrate with us. Lake Walking is on tap and pouring gold. 🥇
📍 Visit Us
Windermere Brewing Company 111 W 5th Ave, Windermere, FL 34786 (Conveniently located just outside Orlando in beautiful Windermere, Florida)
Taproom Hours: Tuesday–Thursday: 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM Friday–Saturday: 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM Sunday: 1:00 PM – 8:00 PM Monday: Closed
🌐 windermerebrewing.com 📱 Follow us: @windermerebrewingco