Irvine, CA, Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Abstrax returns to the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Philadelphia, April 20-22, 2026, with the fourth annual Skunkworks Lounge competition. Skunkworks Lounge invites licensed breweries to use Abstrax ingredients to push beer flavor and aroma into new territory, then earn a shot at the finals on the CBC show floor.
The final round happens live at CBC, and the judges are the people walking the show. Attendees can stop by any time during CBC to get a free tasting flight of all six finalist beers, then cast an anonymous vote. The brewery with the most votes wins the Skunkworks trophy and a $5,000 cash prize.
Skunkworks is a two-round national competition. Breweries submit beers for blind judging earlier in the season. Five breweries advanced through that blind process, and the returning Skunkworks champion, Mountains Walking, rounds out the six-beer finalist lineup.
This year’s theme, Revolutionary Beers, nods to the 250th anniversary of American independence and challenges brewers to interpret “revolutionary” through bold formulation choices and fresh approaches to hop-driven character.
The six breweries competing at CBC 2026 are:
- Von Ebert Brewing (Portland, OR)
- Crooked Culture Brewing (Cumming, GA)
- Bone Haus Brewing (Fountain Hills, AZ)
- Breakside Brewery (Portland, OR)
- Reformation Brewery (Woodstock, GA)
- Mountains Walking Brewery (Bozeman, MT), 3x returning champion
Each finalist beer incorporates at least one Abstrax product, underscoring the competition’s focus on precision-driven flavor and aroma. Beers will be presented anonymously, and attendees will sample curated flights before casting their vote.
The brewery receiving the most audience votes will earn the Skunkworks trophy, a $5,000 cash prize, and national recognition among CBC attendees and media covering the event.
Skunkworks Lounge will be located near registration during CBC, April 20-22. Finalist profiles and competition details are available at AbstraxHops.com/pages/skunkworks.
About Abstrax Hops:
Abstrax Hops is the brewing division of Abstrax, focused on hop-forward ingredients that help brewers shape bold, repeatable flavor and aroma. Abstrax Hops supports breweries with advanced hop extracts, hop-inspired profiles, and R&D support built for modern beer.