Craft Draft Showdown: How to Vote For Your Favorite Brewery

Winston-Salem takes its craft beer seriously. This March, we are putting that passion to the test.

The Second Annual Craft Draft Showdown is back, and this time, your vote decides which local brewery is crowned the 2026 champion. If you have never participated before, here is exactly how it works and how you can join in.

What Is the Craft Draft Showdown? 

Think March Madness, but for beer.  The Craft Draft Showdown is a month-long, bracket-style competition featuring Forsyth County breweries. Each week, breweries go head-to-head in online matchups. The brewery with the most votes advances. By March 31, one will be crowned champ.

Last year, hundreds of voters weighed in and Fiddlin’ Fish Brewing Company took home the title. This year, the field is wide open.

Step 1: Help Choose the Top Eight

We are starting with over a dozen local breweries. Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 18, you can vote in the qualifying round to help narrow the field to the Top 8. This first round finishes on February 28, with your vote determines which breweries make it into the official bracket.

• UPDATE: After nearly 800 votes in the preliminary round, our Top 8 is set. Congrats to all of the breweries who advanced!

Step 2: The Bracket Begins

Matchups for the Top 8 breweries are now live in our official Craft Draft Showdown bracket. The head-to-head matchups will last a week with winners advancing on Monday, March 9, to the Final 4. 

NOTE: Seedings for the opening round matchups were determined by the number of votes the breweries received in the preliminary round, with Radar Brewing each the #1 seed with more than 300 votes. 

• #1 Radar Brewing Co vs #8 Small Batch Beer Co.
• #2 Wise Man Brewing vs #7 Brouwerij DuBois
• #3 Fiddlin' Fish Beer Co vs #6 Incendiary Brewing(iQ)
• #4 Lesser-Known Beer Co vs #5 Foothills Brewpub

You can vote once per day, every day, during each round. Voting will reset each round until a champion is crowned March 31.  

Ready to Cast Your Vote? Click Here. 

What Do You Get for Voting?

Besides bragging rights? Every vote automatically enters you into a grand prize giveaway. The more days you vote, the more chances you have to win. One lucky winner will receive:

• Mugs from the Top 2 breweries
• $200 in brewery gift cards
• A Visit Winston-Salem beanie
• Craft Draft Showdown t-shirt
• VWS koozies and a Sling bag
• Additional brewery swag

Why It Matters

Winston-Salem’s craft beer scene continues to grow, evolve, and earn recognition well beyond our city limits. The Craft Draft Showdown is a fun way to celebrate the creativity, community, and friendly rivalry that defines our local breweries. 

Whether you are loyal to a downtown taproom, a neighborhood hangout, or a production powerhouse, this is your chance to put your favorite on top.

Key Dates

• Feb. 18: Qualifying Round Opens
• Feb. 28: Qualifying Round Ends
• March 2: Bracket Launches
• March 31: Champion Crowned

Each round has a limited voting window, so be sure to check back weekly for new matchups.