Project Halo Brewing in Fulshear won two gold medals at the 2026 U.S. Open Beer Championship. The brewery is also planning a fourth-anniversary celebration on Sept. 19.

Frida Forever earned gold in the Cold IPA category and Maverick Hazy IPA took gold in the Pink Boots Hops Beer category, according to My Neighborhood News. Manekineko, a rice lager, won silver at the same competition. Project Halo also medaled at the 2026 Texas Craft Brewers Cup for Mean Girlz in the Amber and Dark Beers category.

The awards keep coming. In 2025, Project Halo's Disco Demon won gold in the Texas Craft Brewers Cup's Specialty Hoppy category, and Scattered Castles earned gold at the U.S. Open in the Nut Beer category.

"So many long days and hours have gone into this place. What a ride!!" the brewery posted in an Aug. 25 anniversary message.

Melissa Mendez, head brewer, trained through the West Texas A&M brewing program and is involved with the Pink Boots Society, which supports women and nonbinary professionals in the fermented beverage industry. The Maverick Hazy IPA gold came in a category that uses a special hop blend developed by the Pink Boots Society and Yakima Chief Hops.

Steve Mendez, a former U.S. Army Green Beret, and Melissa developed their interest in craft beer during years of travel while Steve served, including time in the Pacific Northwest. The couple settled in Fulshear and began building the brewery concept in 2021 with help from the Fort Bend County Small Business Development Center.

Project Halo held a soft opening on Aug. 19, 2022, and relocated in spring 2024 to a larger facility at 6510 FM 359 S., Suite 300 in Fulshear. The taproom is air-conditioned and welcomes families and dogs.

Year-round beers include Frida Forever, a 7.5% Cold IPA named for artist Frida Kahlo; Gatos Before Vatos, a 5.8% Mexican amber lager; and Halo Light, a 4.9% light lager. The brewery says it draws on the couple's Mexican and Salvadoran heritage for inspiration and has produced Vietnamese coffee beers, ube-flavored beer and Baltic porters.

Beyond beer, Project Halo has hosted Lotería nights, an adult spelling bee, live music and vendor markets. During Fulshear's bicentennial celebration, the brewery produced 1824 American Ale to mark the city's 200th anniversary.

Details for the Sept. 19 anniversary party have not been announced. The brewery is open noon to 11 p.m. Saturdays at its FM 359 location.