Brewing Excellence Shines at 2026 World Beer Cup®, Marking 30 Years of Global Competition

The World Beer Cup® (WBC), the world’s most prestigious beer competition, has celebrated three decades of brewing excellence by awarding 353 medals to breweries and cideries across the globe at a ceremony held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, concluding the annual Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®.

Organised by the Brewers Association (BA), the 2026 World Beer Cup® – now in its 30th year – recognised the very best in beer and cider across 118 categories. An international panel of 255 judges from 37 countries evaluated 8,166 entries from 1,644 breweries representing 50 nations. The top entering countries were the United States, Japan, Canada, China, and Brazil.

Chris Williams, World Beer Cup competition director, said: "Thirty years in, the World Beer Cup remains a powerful reflection of how far global brewing has come – and where it’s headed. Even in a year that challenged beverage alcohol producers to evolve, this year’s winners demonstrated that innovation, precision, and passion for craft are stronger than ever."

World Beer Cup 2026 – Competition Statistics

• 17th competition (skipped 2020; annualised starting 2022)

• Entries: 8,166 | Breweries: 1,644 | Countries: 50

• First-time brewery entries: 295

• Judges: 255 (128 international, from 37 countries)

• Judging: 14 sessions over 7 days

• Style categories: 113 beer | 5 cider (186 styles including subcategories)

• Average entries per category: 69

Winners in the Top 5 Most Entered Style Categories

Category 114: West Coast-Style India Pale Ale (293 entries)

• Gold – Project Alpha 81, Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Golden, CO

• Silver – Mosaic Madness, Crystal Springs Brewing Co., Louisville, CO

• Bronze – Electric Eagle, Firestone Walker Brewing – Propagator, Marina del Rey, CA

Category 113: Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale (274 entries)

• Gold – Because Science, Bend Brewing Co., Bend, OR

• Silver – Bolo Season, Zilker Brewing Co., Austin, TX

• Bronze – Shifted Visions, everywhere, Orange, CA

Category 112: Classic India Pale Ale (205 entries)

• Gold – Immutable Dawn, ISM Brewing, Long Beach, CA

• Silver – Hop-Fu!, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA

• Bronze – Shred IPA, Shred Beer Co., Rocklin, CA

Category 43: German-Style Pilsner (201 entries)

• Gold – 801 Pilsner, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT

• Silver – Southern German Style Pilsener, Craft Beer Base, Osaka, Japan

• Bronze – Pilsner, Hop Dogma Brewing Co., Half Moon Bay, CA

Category 45: Munich-Style Helles (156 entries)

• Gold – Wander Back Lager, Wander Back Beerworks, Vineland, NJ

• Silver – Lager, Noble Twist, Saugatuck, MI

• Bronze – Kirkland Signature Helles Lager, Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR

Notes to Editors

Out of a total possible 354 awards, 353 were awarded. A bronze was not awarded in Category 75 (Belgian-Style Witbier).

The 2026 World Beer Cup competition was made possible by the generous support of its sponsors: Fermentis, First Key, John I. Haas, Jenrey Ltd., Rahr Malting Co., Sahm Glass, and Siemens.

About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade organisation representing more than 9,300 small and independent American brewers, their beverages, and the community of craft beer enthusiasts. The BA champions the independent craft brewer seal — a trusted symbol that helps consumers identify beer brewed by small and independent producers. Beer lovers can explore the world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com.

About the World Beer Cup®

Known as “the Olympics of beer,” the World Beer Cup® is the most prestigious beer competition in the world, held annually by the Brewers Association in conjunction with the Craft Brewers Conference®. Hundreds of judges from across the world assess entries by category, awarding beers and ciders on how accurately they exemplify the specified style, and how they display the proper balance of taste, aroma, and appearance. Developed in 1996, the competition continues to raise consumer awareness about various beer styles and flavour profiles, while promoting international brewing excellence.

For more information:

Jessie Vandenhouten (on behalf of the Brewers Association)

Email: brewerspr@backbone.media | Tel: 970.963.4873 ext. 1220

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