In early May, several Austin area breweries took home awards at the prestigious World Beer Cup in Minneapolis.
Typically held every two years, the last World Beer Cup was held in 2018 with Pinthouse Pizza taking home two awards, and was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic. During this year’s awards ceremony, the Brewers Association announced that the World Beer Cup would be an annual event going forward, held during the annual Craft Brewers Conference, to be held in Nashville, TN in 2023. This year’s competition was the largest competition to date, with 10,542 entries from 2,493 breweries representing 57 countries.
Austin Area Winners
Herb and Spice Beer | Gold: Black Pearl – Lazarus Brewing Co. in Austin, TX
Munich-Style Helles | Gold: Meanwhile Lager – Meanwhile Brewing Co. in Austin, TX
Belgian Fruit Beers | Gold: Atrial Rubicite – Jester King Brewery in Austin, TX
Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer | Silver: Devil’s Night – Circle Brewing Co. in Austin, TX
Scotch Ale | Bronze: Real Heavy – Real Ale Brewing Co. in Blanco, TX
Per the press release, entries were evaluated by an elite panel of 226 judges from 28 countries. Competition judging took place in 18 sessions over nine days. Judges bestowed 307 out of 309 total possible awards, reflecting the opportunity for one gold, silver, and bronze award in 103 beer style categories. No gold or silver was awarded in Category 68: Belgian-Style Witbier.
“The World Beer Cup showcases the incredible breadth and talent of the global brewing community,” said Chris Swersey, competition director, World Beer Cup. “Winning an award at this extremely competitive event symbolizes one of the greatest accomplishments in the art of brewing. Congratulations to this year’s winners on their outstanding achievements.”
COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS
- Average number of beers entered per category: 102
- Most entered style categories:
- American-Style India Pale Ale: 384
- Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale: 343
- German-Style Pilsener: 254
- Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout: 237
- International Pilsener or International Lager: 231
- Munich-Style Helles: 202
- Number of countries represented: 57
- Countries with the most awards:
- United States: 252
- Canada: 14
- Germany: 11
- Country with the highest winning rate: Ireland (16.67%)
- First-time country winner: Colombia, Pola Del Pub, Bogotá, for its “Saison Con Miel” Specialty Saison entry
