The World Beer Cup is an international beer competition organized by the Brewers Association, a trade group representing America's small and independent craft brewers. It is the largest competition in the beer industry and has been described as "the Olympics of beer." According to americancraftbeer.com, "Winning a World Beer Cup is like winning a Grammy or an Oscar…it brings the world’s attention to even the smallest brewery’s doorstep…and like a hit song or film, it can make a career." The cup was founded by Association of Brewers president Charlie Papazian in 1996 and was awarded every two years until 2022, and has been held every year since then. The competition is held in conjunction with the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America.
Competition and judging According to the World Beer Cup, "all entries must be commercially available, fermented malt beverages, conforming to the trade understanding of “beer”, brewed by a permitted commercial brewery. “Commercially available” means available for sale at retail at the time of registration." For the 2016 World Beer Cup, the entry fee was $160 per beer, in addition to a $160 application fee.
Awards are given in more than 100 categories. Up to three awards - gold, silver, and bronze - may be awarded in any category, but sometimes not all three awards are given, depending on how the judges evaluate the entires. If they determine that no beer qualifies for a gold award, they may give out just silver and bronze medals. They may even give no awards at all, if all the entries are determined to be unsuited to the style of that category or to be unworthy of an award.
Recent World Beer Cup events In 2016 there were 6,596 beers from 1,907 breweries from 55 countries. Entries were judged by an international panel of 253 judges from 31 countries. In 2018 there were 8,234 beers entered, a 25% increase over the 2016 cup and the largest field in the competition's history, with competitors from 66 countries. There were 295 judges, three-fourths of them from outside the United States.
Brewery awards
Champion Brewery (Very Small) YearBreweryBrew MasterCityStateCountry2016Arch Rock Brewing Co.James SmithGold BeachOregonUSA
Champion Brewery (Small) YearBreweryBrew MasterCityStateCountry2004Oggi's Pizza and Brewing CompanyTom NickelSan ClementeCaliforniaUSA2006Brauerei Michael PlankMichael PlankLaaberBavariaGermany2008Port Brewing Company and Lost AbbeyTomme ArthurSan MarcosCaliforniaUSA2010Ballast Point Brewing CompanyBallast Point BrewersSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA2012Brauerei Michael PlankMichael PlankLaaberBavariaGermany2014Pelican BreweryDarron Welch, Steve PanosPacific CityOregonUSA2016Noble Ale WorksEvan & The GiantsAnaheimCaliforniaUSA
Champion Brewery (Medium) YearBreweryBrew MasterCityStateCountry2004Firestone Walker Fine AlesMatthew BrynildsonPaso RoblesCaliforniaUSA2006Firestone Walker Fine AlesMatthew BrynildsonPaso RoblesCaliforniaUSA2008Privatbrauerei HoepfnerPeter BucherKarlsruheBaden-WürttembergGermany2010Firestone Walker Brewing CompanyMatthew BrynildsonPaso RoblesCaliforniaUSA2012Firestone Walker Brewing CompanyMatthew BrynildsonPaso RoblesCaliforniaUSA2014Coronado Brewing CompanyCoronadoCaliforniaUSA2016Brewery OmmegangBrewery OmmegangCooperstownNew YorkUSA
Champion Brewery (Large) YearBreweryBrew MasterCityStateCountry2004Miller Brewing CompanyDr. David S. RyderMilwaukeeWisconsinUSA2006Miller Brewing CompanyDr. David S. RyderMilwaukeeWisconsinUSA2008Blue Moon Brewing CompanyWarren QuilliamGoldenColoradoUSA2010Asia Pacific Breweries LimitedAPB Brewing TeamSingapore2012AB InBevClaudio FerroLeuvenVlaams-BrabantBelgium2014Coors Brewing CompanyDr. David RyderGoldenColoradoUSA2016Miller Brewing Co.Miller Brewing Co. Brewing TeamMilwaukeeWisconsinUSA
Champion Brewpub (Small) YearBreweryBrew MasterCityStateCountry2004Laurelwood Pub & BreweryChristian EttingerPortlandOregonUSA2006Piece BreweryJonathan CutlerChicagoIllinoisUSA2008Bend Brewing CompanyTonya CornettBendOregonUSA2010Devils Backbone Brewing CompanyJason OliverRoselandVirginiaUSA2012Iron Hill Brewery & RestaurantIron Hill Brewery TeamMediaPennsylvaniaUSA2014Iron Hill Brewery & RestaurantIron Hill Brewery TeamMediaPennsylvaniaUSA201612Degree BrewingJon Howland & Tor O’BrienLouisvilleColoradoUSA
Champion Brewpub (Large) YearBreweryBrew MasterCityStateCountry2004Russian River Brewing CompanyVinnie CilurzoSanta RosaCaliforniaUSA2006Russian River Brewing CompanyVinnie CilurzoSanta RosaCaliforniaUSA2010Iron Hill BreweryIron Hill Brewery TeamWilmingtonDelawareUSA2012Pelican Pub & BreweryDarron R S WelchPacific CityOregonUSA2014Blind Tiger Brewery & RestaurantJohn DeanTopekaKansasUSA2016Beachwood BBQ & BrewingJulian Shrago, Ian McCall & Gene WagonerLong BeachCaliforniaUSA
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