American Craft Beer Wins Big In Japan

American Craft Beer|October 23rd, 2021|

Japan is a country of beer lovers. And even though much of that love tends towards mass-market majors like Sapporo, Kirin and Asha, craft beer has established a growing following.

And as part of its Export Development Program the Brewers Association, the Boulder, Colorado-based not-for-profit trade organization which advocates for American craft beer, sought to further support member brewery presence in Japan through entry fee coverage and coordinating a consolidated airfreight shipment to the 2021 Japan International Beer Cup.

Hosted by the Craft Beer Association of Japan, the International Beer Cup is Japan’s largest international beer competition.

Judging for the 2021 event took place September 24 and 25 at TKP Garden City in Yokohama. This year’s competition saw 943 entries from 211 breweries across eight countries.

And American craft brewers won 30 awards this year including nine gold, eight silver, 13 bronze medals, and several Category Champion awards.

Company	Beer	Style	Award
Belching Beaver Brewery	Viva la Beaver	Chocolate Beer	Gold
Cigar City Brewing	Jai Alai India Pale Ale	American-Style India Pale Ale	Silver
Revision Brewing Company	Revision IPA	American-Style India Pale Ale	Bronze
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co	Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing	Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale	Bronze
Lakefront Brewery	My Turn:AL	American-Style Stout	Silver
Jack’s Abby Brewing LLC	Cold Brew Brig	Coffee Stout or Coffee Porter	Gold
Two Roots Brewing Company	New West IPA Non-Alcoholic	Non-Alcohol Beer	Gold
Two Roots Brewing Company	Enough Said Helles Non-Alcoholic	Non-Alcohol Beer	Silver
No-Li Brewhouse	Threezy Does It	Session Beer	Bronze
Breakside Brewery	Breakside Queen of the Rodeo	Mixed-Culture Brett Beer	Gold
Nebraska Brewing Company	Melange A Trois	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer	Bronze
Breakside Brewery	Breakside Space Music	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout	Gold
Fremont Brewing	2020 BBADS – Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout	Silver
Nebraska Brewing Company	MOAB	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout	Bronze
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales	Bam	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer	Bronze
Bell’s Brewery	Bell’s Tropical Oberon Ale	Fruit Wheat Beer	Bronze
Coronado Brewing Company	Orange Ave Shandy	Fruit Wheat Beer	Silver
East Brother Beer Company	Red Lager	Vienna-Style Lager	Bronze
Bell’s Brewery	Bell’s Octoberfest Beer	American-Style Amber Lager	Bronze
Nebraska Brewing Company	Wick For Brains	Pumpkin Beer	Gold
Cedar Springs Brewing Company	Küsterer Original Weissbier	German-Style Wheat Ale	Bronze
Maui Brewing Co	Coconut Hiwa Porter	Field Beer	Bronze
Cigar City Brewing	Maduro Brown Ale	Brown Porter	Bronze
East Brother Beer Company	Oatmeal Stout	Oatmeal Stout	Gold
No-Li Brewhouse	Wrecking Ball	British-Style Imperial Stout	Silver
The Virginia Beer Company	Elbow Patches	Export Stout	Silver
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co	Sierra Nevada Pale Ale	American-Style Pale Ale	Silver
Fremont Brewing	Sky Kraken	Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale	Gold
Wren House Brewing Co	Arizona Star	Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale	Bronze
Belching Beaver Brewery	No Worries IPA	American-Style Strong Pale Ale	Gold

International competitions serve as a valuable tool to generate publicity for the US craft beer industry and assist Export Development Program member breweries with gaining attention and distribution in the region.

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners…Live long and prosper!