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(Courtesy Brewers Association)
One of the beer industry’s most prestigious competitions, the World Beer Cup took place this week and awards were presented at the conclusion of Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America in Las Vegas on Wednesday night.
Considered by many to be the “Olympics of Beer” this now annual competition is a very big deal.
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.
Throughout 14 sessions spanning seven days, a panel of 280 judges hailing from 37 countries meticulously evaluated 9,300 entries. Representing 2,060 breweries across 50 nations, this year’s World Beer Cup competition solidified its status as the premier international professional beer contest.
And here are some key stats from this year’s World Beer Cup…
WORLD BEER CUP COMPETITION STATISTICS
- 15th competition (skipped 2020; annualized starting 2022)
- Entries: 9,300
- Breweries: 2,060
- International breweries: 25%
- Countries: 50
First-time brewery entries: 436- Judges: 280
- International judges: 103
- Judge countries: 37
- First-time judges: 39
- Judging sessions and days: 7 days, 14 sessions
- Beer style categories: 110
- Beer styles: 172 (includes all subcategories)
- Avg number of beers in each category: 54
Most entered style categories:
- Category 109, Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale: 326 entries
- Category 110, West-Coast Style India Pale Ale: 281 entries
- Category 40, German-Style Pilsener: 221 entries
- Category 108, American-Style India Pale Ale: 213 entries
- Category 29, Wood & Barrel-Aged Strong Stout: 198 entries
Out of 330 possible awards, 329 were conferred. Gold was not awarded in Category 69 for Belgian-Style or French-Style Ale.
“Each award represents not only exceptional quality but also innovation and creativity, driving the global craft beer industry forward,” said Chris Williams, World Beer Cup competition director.
“This year’s winners exemplify the spirit of craftsmanship and ingenuity and showcase the diverse flavors and techniques that make beer an art form. Congratulations to this year’s winners for their outstanding achievements in brewing.”
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(All image credits: Brewers Association)
