(Photos © Brewers Association)

One of the beer industry’s most prestigious competitions, the World Beer Cup  recently wrapped up in Indianapolis and once again Ohio craft breweries won big.

Since 1996, Ohio breweries have earned a total of 91 awards in the global competition informally known as “the Olympics of beer.” In the 2025 event, 1,761 breweries from 49 countries submitted 8,375 beers for judging in 117 style categories.

“Ohio breweries are delivering a wide variety of world-class, award-winning beers with flavors to please any palate,” said Mary MacDonald, executive director of the Ohio Craft Brewers Association. “Our breweries deserve every accolade they get, not only for the beers they brew, but also for the positive impact they have on communities all over the state.”

Fat Head’s Brewery continued their multi-year  run with three awards at World Beer Cup, increasing their total count in the competition to 19. The brewery has earned at least one World Beer Cup honor in each contest dating back to 2012.

Fat Head’s Battle Axe Baltic Porter earned their first award of the night, a gold in the Strong Porter category. The brewery won a second gold award for Apres Hefe in the South German-Style Bernsteinfarbenes Weizen category. Their third and final award of the competition was a silver for Alpenglow in the South German-Style Weizenbock category.

Cincinnati’s Brink Brewing pulled off an impressive feat, earning a gold award for Moozie in the Sweet Stout or Cream Stout category, as well as a bronze for Moozie’s cousin, Lil Zoomie, in the Coffee Stout or Porter category.

Third Eye Brewing took top honors in the Scotch Ale category with Higher Consciousness, the brewery’s second World Beer Cup award win. Also returning to the World Beer Cup stage was Fretboard Brewing, which took home a bronze for Crazy Train in the Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale category.

Four Ohio breweries won their first World Beer Cup awards in the 2025 competition: Eighty-Three Brewery in Akron, Eudora Brewing in Kettering, Wandering Monsters Brewing in Cincinnati and Wooly Pig Farm Brewery in Fresno each took home a silver award for their beers.

2024 World Beer Cup Ohio Award Winners

Fat Head’s Brewery (Middleburg Heights):
Apres Hefe – Gold award, South German-Style Bernsteinfarbenes Weizen
Battle Axe – Gold award, Strong Porter
Alpenglow – Silver award, South German-Style Weizenbock

Brink Brewing (Cincinnati):
Moozie – Gold award, Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
Lil Zoomie – Bronze award, Coffee Stout or Porter

Third Eye Brewing (Cincinnati):
Higher Consciousness – Gold award, Scotch Ale

Eighty-Three Brewery (Akron):
A.5 – Silver award, Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer

Eudora Brewing (Kettering):
Mother Fuggle – Silver award, Brown Porter

Wandering Monsters Brewing (Cincinnati):
Viator Obscura: Triple Chocolate – Silver award, Chocolate Beer

Wooly Pig Farm Brewery (Fresno):
Rye Dunkel – Silver award, Rye Beer

Fretboard Brewing (Blue Ash):
Crazy Train – Bronze award, Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale

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