Launched by UK-based the Drinks Business in 2014 this year’s Global Beer Masters Competitions assembled a team of industry experts who blind-tasted beers from around the world organized by price and style. And craft beer lovers might be surprised by some of this year’s Big Beer winners…

This year’s Global Beer Masters judging panel consisted of twelve industry experts who oversaw a broad range of beers organized into seventeen different style categories. And just as with the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in the US, small craft brewers were judged side-by-side with the world’s largest brewers.

“Entries came from almost all corners of the beer-producing world,” according to Lotte Peplow, UK and European representative of the Brewer’s Association, and co-chair of 2018’s Masters “and made for a fascinating and varied cross-section of flavors in each style category.”

And here are the 2018 Global Beer Masters winners…

Lager – Light lager

Lager – International lager

Low/Non Alcoholic

Ale – Hop Forward – Bitter

Ale – Hop Forward – Golden Ale

Phoebe French, The Drinks Business, and James Kellow, Crate Brewery, judge this year’s lager category

Ale – Hop Forward – Pale Ale

Ale – Hop Forward – IPA

Ale – Other – Wheat

Ale – Other – Black IPA

Ale – Other – Red Ale

Ale – Other – Bergian Style

Ale – Malt Forward – Porter

Ale – Malt Forward – Stout

Ale – Malt Forward – Brown Ale

Mixed & Speciality – Kettle Sour

Mixed & Speciality – Barrel Aged

Flavored & Fruit Beer

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

Image credits: the Drinks Business