It seems there’s a good craft brewery everywhere these days. An analysis of this month’s World Beer Cup medalists shows how far and wide award-winning beer can be found globally.
California and Oregon breweries dominated the competition, combining for 33 gold medals, but breweries in 10 foreign countries and various states less known for their beers also captured many gold medals.
Foreign breweries captured 16 of the gold medals for 112 beer styles that were judged, the analysis shows. Japanese breweries were awarded five gold medals, and Brazilian breweries won three. Gold medals won by German and Canadian brewers are not a surprise for beer experts, but they likely didn’t expect top honors going to breweries in China, Taiwan, Peru and Argentina.
Taiwan’s Muho Brewery, for example, won the gold medal for its Screaming Plum in the Experimental Beer category. Argentina’s Cervecería Kürüf brewery captured a gold for its Brett Para 3 in the Mixed-Culture Brett Beer category.
A total of 47 gold, silver and bronze medals were won by foreign breweries this year. Foreign breweries won 66 medals in 2024 and 40 in 2023, another analysis reveals.
U.S. breweries from 26 states won gold medals this year. Twenty-four golds went to California breweries, nine to Oregon breweries, eight to Colorado brewers and seven to Washington brewers.
Breweries in those states have long had reputations of producing top-quality beers, but breweries in other states are now nipping at their heels. Breweries in Texas grabbed six golds, Indiana five, Ohio and North Carolina with four each and Minnesota, Tennessee and South Carolia with three each.
Judges from 37 countries evaluated beers from 1,751 breweries and cideries over the course of seven days in Indianapolis. The annual competion, sponsored by the Brewers Association trade group, received more than 8,300 entries from breweries in 49 countries.