The 2025 World Beer Cup, widely regarded as the premier international competition for brewers, revealed this year’s top craft beers and emerging industry trends. Organized by the Brewers Association and held in May during the Craft Brewers Conference in Indianapolis, the event drew more than 1,700 breweries and 8,375 entries from 37 countries, competing across 112 categories.
Hop-forward beers dominated the competition, with the juicy or hazy India Pale Ale (IPA) category receiving the highest number of submissions—290 entries. California’s Everywhere Brewing Co. captured the gold medal for its Shifted Visions IPA. Silver and bronze went to Hawaii’s Hana Koa Brewing Co. and Guggman Haus of Indianapolis, respectively.
West Coast-style IPAs also featured prominently, with 253 entries submitted. Austin’s Pinthouse Pizza earned gold for Mosaic Takedown, while Ghost Town Brewing from Colorado and New York’s Wayward Land Brewing secured silver and bronze honors.
Judged by an international panel evaluating style, aroma, appearance, flavor, and color, the competition also highlighted excellence in other categories. Arbeiter Brewing Co. of Minneapolis took gold in the German-Style Pilsener category, outpacing 186 entries with its Haha Pils. Canada’s Snake Lake Brewing Co. and California’s MadeWest Brewing claimed silver and bronze respectively.
Colorado, a long-standing leader in the American craft beer scene, once again stood out with 15 breweries winning 18 awards. The Colorado Brewers Guild emphasized the state’s diverse brewing capabilities spanning barleywines, Belgian-style ales, and session IPAs. Denver’s River North Brewery notably earned three medals for beers featuring adjunct flavors such as chocolate, pumpkin, and coffee, continuing its recent streak of success in these specialty categories.
A new milestone for the competition came with the inclusion of hard cider categories, reflecting the rising prominence of craft cider. Five apple-forward categories debuted, with Oregon-based 2 Towns Ciderhouse dominating the field with six medals. Their awards spanned Experimental, Barrel-Aged, Fruited, and Tannic ciders, showcasing innovation and complexity in cider-making.
Chris Williams, competition director, described the winners as exemplifying the pinnacle of craft brewing and cider artistry, achieved through dedication and passion. Since its inception in 1996, the World Beer Cup has maintained its status as one of the industry’s most prestigious events. The 2026 competition is scheduled to take place in Philadelphia.
Understanding the New Hard Cider Categories
- Experimental, Barrel-Aged, or Specialty Cider: Innovative ciders often aged in barrels or blended with other fruits, employing unconventional fermentation techniques.
- Fruited Cider: Ciders enhanced with fruits beyond apples and pears, such as berries or citrus, creating varied flavor profiles.
- Tannic Cider: Produced from bittersweet or heirloom apple varieties, offering structured, wine-like characteristics prized by enthusiasts.
- Modern Cider: Typically filtered and fruit-forward, made from dessert apples, representing a popular, accessible style.
- Traditional Cider: Crafted with cider-specific apple varieties and wild yeasts, known for rustic complexity and nuanced acidity.
The World Beer Cup continues to set the benchmark for brewing excellence while highlighting the dynamic evolution of both beer and cider industries worldwide.
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