The 2025 World Beer Cup, held in Indianapolis, saw Ohio craft breweries continuing their tradition of excellence in one of the beer industry’s most prestigious competitions. Known as the “Olympics of beer,” the World Beer Cup attracted 1,761 breweries from 49 countries, who submitted 8,375 beers across 117 style categories.
Since its inception in 1996, Ohio breweries have garnered a total of 91 awards, a testament to the state’s burgeoning craft beer scene. Mary MacDonald, Executive Director of the Ohio Craft Brewers Association, praised the achievements, stating, “Ohio breweries are delivering a wide variety of world-class, award-winning beers with flavors to please any palate. 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.”
Among the top performers was Fat Head’s Brewery, which continued its impressive streak at the competition, bringing home three awards and increasing its total count to 19. The brewery’s Battle Axe Baltic Porter won a gold medal in the Strong Porter category, while Apres Hefe earned gold in the South German-Style Bernsteinfarbenes Weizen category. Fat Head’s third award came with a silver for Alpenglow in the South German-Style Weizenbock category.
Cincinnati’s Brink Brewing also made a significant impact, securing a gold medal for Moozie in the Sweet Stout or Cream Stout category. The brewery’s Moozie’s cousin, Lil Zoomie, earned a bronze in the Coffee Stout or Porter category.
Third Eye Brewing, another standout from Cincinnati, took home top honors in the Scotch Ale category with Higher Consciousness, marking its second World Beer Cup win. Fretboard Brewing, based in Blue Ash, claimed a bronze medal for Crazy Train in the Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale category.
The 2025 competition also saw four Ohio breweries earn their first-ever World Beer Cup awards. Akron’s Eighty-Three Brewery, Kettering’s Eudora Brewing, Cincinnati’s Wandering Monsters Brewing, and Fresno’s Wooly Pig Farm Brewery each brought home silver medals for their beers.
2025 World Beer Cup Ohio Award Winners:
Fat Head’s Brewery (Middleburg Heights)
- Apres Hefe – Gold, South German-Style Bernsteinfarbenes Weizen
- Battle Axe – Gold, Strong Porter
- Alpenglow – Silver, South German-Style Weizenbock
Brink Brewing (Cincinnati)
- Moozie – Gold, Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
- Lil Zoomie – Bronze, Coffee Stout or Porter
Third Eye Brewing (Cincinnati)
- Higher Consciousness – Gold, Scotch Ale
Eighty-Three Brewery (Akron)
- A.5 – Silver, Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer
Eudora Brewing (Kettering)
- Mother Fuggle – Silver, Brown Porter
Wandering Monsters Brewing (Cincinnati)
- Viator Obscura: Triple Chocolate – Silver, Chocolate Beer
Wooly Pig Farm Brewery (Fresno)
- Rye Dunkel – Silver, Rye Beer
Fretboard Brewing (Blue Ash)
- Crazy Train – Bronze, Belgian-Style Ale or French-Style Ale
The 2025 World Beer Cup results further solidified Ohio’s place as a key player in the craft beer industry, with both seasoned and first-time award winners contributing to the state’s reputation for producing world-class brews.
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