Two Kitsap County breweries earned international acclaim at the 2025 World Beer Cup, a prestigious global competition often dubbed the “Olympics of Beer.”
Bremerton-based Silver City Brewery claimed top honors with a gold medal for its Ridgetop Red in the Irish-style red ale category. The brewery also secured a silver medal for its Magnificent Scotch Ale in the scotch ale category. Meanwhile, Valhöll Brewing of Poulsbo was awarded a silver medal for its Thunderbolt Imperial Stout in the American-Style Imperial Stout category. The brewery described the winning stout as “an intense, black ale bursting with dark roast flavor, highlighted by dark chocolate and coffee notes.”
The 2025 World Beer Cup, established by the Brewers Association in 1996, continues to recognize excellence in brewing worldwide. This year’s competition featured 265 judges from 37 countries evaluating 8,375 entries submitted by 1,761 breweries across 49 nations. The award ceremony took place on May 1 in Indianapolis, celebrating winners across 112 style categories.
Other Washington state breweries honored in the competition included Cloudburst Brewing, Georgetown Brewing, Stoup Brewing, and Reuben’s Brews—all based in Seattle—as well as No-Li Brewhouse from Spokane.
Valhöll Brewing, located in downtown Poulsbo, expressed pride in its achievement. “This award celebrates the fact that Poulsbo breweries are making some of the best beer in the world,” said co-owner Don Spencer, a veteran of the local brewing scene who previously worked at Silver City.
Founded in 2010, Valhöll Brewing began in a 700-square-foot garage on Poulsbo’s Front Street before relocating in 2012 to its current 1,735-square-foot space at 18970 3rd Ave NE.
Silver City Brewery, which has operated in Kitsap County since 1996, maintains a taproom in Bremerton at 206 Katy Penman Avenue, as well as a restaurant in Silverdale. Its distribution extends throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, and Montana.
The international recognition further cements Kitsap County’s growing reputation as a hub for exceptional craft brewing.
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