The curtains have closed on this year’s World Beer Cup, honoring breweries from across the globe for their dedication and finely crafted brews. With a staggering 9,300 entries spanning 172 styles, it’s challenging to draw sweeping conclusions from such a vast array of beer. However, it’s evident that the craft breweries of the Pacific Northwest distinguished themselves admirably at the competition.
Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery emerged as a standout, clinching three gold medals and one silver. Similarly, 10 Barrel Brewing Company, also hailing from Oregon, returned home from Las Vegas adorned with two gold medals, along with one silver and one bronze. Notably, in the German-Style Sour Ale category, all three medalists were entries from 10 Barrel. Formula Brewing from Issaquah, Washington, secured a gold, two silver medals, and a bronze. Additionally, Kane Brewing Company from New Jersey—despite not being geographically situated in the Pacific Northwest—claimed a pair of medals, much to the delight of those in proximity to the brewery’s roots.
The list of winners reveals further intriguing details. This year’s edition saw the lowest number of entries since 2018 and the fewest represented breweries since 2016. Whether this indicates challenges within the craft beer industry or hesitancy among breweries due to the World Beer Cup’s transition to an annual schedule in 2022 remains unclear.
However, one aspect that saw an increase was the number of styles evaluated, with 172 styles of beer across 110 categories in contention. In contrast, the 2023 and 2022 editions each featured 103 categories.
Craft beer enthusiasts searching for silver linings can find solace in another encouraging statistic: 436 of the breweries participating in this year’s World Beer Cup were first-timers. This expansion of the industry’s reach offers a glimmer of hope amidst the complex landscape facing craft beer, as highlighted by spirits reporter Dave Infante’s insightful coverage.
While the statistics from this year’s Cup present a nuanced portrayal of the industry’s state, they also signify an industry broadening its horizons, providing a beacon of optimism for beer aficionados.
