The 2004 World Beer Cup, hosted by the Brewers Association in vibrant San Diego, California, solidified its status as the “Olympics of Beer” with a record-breaking showcase of global brewing excellence and the accelerating craft beer boom. This biennial extravaganza attracted 1,347 entries from 378 breweries across 39 countries, competing across 67 style categories ranging from classic German hefeweizens to experimental wood-aged sours, judged blind by an elite international panel of 40 beer experts. American breweries continued their stronghold, with Firestone Walker Brewing Company earning Champion Brewery in the Small Brewing Company category, while standout golds went to Pelican Pub & Brewery’s Kiwanda Cream Ale in American-style cream ale, Russian River Brewing’s Pliny the Elder in double IPA, and Belgium’s Brouwerij Huyghe snagging top honors for Delirium Tremens in Belgian-style strong ale. The event highlighted surging trends in barrel-aging, extreme hopping, and fruit-forward innovations, fostering cross-continental collaboration and propelling the craft beer movement into mainstream consciousness worldwide.
2004 World Beer Cup Medal Winners
Category: 1 Non-Alcoholic Malt Tonic, 3 Entries
Silver: Power Malt Vanilla, The Danish Brewery Group, Inc., Miami, FL
Bronze: Xtra Malt, Samba Brewing Co., Trinidad, West Indies
Category: 2 Non-Alcoholic (Beer) Malt Beverage, 18 Entries
Gold: Clausthaler Lager, Radeberger-Gruppe AG, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Silver: O’Doul’s Amber, Anheuser-Busch, Saint Louis, MO
Bronze: Kirner Frei, Kirner Privatbrauerei, Kirn, Germany
Category: 3 American Lager/Ale or Cream Ale, 11 Entries
Silver: Extreme Cream, Terrapin Beer Co., Athens, GA
Bronze: Lightning Bold Gold, Hops Grillhouse and Brewery, Tampa, FL
Category: 4 American-Style Wheat Beer, 11 Entries
Gold: Shiner Winter Ale, The Spoetzl Brewery, San Antonio, TX
Silver: Leinenkugel’s Honey Weiss, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI
Bronze: Cascade Summer Blonde, Carlton & United Breweries, Abbotsford, Australia
Category: 5 American-Style Hefeweizen, 8 Entries
Gold: Widmer Hefeweizen, Widmer Brothers Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: Henry Weinhard’s Hefeweizen, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Category: 6 American-Style Rye Ale or Lager, 7 Entries
Gold: Rock Chuck Rye, Snake River Brewing of Lander, Lander, WY
Silver: Rye On, Blue Corn Café & Brewery, Albuquerque, NM
Bronze: Tailwind Rye, Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant, Topeka, KS
Category: 7 Garden Beer (Fruit and Vegetable Beer), 23 Entries
Gold: Brick Bambay, Brick Brewing Co. Ltd., Waterloo, Canada
Silver: Wäldches Kirschtbier, Wäldches-Bräu GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany
Bronze: Transatlantique Kriek, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Category: 8 Herb and Spice Beer, 29 Entries
Gold: Hitachino Nest White Ale, Kiuchi Brewery, Naka, Japan
Silver: Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA
Bronze: Christmas City Ale, Prescott Brewing Co., Prescott, AZ
Category: 9 Coffee Flavored Beer, 9 Entries
Gold: Black Sheep Espresso Stout, Thunderhead Brewing, Kearney, NE
Silver: Steamworks Grand Espresso Stout, Steamworks Brewing Co., Vancouver, Canada
Bronze: Big River Espresso Stout, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Chattanooga, TN
Category: 10 Specialty Beer, 15 Entries
Gold: Aprihop, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
Silver: Thirsty Dog California Crisp, Thirsty Dog Brewing Co., Independence, OH
Bronze: St Norberts Abbey Ale, Titletown Brewing Co., Green Bay, WI
Category: 11 Specialty Honey Lager or Ale, 20 Entries
Gold: J.W. Dundee’s Honey Brown, High Falls Brewing Co., Rochester, NY
Silver: Midas Touch, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, DE
Bronze: Honey Kiss My Basswood Tripel, Titletown Brewing Co., Green Bay, WI
Category: 12 Other Strong Ale or Lager, 12 Entries
Gold: Winter Warmer Porter, Elk Grove Brewery & Restaurant, Elk Grove, CA
Silver: Anniversary Barley Wine, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Moretti Doppio Malto, Heineken Italia, Pedavena, Italy
Category: 13 Experimental Beer, 14 Entries
Silver: Samuel Adams Millennium, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA
Bronze: Alaskan Winter Ale, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Category: 14 Wood and Barrel-aged Beer, 26 Entries
Gold: Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout, America’s Brewing Co., Aurora, IL
Silver: Redline Imperial Bourbon Stout, Rock Bottom Brewery – Chicago, Chicago, IL
Bronze: Enigma, New Glarus Brewing Co., New Glarus, WI
Category: 15 Smoke-Flavored Beer, 7 Entries
Gold: Kohlminator, Rocky River Brewing, Rocky River, OH
Silver: Caldera Rauch Ur Bock, Caldera Brewing Co., Ashland, OR
Bronze: Alaskan Smoked Porter, Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK
Category: 16 European-Style Low-Alcohol Lager/German-Style Leicht(bier), 13 Entries
Gold: Coastal Light Lager, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Beck’s Light, Beck & Co., Bremen
Bronze: Victoria Light, Compañia Cervecera de Nicaragua, Managua, Nicaragua
Category: 17 German-Style Pilsener, 38 Entries
Gold: Rolinck Pilsener, Privatbrauerei A. Rolinck GmbH, Steinfurt, Germany
Silver: Pott’s Pilsener, Pott’s Brauerei GmbH, Oelde, Germany
Bronze: Freudenberger, Brauerei Märkl, Freudenberg, Germany
Category: 18 Bohemian-Style Pilsener, 24 Entries
Gold: Velkopopovický Kozel Premium, Plzenský Prazdroj,
a.s. – Pivovar Velké Popovice, Velke Popovice, Czech Republic
Silver: Velkopopovický Kozel V cepni Svetly, Plzenský Prazdroj,
a.s. – Pivovar Velké Popovice, Velke Popovice, Czech Republic
Bronze: Radegast Original, Plzenský Prazdroj,
a.s. – Pivovar Radegast, Nosovice, Czech Republic
Category: 19 Münchner-Style Helles, 36 Entries
Gold: Kalnapilis Original, AB “Kalnapilio-Tauro Grupe”, Vilnius, Lithuania
Silver: Bosch Lager, Privatbrauerei Bosch, Bad Laasphe, Germany
Bronze: Pott’s Gold, Pott’s Brauerei GmbH, Oelde, Germany
Category: 20 European-Style Pilsener, 44 Entries
Gold: Tiger Beer, Asia Pacific Breweries, Singapore
Silver: Spezial, Alpirsbacher Klosterbräu, Alpirsbach, Germany
Bronze: Gold Crown Beer, Cambodia Brewery Ltd., Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Category: 21 Dortmunder/European-Style Export, 26 Entries
Gold: Zeunerts Original, Kopparbergs Bryggeri, Västra Frolunda, Sweden
Silver: Sofiero Original, Kopparbergs Bryggeri, Västra Frolunda, Sweden
Bronze: Distelhäuser Export, Distelhäuser Brauerei, TBB – Distelhausen, Germany
Category: 22 Vienna-Style Lager, 28 Entries
Gold: Schaumburger Landbier, Schaumburger Brauerei, Stadthagen, Germany
Silver: Gordon Biersch Vienna Lager, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Chattanooga, TN
Bronze: Sainsbury Taste The Difference Vienna Style, Meantime Brewing Co. Ltd., London, UK
Category: 23 German-Style Märzen/Oktoberfest, 18 Entries
Gold: Schönramer Festbier, Private Landbrauerei Schönram, Petting/Schönram, Germany
Silver: Goss-Märzen, Brauerei Goss, Deuerling, Germany
Bronze: Sainsbury Taste The Difference Munich Style Oktoberfest Beer, Meantime Brewing Co. Ltd., London, UK
Category: 24 European-Style Dark/Münchner Dunkel, 29 Entries
Gold: Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel, Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg GmbH,
Kelheim, Germany
Silver: Münchner Dunkel, Privatbrauerei Hofmühl, Eichstätt, Germany
Bronze: Winter Brew, Sprecher Brewing Co., Glendale, WI
Category: 25 German-Style Schwarzbier, 22 Entries
Gold: Schwarzbier, Hereford and Hops Steakhouse and Brewpub, Wausau, WI
Silver: Black Forest Schwarzbier, Squatters Pub Brewery, Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Black Bear, Thirsty Bear Brewing Co., San Francisco, CA
Category: 26 Traditional German-Style Bock, 16 Entries
Silver: Brick Anniversary Bock, Brick Brewing Co. Ltd., Waterloo, Canada
Bronze: Bock Lager, Elk Grove Brewery & Restaurant, Elk Grove, CA
Category: 27 German-Style Heller Bock/Maibock, 16 Entries
Gold: Kalnapilis 7.30, AB “Kalnapilio-Tauro Grupe”, Vilnius, Lithuania
Silver: Sudwerk Maibock, Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hubsch, Davis, CA
Bronze: Big Easy Lager, Lakefront Brewery Inc., Milwaukee, WI
Category: 28 German-Style Strong Bock, 27 Entries
Gold: Sled Dog Tripplebock Reserve, Wagner Valley Brewing Co., Lodi, NY
Silver: Carbonator, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co., Glenwood Springs, CO
Bronze: Samuel Adams Double Bock, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA
Category: 29 American-Style Light Lager, 28 Entries
Gold: Labatt Blue Light, Interbrew S.A., Brussels, Belgium
Silver: Miller High Life Light, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Cafri, Oriental Brewery, Icheon City, Korea
Category: 30 American-Style “Light” Amber Lager, 10 Entries
Silver: Henry Weinhard’s Amber Light, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Samuel Adams Light, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA
Category: 31 American-Style Lager, 26 Entries
Gold: Bowes Original Lager, Starbrew Inc., Saskatoon, Canada
Silver: Brewhouse Pilsener, Great Western Brewing Co. Ltd., Saskatoon, Canada
Bronze: OB, Oriental Brewery, Icheon City, Korea
Category: 32 American-Style Premium Lager, 22 Entries
Gold: 1st Amendment Lager, Utah Brewers Co-op, Salt Lake City, UT
Silver: Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Moosehead Lager, Moosehead Breweries Ltd., Saint John, Canada
Category: 33 American-Style Specialty Lager, 20 Entries
Gold: OE HG 800, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI
Silver: King Cobra, Anheuser-Busch, Saint Louis, MO
Bronze: Michelob Ultra, Anheuser-Busch, Saint Louis, MO
Category: 34 American-Style Amber Lager, 23 Entries
Gold: Cascade Autumn Amber, Carlton & United Breweries, Abbotsford, Australia
Silver: Blue Point Toasted Lager, Blue Point Brewing Co., Patchogue, NY
Bronze: Capital Wisconsin Amber, Capital Brewery Co. Inc., Middleton, WI
Category: 35 American-Style Dark Lager, 6 Entries
Bronze: Leinenkugel’s Creamy Dark, Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co., Chippewa Falls, WI
Category: 36 Australasian, Latin American or Tropical-Style Light Lager 19 Entries
Gold: Premium, Compañia Cervecera de Nicaragua, Managua, Nicaragua
Silver: Myanmar Beer, Myanmar Brewery Ltd., Yangon, Myanmar
Bronze: Vailima Special Export Lager, Samoa Breweries Ltd., Apia, Samoa
Category: 37 Belgian Style White (or Wit)/Belgian-Style Wheat, 17 Entries
Gold: Hoegaarden, Interbrew S.A., Brussels, Belgium
Silver: Allagash White, Allagash Brewing Co., Portland, ME
Bronze: Blanche de Chambly, Unibroue Inc., Chambly, Canada
Category: 38 French-Belgian Style Saison, 7 Entries
Gold: Saison Redwood, Redwood Brewing Co., Flint, MI
Bronze: Cave Aged Hennepin, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
Category: 39 Belgian-and French-Style Ale, 14 Entries
Gold: Unhommage À La Vallée d’Or, Bullfrog Brewery, Williamsport, PA
Silver: Perdition, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Bronze: Saint Yves, Brasserie Du Tregor, Treguier, France
Category: 40 Belgian-Style Sour Ale, 16 Entries
Gold: La Folie, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Boon Geuze Mariage Parfait, Boon Brouwerij, Lembeek, Belgium
Bronze: Framboise de Hill, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Wilmington, DE
Category: 41 Belgian-Style Pale Strong Ale, 14 Entries
Gold: Lucifer, Brouwerijgroep Liefmans – Riva-Straffe Hendrik, Dentergem, Belgium
Silver: Bête Blanche Belgian-Style Tripel, Elysian Brewing Co., Seattle, WA
Bronze: Malheur 10, Brewery Malheur, Buggenhout, Belgium
Category: 42 Belgian-Style Dark Strong Ale, 15 Entries
Gold: Vondel, Brouwerijgroep Liefmans – Riva-Straffe Hendrik, Dentergem, Belgium
Silver: Gouden Carolus Christmas, Brewery Het Anker, Mechelen, Belgium
Bronze: Three Philosophers, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
Category: 43 Belgian-Style Dubbel, 17 Entries
Gold: Abbey Belgian Style Ale, New Belgium Brewing Co., Fort Collins, CO
Silver: Brass Dubbel, Brass Restaurant & Brewery, South Barrington, IL
Bronze: Ommegang, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
Category: 44 Belgian-Style Tripel, 19 Entries
Gold: Affligem Tripel, Affligem Brouwery, Opwyk, Belgium
Silver: Trois Pain Triple, Bullfrog Brewery, Williamsport, PA
Bronze: Daisy Chain, Chicago Brewing Co., Las Vegas, NV
Category: 45 Other Belgian-Style Ale, 14 Entries
Gold: Cuvee de Tomme, Pizza Port Solana Beach, Solana Beach, CA
Silver: Temptation, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Bronze: Redwood Sezoens, Redwood Brewing Co., Flint, MI
Category: 46 Classic English-Style Pale Ale, 20 Entries
Gold: Pale Ale, Diamond Bear Brewing Co., Little Rock, AR
Silver: Custer’s Last Ale, Snake River Brewing Co., Jackson, WY
Bronze: Singletrack Copper Ale, Rockies Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Category: 47 English-Style Summer Ale, 6 Entries
Gold: Bert Grant’s Lazy Days, Yakima Brewing, Yakima, WA
Silver: Cattail Ale, Lakefront Brewery Inc., Milwaukee, WI
Bronze: Avalon Blonde, Angelic Brewing Co., Madison, WI
Category: 48 English-Style India Pale Ale, 11 Entries
Gold: XIPA, Brewerkz Singapore, Singapore
Silver: Magnotta Classic India Pale Ale, Magnotta Brewery, Vaughan, Canada
Bronze: Wasco Indian Summer Ale, Alameda Brewhouse, Portland, OR
Category: 49 Ordinary Bitter, 5 Entries
Silver: Cutthroat Pale Ale, Uinta Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT
Bronze: Blue Heron Pale Ale, BridgePort Brewing Co., Portland, OR
Category: 50 (Special) Best Bitter, 14 Entries
Gold: Sunnyside Pale Ale, Snipes Mountain Brewing, Inc., Sunnyside, WA
Silver: Double Barrel Ale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Bronze: Saint Arnold Amber Ale, Saint Arnold Brewing Co., Houston, TX
Category: 51 English-Style (Extra Special) Strong Bitter, 19 Entries
Gold: Black Sheep ESB, Rock Bottom Brewery – La Jolla, La Jolla, CA
Silver: Drake’s Amber, Drake’s Brewing Co., San Leandro, CA
Bronze: The Tower E.S.B., Bull & Bush Brewery, Denver, CO
Category: 52 Scottish-Style Ale, 13 Entries
Silver: Highland Courage, Rock Bottom Brewery – Bethesda, Bethesda, MD
Bronze: Scottish Ale, Nasu Kohgen Beer Co. Ltd., Nasu, Japan
Category: 53 English-Style Mild Ale, 7 Entries
Gold: Charleston Brown, Carolina Beer & Beverage, Mooresville, NC
Silver: Shaftebury Cream Ale, Okanagan Spring Brewery, Vernon, Canada
Bronze: Sainsbury Mild, J Sainsbury Plc , London, UK
Category: 54 English-Style Brown Ale, 27 Entries
Gold: Pete’s Wicked Ale, Pete’s Brewing Co., San Antonio, TX
Silver: Neustadt 10W30, Neustadt Springs, Neustadt, Canada
Bronze: Capital Brown Ale, Capital Brewery Co., Inc., Middleton, WI
Category: 55 Old Ale, 13 Entries
Gold: Old Ale, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Wilmington, DE
Silver: Vintage Ale 2001, La Brasserie McAuslan Brewing Inc., Montreal, Canada
Bronze: Hahn Special Vintage, Lion Nathan Australia, Sydney, Australia
Category: 56 Strong Ale, 20 Entries
Gold: Never Summer Ale, Rockies Brewing Co., Boulder, CO
Silver: Sopris, Glenwood Canyon Brewing Co., Glenwood Springs, CO
Bronze: Green Flash 1st Anniversary Ale, Green Flash Brewing Co., Vista, CA
Category: 57 Strong Scotch Ale, 22 Entries
Gold: Wee Heavy, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, Wilmington, DE
Silver: Caber Toss Wee Heavy, Oggi’s Pizza and Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA
Bronze: Under the Kilt Wee Heavy, Dragonmead Microbrewery, Warren, MI
Category: 58 Barley Wine-Style Ale, 28 Entries
Gold: Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale, Full Sail Brewing Co., Hood River, OR
Silver: Horn Dog, Flying Dog Ales, Denver, CO
Bronze: Freedom Ale – 2002, Tun Tavern Brewery & Restaurant, Atlantic City, NJ
Category: 59 Robust Porter, 38 Entries
Gold: Sweet Sanderine Porter, Il Vicino, Colorado Springs, CO
Silver: Organic Tree Hugger Porter, Laurelwood Pub & Brewery, Portland, OR
Bronze: Swan Lake Beer Porter, Hyouko Yashiki Nomori Brewery, Kitanbara, Japan
Category: 60 Brown Porter, 19 Entries
Gold: Sweetwater Exodus Porter, Sweetwater Brewing Co., Atlanta, GA
Silver: Pyramid Mount Diablo Porter, Pyramid Ales & Lagers, Seattle, WA
Bronze: Bad Elmers Porter, Upland Brewing Co., Bloomington, IN
Category: 61 Sweet Stout, 14 Entries
Gold: Straight from the Teats Stout, Sports City Café & Brewery, El Cajon, CA
Silver: Iron Horse Stout, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Chattanooga, TN
Bronze: SKA Milk Stout, SKA Brewing Co., Durango, CO
Category: 62 Oatmeal Stout, 28 Entries
Gold: Oatmeal Stout, Troy Brewing Co., Inc., Troy, NY
Silver: Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, Anderson Valley Brewing Co., Booneville, CA
Bronze: Sierra Nevada Stout, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA
Category: 63 Imperial Stout, 23 Entries
Gold: Kappler Stout, Etna Brewing Co. L.L.C., Etna, CA
Silver: High Desert Imperial Stout, Great American Restaurants, Centreville, VA
Bronze: Imperial Oatmeal Stout, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA
Category: 64 German-Style Kölsch/Köln-Style Kölsch, 29 Entries
Gold: Mother Martha’s Kölsch, Rock Bottom Brewery – Arlington, Arlington, VA
Silver: Kaorino-Nama, Shimono Co., Ltd., Chiba, Japan
Bronze: Golden Arm, Piece, Chicago, IL
Category: 65 German-Style Brown Ale/Düsseldorf-Style Altbier, 16 Entries
Silver: Terrapin Alt, Rock Bottom Brewery – Bethesda, Bethesda, MD
Bronze: Southampton Secret Ale, Southampton Publick House, Southampton, NY
Category: 66 South German-Style Hefeweizen/Hefeweissbier, 56 Entries
Gold: Pshenychne Etalon, Radomyshl Beer and Beverages Plant, Kiev, Ukraine
Silver: Weißer Franke, Ritter St. Georgen Brauerei, Nennslingen, Germany
Bronze: Freudenberger Hefe Weizen, Brauerei Maerkl, Freudenberg, Germany
Category: 67 German-Style Pale Wheat Ale, 6 Entries
Gold: Hofmühl-Weissbier Leicht, Privatbrauerei Hofmühl, Eichstätt, Germany
Silver: Redback, Matilda Bay Brewing Co., North Fremantle, Australia
Bronze: Samuel Adams Weiss Bier, Boston Beer Co., Boston, MA
Category: 68 German-Style Dark Wheat Ale, 13 Entries
Gold: Schwarzer Ritter, Ritter St. Georgen Brauerei, Nennslingen, Germany
Silver: Distelhäuser Dunkles Hefe-Weizen, Distelhäuser Brauerei,
TBB – Distelhausen, Germany
Bronze: 1543, Flötzinger Braü, Rosenheim, Germany
Category: 69 South German-Style Weizenbock/Weissbock, 13 Entries
Gold: Plank Weizenbock, Brauerei Michael Plank, Laaber, Germany
Silver: Aventinus, Schneider Weisse, Kelheim, Germany
Bronze: Plank Heller Weizenbock, Brauerei Michael Plank, Laaber, Germany
Category: 70 Irish-Style Red Ale, 21 Entries
Gold: McIlhenney’s Irish Red, Alpine Beer Co., Alpine, CA
Silver: Enchanted Rock Red Ale, Fredericksburg Brewing Co., Fredericksburg, TX
Bronze: Irish Red, Diamond Bear Brewing Co., Little Rock, AR
Category: 71 Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout, 13 Entries
Gold: O.V.L. Stout, Russian River Brewing Co., Santa Rosa, CA
Silver: Blarney Sister’s Dry Irish Stout, Third Street Aleworks, Santa Rosa, CA
Bronze: McGuire’s Irish Stout, McGuire’s Irish Pub #2, Destin, FL
Category: 72 Foreign (Export)-Style Stout, 13 Entries
Gold: Space Stout, Laurelwood Pub & Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: Tsunami Stout, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Bronze: Black Magic Stout, Oggi’s Pizza and Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA
Category: 73 Golden or Blonde Ale, 24 Entries
Gold: Kiwanda Cream Ale, Pelican Pub & Brewery, Pacific City, OR
Silver: Rickard’s IPA, Molson Canada, Toronto, Canada
Bronze: Big Rack Blonde, Brü, Rochester, NY
Category: 74 American-Style Pale Ale, 40 Entries
Gold: Firestone Pale Ale, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Silver: Pale Nectar, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Bronze: Piston Pale Ale, Laurelwood Pub & Brewery, Portland, OR
Category: 75 American-Style Strong Pale Ale, 25 Entries
Gold: Mad Hatter, New Holland Brewing Co., Holland, MI
Silver: Nectar IPA, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Paso Robles, CA
Bronze: Victory Pale Ale, Emmett’s Tavern & Brewing Co., West Dundee, IL
Category: 76 American-Style India Pale Ale, 40 Entries
Gold: Wipeout IPA, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Silver: Racer 5 I.P.A., Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA
Bronze: Drake’s IPA, Drake’s Brewing Co., San Leandro, CA
Category: 77 Imperial or Double India Pale Ale, 25 Entries
Gold: Imperial IPA, Boundary Bay Brewery, Bellingham, WA
Silver: Wingnut, Piece, Chicago, IL
Bronze: Frank, Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA
Category: 78 American-Style Amber/Red Ale, 32 Entries
Gold: Sunset Amber, Oggi’s Pizza and Brewing Co., San Clemente, CA
Silver: Thirsty Dog Hoppus Maximus, Thirsty Dog Brewing Co., Independence, OH
Bronze: Swan Lake Beer Amber Swan Ale, Hyouko Yashiki Nomori Brewery, Kitanbara, Japan
Category: 79 Imperial or Double Red Ale, 8 Entries
Gold: YuleSmith, AleSmith Brewing Co., San Diego, CA
Silver: Double Deranger, Laurelwood Pub & Brewery, Portland, OR
Bronze: Hopsquatch, Four Peaks Brewing Co., Tempe, AZ
Category: 80 American-Style (Extra Special) Strong Bitter, 11 Entries
Gold: Organic Free Range Red, Laurelwood Pub & Brewery, Portland, OR
Silver: Red Truck IPA, Palisade Brewery, Palisade, CO
Bronze: Blue Point ESB, Blue Point Brewing Co., Patchogue, NY
Category: 81 American-Style Brown Ale, 18 Entries
Gold: Not Brown, Red Rock Brewing Co., Salt Lake City, UT
Silver: Book Cliff Brown Ale, Palisade Brewery, Palisade, CO
Bronze: Kick-Ass Brown, C.H. Evans Brewing Co. At the Albany Pump Station, Albany, NY
World Beer Cup Champion Brewery and Brewmaster
Small Brewing Company
(1-15,000 barrels per year):
Oggi’s Pizza and Brewing Company, San Clemente, California
Tom Nickel
World Beer Cup Champion Brewery and Brewmaster
Mid-Size Brewing Company
(15,001-2,000,000 barrels per year):
Firestone Walker Brewing Company, Paso Robles, California
Matthew Brynildson
World Beer Cup Champion Brewery and Brewmaster
Large Brewing Company
(Over 2,000,000 barrels per year):
Miller Brewing Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Dr. David S. Ryder
World Beer Cup Champion Brewery and Brewmaster
Small Brewpub
(1-1,200 barrels per year):
Laurelwood Pub & Brewery, Portland, Oregon
Christian Ettinger
World Beer Cup Champion Brewery and Brewmaster
Large Brewpub
(Over 1,200 barrels per year):
Russian River Brewing Company, Santa Rosa, California
Vinnie Cilurzo
The Brewers Association (BA)
The Brewers Association (BA), the nation’s leading voice for small and independent craft brewers, is proud to champion America’s vibrant craft beer culture through advocacy, education, and world-class events. Founded in 2005 and representing more than 5,600 member breweries producing over 90% of U.S. craft beer volume, the BA drives industry growth by promoting innovation, sustainability, and quality while defending independent brewers in legislative arenas. From organizing the prestigious World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival to publishing the definitive Beer Style Guidelines and providing critical market data, the BA empowers brewers to thrive in a competitive landscape. Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, the Brewers Association remains committed to fostering community, elevating craft beer excellence, and ensuring the future of independent brewing for generations to come. Website: https://www.brewersassociation.org/
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