The World Beer Cup, widely regarded as the most prestigious beer competition in the world, marked its 30th anniversary by awarding 353 medals to breweries and cideries worldwide.
Hosted by the Brewers Association, the trade group representing small and independent American craft brewers, the 2026 World Beer Cup honored outstanding achievements in beer and cider across 118 categories.
Now in its third decade, the competition continues to define the global benchmark for technical excellence, innovation, and creativity grounded in both tradition and forward thinking.
A panel of 255 judges from 50 countries evaluated 8,166 entries through a blind-tasting process. The 2026 competition featured 1,644 breweries from 50 nations, reinforcing its reputation as a truly global standard of excellence.
The awards ceremony concluded the Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America, held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where approximately 7,000–8,000 professionals from across brewing, fermentation, distilling, and packaging came together for education, collaboration, and industry connection.
The World Beer Cup returns in 2027, if the pattern continues, bringing the world’s top brewers to San Antonio for another global showdown of craft beer excellence.
