The World Beer Cup is akin to the Olympics, a far more globalized affair than the medals handed out every October at the Great American Beer Fest (GABF), which many east coast breweries now skip. WBC is the world’s largest beer competition, which begins in various locations around the globe where certified beer judges from 37 countries first assess the many entries prior to the medal rounds.
This year’s competition awarded 353 medals in beer to 273 breweries in 186 categories and subcategories. Altogether 8,166 breweries entered beer and/or cider from 50 countries. Of those 50, the top 5 entrants were the US, Japan, Canada, China, and Brazil. Nearly 300 breweries submitted entries for the first time. That being said, many Belgian, Czech, and German breweries abstain from this competition.
Statistics aside, the vibe on the floor of the Philadelphia convention center was electric. A DJ hyped the already-hype crowd up and records weren’t the only thing spinning as news broke during the conference on Tuesday that Sapporo sold Stone Brewing to the Duvel Moortgat group that also owns Boulevard, Chouffe, FirestoneWalker, and Ommegang, among others. This will have implications for the Richmond beer scene and beyond. More on that at a later date.
Back to the awards, Atlas Brew Works has cracked the code on winning the golden ticket, taking gold for Bullpen Pilsner in the American Style-Pilsner Category. This beer also features our area’s finest yeast whisperer, Jasper Yeast. In December 2024, Atlas head brewer, Daniel Villarubi wrote up Bullpen for Craft Beer & Brewing magazine should you fancy a chance to make it yourself. Spoiler, you’ll need California Common yeast! Atlas’ Silent Neighbor didn’t win this year, but in 2023 it won gold in the American Stout category. Bullpen is no stranger to medals, having taken bronze at GABF in 2022.
Caboose Brewing in Vienna, VA won gold for Boxcar Brown, which is a level up for them. Last year Boxcar took bronze, and it has GABF medals, too. It’s a good beer!
Kensington’s BabyCat Brewery ensured the M of the DMV wouldn’t go home empty handed, they won silver for Scent of a Lesser Stag in the Fruit Wheat Beer category. SLS raspberry wheat is one of BabyCat Founder and CEO Samuel Mussomeli’s original homebrew recipes scaled by up head brewer Phil Zanello. “[Y]ears ago I won a local homebrew medal for it,” Mussomeli tells us. “In his first interview with me and my partner Terry Redmond, Terry asked Phil ‘What is your overarching goal with this career?’ Phil said ‘To win a World Beer Cup medal.’ I was never a proponent of or cared about winning awards in my previous career, but when Phil answered with that I said “SO DO I!”
Back in Virginia, 2 Silos in Manassas won gold for Pumpkin Ale, and Stafford’s Barley Naked Brewing Co. won bronze in the Sweet Stout or Cream Stout category for Irish Prenup. They also won bronze for that beer in 2024, so maybe they’re on to something.
We’re getting into beach season; a lot of us cross the Bay Bridge and head to the Delaware shore, Ocean City, or the bay. We mention this because Eden Town Brewing in Denton, Maryland won silver for Free Drift in the Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale category. By the way, Eden Town is only five months old, the youngest brewery to medal at the WBC! “To be recognized on a world stage so early in our journey is an incredible honor for the entire Eden Town team,” said Matt Dahl, Owner of Eden Town Brewing Company, in a press release. “When our head brewer, Don Lewis, developed the recipe for Free Drift, his goal was to create a balanced, crushable Hazy Pale Ale that showcased tropical and citrus flavors. Bringing a Silver Medal home to Maryland proves that our commitment to quality and technical precision is hitting the mark.” We suggest you make a pit stop just off MD-404 to check them out.
Prior to the start of the competition, the Brewers Association awarded the 2026 Industry Awards to Tod Mott. Solace Outpost brewer Russel Carpenter congratulated Mott before the awards; he was thrilled for the mentorship Mott provided. Mott’s Kate the Great imperial stout was perhaps the first of that style consumed by DC Beer editor Jake Berg, as a wee undergrad, no less.
Mentorship was a big theme throughout the conference as this reporter observed Wayfinder brewer Natalie Rose Baldwin in conversation with Lauren Cary offering words of encouragement and the type of camaraderie that can only be found at the Craft Brewers Conference. Later in the afternoon, Baldwin would win silver for her Secret Secret Tmavy. We are blessed to see this beer around town at places like Shelter at the Roost, the Brew Shop in Arlington, Brookland’s Wardman Wines, Columbia Heights’ Metro Wine & Spirits, and more.
Part of the fun of CBC is walking the expo hall and sampling beers. That’s how Cary and Jake Berg stumbled into Dragontail, a pale ale from Icicle Brewing Co. in Washington state. Sampled simply because the vendor pouring samples of pFriem lager had run out of pFriem–how that happened we’ll never knowand we agreed it was a very good beer. Maybe even excellent. Well readers, that beer took bronze in the Australian-Style Pale Ale category, and in 2024 it won gold. Who knew? Maybe there’s something to be said for anecdotal sensory after all?
A visitor on the DC Beer Show, we need to congratulate longtime DC-distributed Allagash, which medaled for White and Ski House. And we’d be remiss not to mention Deschutes Kirkland Lager, which you can buy at Costco alongside a hotdog for $1.50 and similarly pairs well with a slice of pizza.
Jacob Berg and Michael Stein co-wrote this piece, all errors are Jacob’s.
