I was there in spirit!
So even though I couldn't attend the 2014 World Beer Cup and Craft Brewers Conference in Denver due to one of my best friends getting
married (congrats Wade and Niki!), I still wanted to be on point with posting the
winners of the invaluable awards that were handed out. So without further ado, my
homies—Brewers
Association (BA)—sent me the results of “one of the largest commercial beer
competitions to date, the 2014 World Beer Cup Awards.” The always descriptive press
releases they dish out provide the pertinent information we beer enthusiasts
need to supplement our sipping sessions at craft beer bars around the world. Here it
is below.
And congrats go not only to the winners, but also to the
participants—all 4,754 entries from 58 countries—who make beer the shizznit.
Here
is the complete list of World Beer Cup winners.
Keep brewin’ and sippin’!
Your homey,
Ale
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| Shout out to the picturesque Pelican Brewery for winning the Small Brewing Company category. |
Diverse Winners
Emerge From Largest-Ever World Beer Cup
2014
competition saw 4,754 entries from 58 countries
Boulder, CO • April 11, 2014—The Brewers Association (BA)—the
not-for-profit trade group dedicated to promoting and protecting America's
small and independent craft brewers—announced the results of one of the largest commercial beer
competitions to date, the 2014 World Beer Cup Awards. The awards were presented at
the conclusion of Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America in
Denver, Colo.
Drawing the highest number of entries to date, this
edition of the World Beer Cup saw 4,754 beers from 1,403 breweries representing
58 countries—a 21 percent increase in the number of entries from the 2012 World
Beer Cup, which had 3,921 entries.
Brewers from five continents earned awards from an elite
international panel of judges at this tenth biennial competition, with brewers
from 22 countries—ranging from Australia and Brazil to Taiwan and the United
Kingdom—honored. Judges awarded 281 out of 282 total possible awards,
reflecting the chance for one gold, one silver and one bronze award in each of
94 beer style categories.
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| Coronado got the "medium Size" brewery joint. |
This year’s event was particularly competitive; the
proportion of winning breweries winning one or more awards was 18 percent, compared
to 27 percent in 2012. There was a 75.6 percent increase in breweries competing
this year versus 2012, which had 799 breweries that entered beers in the
competition. A total of 253 breweries took home awards in 2014, a 16.6 percent
increase over 2012.
A detailed analysis of the entries and awards can be
found in the 2014 World Beer Cup Fact Sheet.
“Brewers from around the globe participate in the World
Beer Cup to win recognition for their creativity and brewing skills,” said
Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association. “For a brewer, a World
Beer Cup gold award allows them to say that their winning beer represents the best
of that beer style in the world.”
Judges
A panel of 219 judges from 31 countries participated in
this year’s competition, working in teams to conduct blind tasting evaluations
of the beers and determine the awards. Drawn from the ranks of professional
brewers and brewing industry experts, 76 percent of the judges came from
outside the United States.
Category Trends
· The
average number of beers entered per category was 50, up from 41 in 2012.
· The
category with the most entries was American-Style India Pale Ale, with 223
entries.
· The
second most-entered category was American-Style Pale Ale, with 121 entries.
· The
third most-entered category was Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer, with 111
entries.
Award Highlights
The 281 awards were won by 253 breweries, with very few
breweries earning more than one award.
· 226
breweries won one award.
· 26
breweries won two awards.
· One
brewery won three awards.
Competition Manager Chris Swersey commented, “This is the
most diverse set of winning breweries in any World Beer Cup.”
The non-U.S. entry rate and winning rate tracked very
closely in the 2014 competition, with 28 percent of beers entered coming from
outside the U.S., and 27 percent of awards going to beers entered from outside
the U.S.
Champion Brewery/Champion Brewmaster Awards
The competition also bestows Champion Brewery and
Champion Brewmaster awards in each of five brewery categories based on the
awards won by each brewery. Coronado Brewing Company and Blind Tiger Brewery
& Restaurant are first-time champion breweries in their categories.
The five Champion Brewery/Brewmaster award winners are:
Small Brewing Company Category
Pelican Brewery
Darron Welch and Steve Panos
Mid-Size Brewing Company Category
Coronado Brewing Company
Coronado Brewing Company team
Large Brewing Company Category
Coors Brewing Company
Dr. David Ryder
Small Brewpub Category
Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant - Media
Iron Hill Brewery team
Large Brewpub Category
Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant
John Dean
The complete list of award winners is available for download.
