Las Vegas Beer Competition Shines at Craft Brewers Conference
It wasn’t all just hitting the sprawling buffets and blackjack tables at this week’s Craft Brewers Conference. Some of the world’s top breweries were once again recognized today at the 2024 World Beer Cup, a renowned Las Vegas beer competition.
The Highlights of the World Beer Cup
This year’s World Beer Cup awards took place on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of this year’s Craft Brewers Conference. Launched by the Brewers Association in 1996 to celebrate brewing and brewers across the world, the World Beer Cup is often referred to as “The Olympics of Beer Competitions.”
The 2024 Las Vegas beer competition featured 9,300 entries from 2,060 breweries across 50 countries. Approximately 280 judges from 37 countries came to Vegas, judging beer across 110 categories. When they finished, they handed out 329 medals. Belgium-Style and French Style Ale categories did not receive gold medals. However, breweries from 20 countries took home brewing hardware, from Peru to Korea, and Canada to Australia. It’s a good time to be a beer fan.
Major Wins at the Craft Brewers Conference 2024
The awards at the Las Vegas beer competition highlighted some interesting trends:
- California dominated the hoppy categories, sweeping the hoppy Lager and Imperial IPA categories. They won seven of the nine medals in the three big IPA categories — Juicy/Hazy IPA, West Coat IPA, and American-Style IPA.
- Oregon and California breweries were the most awarded regions, showing exceptional performance.
- Chicago’s Old Irving Brewing Beezer Hazy IPA took gold in the biggest category – Hazy/Juicy IPA.
- Deschutes Brewery and 10 Barrel Brewing each won four medals. Notably, 10 Barrel swept the German-Style Sour Ale category, winning bronze, silver, and gold.
- Several established breweries, including Allagash, Sierra Nevada, Deschutes, Pizza Port, and Odell, won medals.
- Cerveza 7 Vidas from Tacna, Peru, won two medals.
- For the best German-Style Koelsch, check out the WBC Gold Banquetera from Buqui Bichi Brewing in Hermosillo, Mexico.
World Beer Cup Winners Table
| Category | Gold Medal Winner | Silver Medal Winner | Bronze Medal Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazy/Juicy IPA | Old Irving Brewing Beezer Hazy IPA | Brewery X IPA | Another Brewery IPA |
| German-Style Sour Ale | 10 Barrel Brewing | 10 Barrel Brewing | 10 Barrel Brewing |
| Hoppy Lager | California Brewery Hoppy Lager | Oregon Brewery Hoppy Lager | Another Californian Hoppy Lager |
Excitement Builds for Future Competitions
This year’s Las Vegas beer competition at the Craft Brewers Conference revealed some thrilling results and highlighted the exceptional talent across the brewing world. With innovation and creativity flowing, it’s clear that the global beer community continues to thrive and evolve. Brewers and beer enthusiasts alike eagerly anticipate the next World Beer Cup, where new winners will emerge and craft beer excellence will once again take center stage.
Looking Forward to Indianapolis
See you at the next Craft Brewers Conference in Indianapolis! The Las Vegas beer competition sets a high bar, and we can’t wait to see what exciting brews will claim victory next time.
