California Comes Out on Top at World Beer Cup
Story by:
Bil Corcoran
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — On April 22, 2026, Brewers Association (BA) convened in Philadelphia, PA to announce and celebrate the winners of the World Beer Cup. In its seventeenth year, the World Beer Cup is the Olympics of Beer and a highly coveted recognition amongst craft brewers.
By the Numbers
The World Beer Cup truly is a highly competitive, international competition:
- Entries: 8166
- Breweries: 1644
- Countries Represented: 50
- Style categories: 113 beer and 5 cider
- Beer styles: 186 (includes all subcategories)
- Average number of beers in each category: 69
Up against those odds, forty-four California breweries and cideries were World Beer Cup winners, bringing home a total of sixty-eight awards.
Of particular note, are California’s wins in the four most competitive categories:
- West Coast-Style India Pale Ale with 293 entries
- Bronze – Electric Eagle, Firestone Walker Brewing – Propagator Marina del Rey, CA
- Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale with 274 entries
- Bronze – Shifted Visions, everywhere, Orange, CA
- Classic India Pale Ale with 205 entries
- Gold – Immutable Dawn, ISM Brewing, Long Beach, CA
- Silver – Hop-Fu!, North Park Beer Co., San Diego, CA
- Bronze – Shred IPA, Shred Beer Co., Rocklin, CA
· German-Style Pilsner with 201 entries
o Bronze – Pilsner, Hop Dogma Brewing Co., Half Moon Bay, CA
“The California Craft Brewers Association is proud to once again see California’s craft brewers come home with the most wins of any state at the 2026 World Beer Cup! From unique and rare beer styles to the highly coveted IPA categories, California showed why we are still number one in craft beer. The CCBA congratulates all the winners and cannot wait for Californians, and people from all over the world, to try our award-winning craft beer,” said Kelsey McQuaid-Craig, Executive Director of the California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA).
Complete List of California Winners
| Medal | Beer Name | Brewery | Category |
| Gold | Handgepluckte Kriek | AleSmith Brewing Company | Belgian-Style Fruit Beer |
| Gold | Howzit Punch | Alvarado Street Brewery | Fruited American-Style Sour Ale |
| Bronze | Power Plants | Barebottle Brewing Co. | Imperial India Pale Ale |
| Bronze | Sunset Sessions | Barebottle Brewing Co. | International Pale Ale |
| Silver | Kanpai Krush | Brewyard Beer Co. | Rice Lager |
| Gold | Redwood Remedy | Burgeon Beer Co. | American-Style Amber/Red Ale |
| Bronze | Tank Top & Schwartz | Burgeon Beer Co. | German-Style Schwarzbier |
| Gold | Mt. Cook | Cellarmaker Brewing Co. | Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale |
| Gold | Happy Days | Claremont Craft Ales | Strong Red Ale |
| Bronze | Small Batch Guava | Coronado Brewing Co. | Fruited Cider |
| Gold | In Tasty We Trust | Danville Brewing Co. | American-Style Strong Pale Ale |
| Gold | Double Nickels | Docent Brewing | American-Style Pale Ale |
| Silver | Stay Calm | East Village Brewing Co. | Coffee Beer |
| Gold | Oaty McOatface | East Village Brewing Co. | Robust Porter |
| Bronze | Shifted Visions | everywhere | Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale |
| Gold | High & Fine | Fieldwork Brewing Co. | Hoppy Lager |
| Bronze | Eclipse 2025 Garrison Brothers | FiftyFifty Brewing Co. | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout |
| Gold | 15th Anniversary | Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. | British-Style Imperial Stout |
| Bronze | Danish Red Lager | Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. | Vienna-Style Lager |
| Gold | Pear Saison | Firestone Walker Brewing – Barrelworks | Brett Beer |
| Bronze | Beauty Everywhere | Firestone Walker Brewing – Barrelworks | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Dessert or Pastry Beer |
| Bronze | Electric Eagle | Firestone Walker Brewing – Propagator | West Coast-Style India Pale Ale |
| Bronze | Romulus Red | Gladi8or Brews and Billiards | Irish-Style Red Ale |
| Gold | Spiced Apple | Gowan’s Heirloom Cider | Botanical or Spiced Cider |
| Gold | Gravenstein | Gowan’s Heirloom Cider | No/Low-Tannin Cider |
| Gold | Classic Dry | Gowan’s Heirloom Cider | Tannic Cider |
| Silver | 1876 | Gowan’s Heirloom Cider | Tannic Cider |
| Bronze | Josh’s Lil’ Shoes | Green Cheek Beer Co. | Session India Pale Ale |
| Silver | Saison For Papa | Green Cheek Beer Co. – Costa Mesa | Classic Saison |
| Silver | Pyros Prost | Hop Dogma Brewing Co. | Chili Beer |
| Bronze | Pilsner | Hop Dogma Brewing Co. | German-Style Pilsener |
| Bronze | California Common | Institution Ale Co. | American-Style Amber Lager |
| Silver | Mosaic | Institution Ale Co. | English-Style Pale Ale |
| Gold | Immutable Dawn | ISM Brewing | Classic India Pale Ale |
| Silver | Chepedelic | ISM Brewing | New Zealand-Style India Pale Ale |
| Bronze | Golden Stout | Karl Strauss Brewing Co. | Coffee Beer |
| Gold | Windansea Wheat | Karl Strauss Brewing Co. | South German-Style Weissbier |
| Bronze | Nenette | Kern River Brewing Co. | Belgian-Style Blonde Ale |
| Silver | Kamakura | Ketch Brewing | International-Style Pilsener |
| Silver | Snap Shot | Morgan Territory Brewing | American-Style Cream Ale |
| Gold | Lock’d, Bock’d, & Ready to Rock | Morgan Territory Brewing | German-Style Bock or Maibock |
| Silver | Seven Gables | Mountain Rambler Brewery | Scottish-Style Ale |
| Silver | Hop-Fu! | North Park Beer Co. | Classic India Pale Ale |
| Gold | Lupulin Collider | North Park Beer Co. | Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale |
| Gold | Friends & Neighbors | North Park Beer Co. | Vienna-Style Lager |
| Silver | Hidden Gem | OB Brewery | South German-Style Dunkel Weizen |
| Silver | Guillaume | Pizza Port Ocean Beach | Session Beer |
| Bronze | Oats | Pizza Port Solana Beach | Oatmeal Stout |
| Silver | So Into You | Radiant Beer Co. | Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale |
| Bronze | Blackside Snap | Riip Beer Co. | American-Style Black Ale or American-Style Stout |
| Bronze | Pacifist Pelican | Riip Beer Co. | American-Style Brown Ale |
| Silver | Nueve Grados | Riip Beer Co. | Mexican-Style Light Lager |
| Bronze | Wannabe Wallaby | Riip Beer Co. | New Zealand-Style India Pale Ale |
| Bronze | Velvet Glow | Russian River Brewing Co. | International-Style Pilsener |
| Bronze | Shred IPA | Shred Beer Co. | Classic India Pale Ale |
| Bronze | Purr Pressure | Slice Beer Co. | Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale |
| Silver | Kolsch | Standard Deviant Brewing | German-Style Koelsch |
| Gold | Stone Cimmerian Portal | Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station | American-Style Black Ale or American-Style Stout |
| Bronze | Wassah Matta U | Synth Beer Co. | Italian-Style Pilsener |
| Gold | Inferno | The Lost Abbey | Other Strong Beer |
| Bronze | Belle Saison | Third Window Brewing Co. | Brett Beer |
| Bronze | Petite Saison | Third Window Brewing Co. | Session Beer |
| Gold | Transmission Light | Transmission Brewing | American Light Lager |
| Silver | Red Blade | Urban Roots Brewing | American-Style Amber/Red Ale |
| Gold | Kaffe Americano | Urban Roots Brewing | Coffee Stout or Porter |
| Gold | Demons Run 2025 Reserve | Urban Roots Brewing | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout |
| Gold | Saca La Bolsita | Villains Brewing Co. | Mexican-Style Pale Lager |
| Bronze | Road Rash | Wagon Wheel Brewing Co. | Juicy or Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale |
Press Contact: For press inquiries or interview opportunities, please contact CCBA at [email protected].
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About the California Craft Brewers Association
The California Craft Brewers Association (CCBA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade organization representing California’s craft brewing industry. Founded in 1989, it is the largest and oldest state trade association for craft breweries in the U.S. The CCBA advocates for California craft brewers in legislative and regulatory matters and provides vital resources, including business support, industry insights, and educational events. Dedicated to protecting and promoting the growth and diversity of California’s craft brewing community, the CCBA serves as the voice of the state’s brewers.
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