About

About the Competition

The World Beer Cup and the World Cider Cup are the most prestigious beer and cider competitions in the world, held annually in conjunction with the Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®. This will also be held alongside CiderCon® 2027.

Developed in 1996 to celebrate the art and science of brewing, this global competition continues to create greater consumer awareness about different beer and cider styles and flavor profiles while promoting international brewing excellence.

“When industry professionals acknowledge the excellence in products from around the market, consumers can be sure that those brands are the finest available,” says Chris Williams, World Beer Cup competition director.

Awards Philosophy

The World Beer Cup and World Cider Cup recognize excellence in more than 100 categories but do not automatically award the top three entries in a particular category. When judges determine a category contains three excellent examples of the style, they present gold, silver, and bronze awards to the first-, second-, and third-place beverages, respectively.

“Evaluating beer and cider happens on many levels,” says Williams. “On a professional level, beer and cider evaluation is a form of peer review. The results are public, so consumers can learn what beverages meet a high level of quality and what beverages exemplify certain styles as interpreted by the judges.”

Judges may grant an award in any one or more of the three award places without granting awards in all three places. For example, judges may recognize a beer or cider as a silver or bronze award winner yet not grant a gold award. Learn more.