Iowa’s craft brewing industry is celebrating a strong showing on the international stage after bringing home nine medals from two premier beer competitions this month.
Breweries from across the state were recognized at the World Beer Cup in Philadelphia and the Best of Craft Beer Awards in Oregon, highlighting the quality of Iowa-made brews among thousands of global entries.
“It’s been an amazing few weeks as the deserving hard work and craftsmanship of these small businesses was recognized on the world stage,” said Noreen Otto, executive director of the Iowa Brewers Guild. “When one Iowa brewery wins, we all win.”
The World Beer Cup, organized by the Brewers Association, featured 8,166 entries from 1,644 breweries across 50 countries. Cedar Rapids’ Lion Bridge Brewing Co. led the Iowa contingent at the event, securing a gold medal for its Olde 17 Classic Irish-Style Dry Stout and a bronze for Compensation, an English mild or bitter.
Other World Beer Cup winners included Field Day Brewing in North Liberty, which earned a bronze for its Czech Amber lager, and Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City, which took silver for its Zero Eddy hoppy non-alcoholic beer.
At the Best of Craft Beer Awards, Marto Brewing in Sioux City notched two wins: a gold for its American Girl golden ale and a silver for Fear of the Dark, a Cascadian dark ale. Flix Brewhouse in Des Moines earned a silver medal for its Nebulas hazy pale ale.
Full Fledged Brewing in Council Bluffs rounded out the state’s haul with two bronze medals for Floyd the Barbarian, a session beer, and Common Corn Star, recognized in the rare and historical beer category.
The Iowa Brewers Guild, which represents more than 100 members, advocates for the growth of the state’s brewing industry. Full results for the competitions are available at WorldBeerCup.org and Bestofcraftbeerawards.com.
