The results of the World Beer Awards for 2015 were released yesterday morning.
Beyond the Pale – a Pale Ale from Fish Tale Ales – was named as the World’s Best Beer for 2015.
Regional heats took place in Asia, Europe and the Americas at which winners of styles were decided. The final two rounds took place in London where judges decided on world winners in each style and then in each category (group of styles – see below).
This facilitated the selection of the World’s Best Beer from the category winners.
Judging was blind and was carried out by a team of 50 international brewers, industry experts and journalists. “After four arduous rounds of beer tasting and evaluating the merits of beers from all over the world I’m very pleased to see the results of our hard labours,” said Head Judge Adrian-Tierney Jones who coordinated and instructed the panel of judges. “The spread of winners shows the quality of entries from all over the world.”
The competition is young – it first started in 2007 with 214 beers entered from 6 countries – but the number of entrants grows every year. Last year in 2014, 630 beers were entered from 25 countries. The 2015 edition had over 1,000 entries from more than 30 countries. Those numbers are expected to grow in coming years.
The aims of the World Beer Awards are to select, award and promote the ‘World’s Best Beers’ to consumers and the trade throughout the world. For that reason, entrants must ensure their beers are generally available and for sale in bottles or cans.
Here are the winners:
WORLD’S BEST BEER 2015:
Fish Tale Ales Beyond the Pale
WORLD BEER AWARDS: CATEGORY WINNERS
World’s Best Pale Ale: Fish Tale Ales Beyond the Pale
World’s Best Dark Beer: Vanderghinste Oud Bruin
World’s Best Flavoured Beer: Rodenbach Rosso
World’s Best Lager: Kronenbourg 1664 Millésime
World’s Best Sour Beer: Timmermans Oude Gueuze Limited Edition
World’s Best Specialty Beer: Samuel Adams Stony Brook Red
World’s Best Stout & Porter: Deschutes Obsidian Stout
World’s Best Label: Mateo & Bernabé and Friends 21 Mateo
CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
DARK BEER
American Brown Ale: Microbrasserie Pit Caribou
Barley Wine: Pott’s Barley Wine
Belgian Style Dubbel: Nøgne Ø Brun
Belgian Style Strong: Gouden Carolus Cuvée Van De Keizer Blauw
Black IPA: FrogBeer Tha…Wack!
Brown Ale: Harvey’s Lewes Castle Brown Ale
Mild Ale: Harvey’s Old Ale
Oud Bruin: Vanderghinste Oud Bruin
Strong Dark Beer: Deschutes Not The Stoic
Vintage: Rodenbach Vintage
FLAVOURED BEER
Chocolate & Coffee: Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock
Experimental: TailGate Peanut Butter Milk Stout
Fruit: Rodenbach Rosso
Herb & Spice: Sanktgallen Sweet Vanilla Stout
Honey: SNAB Koning Honing
Smoked: Tazawako Beer Rauch
Wood Aged: Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon 4.5
LAGER
Amber / Vienna: Pott’s Landbier
Bock: Kronenbourg 1664 Millésime
Czech-style Pale: Wäls Bohemian Pilsner
Dark: Litovel Schwarzbier Premium Dark
Doppelbock: Samuel Adams Double Bock
Dortmunder: Huda Gold
German-style Pale: Purity Lawless Lager
Gluten-free: Jade Sans Gluten
Helles / Münchner: Fujizakura Heights Beer Munchen Lager
Low Alcohol: Gambrinus Birell Pomelo and Grep
Low Carb: Schwarzbräu Light & Fit
No Alcohol (0%): Clausthaler Classic
Seasonal: Flötzinger Bräu Maibock
Strong: Familienbrauerei Bauhöfer Eisbock
PALE BEER
Altbier: Bamberg Altbier
Amber: Pure UBU
Barley Wine: SNAB Maelstrøm
Belgian Style Ale: Bernard Bohemian Ale
Belgian Style Blonde: Omer Traditional Blond
Belgian Style Strong: Leffe Rituel 9°
Belgian Style Tripel: Unibroue La Fin Du Monde
Biére de Garde / Saison: Le Trou Du Diable La Saison Du Tracteur
Bitter 4%-5%: St Austell Admiral’s Ale
Bitter over 5%: Stewart Brewing Radical Road
Bitter up to 4%: Lacons Encore
Golden: Deschutes River Ale
Imperial IPA: Saranac Imperial IPA
IPA: Le Trou Du Diable Les 4 Surfers de l’Apocalypso
Kölsch: Thornbridge Tzara
Pale Ale: Fish Tale Ales Beyond the Pale
Seasonal: Franciscan Well Brewery Summer Saison
SOUR BEER
Gose / Others: Petrus Aged Pale
Gueuze: Timmermans Oude Gueuze Limited Edition
Kirk / Framboise: À La Fût Rouge de Mékinac – Co-Hop V
Lambic: Redoak Blackberry Wheat Beer
SPECIALTY BEER
Brut / Champagne: Wäls Brut
Experimental: Samuel Adams Stony Brook Red
Gluten-free: Top Hat Amber Ale
Rice: Aqula Brauhaus Wild Rice Amber Ale
Rye: Hook Norton Red Rye
STOUT & PORTER
Flavoured Stout / Porter: Brewdog Cocoa Psycho
Imperial Stout: Stockade Craft Rebellion Imperial Stout
Porter: Ninkasi Noire
Stout: Deschutes Obsidian Stout
Strong Porter: Bronckhorster Nightporter
Sweet / Milk Stout: Samuel Adams Cream Stout
WHEAT BEER
Bavarian Hefeweiss: Schnitzei Weissbier Hell
Bavarian Kristal: Ketterer Ur-Weisse Kristall
Belgian Style Witbier: Brasserie du Mont Blanc La Blanche
Dark: Loncium Dunkler Weizenbock
Strong: Deschutes Dopple Dinkle Bock
