American brewers continued their record of international success in global competitions—this time in Japan—where U.S. breweries captured top honors at the 2025 International Beer Competition (IBC).
Hosted by the Craft Beer Association of Japan, the IBC brings together breweries from around the world to celebrate quality, creativity, and craftsmanship. The 2025 edition attracted 1,562 entries from 385 breweries across 22 countries, evaluated over three days in Osaka by a panel of 99 international beer experts—representing a 10% increase in total entries compared to the previous year.
U.S. breweries earned a total of 30 medals at the 2025 competition, including six gold, 13 silver, and 11 bronze awards. Trap Door Brewing stood out among the winners, taking home six medals across multiple hop-forward categories.
International competitions continue to serve as an important platform for small and independent brewers to compete on a global stage, build brand recognition, and increase familiarity in international markets. Through its Export Development Program, the Brewers Association supported member brewery participation in the 2025 IBC by covering entry fees and providing quality-focused shipment assistance to the judging site in Osaka.
Congratulations to all of the 2025 IBC medal winners.
| Brewery | Beer | Category | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bootstrap Brewing | Wreak Havoc Imperial Red Ale | Strong Red Ale | Bronze |
| Breakside Brewery | Pilsner | American Style Pilsner | Bronze |
| Breakside Brewery | Learning from Las Vegas | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout | Silver |
| Great Lakes Brewing Company | Elliot Ness Amber Lager | German-style Bock or Maibock | Bronze |
| Great Lakes Brewing Company | Edmund Fitzgerald Porter | Export Stout | Gold |
| Heater Allen Brewery | Gold Dot Beer Dark Lager | Münchner-Style Dunkel | Silver |
| Hinterland Brewery | Saving Gracie Gluten Free Sour Berry | Gluten-Free Beer | Silver |
| Lakefront Brewery | My Turn Opis Vienna Lager | Vienna-Style Lager (Bottle/Can) | Bronze |
| Lakefront Brewery | Black Bird IPA | American Style Stout | Bronze |
| Little Beast Brewing | Folkvanr | Free-Style Dark Ale | Bronze |
| Little Beast Brewing | Bes | American Style Stour | Silver |
| Malibu Brewing Company | First Point IPA | American-Style Strong Pale Ale | Silver |
| Malibu Brewing Company | Hatch Chili Lager | Chili Beer | Silver |
| North Coast Brewing | 2025 Old Stock Ale | Old Ale or Strong Ale | Silver |
| Reuben’s Brews | Robust Porter | Robust Porter | Silver |
| River North Brewery | West End Squirrels | English-Style Brown Ale | Bronze |
| River North Brewery | Rheinzeit is 20/20 | Düsseldorf-Style Altbier | Gold |
| River North Brewery | Hello Darkness | Other Strong Beer | Gold |
| River North Brewery | Bucket of Bolts | Old Ale or Strong Ale | Gold |
| River North Brewery | Mr. Sandman | British-Style Imperial Stout | Silver |
| Templin Family Brewing | Templin Family Helles | Munich-Style Helles (Bottle/Can) | Bronze |
| Templin Family Brewing | Rice Lager | Rice Lager | Bronze |
| The Virginia Beer Company | House Rules | Bohemian-Style Pilsener (Keg) | Bronze |
| Trap Door Brewing | Fresh Day Beer | American-Style India Pale Ale (Keg) | Bronze |
| Trap Door Brewing | Trap Door IPA | American-Style Strong Pale Ale | Gold |
| Trap Door Brewing | Day Beer | Hoppy Lager | Silver |
| Trap Door Brewing | Glowed Up | Juicy or Hazy Strong Pale Ale | Silver |
| Trap Door Brewing | Fresher than Fresh | American-Style India Pale Ale (Keg) | Silver |
| Trap Door Brewing | D.R.E.A.M. | Imperial India Pale Ale | Silver |
| True North Ale Company | Milk Mustache | Coffee Beer | Gold |
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