The Japanese market for craft beer continues to flourish and consumer demand for innovative and high-quality craft beer from the United States was backed up by a successful showing at the 2021 International Beer Cup.
Hosted by the Craft Beer Association of Japan, the International Beer Cup is Japan’s largest international beer competition. Judging for the 2021 event took place September 24 and 25 at TKP Garden City in Yokohama. This year’s competition saw 943 entries from 211 breweries across eight countries.
To supplement an ongoing marketing campaign, the Brewers Association (BA) Export Development Program (EDP) sought to further support member brewery presence in Japan through entry fee coverage and coordinating a consolidated airfreight shipment to the competition. International competitions serve as a valuable tool to generate publicity for the U.S. craft beer industry and assist EDP member breweries with gaining attention and distribution in the region.
American craft brewers won 30 awards this year including nine gold, eight silver, 13 bronze medals, and several Category Champion awards.
Congratulations to all the winners.
2021 Japan International Beer Cup EDP member awards are as follows:
| Company | Beer | Style | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belching Beaver Brewery | Viva la Beaver | Chocolate Beer | Gold |
| Cigar City Brewing | Jai Alai India Pale Ale | American-Style India Pale Ale | Silver |
| Revision Brewing Company | Revision IPA | American-Style India Pale Ale | Bronze |
| Sierra Nevada Brewing Co | Sierra Nevada Hazy Little Thing | Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale | Bronze |
| Lakefront Brewery | My Turn:AL | American-Style Stout | Silver |
| Jack's Abby Brewing LLC | Cold Brew Brig | Coffee Stout or Coffee Porter | Gold |
| Two Roots Brewing Company | New West IPA Non-Alcoholic | Non-Alcohol Beer | Gold |
| Two Roots Brewing Company | Enough Said Helles Non-Alcoholic | Non-Alcohol Beer | Silver |
| No-Li Brewhouse | Threezy Does It | Session Beer | Bronze |
| Breakside Brewery | Breakside Queen of the Rodeo | Mixed-Culture Brett Beer | Gold |
| Nebraska Brewing Company | Melange A Trois | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer | Bronze |
| Breakside Brewery | Breakside Space Music | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout | Gold |
| Fremont Brewing | 2020 BBADS - Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout | Silver |
| Nebraska Brewing Company | MOAB | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout | Bronze |
| Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales | Bam | Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer | Bronze |
| Bell's Brewery | Bell's Tropical Oberon Ale | Fruit Wheat Beer | Bronze |
| Coronado Brewing Company | Orange Ave Shandy | Fruit Wheat Beer | Silver |
| East Brother Beer Company | Red Lager | Vienna-Style Lager | Bronze |
| Bell's Brewery | Bell's Octoberfest Beer | American-Style Amber Lager | Bronze |
| Nebraska Brewing Company | Wick For Brains | Pumpkin Beer | Gold |
| Cedar Springs Brewing Company | Küsterer Original Weissbier | German-Style Wheat Ale | Bronze |
| Maui Brewing Co | Coconut Hiwa Porter | Field Beer | Bronze |
| Cigar City Brewing | Maduro Brown Ale | Brown Porter | Bronze |
| East Brother Beer Company | Oatmeal Stout | Oatmeal Stout | Gold |
| No-Li Brewhouse | Wrecking Ball | British-Style Imperial Stout | Silver |
| The Virginia Beer Company | Elbow Patches | Export Stout | Silver |
| Sierra Nevada Brewing Co | Sierra Nevada Pale Ale | American-Style Pale Ale | Silver |
| Fremont Brewing | Sky Kraken | Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale | Gold |
| Wren House Brewing Co | Arizona Star | Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale | Bronze |
| Belching Beaver Brewery | No Worries IPA | American-Style Strong Pale Ale | Gold |
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