This fall, American craft brewers once again made their mark on the global stage, securing medals from several prestigious international beer competitions including the Brussels Beer Challenge and European Beer Star.

Each year, the Brewers Association’s (BA) Export Development Program (EDP) supports a wide range of market development initiatives for American craft brewers, including trade shows, festivals, missions, seminars, and media outreach. EDP members receive financial support for entry fees and shipment logistics to select international beer competitions—an essential platform for boosting the visibility of U.S. craft beer and opening doors to distribution opportunities in key global markets.

Brussels Beer Challenge

The 13th edition of the Brussels Beer Challenge was held in the historic city of Ghent, Belgium, in November 2024. Over three days, 1,705 beers from 39 countries were evaluated by a panel of 72 international judges. The beers were categorized by origin, specificity, and style, ensuring a comprehensive and fair judging process.

American craft breweries excelled in the competition, winning a total of 19 medals, including five gold, seven silver, and seven bronze. A special mention goes to River North Brewing Co’s Uptown Squirrel Porter, which was awarded the title of Best American Beer in the competition.

European Beer Star

The European Beer Star Awards, one of the world’s most respected beer competitions, celebrates authentic and high-quality beers rooted in traditional European brewing techniques. This year marked the 21st edition of the competition, held in Nuremberg, Germany, in September 2024. The event saw 2,360 entries from over 550 breweries across 50 countries, with 68% of the entries coming from international brewers. The competition was judged by 140 experts from 32 countries.

American craft brewers once again impressed the judges, bringing home a total of 32 medals—eight more than last year. The tally included 13 gold, 10 silver, and nine bronze medals.

Lotte Peplow, BA American craft beer ambassador for Europe, comments, “It’s truly remarkable to see American craft beer consistently winning top honors at these prestigious international beer competitions year after year. This ongoing success highlights the dedication of American craft brewers to quality, innovation, and brewing excellence, reinforcing their reputation as trailblazers in the brewing world. In today’s competitive beer market, gaining recognition on the global stage is an important point of difference, and I couldn’t be prouder of each and every one of them.”

Congratulations to all of the winners!

The work of the EDP is made possible by grants from the United States Department of Agriculture. The BA is committed to increasing trade relationships, enhancing media visibility, and raising consumer awareness of American craft beer internationally via festival participation, trade conferences, retail promotions, media campaigns, and international beer competitions.

BA members interested in full or competition-only EDP membership are encouraged to contact director of international relations Steve Parr.