The Brewers Association’s Export Development Program (EDP) is pleased to announce member brewery successes in two key European beer competitions – the Brussels Beer Challenge and European Beer Star Awards. Both competitions represent valuable opportunities to promote American craft beer in Europe and beyond.

International competitions continue to serve as key platforms to raise awareness for American craft beer abroad and assist EDP member breweries with generating publicity for their brands in overseas markets. As part of its programming, the EDP helps facilitate U.S. brewery participation and performance in select competitions by covering entry fees and consolidated airfreight shipment to judging sites.

Brussels Beer Challenge

Now in its eighth year, the Brussels Beer Challenge is an annual international beer competition that aims to promote the beer industry in a market that is not only a benchmark for beer, but also home to connoisseurs.

This year, 1,800 beers were judged by 100 internationally renowned beer experts over three days. Participating beers are subdivided into categories based on origin, typology, and style, and then tasted.

Congratulations to the EDP members who were awarded with 45 awards in total: 12 gold, 11 silver, 16 bronze, and 6 Certificates of Excellence.

European Beer Star Awards

One of the most recognized beer competitions in the world, the European Beer Star Awards, took place for the sixteenth occasion in October 2019 and is committed to the traditional European art of brewing. It recognizes high quality, authentic beers that are genuine and distinctive, and is limited to beer categories that originate in Europe.

In the 2019 competition, there was a record-breaking number of beers entered: 2,483 from 47 countries in 67 categories, of which 195 beers were from the United States.

The competition was judged by 145 international beer experts from 28 different countries. Congratulations to the EDP members who secured 25 medals in total: 6 gold, 10 silver, and 9 bronze. Medals were presented at BrauBeviale in Nuremburg on November 13.

The award-winning breweries are listed below — congratulations to all the winners!

Brussels Beer Challenge

European Beer Star

The Brewers Association Export Development Program (EDP) works to inform member breweries about opportunities to sell and promote their beers in targeted global markets as well as educate international trade and media about proper storage and care for craft beer as well as the collective quality and diversity of styles created by small and independent American craft brewers.