MD breweries win medals at World Beer Cup

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Virginia and Pennsylvania breweries dominated the 2026 World Beer Cup, combining for seven gold medals, while breweries in Maryland also earned medals across multiple categories at one of the beer industry’s most prestigious competition.

Organized by the Brewers Association, the World Beer Cup (WBC), now in its third decade, is one of the beer industry’s most competitive contests, with this year’s contest drawing thousands of entries from breweries around the world. The rigorous judging process places beers in style-specific categories, evaluated by an international panel of experts.

The results highlight the Mid-Atlantic’s growing strength in craft brewing, with Virginia and Pennsylvania producers earning gold in categories spanning traditional European styles and American classics, and Maryland breweries also landing on the medal podium in highly competitive fields.

This year’s competition, held in Philadelphia, drew thousands of beers and ciders across more than 100 style categories, according to the Brewers Association.

Maryland breweries

Maryland breweries earned multiple medals at the 2026 World Beer Cup, with silver finishes in highly competitive categories that drew large international fields.

Maryland silver medal winners were:

• Scent of a Lesser Stag, BabyCat Brewery (Kensington) — Silver, Fruit Wheat Beer
• Free Drift, Eden Town Brewing Co. (Denton) — Silver, Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale

Virginia breweries

Virginia breweries delivered one of the strongest performances at the 2026 World Beer Cup, earning four gold medals with additional bronze across multiple categories, from sour beers and saisons to brown ales and seasonal specialties.

Virginia gold medal winners were:

• Aloha State of Mind, Cova Brewing Co. (Norfolk) — Gold, Gose
• Foxfield Saison, Devils Backbone Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows (Roseland) — Gold, Specialty Saison
• Boxcar Brown, Caboose Brewing Co. (Vienna) — Gold, American‑Style Brown Ale
• Pumpkin Ale, 2 Silos Brewing Co. (Manassas) — Gold, Pumpkin/Squash or Pumpkin Spice Beer

Virginia breweries also earned bronze medals:

• Irish Prenup, Barley Naked Brewing Co. (Stafford) — Bronze, Sweet Stout or Cream Stout
• Smokehaus Lager, Devils Backbone Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows (Roseland) — Bronze, Smoke Beer

Pennsylvania breweries

Pennsylvania breweries came out strong with another standout performance at the 2026 World Beer Cup, earning three gold medals along with multiple bronze finishes across a diverse mix of traditional and special beer styles:

Pennsylvania gold medal winners were:

• Common Nightjar, Attic Brewing Co. (Philadelphia) — Gold, International Dark Lager
• Just Like Himmel, New Ridge Brewing Co. (Philadelphia) — Gold, American‑Style Amber Lager
• Archive: Allegheny Altbier, Cinderlands Beer Co. (Pittsburgh) — Gold, German‑Style Altbier

Pennsylvania breweries also earned bronze medals:

• London Porter, New Ridge Brewing Co. (Philadelphia) — Bronze, Brown Porter
• Isle of Pitt, Hazel Grove Brewing (Pittsburgh) — Bronze, Scottish‑Style Ale
• Barrel Aged Double Zombies, New Trail Brewing Co. (Williamsport) — Bronze, Pumpkin/Squash or Pumpkin Spice Beer

What’s next

With the 2026 World Beer Cup results now finalized, attention in the brewing world turns to the next major competitions on the calendar, including the Great American Beer Festival, where many of this year’s medal-winning breweries are expected to compete again later this year.

Reporting by Lori Comstock, Delaware News Journal / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.