Colorado beers earn 27 medals at World Beer Cup
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In a contest against the world's best brewers, 22 Colorado breweries took home medals for 27 different beers.
Why it matters: The World Beer Cup awards, now in its 30th year, and hosted by the Boulder-based Brewers Association, is the global benchmark for quality beer, drawing 8,166 entries from 50 countries.
State of beer: Colorado's medal haul from Wednesday's ceremony included five golds and several breweries with multiple wins.
- River North Brewery in Denver led all Colorado brewers with three medals — a repeat feat from a year ago.
- In the most competitive category — West Coast-style IPA — Colorado won silver and gold.
- Verboten extended its winning streak to five years. Its barleywine, Grow Old With You, won its fourth consecutive award — a Colorado record in the World Beer Cup.
- Six breweries won for the first time: Crystal Springs, Hideaway, Liquid Mechanics, Lone Tree Brewing, Los Dos Potrillos and Peculier.
What they're saying: "Colorado continues to showcase why we are the state of craft beer," said Brewers Guild executive director Shawnee Adelson in a statement.
Zoom in: Here's the complete list of Colorado winners from the 2026 World Beer Cup competition.
Gold Medals
- River North Brewery: Squirrels Just Want to Have Fun (Coffee Beer)
- Bull & Bush Brewery: Ghoul Fuel-Rum Diaries Edition (Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer)
- Ska Brewing: True Blonde (English-style Pale Ale)
- Cannonball Creek Brewing Co: Project Alpha 81 (West Coast-style India Pale Ale)
- Kirin Brewery: Kirin Light (International Light Lager)
Silver Medals
- New Belgium Brewing: Trippel (Belgian-style Tripel)
- River North Brewery: Pumpkin Spice J. Marie (Pumpkin/Squash or Pumpkin Spice Beer)
- River North Brewery: Espresso Hello Darkness (Coffee Stout or Porter)
- Bull & Bush Brewery: Kauai Pie (Dessert or Pastry Beer)
- Odell Brewing Company: Friek (Fruited American-style Sour Ale)
- Peculier: Barenbrau Bock (German-style Bock or Maibock)
- Hideaway Park Brewery: Little Mac (Australian-style Pale Ale)
- Verboten Brewing: Grow Old With You (Barleywine-style Ale)
- Westbound & Down – Westbound Mill: Trade Deficit (Export Stout)
- Telluride Brewing: Face Down Brown (American-style Brown Ale)
- Cannonball Creek Brewing Co: Mindbender (American-style Strong Pale Ale)
- Crystal Springs Brewing Co: Mosaic Madness (West Coast-style India Pale Ale)
Bronze Medals
- New Belgium Brewing: Dominga Grapefruit Paloma (Fruited American-style Sour Ale)
- The Sandlot Brewery: Key Lime Pie in the Sky (Fruit Wheat Beer)
- Los Dos Potrillos Cervecería: Agua Fresca (Fruit Beer)
- Liquid Mechanics Brewing Company: El Poblano Borracho (Chili Beer)
- The Empourium Brewing Company: Animals Strikes Curious Poses (Honey Beer)
- The Post Brewing Co: East County Fine Malt Liquor (Other Strong Beer)
- Ratio Beerworks: Dear You (American-Belgo-style Ale)
- Stodgy Brewing Company: Gin Barrel Sour Red (American-style Sour or Wood & Barrel Aged Sour Beer)
- Lone Tree Brewing Company: Mexican Lager (Mexican-style Pale Lager)
- 12Degree Brewing: Cactus Juice (Berliner-style Weisse)