Awards for the best craft beers and breweries of the year
Prestigious awards go to Hoppebräu, Brauhaus Faust, Doppelleu Boxer (Switzerland) and NBeer Craft Brewing (China)
This year, a total of 1,111 beers from over 20 countries, divided into eleven themed tastings, were evaluated by a distinguished jury of experts consisting of 83 tasters from breweries, the trade, the press as well as research and science within the framework of Meininger's International Craft Beer Award.
"It was an exciting and varied tasting year that once again showed how diverse and high-quality the international beer scene is today," tasting director Christian Wolf sums up the International Craft Beer Awards 2021, which, due to the pandemic, took place in monthly, seasonally oriented themed tastings. "Thanks to the concept that was adapted this year, we were able to guarantee safe and professional execution at all times," Christian Wolf continued.
From pilsner and lager beers in January to barrel-aged specialities and green-hopped beers in November, the range of beer styles extended, some of which could be tasted freshly brewed for the first time in a beer competition. In the course of the year, the jury awarded special prizes to the best beers in 34 particularly strong categories.
Based on the results of the monthly tastings, there are also awards for the best beers and the best breweries in the competition, the highlight of each year and the accolade for the award-winning breweries.
Craft beer of the year 2021 national*:
Hoppebräu Slyrs Oak Aged Imperial Stout (Edition 2021)
The highest-rated beer of the entire year 2021 comes from Waakirchen in Upper Bavaria and is brewed by Markus Hoppe. The Hoppebräu Slyrs Oak Aged Imperial Stout (Edition 2021) won a platinum medal in November and was awarded the title "Wood-Aged Beer of the Year". Among other things, this Imperial Stout matures for four months in whisky barrels from the Bavarian Slyrs distillery. A very special beer experience with aromas of whisky, wood, dried fruit and smoke.
Craft beer of the year 2021 international*:
NBeer Wine Barrel Aged Mulberry & Cranberry Niubic Sour (China).
The best international beer of the 2021 competition comes from Chengdu in China. With its Wine Barrel Aged Mulberry & Cranberry Niubic Sour, the NBeer Craft Brewing Company has created a barrel-aged sour beer that elicited top marks from the jury. Using their own wild yeasts on fresh mulberries and cranberries in selected wine barrels from Chinese wine producers, they have created a very special wild and sour beer pleasure.
* The title "Craft Beer of the Year (national/international)" is awarded to the beer that received the highest rating from the jury over the entire competition.
Craft Brewer of the Year 2021 national**:
Brauhaus Faust, Miltenberg
It has been a constant at Meininger's International Craft Beer Award for years and was already able to bring the title of best craft brewery to Miltenberg in Lower Franconia in 2016. Brauhaus Faust achieved this feat again this year. With a total of 2 platinum medals, 6 gold medals, one silver medal and the special awards for the best wheat beer, the best pale beer and the best festival beer, the family-owned brewery with over 360 years of tradition has once again proven that it has mastered both the classic beer styles and innovative creations to perfection.
Craft brewer of the year 2021 international**:
Doppelleu Boxer, Winterthur, Switzerland
Doppelleu Boxer AG from Winterthur in Switzerland was also able to repeat its title as Craft Brewery of the Year International. After 2019, the year 2021 will now also go down in the success story of the brewery, which was launched just over ten years ago. The experimental Swiss brewers can add a total of 7 gold and 3 silver medals to their gallery, as well as the two particularly valuable special awards for the best dark beer of the year and for the best freestyle beer of the year. This title was won by Citra Double Wit, which symbolises the brewery's creativity.
** Craft Brewer of the Year (national/international)" is awarded to the brewery that has at least five award-winning beers (platinum/gold/silver) over the course of the year and has achieved the highest average score within these award-winning beers.
The Craft Brewers of the Year and the two Craft Beers of the Year 2021 are presented in the video by Mareike Hasenbeck, Christian Wolf and Benjamin Brouer, who together with Prof. Dr. Dominik Durner form the board of the award:
In 2022, the competition will return to the tried and tested format of previous years with a big tasting in mid-April. Then a good 100 tasters from all over the world are expected in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany, to taste and evaluate beers in over 70 different beer styles. More information for the competition in 2022 you will find at www.craft-beer-award.com.
