Earlier this week, brewers from around the country convened in Indianapolis, Indiana, to attend the Craft Brewers Conference. A convention organized by industry trade organization, the Brewers Association, that annual affair also includes the most prestigious international brewing competition on the planet, the World Beer Cup.
Nicknamed “the Olympics of Beer”, this year’s competition amassed 8,375 entries from 1,761 beverage producers based in 49 different countries. Those beers fell into 112 style categories and were analyzed and rated by 265 certified judges from 37 countries. There were five hard-cider categories, as well.
In the decade prior to this year’s competition, San Diego County breweries amassed 76 total medals, with their highest total of 17 coming in 2022 and lowest number coming in 2018. As they did then, locals brought home seven medals this year. Unlike the last time, when San Diegans grabbed three golds, local brewing companies failed to come out on top in any stylistic categories in 2025.
Despite the low medal count, the perennial award-winners from Carlsbad-based Pizza Port (pictured at right) scored four medals, one each for their brewpubs in Imperial Beach (silver in the Schwarzbier category), Ocean Beach (bronze, South German-style Dunkelweizen), Solana Beach (silver, English-style Brown Ale) and San Clemente (silver, Coffee Stout or Porter).
San Marcos-based Craft Coast Beer & Tacos also garnered a silver (Australian-style Pale Ale), while North Park operations, North Park Beer Co. (Imperial India Pale Ale) and TapRoom Beer Co. (New Zealand-style India Pale Ale) nabbed bronzes along with Coronado Brewing, which did so in the Fruited Cider category.
The following is a full list San Diego County breweries and operations with local ties that won awards at this year’s WBC…
GOLD MEDALS (1)
American-style India Pale Ale: Super Slap, Brewery X (Anaheim) *
SILVER MEDALS (6)
Australian-style Pale Ale: XPA, Craft Coast Beer & Tacos (Oceanside)
Coffee Stout or Porter: Dusk Til Dawn, Pizza Port (San Clemente) **
English-style Brown Ale: Oscar Wanted a Brown Ale, Pizza Port (Solana Beach)
German-style Kolsch: Monger’s Choice, Docent Brewing (San Juan Capistrano) *
German-style Schwarzbier: Schwarzbier, Pizza Port (Imperial Beach)
Session India Pale Ale: Hefty Fee, Docent Brewing (San Juan Capistrano) *
BRONZE MEDALS (4)
Fruited Cider: Guava Hard Cider, Coronado Brewing (Bay Park)
Imperial India Pale Ale: House of Fu!, North Park Beer Co. (North Park)
New Zealand-style India Pale Ale: Modern Love, TapRoom Beer Co. (North Park)
South German-style Dunkelweizen: Junk In Da Trunkel Dunkel, Pizza Port (Ocean Beach)
* Non-locally based company that operates a non-brewing venue in San Diego County
** Non-local brewpub’s parent company is based in Carlsbad
A full list of winners from the 2025 World Beer Cup can be viewed here