I put this list together to give you a bit of information about each of Washington’s 2026 World Beer Cup winners. Also, I provide some direction on how to actually taste the beers (back up my own research with your own, please.)
A few notes:
- Chuckanut Brewery earned three medals this year because they are exactly who we think they are: industry leaders.
- Icicle Brewing earned two medals, one for a beer that is in its regular lineup and the other for a beer the world may never see again.
- Cloudburst Brewing earned two medals this year. One was, maybe, not necessarily for the kind of beer you might expect.
- Two of the three medals awarded for Munich-Style Dunkel went to Washington breweries (Dru Bru and Chuckanut Brewery).
- Six of the Washington Beer Blog’s sponsors earned medals this year, proving that supporting the Washington Beer Blog is good juju for your karma.
The Winners
Elliott Bay Brewing – De Rode Duivels (Gold, Belgian-Style Flanders Red Ale). The name translates to “The Red Devils”—the nickname of Belgium’s national football team. At the time the winners of this year’s WBC were announced, some bottles of this beer could still be found in the reach-in coolers at the company’s three brewpubs. I have a hunch they’re gone by now.
Fremont Brewing – NA Dark (Bronze, Classic Non-Alcoholic Ale or Lager). Since its introduction a couple of years ago, this beer just keeps on winning. In an increasingly crowded field of NA beers, this is the sixth medal it’s won so far. It’s won two Great American Beer Festival (GABF) medals and, now, two World Beer Cup (WBC) medals. Impressive. (Regular offering from the brewery. Cans.)
Ghostfish Brewing – It Came From the Haze (Gold, Gluten-Free Beer). This IPA contains notes of pineapple and papaya, but no gluten. Full-bodied with slight resinous, dank, grassy notes on the back end. This is, at least, its second medal: in 2023, it won the GABF gold medal in the gluten-free category. (Regular offering from the brewery. Cans.)
Icicle Brewing – Dragontail IPA (Bronze, Australian-Style Pale Ale). Not its first medal. Two years ago, it scored a gold medal at the World Beer Cup and a bronze at the Best of Craft Beer Awards. So, whether you categorize it as a West Coast IPA or an Aussie Pale, it’s a damned good beer. (Look for it in cans at better beer retailers, or head to Leavenworth and get it at the taproom.)
Icicle Brewing – Cloud Piercer (Bronze, Juicy or Hazy Pale Ale). The brewery’s small-batch brewing system created this one. It was packed with crazy-ass New Zealand hops: Superdelic, Motueka, Manilita, and Peacherine. Beyond that, I don’t want to spend to much time tempting you with words about something you’ll probably never get to drink. (Small-batch, if there’s any left at all, it would be at the brewery taproom in Leavenworth.)
Lucky Envelope Brewing – Yinz Jawn Pennsylvania Lager (Silver, International Amber Lager). The brewery describes it as its version of an American Amber Lager. Brewed in collaboration with Triceretops Brewing. Yinz thirsty? Grab some of this jawn! Available on draft and in cans. (As of now, still available at the brewery in Seattle.)
Reuben’s Brews – Three Ryes Men Barleywine (Gold, Barley Wine-Style Ale). Each year, it’s a little different, and they do some cool variations, but it is always outstanding. And it’s always bringing home the hardware from the beer competition it enters. This marks the third time in four years that it scored the gold medal at the World Beer Cup. Read that again slowly. (It’s an annual-release thing, but you should find it right now at the Reuben’s Brews tasting rooms. Do not delay.)
Victor 23 Brewing – Birkenbeinerpils (Gold, International-Style Pilsener). Impressively, this is the second year in a row that Birkenbeinerpils brought home gold from the WBC. It’s a Nordic-style pilsner named after a famous Norwegian ski race. For the unaware, Victor 23 is a great brewery located in Vancouver, WA. Seattle folks are not as familiar with Victor 23 Brewing as they should be. (Regular offering from the brewery. Draft and cans.)
Cloudburst Brewing, Exquisite Taste (Gold, Rice Lager). A rice lager? Yup. Cloudburst Brewing is best known as an exceptional producer of IPAs and other hoppy creations, but Exquisite Taste proves they have chops beyond that. (Last I heard, it is still on tap at the brewery’s taprooms. If you want to find it in cans, that’s probably your best bet, too. Shameless self-promotion: Just over a year ago, I published a story about rice lager, wanting to share information about this style of beer, which I think is underrated and maybe misunderstood.
Cloudburst Brewing, Long Time Sunshine (Gold, West Coast-Style Pilsener). The brewery makes a lot of one-off, never-to-be-repeated beers, and this, I assume, is one of them. Maybe they’ll rethink that after scoring this impressive accolade. In non-geeky beer terms, it’s kind of like an extra-hoppy version of Happy Little Clouds, which is one of the few things Cloudburst brewers regularly. (Get it now, and I mean right now, on draft and in cans at either Cloudburst location.)
Grains of Wrath Brewing, Rancho Cowabunga (Silver, Hoppy Lager). Not its first rodeo. This beer earned a bronze medal at the GABF in 2024. Described as being brewed with a crashing wave of dank, juicy hops to offer you flavors and aromatics of ripe mango, tangerine, candied pineapple, and pine resin. (Find it on tap at the brewery or look for it in cans.)
Chuckanut Brewery, Pilsner (Bronze, Czech-Style Pale Lager). Duh. Just duh. Pilsner is a fairly new adventure for most American craft brewers, but Chuckanut was born for this kind of stuff. A bronze medal, sure, but when it comes to lagers, Chuckanut Brewery remains the gold standard. (They make more than one kind of pilsner, so look for any of them and drink them.)
Chuckanut Brewery, Dunkel Lager (Silver, Munich-Style Dunkel). This deliciously malty dark lager kicks butt. It’s been a personal favorite for years, so when it wins a medal like this, I feel validated. Like, maybe I really do know what I’m talking about. This year’s WBC medal is just one of the beer’s many, many medals and awards. Years ago, I nicknamed it Chuckadunk. I love this beer. I’ll stop gushing now. (As far as I know, this beer is a seasonal beer for the darker, cooler months, so you may have to wait for it to return. Worth the wait.)
Chuckanut Brewery, Kölsch (Gold, German-Style Koelsch). Another old-world style beer that Chuckanut has mastered. It started racking up hardware in 2011 and hasn’t slowed down. This marks the third time it’s medalled at the WBC. It’s also earned four medals at the Great American Beer Festival and at least eight more at other renowned beer-judging competitions. (Look for it in cans at better beer retailers, keep an eye out for it on tap at the local pub, or visit Chuckanut’s taproom in Burlington.)
Dru Bru, Ski Patrol (Gold, Munich-Style Dunkel). This German-style dunkel (dark) lager is brewed to support the Ski Patrol. The brewery uses German-grown malt for toast, chocolate, and hazelnut notes, along with German hops for herbal and spicy notes. (On tap at the brewery’s two tasting rooms and available in cans.)
Single Hill Brewing, Adams Pilsner (Gold, Contemporary American-Style Lager). A long time ago, they named a beer after Mount Rainier, so it’s about damn time that Mount Adams got some love, too. I usually associate this brewery with IPAs and fresh-hop beers, but don’t overlook everything else Single Hill Brewing does. (Part of the regular lineup. Get it on draft and in cans at either location: Yakima or Seattle.)
Aslan Brewing, Disco Lemonade (Silver, Berliner-Style Weisse). Am I the only one who remembers the song Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground? I assume that’s where the brewery came up with the name for the multi-award-winning Berliner Weisse. A seasonal treat: April through September. It has earned three medals at the GABF, but this is its first one at the World Beer Cup. (Head to the brewery in Bellingham, or hit one of the Aslan taprooms in Seattle.)
Resonate Brewery, Lithium (Silver, German-Style Altbier). If you are a longtime follower of the Washington Beer Blog, you’ve heard me urge you to check out this brewery, which too many people have yet to discover. Tucked away in a Bellevue neighborhood (Newport Hills), Resonate’s pizza is amazing, and the beer keeps pace. Lithium is a ringer in the Altbier category–a multiple GABF champion. (Go to the brewery, order a pizza, and try the Lithium or one of their other beers. There I go, urging again.)
Formula Brewing, Touch of Chaos (Bronze, British-Style Imperial Stout). By now, you should know about Issaquah’s uber-popular and highly esteemed Formula Brewing. They are a magnet for medals, so to speak. I think of them as a lager-focused brewery, but obviously, they are much more. (At last glance, this 11.5 percent ABV stout is still on tap at the brewery taproom. Check their website.)
Silver City Brewery, Old Scrooge (Silver, Old Ale, Strong Ale, or Aged Beer). In 2008, this beer won a silver medal at the GABF. I think that was its first notable win, but since then, it has not lost its luster. It just keeps winning. This year’s World Beer Cup victory is absolutely no surprise. (It’s a winter seasonal, but a few bottles might be available from the brewery. They age well.)
Stoup Brewing, Mosaic Pale (Silver, American-Style Pale Ale). Unless you’re one of those weirdos with an aversion to Mosiac hops, this one is easy-drinking and as friendly as your oldest pair of blue jeans. Adding to that comfort level, it is pretty damned easy to find. (Get it at one of the brewery’s taprooms, of course, or look for it in cans wherever you shop for good beer.)
Trap Door Brewing, D.R.E.A.M. (Silver, Imperial IPA). Trap Door Brewing in Vancouver, WA, has won many medals over the years. In addition to this World Beer Cup medal, the beer they call DREAM recently earned a silver medal at the 2025 International Craft Beer Awards in Osaka, Japan. Impressive! (It is on tap right now at the brewery’s taprooms in Vancouver and Washougal. Don’t delay.)
