First Female World Beer Cup Champion Crowned

Every two years, the World Beer Cup is held t honor the best in brewing around the world, naming Champion Brewers as well as Champion Breweries.  This year, for the first time, a woman was named a Champion Brewer. 

Here are the highlights from the 2008 Word Beer Cup.  The website and press release claim there is a full list of winners available at www.worldbeercup.org, but there must have been too much celebrating, as I can not findanything except this press release on the website.  When more is known, I will let you know and comment accordingly.

Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008 Champion Brewery
Small Brewpub Category
Bend Brewing Company
Tonya Cornett

Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008 Champion Brewery
Large Brewpub Category
Pelican Pub & Brewery
Darron R. S. Welch

Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008 Champion Brewery
Small Brewing Company Category
Port Brewing Company and The Lost Abbey
Tomme Arthur

Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008 Champion Brewery
Mid-Size Brewing Company Category
Privatbrauerei Hoepfner GmbH
Peter Bucher

Brewers Association World Beer Cup 2008 Champion Brewery
Large Brewing Company Category
Blue Moon Brewing Company
Warren Quilliam

Blue Moon taking an award might seem odd, but considering that Miller took the award in 2006 and 2004, this is a pretty good sign for craft brewing.  Also, this marks an end to Vinnie Cilurzo’s reign as best Large Brewpub.  Sorry Vinnie, you couldn’t win all the awards this weekend.  Matthew Brinidlson at Firestone Walker also saw a similar streak come to an end.

Want to read the press release, click the link below.  Hopefully the full list of winners will be available soon.

World Beer Cup 2008 - 644 Breweries Compete for Medals in  the ‘Olympics’ of Beer (PDF)

Update:  They have since linked the full winner’s list (pdf).  An interesting list to say the least, with Steel Reserve and Old Milwaukee Light each earning a gold medal.  If drinking these beers is a requirement of judges, I do not envy them, no matter how many fine brews they get to sample afterwards.  Just not worth it.  Hope you all enjoy.